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Bone; Bones
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
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bōn ( עצם , ‛ecem , עצם , ‛ōcem ; Aramaic גּרם , gerem , by extension used for "bony frame," "body," "strength," Psalm 35:10; "the whole man"; Luke 24:39 , "flesh and bones" = the solid and tangible framework of the body; figuratively the substance, the idea of a thing, the thing, per se ): Figurative: Very often we find the use of these words in metaphorical phrases, in which a disease or a discomfort of the body denotes certain emotions or mental attitudes. Thus the expression "rottenness of the bones" ( Proverbs 12:4; Proverbs 14:30 ) signifies the feelings of a man whose wife causes him shame and confusion, or is equivalent to "envy," "jealousy." The translation of the Septuagint in these passages by σκώληξ , skō̇lēx , "worm," and σής , sḗs , "maggot," "moth," is incorrect. The same phrase is used in Habakkuk 3:16 for utter dejectedness through the anticipation of approaching evil. Similarly the "shaking of the bones" ( Job 4:14 ) is expressive of fear, and denotes dejection and sadness in Jeremiah 23:9 . The "burning of the bones" is found as a symptom of J ob's disease (Job 30:30 ), and stands for grief, depression of spirits in Psalm 102:3 and Lamentations 1:13 , and also for the feeling of Jeremiah, when he attempted to hold back the Divine message (Jeremiah 20:9 ), while "dryness of bones" (Proverbs 17:22 ) is the opposite of "good health." Other similar expressions of mental distress are the "piercing of the bones" (Job 30:17 ), the bones are "troubled" (Psalm 6:2 ), "out of joint" (Psalm 22:14 ), "consumed" (Psalm 31:10 the King James Version), "wasted away" or "waxed old" ( Psalm 32:3 ), "broken" (Psalm 51:8; Lamentations 3:4 ), "ill at rest" (Psalm 38:3 ), "bone of my bones," etc. (Genesis 2:23 ), having the same nature, and the nearest relation (2 Samuel 5:1 ) and affection (Ephesians 5:30 ). In the last-mentioned passage, the Revised Version (British and American) omits "of his flesh, and of his bones" as an interpolation from Genesis 2:23 . The figs. in Micah 3:2 , Micah 3:3 are expressive of the most cruel oppression and murder.
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Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Bone; Bones'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/b/bone-bones.html. 1915.
