Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, November 21st, 2024
the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
Bible Encyclopedias
Profane
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
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prṓ - fān ´ (verb חלל , ḥālal , adjective חלל , ḥālāl , חל , ḥōl ; βεβηλόω , bebēlóō , βέβηλος , bébēlos ): From profanus, "before (i.e. outside) the temple," therefore unholy, polluted, secular, is of frequent occurrence (verb and adjective) in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It occurs as the translation of ḥōl in the King James Version only in Ezek (22:26, the Revised Version (British and American) "common"; 42:20; 44:23; 48:15, the Revised Version (British and American) "for common use"); as the translation of ḥālāl in Leviticus 21:7 , Leviticus 21:14 , the Revised Version margin "polluted"; and Ezekiel 21:25 , where, for the King James Version "thou profane wicked prince of Israel," the Revised Version (British and American) has "thou, O deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel." "To profane" (ḥālal ) is seen in Leviticus 18:21; Leviticus 19:8; Nehemiah 13:17 , Nehemiah 13:18; Psalm 89:39; Isaiah 43:28; Ezekiel 22:8 , Ezekiel 22:26 , etc. "Profaneness" in Jeremiah 23:15 ( ḥănuppāh ) is in the American Standard Revised Version "ungodliness." In the New Testament "profane" occurs in the sense of unholy, godless, regardless of God and divine things (1 Timothy 1:9; 1 Timothy 4:7; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16; Hebrews 12:16 ), and "to profane," or violate, in Matthew 12:5; Acts 24:6 . The verb is frequent in Apocrypha in 1 Macc (1:43, 45, 63; 2:34, etc.; also in 2 Macc 8:2; 10:5; compare 2 Esdras 15:8; Judith 4:3, 12; 1 Macc 1:48; 2 Macc 4:13). In numerous cases the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "profane" for other words and phrases in the King James Version, as for "to prostitute" (Leviticus 19:29 ), "an hypocrite" (Isaiah 9:17 ), "pollute" (Numbers 18:32; Ezekiel 7:21 ), etc.
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Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Profane'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/p/profane.html. 1915.
