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Heap

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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hēp ( ערמה , ‛ărēmāh , גּל , gal , נד , nēdh , תּל , tēl ): "Heap" appears (1) in the simple sense of a gathering or pile, as the translation of ‛ărēmāh , a "heap," in Rth 3:7 of grain; Nehemiah 4:2 of stones; in 2 Chronicles 31:6 , etc., of the tithes, etc.; of ḥōmer (boiling up), a "heap"; in Exodus 8:14 of frogs; of gal , a "heap"; in Job 8:17 of stones. (2) As indicating "ruin," "waste," gal (2 Kings 19:25; Job 15:28; Isaiah 25:2; Isaiah 37:26; Jeremiah 9:11; Jeremiah 51:37 ); me‛ı̄ (Isaiah 17:1 ); ‛ı̄ (Psalm 79:1; Jeremiah 26:18; Micah 1:6; Micah 3:12 ); tēl , "mound," "hillock," "heap" (Deuteronomy 13:16; Joshua 8:28; Jeremiah 30:18 the King James Version; Jeremiah 49:2 ). (3) Of waters, nēdh , "heap," "pile" (Exodus 15:8; Joshua 3:13 , Joshua 3:16; Psalm 33:7; Psalm 78:13 ); ḥōmer (Habakkuk 3:15 , "the heap of mighty waters," the Revised Version margin "surge"). (4) A cairn, or heap of stones (a ) over the dead body of a dishonored person, gal (Joshua 7:26; Joshua 8:29; 2 Samuel 18:17 ); (b ) as a witness or boundary-heap (Genesis 31:46 f, Gal̇‛ēdh (Galeed) in Hebrew, also micpāh , "watch tower," Yeghar -Sāhădhūthā' (Jegar-sahadutha) in Aramaic, both words meaning "the heap of witness"; see Genesis 31:47 , Genesis 31:49 the Revised Version (British and American)). (5) As a way mark, tamrūrı̄m , from tāmar , "to stand erect" (Jeremiah 31:21 the King James Version, "Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps," the Revised Version (British and American) "guide-posts," a more likely translation).

"To heap" represents various single words: ḥāthāh , "to take," "to take hold of," with one exception, applied to fire or burning coals ( Proverbs 25:22 , "Thou writ heap coals of fire upon his head," "Thou wilt take coals of fire (and heap them) on his head"); ṣāphāh , "to add" (Deuteronomy 32:23 ); cābhar , "to heap up" (Habakkuk 1:10 ); kābhac , "to press together" (with the fingers or hand) (Habakkuk 2:5 ); rābhāh , "to multiply" (Ezekiel 24:10 ); episōreúō , "to heap up upon" (2 Timothy 4:3 , they "will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts"); sōreúō , "to heap up" (Romans 12:20 , "Thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head"); thēsaurı́zō , "to lay up" (as treasure) (James 5:3 the King James Version, "Ye have heaped treasure together," the Revised Version (British and American) "laid up"); cābhar , "to heap up," "to heap" or "store up" (Job 27:16 , "silver"; Psalm 39:6 , "riches"; Zechariah 9:3 , "silver,"); sūm , sı̄m "to place," "set," "put" (Job 36:13 the King James Version, "The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath," the Revised Version (British and American) "They that are godless in heart lay up anger"). In Judges 15:16 we have ḥămōr , ḥămōrothāyim , "with the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps," the Revised Version margin "heap, two heaps"; one of Samson's sayings; ḥămōr means "an ass," ḥōmer "a heap."

For "heap up words" (Job 16:4 ), the Revised Version (British and American) has "join together"; for "shall be a heap" (Isaiah 17:11 ), "fleeth away," margin "shall be a heap"; "heap" for "number" (Nahum 3:3 ); the English Revised Version "heap of stones" for "sling," margin as the King James Version and the American Standard Revised Version (Proverbs 26:8 ); "in one heap" for "upon a heap" (Joshua 3:16 ); "he heapeth up (dust)" for "they shall heap" (Habakkuk 1:10 ).

Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Heap'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​isb/​h/heap.html. 1915.
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