Bible Encyclopedias
Imagination

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

i - maj - i - nā´shun ( יצר , yēcer , שׁרירוּת , sherı̄rūth ; διάνοια , diánoia ): "Imagination" is the translation of yēcer , properly "a shaping," hence, "a thought" ( Genesis 6:5; Genesis 8:21; Deuteronomy 31:21; 1 Chronicles 28:9; 1 Chronicles 29:18 ). In Isaiah 26:3 yēcer is translated "mind" (King James Version margin "thought" or "imagination"), "whose mind is stayed on thee" (the Revised Version margin "or imagination"); in Psalm 103:14 it is "frame"; of sherı̄rūth , "obstinacy," "stubbornness" (Deuteronomy 29:19; Jeremiah 3:17; Jeremiah 7:24; Jeremiah 9:14; Jeremiah 11:8; Jeremiah 13:10; Jeremiah 16:12; Jeremiah 18:12; Jeremiah 23:17 ); in Psalm 81:12 the King James Version it is, "lust," margin "hardness or imaginations"; 3 times of maḥăshebheth , "thought" or "purpose" in the King James Version (Proverbs 6:18; Lamentations 3:60 , Lamentations 3:61 ); once of dianoia , "mind," "understanding" (Luke 1:51 ); of logismós , "reasoning" (2 Corinthians 10:5 ); and of dialogismós , "reasoning through" (Romans 1:21 the King James Version).

The Revised Version (British and American) gives "stubbornness" in each instance where sherı̄rūth is in the King James Version translated "imagination"; in Proverbs 6:18 the American Standard Revised Version has "purposes"; the Revised Version (British and American) has "devices" ( Lamentations 3:60 , Lamentations 3:61 ) and "reasonings" (Romans 1:21 ), "imagination" for "conceit" (Proverbs 18:11 ), and (English Revised Version) for "device" (Lamentations 3:62 ).

"Imagination" is frequent in Apocrypha, e.g. Sirach 22:18 ( dianóēma ); 37:3 ( enthúmēma , "wicked imagination"); 40:2 ( dialogismos , the Revised Version (British and American) "expectation").