Think

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia · James Orr and contributors

think: The Old Testament often translates 'amar, "to say," meaning what one says to himself, and hence, a definite and clearly formulated decision or purpose (Ge 20:11; Nu 24:4; Ru 4:4, etc.), illustrated by the, change made by the Revised Version (British and American) in the King James Version of Es 6:6, where "thought in his heart" becomes "said in his heart." In other passages, for chashabh, damah, or zamam, indicating the result of mental activity, as in an intention or estimate formed after careful deliberation (compare Ecclesiasticus 18:25); In the New Testament, most, frequently for dokeo, "to be of the opinion, "suppose," literally, "seem" (Mt 3:9; 6:7; Lu 10:36, etc.). Sometimes, for logizomai, "to compute," "reckon" (Ro 2:3, etc.); sometimes, for nomizo, literally referring to what attains the force of law (nomos), and then, "to be of the opinion"; or, for phroneo, implying a thought that is cherished--a mental habit, rather than an act (Ro 12:3; 1Co 13:11). The Greek hegeomai, "to consider," implies logical deduction from premises (Ac 26:2; Php 2:6), while in Mt 1:20; 9:4, and Ac 10:19, enthumoumai, refers to the mental process itself, the thinking-out of a project, the concentration of the faculties upon the formation of a plan.

H. E. Jacobs

Source of the article

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia — James Orr, general editor and contributors; CrossWire SWORD module ISBE 2.2

Bible Strong digital edition from CrossWire module 2.2; historical scholarship originally published in 1915