Bible Dictionary: Avenge

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (v. t.) To take vengeance for; to exact satisfaction for by punishing the injuring party; to vindicate by inflicting pain or evil on a wrongdoer.

2. (v. t.) To treat revengefully; to wreak vengeance on.

3. (v. i.) To take vengeance.

4. (n.) Vengeance; revenge.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

AVENGE; AVENGER

a-venj' a-venj'-er: Avenge.-The general idea connected with this word is that of inflicting punishment upon the wrongdoer. Since emphasis may be placed upon the deed itself, the wrongdoer, or the injured party, the verb is found an intransitive (only Leviticus 19:18; see below), transitive (2 Samuel 4:8 et al.); and also active (Deuteronomy 32:43), passive (Jeremiah 5:9) and reflexive (Esther 8:13). In 1 Samuel 25:26 avenge is translated from yasha`, "to save" (Revised Version margin, "thine own hand saving thee"), in Hosea 1:4 from paqadh, "to visit," and in 2 Samuel 18:19 from shaphaT, "to judge," but the usual Hebrew word is naqam, or derivatives, "to avenge."

The translation in the Revised Version (British and American) differs in some places from King James Version: Numbers 31:3 Revised Version (British and American) "execute Yahweh's vengeance"; (compare 2 Samuel 22:48 Psalm 18:47 Leviticus 26:25); Leviticus 19:18 Revised Version (British and American) "take vengeance"; Judges 5:2 Revised Version (British and American) "for that the leaders took the lead in Israel" from para`, "to be free, to lead".

In the New Testament avenge is translated from the Greek ekdikeo, "to do justice," "to protect" (Luke 18:3 et al.) and the King James Version Revelation 18:20, krino, "to judge" Revised Version (British and American) "God hath judged your judgment".

Avenger.-That is, the person who inflicts punishment upon the evil-doer for a wrong experienced by himself (from naqam, "to avenge"; Psalm 8:2 et al.) or by someone else from ga'al, "to redeem"; (Numbers 35:12 et al.). In the New Testament avenger occurs only once; "the Lord is an avenger in all things" (1 Thessalonians 4:6). It was the duty of the nearest relative to execute vengeance upon the murderer of his kin: he became the go'el. With reference to the protective legislation and custom, see GOEL. Compare BLOOD; REVENGE, REVENGER.

A. L. Breslich

Greek

1556. ekdikeo -- to vindicate, to avenge
... to vindicate, to avenge. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ekdikeo Phonetic
Spelling: (ek-dik-eh'-o) Short Definition: I give justice over, defend, avenge ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1556.htm - 7k

5097. timoreo -- to punish, avenge
... to punish, avenge. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: timoreo Phonetic Spelling:
(tim-o-reh'-o) Short Definition: I punish Definition: I punish, avenge ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5097.htm - 7k

4160. poieo -- to make, do
... a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application,
more or less direct) -- abide, + agree, appoint, X avenge, + band together ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4160.htm - 14k

2917. krima -- a judgment
... From krino; a decision (the function or the effect, for or against ("crime")) --
avenge, condemned, condemnation, damnation, + go to law, judgment. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2917.htm - 7k

2919. krino -- to judge, decide
... Properly, to distinguish, ie Decide (mentally or judicially); by implication, to
try, condemn, punish -- avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2919.htm - 11k

Strong's Hebrew

5358. naqam -- to avenge, take vengeance
... 5357, 5358. naqam. 5359 . to avenge, take vengeance. Transliteration: naqam
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-kam') Short Definition: avenge. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/5358.htm - 6k

6544. para' -- let go, let alone
... let go, let alone. Transliteration: para' Phonetic Spelling: (paw-rah') Short
Definition: avenge. avenge, avoid, bare, go back, make naked, perish, ...
/hebrew/6544.htm - 5k

5360. neqamah -- vengeance
... avenge, revenge, vengeance. Feminine of naqam; avengement, whether the act of the
passion -- + avenge, revenge(-ing), vengeance. see HEBREW naqam. 5359, 5360 ...
/hebrew/5360.htm - 6k

