International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Desire

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Desire


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dē̇-zı̄r´: The verb “to desire” in the Scriptures usually means “to long for,” “to ask for,” “to demand,” and may be used in a good or bad sense (compare the King James Version). the Revised Version (British and American) frequently renders the more literal meaning of the Hebrew. Compare , “delight”; , “precious”; , “delight”; αἰτέω, aitéō (except ), and ἐρωτάω, erōtáō (except ) are rendered “to ask” and ζητέω, zētéō, “to seek” (compare et. al.). The Hebrew כּסף, kāṣaph, literally, “to lose in value,” is translated () by “hath no shame” (the Revised Version, margin “longing,” the King James Version “not desired”). The literal translation “to lose in value,” “to degenerate,” would be more in harmony with the context than the translations offered. The Hebrew חמדּה, ḥemdāh (, “without being desired”), means according to the Arabic “to praise,” “to give thanks.” The context brings in contrast the burial of the king Jehoram with that of his fathers. In the latter case there was “burning,” i.e. recognition and praise, but when Jehoram died, there was no ḥemdāh, i.e. there was no praise for his services rendered to the kingdom. For “desire” in , see CAPERBERRY.