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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Age; Old Age
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In individual lives (חלד, hÌ£eledh; ἡλικιÌα, heÌ„lı̄kıÌa): We have scarcely any word in the Old Testament or New Testament which denotes “age†in the familiar modern sense; the nearest in the Old Testament is perhaps hÌ£eledh, “life,†“lifetime,†and in the New Testament heÌ„likia, “full age,†“manhood,†but which is rendered stature in , etc., the King James Version; cheledh occurs (, “Thine age shall be clearer than the noonday,†the Revised Version (British and American) “(thy) lifeâ€; , “Mine age is as nothing before thee,†the American Standard Revised Version, “my life-timeâ€); we have heÌ„likia (, , “He is of ageâ€; “past age,†, “Jesus increased in wisdom and age,†so the Revised Version, margin, King James Version margin, ); yoÌ„m, day, (days) is used in the Old Testament to express “age†(), the whole age of Jacob,†the King James Version, “the days of the years of his lifeâ€; but it occurs mostly in connection with old age); beÌ„n, “son†(; , ); kelahÌ£, “to be complete,†is translated “full age†(); teÌleios, “complete†(, the Revised Version (British and American), full-grown men, margin, perfectâ€), doÌ„r, a revolution,†“a period†is translated “age†(, “Mine age is departed and removed from me as a shepherd's tent,†the American Standard Revised Version, “My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me as a shepherd's tent,†the English Revised Version, “mine age,†margin, “or habitationâ€; Delitzsch, “my homeâ€; compare (20); ). In New Testament we have eÌtos, “year†(, the Revised Version (British and American), “oldâ€; ; , “Jesus ... about 30 years of ageâ€). “Old age,†“aged,†are the translation of various words, zaÌ„kÌ£eÌ„n (zaÌ„kÌ£aÌ„n, “the chin,†“the beardâ€), perhaps to have the chin sharp or hanging down, often translated “elders,†“old man,†etc. (; ; ; ).
In New Testament we have presbuÌteÌ„s, “aged,†“advanced in days†(; ); presbuÌtis, “aged woman†(); probebeÌ„kō̇s en heÌ„meÌrais, advanced in days†(); gē̇ras, “old age†().
Revised Version has “old†for “the age of†(), “own age†for “sort†(); “aged†for “ancients†(), for “ancient†(); for “old†(); “aged men†for “the ancients†(); for “aged†(), “elders.â€
Regard for Old Age
(1) Among the Hebrews (and Orientals generally) old age was held in honor, and respect was required for the aged (), “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old manâ€; a mark of the low estate of the nation was that “The faces of elders were not honoredâ€; “The elders have ceased from the gate†(, ). Compare (as showing the exceptionally high regard for Job). See also The Wisdom of Solomon 2:10; Ecclesiasticus 8:6.
(2) Old age was greatly desired and its attainment regarded as a Divine blessing (; , “that thy days may be long in the landâ€; ; , “With long life will I satisfy himâ€; ; compare ; ; ).
(3) A Divine assurance is given, “Even to old age I am he, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you†(); hence it was looked forward to in faith and hope (, ).
(4) Superior wisdom was believed to belong to the aged (; ; , ; compare ); hence positions of guidance and authority were given to them, as the terms “elders,†“presbyters†and (Arabic) “sheik†indicate.