Gift

GIFT gift (mattanah, minchah, shochadh; doron, dorea, chairisma):

In Genesis 25:6; Exodus 28:38; Numbers 18:6,7,29; Ezekiel 20:26, etc., mattanah, "a gift," is so rendered; minchah, an offering or present, used especially of the "meat offerings," is translated "gift" (2 Samuel 8:2,6 the King James Version; 2 Chronicles 26:8), in which passages "tribute" is meant, as the Revised Version (British and American); 32:23; Psalms 45:12. A few other words occur singly, e.g. 'eshkar, "a reward" (Psalms 72:10); mas'eth, "lifting up" (Esther 2:18); nathun is translated "gifts" (Numbers 8:19; the Revised Version, margin "Hebrew nethunim, given"); nedheh, nadhan, "impure gifts" (Ezekiel 16:33); nisse'th, "a thing lifted up" (2 Samuel 19:42); shochadh means "a bribe" (Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Proverbs 6:35; 17:8,23; Isaiah 1:23; Ezekiel 22:12); in each instance the American Standard Revised Version has "bribe" except Proverbs 6:35, "gifts"; teramah, "a present" (Proverbs 29:4), may also mean a bribe, the King James Version "he that receiveth gifts," the Revised Version (British and American) "he that exacteth gifts," margin "imposeth tribute, Hebrew a man of offerings."

In the New Testament doron, "a present," "gift" (from didomi, "to give"), is translated "gift" (Matthew 2:11; 5:23,14 bis; Mark 7:11 the King James Version; Hebrews 5:1; Revelation 11:10, etc., referring chiefly to gifts or offerings to God); dorea, "a free gift" (John 4:10; Acts 2:38; Romans 5:15,17; 2 Corinthians 9:15; Hebrews 6:4, etc., referring to the gifts of God); dorema, "a free gift" (Romans 5:16; James 1:17, the English Revised Version "boon"); dosis, " giving" (James 1:17, "every good gift," the Revised Version, margin "giving"); charisma, "grace," "favor," a benefit or good conferred, is also used of Divine gifts and favors, especially of the supernatural gifts imparted by the Holy Spirit (charismata) enumerated in Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; the word occurs translated "gift, gifts" (Romans 1:11), "some spiritual gift" (Romans 5:15,16, "free gift"; Romans 6:23, "The gift of God is eternal life," the Revised Version (British and American) "free gift"; 11:29; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 7:7; 2 Corinthians 1:11; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Peter 4:10); charis, "grace," "favor" (2 Corinthians 8:4, the Revised Version (British and American) "grace"); merismos, "distribution," "parting" (Hebrews 2:4, the Revised Version, margin "distributions"); anathema, "a thing devoted to God," is once (Luke 21:5) used of "the goodly gifts" (the Revised Version (British and American) "offerings") which adorned the Temple at Jerusalem.

In the Revised Version (British and American) "gift" is substituted in the text of Genesis 33:11 for blessing, margin Hebrew "blessing"; "boasteth himself of his gifts falsely" (Proverbs 25:14) for "boasteth himself of a false gift," margin Hebrew "in a gift of falsehood"; "a parting gift" for "presents" (Micah 1:14); "Given to God" for "a gift" (Mark 7:11).

W. L. Walker

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Bibliography Information

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