Bible Dictionary: Plead

Jump to: ISBE • Webster's • Concordance • Thesaurus • Greek • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (p. p.) of Plead.

2. (v. t.) To argue in support of a claim, or in defense against the claim of another; to urge reasons for or against a thing; to attempt to persuade one by argument or supplication; to speak by way of persuasion; as, to plead for the life of a criminal; to plead with a judge or with a father.

3. (v. t.) To present an answer, by allegation of fact, to the declaration of a plaintiff; to deny the plaintiff's declaration and demand, or to allege facts which show that ought not to recover in the suit; in a less strict sense, to make an allegation of fact in a cause; to carry on the allegations of the respective parties in a cause; to carry on a suit or plea.

4. (v. t.) To contend; to struggle.

5. (v. t.) To discuss, defend, and attempt to maintain by arguments or reasons presented to a tribunal or person having authority to determine; to argue at the bar; as, to plead a cause before a court or jury.

6. (v. t.) To allege or cite in a legal plea or defense, or for repelling a demand in law; to answer to an indictment; as, to plead usury; to plead statute of limitations; to plead not guilty.

7. (v. t.) To allege or adduce in proof, support, or vindication; to offer in excuse; as, the law of nations may be pleaded in favor of the rights of ambassadors.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

PLEAD

pled: In modern non-legal English is a synonym of "pray" or "beseech," but in legal phraseology "plea," "plead," and "pleading" have a great variety of technical meanings, with "present a case before the court" as the idea common to all. All the uses of "plead" in English Versions of the Bible are connected with this legal sense, so that outside of the set phrase "plead a cause" (1 Samuel 24:15, etc.) there is hardly a use of the word in the King James Version, the English Revised Version, or the American Standard Revised Version that is clear modern English The most obscure instances are due to The King James Version's employment of "plead" to translate the niphal of shaphaT. ShaphaT means "judge," so its niphal means "bring oneself into a case to be judged," "enter into controversy with," and so "plead" in the legal sense. Hence, "None pleadeth in truth" (Isaiah 59:4) means "none of their lawsuits are honest." Accordingly, when God is said to "plead with" man (Isaiah 66:16 the King James Version, the English Revised Version, etc.), the meaning is that God states His side of the case and not at all that He supplicates man to repent. And this statement by God is a judicial act that of course admits of no reply. Hence, the Revised Version (British and American) has changed "plead with" into "enter into judgment with" in Jeremiah 2:35, and the American Standard Revised Version has carried this change into all the other passages (Jeremiah 25:31 Ezekiel 17:20; Ezekiel 20:35, 36; 38:22), with "execute judgment" in Isaiah 66:16 Joel 3:2. The same verb form occurs also in Isaiah 43:26: "Let us plead together," where "Let us present our arguments on both sides" would be a fair paraphrase. Otherwise "plead" usually represents ribh, for which the Revised Version (British and American) gives "strive" in place of "plead" in Psalm 35:1, and "contend" in Job 13:19; Job 23:6 (the American Standard Revised Version also in Judges 6:31, 32 Isaiah 3:13 Jeremiah 2:9; Jeremiah 12:1 Hosea 2:2, retaining "plead" only in Isaiah 1:17 and in the phrase "plead a cause"). yakhach, is rendered "plead" in Job 19:5 ("plead against me my reproach," where the meaning is "convict me of"), in Micah 6:2 the King James Version and the English Revised Version (the American Standard Revised Version "contend"), and Job 16:21 the King James Version (the Revised Version (British and American) "maintain the right"). "Plead" is used also for din, in Jeremiah 30:13 and Proverbs 31:9 the King James Version (the Revised Version (British and American) "minister justice to"), and Jeremiah 5:28 the Revised Version (British and American) (the King James Version "judge"; compare Jeremiah 22:16, the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "judge"). the Revised Version (British and American) would have done vastly better if the use of "plead" had been avoided altogether.

Pleadings (i.e. "arguments") occurs in Job 13:6 (for ribh), and "plea" (din, in a specific legal sense) in Deuteronomy 17:8. the King James Version uses "implead" in Acts 19:38 for egkaleo, the Revised Version (British and American) "accuse," literally, "call into court"; compare also "pleaded the cause" in 2 Maccabees 4:44 (literally, "argued the case") and 4:47, the Revised Version (British and American) "pleaded" (literally, "spoken," the King James Version "told their cause").

