The term "droppeth" is an archaic English word that appears in the King James Version of the Bible, often used to describe the gentle and continuous falling of liquid, such as rain or dew. In the context of Scripture, it conveys a sense of abundance, blessing, or the natural order established by God. While the Berean Standard Bible may not use the exact term "droppeth," the concept is present in various passages that describe God's provision and the natural processes He has ordained.

Biblical Context and Usage

1. Proverbs 19:13 : "A foolish son is his father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping." Here, the imagery of "constant dripping" is used metaphorically to describe the persistent and wearing nature of a contentious spouse. The comparison to water that "droppeth" highlights the gradual and potentially destructive impact of such behavior within a household.

2. Job 29:22 : "After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew." Although the BSB does not use "droppeth," the imagery of dew settling is akin to the gentle and life-giving nature of water that droppeth. Job reflects on the respect and weight his words once carried, likening them to dew that nourishes and refreshes.

3. Deuteronomy 32:2 : "Let my teaching fall like rain and my speech settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass, like showers on tender plants." This verse captures the essence of "droppeth" through the imagery of rain and dew, symbolizing the nourishing and sustaining power of God's Word. Moses' teaching is portrayed as life-giving and essential for growth, much like the rain that droppeth upon the earth.

4. Amos 9:13 : "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes, him who sows seed. The mountains will drip with sweet wine, and all the hills will flow with it." The prophetic vision of abundance and blessing is illustrated through the imagery of mountains dripping with wine, reminiscent of the concept of "droppeth." This passage speaks to the overflowing provision and prosperity that God promises to His people.

Theological Significance

The concept of "droppeth" in Scripture often symbolizes God's provision, care, and the natural order He has established. It reflects the idea that God's blessings, like rain or dew, are continuous, gentle, and life-sustaining. The imagery serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the abundance that comes from living in accordance with His will.

In a broader theological context, the gentle and persistent nature of "droppeth" can also be seen as a metaphor for the work of the Holy Spirit, who nurtures and sustains the believer's spiritual life. Just as rain and dew are essential for physical growth, the Spirit's presence and influence are vital for spiritual growth and maturity.

Practical Application

Believers are encouraged to reflect on the imagery of "droppeth" as a reminder of God's constant provision and care. In times of spiritual dryness or difficulty, the gentle and persistent nature of God's blessings can provide comfort and hope. Additionally, Christians are called to emulate this gentle and life-giving approach in their interactions with others, offering words and actions that nourish and build up rather than tear down.

In summary, while the term "droppeth" may not be explicitly used in modern translations like the Berean Standard Bible, its essence is captured in the imagery of rain, dew, and the continuous outpouring of God's blessings throughout Scripture.

On the Ten Points of Doctrine.
... The Greeks on the one hand draw men away by their smooth tongue, for honey droppeth
from a harlot's lips [644] : whereas they of the Circumcision deceive those ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture iv on the ten.htm

Free Surrender.
... remember those fine lines, "The quality of mercy is not strained""if the thing be
forced through a strainer, there is no mercy there""it droppeth as the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on service/free surrender.htm

Apocryphal Traditions.
... words: "The quality of mercy is not strained,. It droppeth as the gentle rain
from heaven. Upon the place beneath: it is twice blessed; ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 18 apocryphal traditions.htm

The Mosaic Law the Fountain of all Ethics, and the Source from ...
... of heresies is called deceitful righteousness; and "the tongue of the unjust shall
be destroyed, but the mouth of the righteous droppeth wisdom." [2340] "For ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xviii the mosaic law the.htm

Psalm 19
... to be desired are: Than honey, honey from the comb. that droppeth, sweeter far.
^11Moreover, they thy servant warn. how he his life should frame: ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/psalm 19.htm

Jesu, Thou King of Saints
... liveth in every memory, Thy crucified person is embalmed in every affection, Thy
pierced feet, are bathed in every one's tears, Thy blood all droppeth on every ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/86 o jesu thou king.htm

The Forgiveness of Sins.
... As says our greatest poet". "the quality of mercy is not strain'd; It droppeth,
as the gentle rain from Heaven, Upon the place beneath: it is twice blessed ...
/.../the life of duty a years plain sermons v 2/sermon lvii the forgiveness of.htm

Letter vii. --For 335. Easter-Day iv Pharmuthi, iii Kal. April; xx ...
... Wisdom of God saith again, Bread of deceit is pleasant to a man; but afterwards
his mouth shall be filled with gravel [4167] .' And, Honey droppeth from the ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/letter vii for 335 easter-day iv.htm

A Lecture for Little-Faith
... I shake, shake all the day long; I turn the text over and over again, and at last
the pomegranate droppeth down, and my soul is comforted with apples, for it ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/a lecture for little-faith.htm

Canaan on Earth
... how sweet to think, "That bread, my Father's hand moulded; that water, my Father
droppeth out from his hand in the gentle rain." I can see everything coming ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/canaan on earth.htm

Droppeth (2 Occurrences)
...Droppeth (2 Occurrences). Ecclesiastes 10:18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth;
and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. (KJV WBS) ...
/d/droppeth.htm - 7k

Dropping (33 Occurrences)

/d/dropping.htm - 17k

Decayeth (4 Occurrences)
... Ecclesiastes 10:18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through
idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. (KJV WBS). ...
/d/decayeth.htm - 7k

Dropped (52 Occurrences)

/d/dropped.htm - 22k

Bolt (5 Occurrences)
... Song of Songs 5:5 I rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands droppeth with myrrh,
And my fingers with liquid myrrh, Upon the handles of the bolt. ...
/b/bolt.htm - 11k

Drop (32 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Ecclesiastes 10:18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through
idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. (Root in KJV WBS YLT). ...
/d/drop.htm - 20k

Bar (27 Occurrences)
... Song of Songs 5:5 I rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands droppeth with myrrh,
And my fingers with liquid myrrh, Upon the handles of the bolt. (See JPS). ...
/b/bar.htm - 21k

Flowing (123 Occurrences)
... Song of Songs 5:5 I rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands droppeth with myrrh,
And my fingers with liquid myrrh, Upon the handles of the bolt. ...
/f/flowing.htm - 35k

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