Bible Encyclopedias
Manifold

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

man´i - fōld ( רב , rabh ; ποικίλος , poikı́los ): "Manifold," which occurs only a few times, is in the Old Testament the translation of rabh , "many," "abundant" ( Nehemiah 9:19 , Nehemiah 9:27; Amos 5:12 , where it is equivalent to "many"), and of rābhabh , "to multiply," "to increase" (Psalm 104:24 , "O Yahweh, how manifold are thy works"); poikilos , properly, "many colored," "spotted," "variegated," is translated "manifold": 1 Peter 1:6 margin, "manifold temptations"; 1 Peter 4:10 , "manifold grace," suggests variety , diverseness; polupoı́kilos has this meaning more intensely (Ephesians 3:10 , "the manifold wisdom of God"). With this may be compared a fine passage in The Wisdom of Solomon 7:22, where it is said that in Wisdom there is "an understanding spirit, holy, one only (the Revised Version (British and American) "alone in kind," margin "Greek: sole-born"), manifold (polumerḗs )." In like manner, pollaplası́ōn , "manifold more" (Luke 18:30 ), indicates the varied elements of the reward of him who is faithful to Christ. In Ecclesiasticus 51:3, we have "manifold afflictions" ( pleı́ōn ).