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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Uncircumcised; Uncircumcision
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un-suÌ‚r´kum-sı̄zd, un-suÌ‚r-kum-sizh´un: The adjective in the Old Testament is ערל, ̀‛aÌ„reÌ„l (, etc.), from a root of uncertain meaning, with the noun ערלה, ‛orlaÌ„h, “uncircumcised (person)†(; ), and the verb ערל, ‛aÌ„ral, “count as uncircumcised†(; the Revised Version (British and American) ). In the Apocrypha and the New Testament the noun is ἀκÏοβυστιÌα, akrobustıÌa (a physiological term, 1 Macc 1:15; , etc.), and the adjective ἀπεÏιÌτμητος, aperıÌtmetos (Additions to Esther 14:15; 1 Macc 1:48; 2:46; ), with the verb ἐπισπαÌομαι, epispaÌomai, “become uncircumcised†(). The language of 1 Macc 1:15 suggests the performance of some surgical operation, but no such operation appears to be possible, and “behaved like uncircumcised persons†(as in ) is the probable meaning. See CIRCUMCISION.