Burton Scott Easton

Greek

5241. huperentugchano -- to intercede, to make petition for
... Word Origin from huper and entugchano Definition to intercede, to make petition
for NASB Word Usage intercedes (1). to plead, intercede. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5241.htm - 7k

1344. dikaioo -- to show to be righteous, declare righteous
... Spelling: (dik-ah-yo'-o) Short Definition: I make righteous, defend the cause of,
justify Definition: I make righteous, defend the cause of, plead for the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1344.htm - 9k

1793. entugchano -- to chance upon, by impl. confer with, by ext. ...
... confer with, by ext. entreat NASB Word Usage appealed (1), intercedes (2), make
intercession (1), pleads (1). plead with, make intercession. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1793.htm - 8k

3870. parakaleo -- to call to or for, to exhort, to encourage
... 1), exhorted (2), exhorting (3), exhorts (1), given (1), implore (4), implored
(9), imploring (5), invited (2), making an appeal (1), plead (1), pleaded (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3870.htm - 10k

Strong's Hebrew

7378. rib -- to strive, contend
... 2), contend (22), contended (9), contends (1), dispute (1), ever strive (1), filed
(1), find fault (1), have a quarrel (1), judge (1), plead (9), plead my case ...
/hebrew/7378.htm - 6k

3198. yakach -- to decide, adjudge, prove
... argument prove (1), chastened (1), cleared (1), complained (1), correct (2), decide
(3), dispute (1), make a decision (1), offer reproof (1), plead (1), prove ...
/hebrew/3198.htm - 6k

8199. shaphat -- to judge, govern
... a controversy (1), Judge (5), judge (93), judged (22), judges (36), judges decide
(1), judges governed (1), judges...judged (1), judging (5), plead (1), pleads ...
/hebrew/8199.htm - 6k

1245. baqash -- to seek
... 1), consulted (1), demand (1), desire (1), eager (1), hold* (1), inquired (2),
investigated (1), look (3), looked (1), looking (3), plead (1), pursuit (1 ...
/hebrew/1245.htm - 6k

7379. rib -- strife, dispute
... complaint (2), contend (1), contention (1), contentions (3), controversy (1), dispute
(11), disputes (1), indictment (1), lawsuit (1), plea (1), plead his case ...
/hebrew/7379.htm - 6k

1777. din -- to judge
... root Definition to judge NASB Word Usage administer (1), defend (1), dispute (1),
execute judgment (1), govern (1), judge (9), judges (2), plead (2), pled (1 ...
/hebrew/1777.htm - 6k

Library

Rogation Days 183. Lord, in Thy Name Thy Servants Plead
... II. THE CHRISTIAN YEAR Rogation Days 183. Lord, in thy Name thy servants plead.
CM ... James Turle, 1835. John Keble, 1856. Lord, in thy Name thy servants plead,. ...
/.../rogation days 183 lord in.htm

"We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. ...
... priest, so he did not intrude upon the advocateship, "but he that said, Thou art
my Son called him to it." If a man had never so great ability to plead in the ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxvi we have an.htm

The Sinner Stripped of his Vain Pleas.
... I would hope Some of my readers will ingenuously fall under the conviction, and
not think of making any apology; for sure I am, that, humbly to plead guilty at ...
/.../the rise and progress of religion in the soul/chapter v the sinner stripped.htm

Revelation of Esdras.
... angels. And I said to them: I wish to plead before God about the race of the
Christians. ... it. And Esdras said: Let us plead in Thy hearing. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/unknown/revelation of esdras/revelation of esdras.htm

The Sinner Arraigned and Convicted.
... 2. Permit me therefore, O sinner, to consider myself at this time as an advocate
for God, as one employed in his name to plead against thee and to charge thee ...
/.../chapter iv the sinner arraigned.htm

Psalm CXX.
... The "sharp arrows of the Mighty One," are the words of God...What then are the
"coals that lay waste?" It is not enough to plead with words against a deceitful ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cxx.htm

Two visitors by Night
... Why not go to Constantinople, and plead the cause of Antioch before the Emperor?'. ...
Even their advocates will not plead for the accused in these cruel days. ...
/.../chapter iv two visitors by.htm