6485. paqad -- to attend to, visit, muster, appoint
... visited (6), visiting (4). appoint, at all, avenge, bestow, appoint to have
the, give a charge, commit, count,. A primitive root; to ...
/hebrew/6485.htm - 7k

5414. nathan -- to give, put, set
... add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, avenge, be healed, bestow,. A primitive
root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application ...
/hebrew/5414.htm - 9k

8199. shaphat -- to judge, govern
... avenge, that condemn, contend, defend, execute judgment, be a judgment.
A primitive root; to judge, ie Pronounce sentence (for or ...
/hebrew/8199.htm - 6k

1875. darash -- to resort to, seek
... root Definition to resort to, seek NASB Word Usage ask (1), avenge (1), calls (1),
care (1), cares (3), comes the reckoning (1), consult (2), consulted by them ...
/hebrew/1875.htm - 6k

5352. naqah -- to be empty or clean
... root Definition to be empty or clean NASB Word Usage acquit (3), acquitted (2),
avenge (1), avenged (1), blameless (1), by means clear (1), completely ...
/hebrew/5352.htm - 6k

5162. nacham -- to be sorry, console oneself
... Breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, ie (in a favorable sense) to pity,
console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself) -- comfort ...
/hebrew/5162.htm - 6k

Library

"Avenge Me of My Adversary. "
... "AVENGE ME OF MY ADVERSARY.". ... And she came to the judge and implored him, saying,
"Give me justice; avenge me of my adversary." But he would not. ...
/.../anonymous/mother stories from the new testament/avenge me of my adversary.htm

The Creatures Avenge God's Cause.
... Homily XI. Chapter X."The Creatures Avenge God's Cause. "But it will be
said that the cases are not parallel between God and man ...
/.../unknown/the clementine homilies/chapter x the creatures avenge gods.htm

Three Kinds Op Praying
... There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3. And
there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/three kinds op praying.htm

"Nothing is Impossible to Industry, "Said one of the Seven Sages ...
... There was in a city, a judge, which feared not God, and regarded not man: and there
was a widow in that city; and she came oft unto him, saying, Avenge me of ...
/.../bounds/purpose in prayer/chapter vi nothing is impossible.htm

The Pharisee and the Publican
... widow, for a while: "But afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God,
nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest ...
/.../bunyan/the pharisee and publican/the pharisee and the publican.htm

The Word of Jesus on Prayer.
... and shall not the living Justice avenge his praying friends over whose injuries
he has to exercise a long-suffering patience towards their enemies?'"for so I ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macdonald/unspoken sermons/the word of jesus on.htm

Parable of the Importunate Widow.
... feared not God, and regarded not man [an utterly abandoned character]: 3 and there
was a widow in that city; and she came oft unto him, saying, Avenge me of ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xcvi parable of the importunate.htm

The Unjust Judge.
... There was in a city a judge, who feared not God, and regarded not man: and there
was a widow in that city: and she came oft unto him, saying, 'Avenge me of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/the unjust judge.htm

Of the Worship of Other Gods and the True God, and of the Animals ...
... you think Him powerful. For how can He avenge the wrongs of His worshippers,
if He is unable to avenge His own? I wish therefore ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xxi of the worship of.htm

Sixteenth Lesson. Speedily, Though Bearing Long;'
... And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry to Him day and night, and He is
long-suffering over them? ... He will avenge them speedily, the Master says. ...
/.../sixteenth lesson speedily though bearing.htm

Thesaurus

Avenge (27 Occurrences)
...AVENGE; AVENGER. a-venj' a-venj'-er: Avenge.-The general idea connected with
this word is that of inflicting punishment upon the wrongdoer. ...
/a/avenge.htm - 17k

Avenger (18 Occurrences)
...AVENGE; AVENGER. a-venj' a-venj'-er: Avenge.-The general idea connected with
this word is that of inflicting punishment upon the wrongdoer. ...
/a/avenger.htm - 17k

Revenge (13 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To inflict harm in return for, as an injury, insult, etc.; to exact
satisfaction for, under a sense of injury; to avenge; -- followed either by the ...
/r/revenge.htm - 12k

