Bible Dictionary: Peculiar

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Easton's Bible Dictionary

As used in the phrase "peculiar people" in 1 Peter 2:9, is derived from the Lat. peculium, and denotes, as rendered in the Revised Version ("a people for God's own possession"), a special possession or property. The church is the "property" of God, his "purchased possession" (Ephesians 1:14; R.V., "God's own possession").

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (a.) One's own; belonging solely or especially to an individual; not possessed by others; of private, personal, or characteristic possession and use; not owned in common or in participation.

2. (a.) Particular; individual; special; appropriate.

3. (a.) Unusual; singular; rare; strange; as, the sky had a peculiar appearance.

4. (n.) That which is peculiar; a sole or exclusive property; a prerogative; a characteristic.

5. (n.) A particular parish or church which is exempt from the jurisdiction of the ordinary.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

PECULIAR

pe-kul'-yar: The Latin peculium means "private property," so that "peculiar" properly equals "pertaining to the individual." In modern English the word has usually degenerated into a half-colloquial form for "extraordinary," but in Biblical English it is a thoroughly dignified term for "esp. one's own"; compare the "peculiar treasure" of the king in Ecclesiastes 2:8 (the King James Version). Hence, "peculiar people" (the King James Version Deuteronomy 14:2, etc.) means a people especially possessed by God and particularly prized by Him. The word in the Old Testament (the King James Version Exodus 19:5 Deuteronomy 14:2; Deuteronomy 26:18 Psalm 135:4 Ecclesiastes 2:8) invariably represents ceghullah, "property," an obscure word which Septuagint usually rendered by the equally obscure periousios (apparently meaning "superabundant"), which in turn is quoted in Titus 2:14. In Malachi 3:17, however, Septuagint has peripoiesis, quoted in 1 Peter 2:9. the English Revised Version in the New Testament substituted "own possession" in the two occurrences, but in the Old Testament kept "peculiar" and even extended its use (Deuteronomy 7:6 Malachi 3:17) to cover every occurrence of ceghullah except in 1 Chronicles 29:3 ("treasure"). the American Standard Revised Version, on the contrary, has dropped "peculiar" altogether, using "treasure" in 1 Chronicles 29:3 Ecclesiastes 2:8, and "own possession" elsewhere. the King James Version also has "peculiar commandments" (idios, "particular," the Revised Version (British and American) "several") in The Wisdom of Solomon 19:6, and the Revised Version (British and American) has "peculiar" where the King James Version has "special" in The Wisdom of Solomon 3:14 for eklekte, "chosen out."

Burton Scott Easton

Greek

931. basanos -- a touchstone (a dark stone used in testing metals) ...
... 931 () was "originally (from oriental origin) a touchstone; a 'Lydian stone' used
for testing gold because pure gold rubbed on it left a peculiar mark. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/931.htm - 7k

4047. peripoiesis -- preservation, acquisition
... From peripoieomai; acquisition (the act or the thing); by extension, preservation --
obtain(-ing), peculiar, purchased, possession, saving. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4047.htm - 7k

4041. periousios -- of one's own possession
... chosen. From the present participle feminine of a compound of peri and eimi; being
beyond usual, ie Special (one's own) -- peculiar. see GREEK eimi. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4041.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

5459. segullah -- possession, property
... jewel, peculiar treasure, proper good, special. Feminine passive participle
of an unused root meaning to shut up; wealth (as closely ...
/hebrew/5459.htm - 6k

5596. saphach -- to join, attach to
... Or saphach (Isaiah 3:17) {saw-fakh'}; a primitive root; properly, to scrape out,
but in certain peculiar senses (of removal or association) -- abiding, gather ...
/hebrew/5596.htm - 6k

4310. mi -- who?
... any man, he, him, O that! What, which, whom would to God. An interrogative pronoun
of persons, as mah is of things, who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of ...
/hebrew/4310.htm - 6k

1655. geshem -- the body
... body. (Aramaic) apparently the same as geshem; used in a peculiar sense, the body
(probably for the (figuratively) idea of a hard rain) -- body. ...
/hebrew/1655.htm - 6k

Library

The Peculiar Sleep of the Beloved
... The Peculiar Sleep of the Beloved. A Sermon (No.12). Delivered on Sabbath Morning,
March 4, 1855, by the. REV. CH SPURGEON. At Exeter Hall, Strand. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the peculiar sleep of the.htm

Peculiar Effects of Money.
... Money: The Golden Channel of Service. (Luke xvi:1-18.) Peculiar Effects of Money.
Money is queer stuff. The opposites meet in it so strikingly. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on service/peculiar effects of money.htm

It is the Peculiar Property of Man to Know and Worship God.
... the divine institutes Book III. Of the False Wisdom of Philosophers. Chap.
X."It is the Peculiar Property of Man to Know and Worship God. ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap x it is the peculiar.htm