"And if any Man Sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,",
... and the lower house of a man's own conscience, when man's accuser is within him,
and God, his righteous Judge, above him, who can come in to plead such a man's ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxv and if any.htm

The Poor Man's Friend
... You know that, when a man has a suit at law, (I hope that none of you may ever have
such a suit,) if he has an advocate to plead his cause, he does not plead ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 53 1907/the poor mans friend.htm

The Importunate Widow.
... is mighty. It is their interest to plead with him who has all power in
heaven and in earth,"to plead as men plead for life. The ...
/.../arnot/the parables of our lord/xxviii the importunate widow.htm

Thesaurus

Plead (64 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (pp) of Plead. 2. (vt) To argue in support
of a claim, or in defense against the claim of another; to ...
/p/plead.htm - 31k

Whilst (21 Occurrences)
... (DBY). Judges 6:31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will
ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for ...
/w/whilst.htm - 12k

Pleadeth (9 Occurrences)
... how he pleadeth with God against Israel: (ASV). Judges 6:31 And Joash saith to all
who have stood against him, 'Ye, do ye plead for Baal? ye -- do ye save him? ...
/p/pleadeth.htm - 8k

Pleaded (21 Occurrences)
... (imp. & pp) of Plead. ... Ezekiel 20:36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the
wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD. ...
/p/pleaded.htm - 12k

Defend (38 Occurrences)
... My Lord, contend for me! (WEB). Psalms 43:1 Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause
against an ungodly nation. ... Psalms 74:22 Arise, God! Plead your own cause. ...
/d/defend.htm - 17k

Plea (35 Occurrences)
... Psalms 74:22 Arise, God! Plead your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks
you all day. ... (See NIV). Psalms 119:154 Plead my cause, and redeem me! ...
/p/plea.htm - 16k

Gideon (45 Occurrences)
... Why should the people plead for Baal? A god should be able to plead his
own cause (Judges 6:28). This defense gained for Gideon ...
/g/gideon.htm - 36k

Vindicate (18 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 24:15 May Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you,
and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand." (See NIV). ...
/v/vindicate.htm - 11k

Jerubbaal (15 Occurrences)
... Contender with Baal; or, let Baal plead, a surname of Gideon; a name given to him
because he destroyed the altar of Baal (Judges 6:32; 7:1; 8:29; 1 Samuel 12:11 ...
/j/jerubbaal.htm - 12k

Prostitutions (6 Occurrences)
... Hosea 2:2 Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her
husband: let her therefore put away her prostitutions out of her sight, and ...
/p/prostitutions.htm - 8k

Bible Concordance

Plead (64 Occurrences)

Matthew 18:29 "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying,'Have patience with me, and I will repay you!'
(See NAS)

Luke 13:26 "Then you will plead, "'We have eaten and drunk in your company and you have taught in our streets.'
(WEY)

Romans 11:2 God didn't reject his people, which he foreknew. Or don't you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:
(Root in WEB WEY ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV)

Romans 12:1 I plead with you therefore, brethren, by the compassionsof God, to present all your faculties to Him as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to Him. This with you will be an act of reasonable worship.
(WEY)

Philippians 4:2 I exhort Euodia, and I exhort Syntyche, to think the same way in the Lord.
(See NIV)

Hebrews 7:25 Hence too He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, seeing that He ever lives to plead for them.
(WEY)

Genesis 6:3 And Jehovah said, My Spirit shall not always plead with Man; for he indeed is flesh; but his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.
(DBY)

Exodus 9:28 make ye supplication unto Jehovah, and plead that there be no voices of God and hail, and I send you away, and ye add not to remain.'
(YLT)

Judges 6:31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
(KJV WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Judges 6:32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
(KJV WBS YLT)

Judges 21:22 and it hath been, when their fathers or their brethren come in to plead unto us, that we have said unto them, Favour us 'by' them, for we have not taken 'to' each his wife in battle, for ye -- ye have not given to them at this time 'that' ye are guilty.'
(YLT)

1 Samuel 2:36 Then it will be that the rest of your family, anyone who has not been cut off, will go down on his knees to him for a bit of silver or a bit of bread, and say, Be pleased to put me into one of the priest's places so that I may have a little food.
(See NIV)

1 Samuel 12:7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he did to you and to your fathers.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV)

