Bible Dictionary: Perpetual

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(a.) Neverceasing; continuing forever or for an unlimited time; unfailing; everlasting; continuous.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

PERPETUAL; PERPETUALLY; PERPETUITY

per-pet'-u-al, per-pet'-u-al-i, pur-pe-tu'-i-ti (`olam, netsach, tamidh):

Perpetual is usually the translation of `olam, properly, "a wrapping up" or "hiding," used often of time indefinitely long, and of eternity when applied to God; hence, we have, "for perpetual generations" (Genesis 9:12); "the priesthood by a perpetual statute" (Exodus 29:9; compare Exodus 31:16 Leviticus 3:17; Leviticus 24:9, etc.); "placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it" (Jeremiah 5:22, the Revised Version margin "an everlasting ordinance which it cannot pass"); "sleep a perpetual sleep" (Jeremiah 51:39, 57); "Moab shall be.... a perpetual desolation" (Zechariah 2:9), etc.; netsach, "preeminence," "perpetuity," "eternity" (often translated "for ever," Psalm 9:6), is translated "perpetual" (Psalm 74:3 Jeremiah 15:18); natsach (participle) (Jeremiah 8:5); tamidh, "continuance," generally rendered "continually," but sometimes "perpetual" or "perpetually" (Exodus 30:8 Leviticus 6:20).

"Perpetually" is the rendering of `adh, properly "progress," "duration," hence, long or indefinite time, eternity (usually in the King James Version rendered "for ever"), in Amos 1:11, "His anger did tear perpetually"; and of kol ha-yamim, "all the days" (1 Kings 9:3 2 Chronicles 7:16, "my heart shall be there perpetually"; compare Matthew 28:20, pasas tas hemeras, literally, "all the days").

Perpetuity occurs in the Revised Version (British and American) of Leviticus 25:23, 30, "The land shall not be sold in perpetuity," "The house.... shall be made sure in perpetuity."

Perpetual is frequent in the Apocrypha, most often as the translation of aionios and kindred words, e.g. Judith 13:20, "a perpetual praise"; The Wisdom of Solomon 10:14, "perpetual glory," the Revised Version (British and American) "eternal"; Ecclesiasticus 11:33, "a perpetual blot," the Revised Version (British and American) "blame for ever"; 1 Maccabees 6:44, "a perpetual name," the Revised Version (British and American) "everlasting"; aenaos, "ever-flowing," occurs in The Wisdom of Solomon 11:6 (so the Revised Version); endeleches, "constant" (Ecclesiasticus 41:6, "perpetual reproach").

For "perpetual" (Jeremiah 50:5 Habakkuk 3:6) the Revised Version has "everlasting"; for "the old hatred" (Ezekiel 25:15), "perpetual enmity"; for "perpetual desolation" (Jeremiah 25:12) "desolate forever," margin "Hebrew `everlasting desolations.' "

W. L. Walker

Greek

166. aionios -- agelong, eternal
... eternal, forever, everlasting. From aion; perpetual (also used of past time, or
past and future as well) -- eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/166.htm - 8k

263. amarantos -- unfading
... unfading, permanent. From a (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of
maraino; unfading, ie (by implication) perpetual -- that fadeth not away. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/263.htm - 7k

531. aparabatos -- inviolable
... unchangeable. From a (as a negative particle) and a derivative of parabaino; not
passing away, ie Untransferable (perpetual) -- unchangeable. see GREEK a. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/531.htm - 6k

762. asbestos -- unquenched, unquenchable
... From a (as a negative particle) and a derivative of sbennumi; not extinguished,
ie (by implication) perpetual -- not to be quenched, unquenchable. see GREEK a. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/762.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

8548. tamid -- continuity
... continuity NASB Word Usage all times (1), always (4), constantly (2), continual
(26), continually (52), continuously (2), ever (2), perpetual (1), regular (3 ...
/hebrew/8548.htm - 6k

5331. netsach -- eminence, enduring, everlastingness, perpetuity
... perpetuity NASB Word Usage all time (1), always (3), end (1), eternally (1), ever
(1), forever (22), Glory (1), limit (1), never* (6), perpetual (3), strength ...
/hebrew/5331.htm - 6k