Wrongs (26 Occurrences)
... Luke 18:7 And will not God avenge the wrongs of His own People who cry aloud to
Him day and night, although He seems slow in taking action on their behalf? ...
/w/wrongs.htm - 13k

Revenger (5 Occurrences)
... re-venj', re-venj'-er: The same Hebrew and Greek words are used to express the idea
of "to avenge" and "to revenge" (naqam, or derivative; ekdikeo, or ...
/r/revenger.htm - 9k

Longsuffering (17 Occurrences)
... with me"). Luke 18:7 has been variously rendered; the King James Version
has "And shall not God avenge his own elect.... though he ...
/l/longsuffering.htm - 16k

Vindicate (18 Occurrences)
... 5. (vt) To liberate; to set free; to deliver. 6. (vt) To avenge; to punish; as,
a war to vindicate or punish infidelity. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/v/vindicate.htm - 11k

Zalmunna (9 Occurrences)
... These he determined to slay to avenge the death of his own kinsmen, and called upon
his eldest son to perform this solemn public duty that he owed to the dead. ...
/z/zalmunna.htm - 13k

Zebah (9 Occurrences)
... These he determined to slay to avenge the death of his own kinsmen, and called upon
his eldest son to perform this solemn public duty that he owed to the dead. ...
/z/zebah.htm - 13k

Goel
... if the injured party has died (Leviticus 6:1). (5) The law of blood-revenge
(Blut-Rache) made it the sacred duty of the nearest relative to avenge the blood ...
/g/goel.htm - 11k

Bible Concordance

Avenge (27 Occurrences)

Luke 18:3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
(KJV ASV DBY WBS)

Luke 18:5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
(KJV ASV DBY WBS)

Luke 18:7 Won't God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS)

Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS)

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
(KJV ASV WBS RSV NIV)

2 Corinthians 10:6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience will be made full.
(WEB ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Revelation 19:2 for true and righteous are his judgments. For he has judged the great prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his servants at her hand."
(Root in WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Leviticus 26:25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
(KJV DBY WBS NIV)

Numbers 31:2 "Avenge the children of Israel for the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Numbers 31:3 And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian.
(KJV WBS)

Deuteronomy 32:43 Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants. He will render vengeance to his adversaries, And will make expiation for his land, for his people.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 24:12 May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Samuel 3:27 And when Abner was back in Hebron, Joab took him on one side by the doorway of the town to have a word with him quietly, and there he gave him a wound in the stomach, causing his death in payment for the death of his brother Asahel.
(See NIV)

2 Kings 9:7 You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Yahweh, at the hand of Jezebel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

2 Chronicles 24:22 Thus Joash the king didn't remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. When he died, he said, Yahweh look on it, and require it.
(See NAS RSV)

Esther 8:13 A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that the Jews should be ready for that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 79:10 Wherefore should the nations say: 'Where is their God?' Let the avenging of Thy servants' blood that is shed be made known among the nations in our sight.
(See NIV)

Isaiah 1:24 Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: "Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself of my enemies;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 5:9 Shall I not visit for these things? says Yahweh; and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 5:29 Shall I not visit for these things? says Yahweh; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 9:9 Shall I not visit them for these things? says Yahweh; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 15:15 Yahweh, you know; remember me, and visit me, and avenge me of my persecutors; don't take me away in your longsuffering: know that for your sake I have suffered reproach.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY WBS NIV)

Jeremiah 46:10 For that day is a day of the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Jeremiah 51:36 Therefore, thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am pleading thy cause, And I have avenged thy vengeance, And dried up its sea, and made its fountains dry.
(Root in YLT NIV)

Hosea 1:4 Yahweh said to him, "Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease.
(WEB KJV ASV WBS)

Joel 3:21 And I have declared their blood innocent, 'That' I did not declare innocent, And Jehovah is dwelling in Zion!
(See NAS RSV)

Subtopics

Avenge

Related Terms

Avenger (18 Occurrences)

Revenge (13 Occurrences)

Wrongs (26 Occurrences)

Revenger (5 Occurrences)

Longsuffering (17 Occurrences)

Vindicate (18 Occurrences)

Zalmunna (9 Occurrences)

Zebah (9 Occurrences)