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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Cheer; Cheerfulness
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cheÌ„r, cheÌ„r´fool-nes: The English word “cheer†meant (1) originally face, countenance (Greek καÌÏα, kaÌra, “head,†through Old French, chere, “faceâ€), (2) Then the expression on the face, especially (3) The expression of good spirits, and finally (4) good spirits, without any reference to the facial expression. The noun “cheer†in English Versions of the Bible is only found with adjective “good†(except 1 Esdras 9:54, “great cheerâ€), the word not having quite lost its earlier neutral character (any face expression, whether joyous or otherwise). In Old Testament, טוב, tÌ£oÌ„bh, is translated “cheer,†“let thy heart cheer thee†(see GOOD); שׂמח, saÌ„meÌ„ahÌ£, “to rejoice†is so translated in , “shall cheer his wife†(the King James Version “cheer up his wifeâ€), and , “wine, which cheereth God ('ĕloÌ„hı̄m) and man.†The phrase “of good cheer†occurs in Old Testament in (the King James Version “comfortâ€); in Apocrypha, 1 Esdras 9:54; The Wisdom of Solomon 18:6; Baruch 4:5, 30; Sirach 18:32 the King James Version (the Revised Version (British and American) “luxuryâ€); in New Testament for Greek euthumeÌoÌ„, euÌthumos, in , , , and for tharseÌoÌ„ in , . (the King James Version “comfortâ€); ; ; (RV; “comfort†in the King James Version); ; . “Cheer†as verb transitive occurs in ; ; .
Cheerful occurs in , (the King James Version “merryâ€); ; the King James Version; Sirach 30:25; .
Cheerfully, .
Cheerfulness, .