5769. olam -- long duration, antiquity, futurity
... 1), lasting (1), long (2), long ago (3), long past (1), long time (3), never* (17),
old (11), permanent (10), permanently (1), perpetual (29), perpetually (1). ...
/hebrew/5769.htm - 7k

5125. nun -- to propagate, increase
... be continued. A primitive root; to resprout, ie Propagate by shoots; figuratively,
to be perpetual -- be continued. 5124, 5125. nun. 5126 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/5125.htm - 5k

5703. ad -- perpetuity
... adah Definition perpetuity NASB Word Usage all (1), continually (1), Eternal (1),
ever (15), forever (26), forever* (1), forevermore* (2), old (1), perpetual (1 ...
/hebrew/5703.htm - 6k

Library

Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of Faith
Of Prayer"A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. <. Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise
of Faith John Calvin. Henry Beveridge (Translator) Table of Contents. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/of prayer--a perpetual exercise of faith/

Perpetual Youth
... PERPETUAL YOUTH. ... This blessed and eternal growth towards Him whom we possess, to
begin with, and never can exhaust, is the perpetual youth of God's redeemed. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/perpetual youth.htm

Perpetual Covenants
... XII Perpetual Covenants. 'Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual
covenant that shall not be forgotten.' (Jeremiah 1..5.). ...
/.../howard/standards of life and service/xii perpetual covenants.htm

Perpetual Praise.
... DEVOUT EXERCISES. 423. " Perpetual Praise. 423. LM Bowring. Perpetual
Praise. 1 When, wakened by thy voice of power, The hour ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/423 perpetual praise.htm

Perpetual Praise.
... GENERAL PRAISE. 156. " Perpetual Praise. 156. HM Sacred Lyrics. Perpetual
Praise. 1 To thee, great Source of light! My thankful ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/156 perpetual praise.htm

The Perpetual Pillar of Cloud and Fire
... THE PERPETUAL PILLAR OF CLOUD AND FIRE. 'And the Lord will create over the
whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the perpetual pillar of cloud.htm

The Perpetual virginity of Blessed Mary.
... Treatises. The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary. Against Helvidius.
This tract appeared about ad383. The question which gave ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/the perpetual virginity of blessed.htm

Whether Perpetual Continence is Required for Religious Perfection?
... OF THOSE THINGS IN WHICH THE RELIGIOUS STATE PROPERLY CONSISTS (TEN ARTICLES) Whether
perpetual continence is required for religious perfection? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether perpetual continence is required.htm

Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits ...
... CHAPTER 20. OF PRAYER"A PERPETUAL EXERCISE OF FAITH. THE DAILY BENEFITS
DERIVED FROM IT. OF PRAYER"A PERPETUAL EXERCISE OF FAITH. ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 20 of prayera perpetual.htm

LM Anonymous. Perpetual Praise.
... I. PUBLIC WORSHIP. 56. LM Anonymous. Perpetual Praise. 1 My God! in morning's
radiant hour To Thee will I lift up my heart; The ...
/.../book of hymns for public and private devotion/56 l m anonymous perpetual.htm

Thesaurus

Perpetual (57 Occurrences)
... time; unfailing; everlasting; continuous. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
PERPETUAL; PERPETUALLY; PERPETUITY. per-pet'-u-al, per ...
/p/perpetual.htm - 28k

Perpetuity (5 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The quality or state of being perpetual; as, the perpetuity of laws. 2.
(n.) Something that is perpetual. ... 6. (n.) A perpetual annuity. ...
/p/perpetuity.htm - 12k

Perpetually (10 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (adv.) In a perpetual manner; constantly; continually.
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. PERPETUAL; PERPETUALLY; PERPETUITY. ...
/p/perpetually.htm - 13k

Desolations (18 Occurrences)
... (YLT). Psalms 74:3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that
the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. (KJV DBY WBS YLT). ...
/d/desolations.htm - 12k

