Bible dictionaries

Murmur

What Bible dictionaries say about “Murmur”, one article after the other.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary & Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

Murmur - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

MUR'MUR, n. [L. See the Verb.] A low sound continued or continually repeated, as that of a stream running in a stony channel, or that of flame.

Black melancholy sits,

Deepens the murmur of the falling floods,

And breathes a browner horror on the woods.

1. A complaint half suppressed, or uttered in a low,muttering voice.

Some discontents there are, some idle murmurs.

MUR'MUR, v.i. [L. murmuro.]

1. To make a low continued noise, like the hum of bees, a stream of water, rolling waves, or like the wind in a forest; as the murmuring surge.

The forests murmur and the surges roar.

2. To grumble; to complain; to utter complaints in a low,half articulated voice; to utter sullen discontent; with at, before the thing which is the cause of discontent; as, murmur not at sickness; or with at or against, before the active agent which produces the evil.

The Jews murmured at him. John 6.

The people murmured against Moses. Exo 13.

Matthew George Easton, Easton’s Bible Dictionary; Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language (1828)

The article in Easton + Webster 1828

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE 1915)

mur'-mur, mur'-mur-ingz: The Hebrew word (lun) denotes the semi-articulated mutterings of disaffected persons. It is used in connection with the complaints of the Israelites in the desert against Yahweh on the one hand, and against Moses and Aaron on the other hand (Ex 16:7,8; Nu 14:27,36; 16:11; 17:5). In three places (De 1:27; Ps 106:25; Isa 29:24), "murmur" translates a Hebrew word (raghan) which suggests the malicious whispering of slander.

In the New Testament "murmur" renders two different words, namely, gogguzo, and embrimaomai. The latter word suggests indignation and fault-finding (Mr 14:4 the King James Version). The former word (or a compound of it) is generally used in connection with the complainings of the Pharisees and scribes (Mt 20:11; Lu 5:30; 15:2; 19:7).

T. Lewis

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

The article in ISBE 1915