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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Certain; Certainly; Certainty
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sẽr´tin, sẽr´tin-li, sẽr´tin-ti: The rendering of some Hebrew words and forms expressive of what is definitely settled or determined.
(1) Translation of the Hebrew × ×›×•×Ÿ, nakhon, “to be established†or “fixed,†as in (Hebrew 15); ; (of , “a certain rate every day†the King James Version). In the New Testament it is the rendering of ἀσφαληÌÏ‚, asphaleÌ„Ìs, ἀσφαÌλεια, asphaÌleia, from “a†privative and sphallein, “to shake†or “moveâ€; as in , “the certainty of those things†= actual circumstances; ; ; .
(2) The word “certain†is also employed in the Old Testament to bring out the force of the absolute infinitive form used with the finite verb to express emphasis or to strengthen the idea of the main verb (Kautzsch-Gesenius, Hebrew Grammar, translation Collins-Cowley, 357, 3). Such usage occurs in ; ; ; ; the King James Version; ; ; ; , ; .
(3) The word “certain†is also made auxiliary to bring out the force of such expressions as the Hebrew יצב, yaÌ„cabh, “to be firm,†as in ; also in the New Testament, of the verb ἀστατεῖν, astateıÌn as in , “have no certain dwelling-place.â€
(4) Mention might be made also of “certain†as the rendering of sundry words, as ×ך, 'akh, in ; ×›Ö¼×™, kı̄, in ; and ὀÌντως, oÌntoÌ„s, in , all being expressions for what is sure, beyond doubt.