Bible Encyclopedias
Alienate

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

āl´yen -āt ( עבר , ‛ābhar ; ἀπαλλοτριόω , apallotrióō , "to estrange from"): In Old Testament, for the break between husband and wife caused by unfaithfulness to the marriage vow (Jeremiah 6:8; Ezekiel 23:17 ); also applied to the diversion of property (Ezekiel 48:14 ). In New Testament, spiritually, for the turning of the soul from God (Ephesians 2:12; Colossians 1:21 ). The Greek allótrios , which is the root of the verb, is the opposite of ı́d -i -os , "one's own." The word implies a former state, whence the person or thing has departed, and that, generally, by deterioration.