Statute (63 Occurrences)
... Exodus 29:9 You shall dress them with belts, Aaron and his sons, and bind headbands
on them: and they shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute: and you ...
/s/statute.htm - 27k

Generations (148 Occurrences)
... 9:12 God said, "This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you
and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: (WEB ...
/g/generations.htm - 40k

Astonishment (51 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 18:16 to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; everyone
who passes thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head. ...
/a/astonishment.htm - 24k

Horror (51 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 18:16 to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; everyone
who passes thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head. (See RSV). ...
/h/horror.htm - 23k

Wastes (33 Occurrences)
... thereof, and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them,
and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual wastes. ...
/w/wastes.htm - 16k

Ear (670 Occurrences)
... disobedient. To have the ear "bored" through with an awl was a sign of perpetual
servitude (Exodus 21:6). Noah Webster's Dictionary. ...
/e/ear.htm - 42k

Bible Concordance

Perpetual (57 Occurrences)

Galatians 3:23 Before this faith came, we Jews were perpetual prisoners under the Law, living under restraints and limitations in preparation for the faith which was soon to be revealed.
(WEY)

Hebrews 10:12 this Priest, on the contrary, after offering for sins a single sacrifice of perpetual efficacy, took His seat at God's right hand,
(WEY)

Genesis 9:12 God said, "This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Exodus 28:43 They shall be on Aaron, and on his sons, when they go in to the Tent of Meeting, or when they come near to the altar to minister in the holy place; that they don't bear iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute forever to him and to his descendants after him.
(See RSV)

Exodus 29:9 You shall dress them with belts, Aaron and his sons, and bind headbands on them: and they shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute: and you shall consecrate Aaron and his sons.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS RSV)

Exodus 29:28 and it shall be for Aaron and his sons as their portion forever from the children of Israel; for it is a wave offering: and it shall be a wave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifices of their peace offerings, even their wave offering to Yahweh.
(See RSV)

Exodus 30:8 When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS RSV)

Exodus 30:21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they not die: and it shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his descendants throughout their generations."
(See NAS)

Exodus 31:16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS RSV)

Exodus 40:15 You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to me in the priest's office. Their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations."
(See NAS RSV)

Leviticus 3:17 "'It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.'"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS RSV)

Leviticus 6:20 "This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer to Yahweh in the day when he is anointed: the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Leviticus 7:34 For the waved breast and the heaved thigh I have taken from the children of Israel out of the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons as their portion forever from the children of Israel.'"
(See RSV)

Leviticus 7:36 which Yahweh commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them. It is their portion forever throughout their generations.
(See RSV)

Leviticus 10:9 "Drink no wine nor strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the Tent of Meeting, that you don't die: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations:
(See NAS)

Leviticus 23:14 You shall eat neither bread, nor roasted grain, nor fresh grain, until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God. This is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
(See NAS)

Leviticus 23:21 You shall make proclamation on the same day: there shall be a holy convocation to you; you shall do no regular work. This is a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
(See NAS)

Leviticus 23:31 You shall do no manner of work: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
(See NAS)

Leviticus 23:41 You shall keep it a feast to Yahweh seven days in the year: it is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall keep it in the seventh month.
(See NAS)

Leviticus 24:3 Outside of the veil of the Testimony, in the Tent of Meeting, shall Aaron keep it in order from evening to morning before Yahweh continually: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.
(See NAS)

Leviticus 24:9 It shall be for Aaron and his sons; and they shall eat it in a holy place: for it is most holy to him of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire by a perpetual statute."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS RSV)

Leviticus 25:32 Nevertheless the cities of the Levites, the houses of the cities of their possession, may the Levites redeem at any time.
(See JPS DBY)

Leviticus 25:34 But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it is their perpetual possession.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Numbers 10:8 "The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. This shall be to you for a statute forever throughout your generations.
(See NAS RSV)

Numbers 15:15 For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner with you, a statute forever throughout your generations: as you are, so shall the foreigner be before Yahweh.
(See NAS RSV)

Numbers 18:8 Yahweh spoke to Aaron, "I, behold, I have given you the command of my wave offerings, even all the holy things of the children of Israel; to you have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to your sons, as a portion forever.
(See NAS RSV)