Of the Gods Peculiar to the Romans.
... Addressed to His Brother Pentadius. Chap. XX."Of the Gods Peculiar to the Romans. ...
I will now speak of the gods which the Romans have peculiar to themselves. ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xx of the gods peculiar 2.htm

Of the Gods Peculiar to the Romans, and their Sacred Rites.
... the divine institutes book i. of the false worship of the gods. Chap.
xx."of the gods peculiar to the Romans, and their sacred rites. ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xx of the gods peculiar.htm

His Peculiar Caricature of the Bishops, Eustathius of Armenia and ...
... Book I. Section 5. His peculiar caricature of the bishops, Eustathius of
Armenia and Basil of Galatia, is not well drawn. But, not ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 5 his peculiar caricature.htm

Thirdly, the Peculiar Manner and Circumstances with which the ...
... REVELATION. XII. Proposition XII. Thirdly, the peculiar manner and circumstances
with which the Christian religion enjoins the duties,. and ...
/.../xii proposition xii thirdly the.htm

Of Certain Deities Peculiar to Barbarians, and their Sacred Rites ...
... gods. Chap. xxi."of certain deities peculiar to barbarians, and their sacred
rites; and in like manner concerning the romans. We ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xxi of certain deities peculiar.htm

Peculiar Schism among the Novatians.
... Book V. Chapter XXI."Peculiar Schism among the Novatians. Of the Novatian
church at Constantinople Agelius was the bishop for ...
/.../chapter xxi peculiar schism among the.htm

God's Peculiar Attribute.
... Homily X. Chapter XIX."God's Peculiar Attribute. ... But this is peculiar to God,
that He alone is, as the Maker of all, so also the best of all. ...
/.../unknown/the clementine homilies/chapter xix gods peculiar attribute.htm

Thesaurus

Peculiar (11 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary As used in the phrase "peculiar people" in 1 Peter 2:9,
is derived from the Lat. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. PECULIAR. ...
/p/peculiar.htm - 13k

Specific (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Of or pertaining to a species; characterizing or constituting a species;
possessing the peculiar property or properties Of a thing which constitute its ...
/s/specific.htm - 7k

Damask (1 Occurrence)
... hangings. 4. (n.) Damask or Damascus steel; also, the peculiar markings
or water of such steel. 5. (n.) A deep pink or rose color. ...
/d/damask.htm - 7k

Character (27 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the peculiar form of letters
used by a particular person or people; as, an inscription in the Runic character ...
/c/character.htm - 16k

Innocents (2 Occurrences)
... 2:23). It will be noticed at once as peculiar and significant that no quotation
is attached to the visit of the Magi. This omission ...
/i/innocents.htm - 20k

Massacre (1 Occurrence)
... 2:23). It will be noticed at once as peculiar and significant that no quotation
is attached to the visit of the Magi. This omission ...
/m/massacre.htm - 20k

Gifts (144 Occurrences)
... are exhaustive. Some of the gifts enumerated cannot be said to belong in
any peculiar sense to the distinctive category. "Faith" (1 ...
/g/gifts.htm - 61k

Spiritual (42 Occurrences)
... are exhaustive. Some of the gifts enumerated cannot be said to belong in
any peculiar sense to the distinctive category. "Faith" (1 ...
/s/spiritual.htm - 51k

Own (5782 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Belonging to; belonging exclusively or especially to; peculiar; -- most
frequently following a possessive pronoun, as my, our, thy, your, his, her, its ...
/o/own.htm - 7k

Olive (61 Occurrences)
... form. See Oliva. 4. (n.) The oyster catcher. 5. (n.) The color of the olive,
a peculiar dark brownish, yellowish, or tawny green. 6 ...
/o/olive.htm - 37k

Bible Concordance

Peculiar (11 Occurrences)

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
(KJV WBS)

Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
(KJV WBS YLT)

Leviticus 21:20 Or crooked-backed, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his peculiar members broken:
(WBS)

Deuteronomy 7:6 for a holy people 'art' thou to Jehovah thy God; on thee hath Jehovah thy God fixed, to be to Him for a peculiar people, out of all the peoples who 'are' on the face of the ground.
(YLT)

Deuteronomy 14:2 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
(KJV WBS YLT)

Deuteronomy 26:18 And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;
(KJV WBS YLT)

1 Chronicles 29:3 And again, because of my delighting in the house of my God, the substance I have -- a peculiar treasure of gold and silver -- I have given for the house of my God, even over and above all I have prepared for the house of the sanctuary:
(YLT)

Psalms 135:4 For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.
(KJV WBS YLT)

Ecclesiastes 2:8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Malachi 3:17 And they shall be unto me a peculiar treasure, saith Jehovah of hosts, in the day that I prepare; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
(DBY YLT)

Subtopics

Peculiar

Peculiarities of the Law of Moses

Related Terms

Specific (2 Occurrences)

Damask (1 Occurrence)

Character (27 Occurrences)

Innocents (2 Occurrences)

Massacre (1 Occurrence)

Gifts (144 Occurrences)

Spiritual (42 Occurrences)

Own (5782 Occurrences)