International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Asunder

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Asunder


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a-sun´dẽr: This word occurs 22 times in the King James Version, 13 in Old Testament and 9 in the New Testament. It is found in combination with break (twice), burst, cleave (twice), depart, cut (six times), divide (Three times), drive, part, pluck, put (twice), rend, saw. These are the translation of 9 Hebrew, and 4 Greek words.

Break asunder (1) (פרפר, parpar): Job, in reply to Eliphaz, complains about God, “I was at ease, and he brake me asunder” (). (2) (נתּק, nittēḳ): In -12 the kings and rulers, meditating rebellion against Yahweh and His anointed, say, “Let us break their bonds asunder” ().

Burst asunder (λάσκω, láskō): This was the fate of Judas ().

Cleave asunder (1) (נבקע, nibhḳa‛): The same root as of biḳ‛ah, “a valley.” “The ground clave asunder” and swallowed up Dathan and Abiram with their households (). (2) (פלּח, pillaḥ): Job complains of God, “He cleaveth my reins asunder” ().

Cut asunder (1) (קצּץ, ḳiccēc): The Lord “cut asunder the cords of the wicked” (). The Hebrew word is used of cutting into wires or strips (). (2) (גּדע, gādha‛): “to cut off a branch or cut down a tree.” “How is the hammer of the whole earth (Babylon) cut asunder!” (). Zechariah “cut asunder” the staff “Beauty,” signifying the breach of the covenant between Yahweh and His people, and also the staff “Bands,” signifying the breach of the brotherhood between Judah and Israel (, ). (3) (διχοτομέω, dichotoméō): The fate of the Unfaithful Steward, literally, “cut in two”; the Revised Version, margin “severely scourge him” (; ). See PUNISHMENTS.

Depart asunder (ἀποχωρίζομαι, apochōrı́zomaı̄): Paul and Barnabas “departed asunder from one another” ( the King James Version); the Revised Version (British and American) “parted asunder.”

Divide asunder (1) (הבדּיל, hibhdı̄l): Usually to separate, to make a division between. Here the reference is to the offering of pigeons or turtledoves (; ). (2) (μερισμός, merismós): From merı́zō, “to divide.” The noun is abstract, “the act of dividing.” The word of God pierces “even to the dividing of soul and spirit” ().

Drive asunder (התּיר, hittı̄r): Lit. “to cause to tremble,” then “to loosen.” God “drove asunder the nations” ().

Part asunder (הפריד, hiphrı̄dh): With a preposition ben, “between,” “to separate.” The chariot and horses of fire “parted asunder” Elijah and Elisha ().

Pluck asunder (διασπάω, diaspáō): To bear asunder, to part forcibly. “Chains had been plucked asunder” by the demoniac of the Gerasenes ( the King James Version); the Revised Version (British and American) “rent asunder.”

Put asunder (χωρίζω, chōrı́zō): To sever one from another. See the words of Jesus on divorce (; ).

Rend asunder (נבקע, nibhḳa‛): The same Hebrew word as “cleave asunder.” (1) “And No shall be rent asunder” ( the King James Version): the Revised Version (British and American) “broken up.” (2) The Revised Version (British and American) for the King James Version “plucked asunder” ().

Saw asunder (πρίζω, prı́zō or πρίω, prı́ō): The fate of some on the roll of faith, “They were sawn asunder” (). See also PUNISHMENTS.