Numbers 18:11 "This is yours, too: the wave offering of their gift, even all the wave offerings of the children of Israel. I have given them to you, and to your sons and to your daughters with you, as a portion forever. Everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it.
(See NAS RSV)

Numbers 18:19 All the wave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to Yahweh, have I given you, and your sons and your daughters with you, as a portion forever: it is a covenant of salt forever before Yahweh to you and to your seed with you."
(See NAS RSV)

Numbers 18:23 But the Levites shall do the service of the Tent of Meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations; and among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
(See NAS RSV)

Numbers 19:10 He who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be to the children of Israel, and to the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them, for a statute forever.
(See NAS RSV)

Numbers 19:21 It shall be a perpetual statute to them: and he who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until even.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS RSV)

Numbers 25:13 and it shall be to him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.'"
(See NAS RSV)

Psalms 9:6 O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.
(KJV WBS NAS)

Psalms 74:3 Lift up your feet to the perpetual ruins, all the evil that the enemy has done in the sanctuary.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Psalms 78:66 He struck his adversaries backward. He put them to a perpetual reproach.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the afflicted 'are' evil, And gladness of heart 'is' a perpetual banquet.
(YLT)

Jeremiah 5:22 Don't you fear me? says Yahweh: won't you tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it can't pass it? and though its waves toss themselves, yet they can't prevail; though they roar, yet they can't pass over it.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Jeremiah 8:5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Jeremiah 15:18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed? will you indeed be to me as a deceitful brook, as waters that fail?
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS)

Jeremiah 18:16 to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; everyone who passes thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS)

Jeremiah 23:40 and I will bring an everlasting reproach on you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS RSV)

Jeremiah 25:9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, says Yahweh, and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations around; and I will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Jeremiah 25:12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.
(KJV JPS DBY WBS)

Jeremiah 49:13 For I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, that Bozrah shall become an astonishment, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all its cities shall be perpetual wastes.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Jeremiah 50:5 They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.
(KJV WBS)

Jeremiah 51:26 They shall not take of you a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but you shall be desolate for ever, says Yahweh.
(See RSV)

Jeremiah 51:39 When they are heated, I will make their feast, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, says Yahweh.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Jeremiah 51:57 I will make drunk her princes and her wise men, her governors and her deputies, and her mighty men; and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake up, says the King, whose name is Yahweh of Armies.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Jeremiah 51:62 and say, Yahweh, you have spoken concerning this place, to cut it off, that none shall dwell therein, neither man nor animal, but that it shall be desolate forever.
(See NAS)

Ezekiel 25:15 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with despite of soul to destroy with perpetual enmity;
(WEB ASV)

Ezekiel 35:5 Because you have had a perpetual enmity, and have given over the children of Israel to the power of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time of the iniquity of the end;
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Ezekiel 35:9 I will make you a perpetual desolation, and your cities shall not be inhabited; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Ezekiel 38:8 After many days shalt thou be visited; at the end of years thou shalt come into the land brought back from the sword and gathered out of many peoples, upon the mountains of Israel which have been a perpetual waste: but it is brought forth out from the peoples, and they shall all of them be dwelling in safety.
(DBY YLT)

Ezekiel 46:14 You shall prepare a meal offering with it morning by morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of a hin of oil, to moisten the fine flour; a meal offering to Yahweh continually by a perpetual ordinance.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS)

Daniel 12:11 and from the time of the turning aside of the perpetual 'sacrifice', and to the giving out of the desolating abomination, 'are' days a thousand, two hundred, and ninety.
(YLT)

Habakkuk 3:6 He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.
(KJV WBS NAS)

Zephaniah 2:9 Therefore as I live, says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS)

Subtopics

Perpetual

Related Terms

Perpetuity (5 Occurrences)

Perpetually (10 Occurrences)

Desolations (18 Occurrences)

Statute (63 Occurrences)

Generations (148 Occurrences)

Astonishment (51 Occurrences)

Horror (51 Occurrences)

Wastes (33 Occurrences)

Ear (670 Occurrences)