Confidence

CONFIDENCE kon'-fi-dens (baTach, and forms, kecel; parrhesia; peitho, pepoithesis, hupostasis):

The chief Hebrew word translated "confidence" (baTach, and its forms) means, perhaps, radically, "to be open," showing thus what originated the idea of "confidence"; where there was nothing hidden a person felt safe; it is very frequently rendered "trust." In Psalms 118:8,9 we have "It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to put confidence in princes," and in 65:5, "O God of our salvation, thou that art the confidence (mibhTach) of all the ends of the earth." MibhTach is translated "confidence" in Job 18:14; 31:24; Proverbs 21:22, etc.

Kecel ("firmness," "stoutness") is rendered "confidence" in

Proverbs 3:26, and kiclah in Job 4:6; peitho ("to persuade") is translated "confidence" in 2 Corinthians 2:3; Galatians 5:10, etc.; pepoithesis, in 2 Corinthians 1:15; 8:22, etc.; hupostasis ("what stands under"), in

2 Corinthians 11:17; Hebrews 3:14; 2 Corinthians 9:4; parrhesia ("out- spokenness," "boldness") is invariably translated in the Revised Version (British and American) "boldness" (Acts 28:31; Hebrews 3:6; 4:16; 10:35; 1 John 2:28; 3:21; 5:14); tharseo or tharrheo ("to have good courage") is so translated in the Revised Version (British and American), "being therefore always of good courage" (2 Corinthians 5:6); "I am of good courage concerning you" (2 Corinthians 7:16), the King James Version "confident" and "confidence." Revised Version has "confidence" for "hope" (Job 8:14); for "assurance" (Isaiah 32:17); for "trust" (2 Corinthians 3:4); for "same confident boasting" (2 Corinthians 9:4); "is confident" for "trusted" (Job 40:23); "to have confidence" for "thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust" (Philippians 3:4); "confidently" for "constantly" (Acts 12:15); "confidently affirm" for "affirm" (1 Timothy 1:7); conversely, we have for "his confidence" (Job 18:14), "wherein he trusteth," for "with confidence" (Ezekiel 28:26) "securely therein."

The Bible teaches the value of confidence (Isaiah 30:15; Hebrews 10:35), but neither in "gold" (Job 31:24), nor in man, however great (Psalms 118:8,9; Jeremiah 17:5), nor in self as revealed in Christ (Ephesians 3:12; 1 John 5:13,14). (Proverbs 14:16; Philippians 3:3), but in God (Psalms 65:5; Proverbs 3:26; 14:26),

W. L. Walker

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Bibliography Information

Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'CONFIDENCE'".  "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia".  1915.