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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Noble; Nobles; Nobleman
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nō´b'l, nō´b'lz, nō´b'l-man (חורי×, hÌ£oÌ„rı̄m, ×דּיר, 'addı̄r; εὐγενηÌÏ‚, eugeneÌ„Ìs, φÏαÌτιστος, kraÌtistos, βασιλικοÌÏ‚, basilikoÌs): “Nobles†is the translation of the Hebrew hÌ£oÌ„rı̄m (occurring only in the plural), “free-born,†“noble†(, ; ; , etc.); of 'addı̄r, “begirded,†“mighty,†“illustrious†or “noble†(; , etc.); of naÌ„dhı̄bh, “liberal,†“a noble†(; , etc.).
Other words are gādhōl, “great†(); yaḳḳı̄r, Aramaic “precious†(); nāghı̄dh, “a leader†(); partemı̄m, “foremost ones†(; ); 'acı̄lı̄m, “those near,†“nobles†(); bārı̄ah, “fugitive†(); kābhēdh, “weighty,†“honored†(); eugenēs, “wellborn†(; ); kratistos, “strongest,†“most powerful†(; ).
The Apocrypha, the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American), still further enlarges the list. In the Revised Version (British and American) we have megistaÌnes, “great ones†(1 Esdras 1:38; 8:26, with eÌntimos, “in honorâ€; The Wisdom of Solomon 18:12). Otherwise the Revised Version's uses of “noble,†and “nobleness†are for words containing the root genitive and referring to birth (compare The Wisdom of Solomon 8:3; 2 Macc 6:27, 31; 12:42; 14:42 twice). The King James Version's uses are wider (Judith 2:2, etc.).
Nobleman is, in , the translation of eugeneÌ„Ìs anthroÌ„pos, “a man well born,†and in , of basilikos, “kingly,†“belonging to a king,†a designation extended to the officers, courtiers, etc., of a king, the Revised Version margin “king's officerâ€; he was probably an official, civil or military, of Herod Antipas, who was styled “king†(basileuÌs).
For “nobles†(), the King James Version “have brought down all their nobles,†the Revised Version (British and American) has “I will bring down all of them as fugitives,†margin “or, as otherwise read, all their nobles even,†etc.; for “nobles†(), “princeâ€; the English Revised Version has “worthies†for “nobles†(); the Revised Version (British and American) has “the noble†for “princes†(): “nobles†for “princes†(; ), for “Nazarites†(, margin “Naziritesâ€); “her nobles†for “his fugitives,†margin “or, as other otherwise read, fugitives†(); the American Standard Revised Version has “noble†for “liberal†(); for “The nobles held their peace,†the King James Version margin “The voice of the nobles was hid†(), the Revised Version (British and American) has “The voice of the nobles was hushed,†margin “Hebrew: hidâ€; for “most noble†(; ), “most excellent.â€