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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Path; Pathway
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path, path´waÌ„ (×רח, 'oÌ„rahÌ£, × ×ª×™×‘×”, nethı̄bhaÌ„h, etc.; Ï„ÏιÌβος, trıÌbos, Ï„ÏοχιαÌ, trochiaÌ):
(1) In the Old Testament. - In addition to its obvious literal sense (e.g. ), it has very frequently a figurative meaning. (a) As applied to man, a course or manner of life: (i) man's outward lot in life, his career or destiny, whether of the just man () or of the ungodly (); (ii) frequently in an ethical sense, of men's conduct or inward life-purpose, whether it be good or evil (e.g. ), generally accompanied by a term defining the moral quality of the conduct, either an abstract noun (e.g. “the paths of uprightness,†; ; “the paths of justice,†; ; “the paths of life,†; ), or a concrete adjective or noun (e.g. “crooked paths,†; “the paths of the righteous,†; ). (b) The term is also applied to God either (i) of the methods of the Divine Providence, God's dealings with men (; ), or (ii) of the principles and maxims of religion and morality divinely revealed to man (“Show me thy ways, O Yahweh, teach me thy paths,†; compare ).
(2) In the Apocrypha we have the “paths†of Wisdom (tribos, Baruch 3:21, 31); the “path†shown to men by the Law (semita, 2 Esdras 14:22); and a man's “paths†(tribos, Tobit 4:10).
(3) In the New Testament the word occurs only in and parallel passages ; (of the forerunner's work), and in (in the Old Testament ethical sense).
Pathway occurs in (derekh nethı̄bhaÌ„h) and The Wisdom of Solomon 5:10 (atrapoÌs). See WAY.