Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Form
Subjects in this Topic:
foÌ‚rm (יצר, yaÌ„car, תּ×ר, toÌ„'ar; μοÏφηÌ, morpheÌ„Ì):
(1) To form is “to fashion,†“create,†“produce.†In the Old Testament it is for the most part the translation of yaÌ„car, “to form,†“to fashion†(, etc., “Yahweh God formed man of the dust of the ground,†etc.); also of hÌ£uÌ„l and ḥı̄l, “to be twisted†“turned round†“to bring forth (in pain)†(compare ; ; the King James Version, “God that formed theeâ€; the King James Version; , “or ever thou hadst formed the earth†etc.; the King James Version). In the New Testament we have morphoÌoÌ„, “to form†(, “until Christ be formed in youâ€); plaÌssoÌ„, “to form,†“to mold†(, “him that formed itâ€; , “Adam was first formedâ€; 2 Macc 7:23, “the Creator ... who formed the generation of man,†the Revised Version (British and American) “fashionedâ€; 7:22, “that formed the members (diarrhuthmıÌzoÌ„),†the Revised Version (British and American) “brought into orderâ€).
(2) Form (noun) is used for (a) appearance, mar'eh, “sight,†“appearance†(, “I could not discern the form thereof†the Revised Version (British and American) “appearance†with “form†for “image†(temuÌ„naÌ„h) in next sentence); celem, Aramaic “image†(, “The form of his visage was changedâ€); reÌ„w, “form,†“likeness†(; , the Revised Version (British and American) “aspectâ€); toÌ„'ar, “visage,†“form†(, “What form is he of?â€); (b) The fixed or characteristic form of anything, tabhnı̄th, “model,†“form†(; , “the form of a handâ€; , “every form of creeping thingsâ€); morpheÌ„, characteristic form as distinguished from scheÌ„Ìma, changing fashion (, “in the form of Godâ€; , “the form of a servantâ€; less distinctly , “in another formâ€); (c) shape, model, pattern, mold, cuÌ„raÌ„h, “shape,†from cuÌ„r, “to cut or carve†(, ter, “the form of the house,†etc.); mishpaÌ„t, “rule†( the King James Version); tuÌpos, “type,†“impress†(, the Revised Version, margin “patternâ€); hupotuÌpoÌ„sis, “outline,†pattern (, the Revised Version (British and American) “patternâ€); moÌrphoÌ„sis, “form,†“appearance†(, “the form of knowledgeâ€); (d) orderly arrangement, giving shape or form (; , the earth was “without form,†toÌ„huÌ„, the Revised Version (British and American) “wasteâ€; The Wisdom of Solomon 11:17, aÌmorphos); “form of speech†(, aspect, paÌ„nı̄m, “face,†the Revised Version (British and American) “to change the face of the matterâ€); as giving comeliness or beauty, toÌ„'ar (; , “He hath no form nor comelinessâ€; compare ; , etc.; The Wisdom of Solomon 15:5, “desiring the form (eıÌdos) of a dead image,†the Revised Version (British and American) “the breathless formâ€); (e) Show, without substance, morphoÌ„sis, “form†(, “holding a form of godlinessâ€).
ARV has “didst form†for “hast possessed†(, so the English Revised Version, margin; both have “formed†for “made†(), the American Standard Revised Version for “framed†twice (); both for “formed thee,†“gave birth†(); “pierced†(); “woundeth†(); “fastened†(); for “are formed from†(), “trembleâ€; for “their form†(), “the ordinance concerning themâ€; “form†for “similitude†(; , ); for “size†(; ); for “shape†(; ); “in the form†for “similitude†(); for “or the like†(, ); the American Standard Revised Version “(beholding) thy form†for “thy likeness†(, the English Revised Version, margin); “every form†for “all appearance†(; so the English Revised Version, margin “appearanceâ€).