Various Hebrew words are frequently translated 'man.'
1. Adam , 'man,' a generic term for man, mankind. Genesis 1:26,27 .
2. ish , ' man,' implying 'strength and vigour' of mind and body, 1 Samuel 4:2; 1 Samuel 26:15; also signifying 'husband' in contra-distinction to 'wife.' Genesis 2:23; Genesis 3:6 .
3. enosh, 'subject to corruption, mortal;' not used for man till after the fall. Genesis 6:4; Genesis 12:20; Psalm 103:15 .
4. ben, 'son,' with words conjoined, 'son of valour,' or valiant man; 'son of strength,' or strong man. 2 Kings 2:16 , etc.
5. baal, 'master, lord.' Genesis 20:3; Exodus 24:14 .
6. geber, 'mighty, war-like.' Exodus 10:11; Exodus 12:37 .
In some passages these different Hebrew words are used in contrast: as in Genesis 6:4 , "The sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, [1] and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men (gibbor) which were of old, men [3] of renown." In Psalm 8:4; "What is man, [3] that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, [1] that thou visitest him?" "God is not a man [2] that he should lie." Numbers 23:19 .
Man was God's crowning work of creation (see ADAM),and He set him in dominion over the sphere in which he was placed. It is impossible that man could by evolution have arisen from any of the lower forms of created life. God breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life, and man is responsible to Him as his Creator; and for this reason he will be called to account, which is not the case with any of the animals. "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement." Hebrews 9:27 . All have descended from Adam and Eve: God "hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord [or God]." Acts 17:26,27 .
The soul of man being immortal, he still exists after death, and it is revealed in scripture that his body will be raised, and he will either be in eternity away from God in punishment for the sins he has committed; or, by the grace of God, be in an eternity of happiness with the Lord Jesus through His atoning work on the cross.
In the N.T. the principal words are
1. ἄνθρωπος, man in the sense of 'humanity,' irrespective of sex. "Man shall not live by bread alone." Matthew 4:4 . In a few places it is used in a stricter sense in contrast to a woman: as "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?" Matthew 19:3 .
2. ἀνήρ, man as distinguished from a woman. "The head of the woman is the man." 1 Corinthians 11:3 . It is thus the common word used for 'husband:' a woman's man is her husband. "Joseph the husband of Mary." Matthew 1:16,19 . The words τις, μηδείς, οὐδείς, are often translated 'man,' 'no man,' 'any man,' which would be more correctly translated 'one,' 'no one,' 'any one.' In 'men [and] brethren,' Acts 1:16; Acts 2:29 , etc., there are not two classes alluded to, but 'men who are brethren,' or, in our idiom, simply 'brethren.' So in Acts 7:2; Acts 22:1 , not three classes, but two: 'men who are brethren, and fathers.' See NEW MAN and OLD MAN.