the Third Week of Advent
Click here to join the effort!
Bible Dictionaries
Gifts
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
or Have been common from the earliest times as tokens of affection, honor, or respect. The dues to a king were often rendered in this form, 1 Samuel 10:27 Isaiah 36:16; and men of high position were approached with presents, Genesis 43:11 Judges 6:18 1 Samuel 9:7 1 Kings 14:3 . Kings made gifts of garments to those they wished to honor, Genesis 45:22,23 1 Samuel 18:4; and of treasures to other princes, out of esteem or of fear, 2 Kings 16:8 18:14 2 Chronicles 9:9,12 . Conquerors scattered gifts from their triumphal cars, and special privileges in token of generous joy, Psalm 68:18 Acts 1:2,4 . Prophets received gifts, or declined them, as duty required, 2 Kings 5:15 8:9 Daniel 2:48 5:17 . The word gifts often denotes bribes, Exodus 23:8 Psalm 15:5 Isaiah 5:23 . The same word is also applied to the offerings required by the law, Deuteronomy 16:17 Matthew 5:23,24; to the blessings of the gospel and eternal life, which are preeminently gifts, Acts 8:20; to the Christian grace, for the same reason, Ephesians 4:8,11; and to the miraculous endowments of the apostles, 1 Corinthians 12:1-14:40 . See TONGUES.
These files are public domain and are a derivative of the topics are from American Tract Society Bible Dictionary published in 1859.
Rand, W. W. Entry for 'Gifts'. American Tract Society Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ats/g/gifts.html. 1859.
