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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Orator; Oration
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or´a-tẽr, oÌ„Ì-rā´shun: The word “orator†occurs twice: (1) As the King James Version rendering of להש×, lahÌ£ash; only , “the eloquent orator,†the King James Version margin “skilful of speech,†where the Revised Version (British and American) rightly substitutes “the skillful enchanter.†The word lahÌ£ash is probably a mimetic word meaning “a hiss,†“a whisper†and is used in the sense of “incantation†“charm.†Hence, nebhoÌ„n lahÌ£ash means “skillful in incantation,†“expert in magic.†See DIVINATION; ENCHANTMENT. (2) As the rendering of Ï̔ηÌτωÏ, rheÌ„ÌtoÌ„r, the title applied to Tertullus, who appeared as the advocate of the Jewish accusers of Paul before Felix (). The proceedings, as was generally the case in the provincial Roman courts, would probably be conducted in Latin, and under Roman modes of procedure, in which the parties would not be well versed; hence, the need of a professional advocate. RheÌ„toÌ„r is here the equivalent of the older Greek suneÌ„Ìgoros, “the prosecuting counsel,†as opposed to the suÌndikos, “the defendant's advocate.â€
Oration occurs only in : “Herod ... made an oration unto them†(ἐδημηγοÌÏει Ï€Ïὸς αὐτουÌÏ‚, edeÌ„meÌ„goÌrei proÌs autouÌs). The verb deÌ„meÌ„goreÌoÌ„, “to speak in an assembly†(from deÌ„Ìmos, “people,†agoreuÌoÌ„, “to harangueâ€), is often found in classical Greek, generally in a bad sense (Latin concionari); here only in the New Testament.