Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Sure; Surely
Subjects in this Topic:
shoÌ„oÌ„r, shoÌ„oÌ„r´li: In modern English is used chiefly in the phrases “to be sure†or “to make sure,†and as a simple adjective it is usually either archaic or exceedingly colloquial. The adjectival use, however, is common (chiefly for ×מן, 'aÌ„man, “to confirm,†and its derivatives) in English Versions of the Bible, where modern English would prefer “secure†or “certain†(; Sirach 40:25; , etc.). “To be sure that†is also fairly common in the King James Version, and occasionally (as in , “Be sure that thou eat not the blood,†for חזק, hÌ£aÌ„zakÌ£, “to be firmâ€) it has rather more emphasis than in modern English. But usually the phrase is a mere periphrasis for some word meaning “to know†(compare the Revised Version (British and American) ; ; , etc.). In , the King James Version has “Make sure thy friend†for רהב, raÌ„habh, “be boisterous†“beset†the Revised Version (British and American) “importune.†The sense is “Force him to pay his debt.â€
Surely in English Versions of the Bible is used almost always to qualify an entire phrase, as in , “Surely Yahweh is in this place.†In modern English “surely†used in this way suggests that the statement is being argued and is therefore slightly doubtful, but in Elizabethan English the purpose is to exclude all doubt (“beyond questionâ€). With this force the King James Version uses “surely†to translate almost any emphatic form, and the Revised Version (British and American) has conformed to AV's use, and such changes as have been made by the Revised Version (British and American) (; ; , etc.) are merely to preserve uniformity of rendition. The most common use of “surely†in this sense is to translate a verb when emphasized by its own part. (absolute inf. in Hebrew), as “Thou shalt, surely die†() for “dying thou shalt die†(compare for the Hebrew construction). In this sense “surely†is sometimes varied by “of a surety†(, etc.) without the slightest difference in meaning (compare and ). In addition “surely†is used occasionally as a simple adverb where modern English would prefer “securely†or “certainly†(compare and the King James Version , “surely believed,†the Revised Version (British and American) “fulfilled,†the Revised Version margin “fully establishedâ€).
Surety, besides its use in “of a surety†appears, in the Old Testament to translate ערב, ‛aÌ„rabh, “to be surety,†and in for ἐÌγγυος, eÌgguos, “guarantor,†“giver of security.†Modern English prefers “security,†as does even the King James Version in . “Suretiship†(the American Standard Revised Version “suretyshipâ€) in for תּקע, taÌ„kÌ£a‛, “to strike (hands).†See STRIKE; SURETY.