1 Samuel 24:15 May Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

1 Kings 8:47 yet if they shall repent in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to you in the land of those who carried them captive, saying,'We have sinned, and have done perversely; we have dealt wickedly;'
(See NIV)

2 Chronicles 6:37 yet if they shall repent themselves in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to you in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done perversely, and have dealt wickedly;
(See NIV)

Esther 4:8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her; and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him, for her people.
(See NAS NIV)

Job 8:5 If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.
(See NIV)

Job 9:15 Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn't answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.
(See NIV)

Job 9:19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
(KJV WBS)

Job 13:8 Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?
(See RSV)

Job 13:19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
(KJV WBS)

Job 16:21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
(KJV WBS NAS NIV)

Job 19:5 If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Job 23:6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Job 35:9 "By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out. They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.
(See NIV)

Psalms 35:1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
(KJV WBS)

Psalms 43:1 Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Psalms 74:22 Arise, God! Plead your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Psalms 119:154 Plead my cause, and redeem me! Revive me according to your promise.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Proverbs 18:17 He who pleads his cause first seems right; until another comes and questions him.
(Root in WEB JPS ASV NAS)

Proverbs 18:23 The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.
(WEB NIV)

Proverbs 22:23 for Yahweh will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Proverbs 23:11 for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Proverbs 25:9 Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
(YLT)

Proverbs 28:4 Those forsaking the law praise the wicked, Those keeping the law plead against them.
(YLT)

Proverbs 31:9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
(KJV JPS WBS)

Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless. Plead for the widow."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 3:13 The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.
(KJV JPS DBY WBS YLT)

Isaiah 43:26 Put me in remembrance. Let us plead together. Set forth your case, that you may be justified.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Isaiah 45:14 The Lord says, The workmen of Egypt, and the traders of Ethiopia, and the tall Sabaeans, will come over the sea to you, and they will be yours; they will go after you; in chains they will come over: and they will go down on their faces before you, and will make prayer to you, saying, Truly, God is among you; and there is no other God.
(See NIV)

Isaiah 66:16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
(KJV WBS)

Jeremiah 2:9 Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.
(KJV JPS DBY WBS YLT)

Jeremiah 2:29 Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD.
(KJV WBS)

Jeremiah 2:35 Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.
(KJV WBS)

Jeremiah 5:28 They are grew fat, they shine: yes, they overpass in deeds of wickedness; they don't plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and the right of the needy they don't judge.
(WEB JPS ASV NAS NIV)

Jeremiah 7:16 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to Me; for I will not hear thee.
(See NIV)

Jeremiah 12:1 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
(KJV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Jeremiah 15:11 Yahweh said, Most certainly I will strengthen you for good; most certainly I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.
(See RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 25:31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.
(KJV JPS WBS)

Jeremiah 27:18 But if they be prophets, and if the word of Yahweh be with them, let them now make intercession to Yahweh of Armies, that the vessels which are left in the house of Yahweh, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, don't go to Babylon.
(See NIV)

Jeremiah 30:13 There is none to plead your cause, that you may be bound up: you have no healing medicines.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS NIV)

Jeremiah 50:34 Their Redeemer is strong; Yahweh of Armies is his name: he will thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Jeremiah 51:36 Therefore thus says Yahweh: Behold, I will plead your cause, and take vengeance for you; and I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Ezekiel 17:20 And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.
(KJV JPS WBS YLT)

Ezekiel 20:35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.
(KJV JPS WBS)

Ezekiel 20:36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.
(Root in KJV JPS WBS)

Ezekiel 38:22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
(KJV JPS WBS)

Daniel 2:18 that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
(See NIV)

Hosea 2:2 Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;
(KJV JPS DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Joel 3:2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
(KJV WBS)

Micah 6:1 Listen now to what Yahweh says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Micah 6:2 Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.
(KJV JPS DBY WBS)

Micah 7:9 I will bear the indignation of Yahweh, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light. I will see his righteousness.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Plead

Related Terms

Whilst (21 Occurrences)

Pleadeth (9 Occurrences)

Pleaded (21 Occurrences)

Defend (38 Occurrences)

Plea (35 Occurrences)

Gideon (45 Occurrences)

Vindicate (18 Occurrences)

Jerubbaal (15 Occurrences)

Prostitutions (6 Occurrences)