Bible Dictionary: Subtle

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (a.) Elusive; sly in design; insinuating; refined; as, a subtle difference.

2. (superl.) Cunningly devised; crafty; treacherous; as, a subtle stratagem.

3. (superl.) Characterized by refinement and niceness in drawing distinctions; nicely discriminating; -- said of persons; as, a subtle logician; refined; tenuous; sinuous; insinuating; hence, penetrative or pervasive; -- said of the mind; its faculties, or its operations; as, a subtle intellect; a subtle imagination; a subtle process of thought; also, difficult of apprehension; elusive.

4. (superl.) Smooth and deceptive.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

SUBTIL; SUBTLE; SUBTLETY; SUBTILTY

sub'-til, sut'-'-l, sut'-'-l-ti (chakham, nakhal, mirmah; dolos): These words are used

(1) in a good sense: 2 Samuel 13:3, chakham, "wise," "Jonadab was a very subtle (the American Standard Revised Version "subtle") man" (discreet); Proverbs 1:4, `ormah, "prudence," "to give subtlety to the simple," the American Standard Revised Version and the English Revised Version margin "prudence"; The Wisdom of Solomon 7:22, leptos, "thin," said of the spirit in Wisdom (very fine or refined); 8:8, strophe, "winding," "subtilties of speeches"; Ecclesiasticus 39:2, "subtil parables," the Revised Version (British and American) "the subtleties of parables";

(2) in a bad sense: Genesis 3:1, `arum, "crafty," "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field," the American Standard Revised Version "subtle."

Genesis 27:35, mirmah, "deceit," "fraud," "Thy brother came with subtlety," the Revised Version (British and American) "with guile"; Psalm 105:25, nakhal, "to deceive," the King James Version "deal subtlely," the American Standard Revised Version "subtly"; Proverbs 7:10, natsar, "to watch," "guard," "to be hidden or subtle of heart," the Revised Version (British and American) "wily," margin " `close,' Hebrew `guarded' "; 2 Kings 10:19, `oqebhah, "deceit" or "treachery" (here only); Judith 5:11, katasophizo, "to use subtlety"; Ecclesiasticus 19:25, panourgia, "cunning," "unscrupulousness," "There is an exquisite subtlety, and the same is unjust"; 2 Corinthians 11:3, "The serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety," the Revised Version (British and American) "in his craftiness"; Matthew 26:4, dolos, "deceit," "that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him"; Acts 13:10, "O full of all subtlety and all mischief," the Revised Version (British and American) "all guile and all villany."

English Revised Version has "subtilty" for "wisdom" (Proverbs 8:5, 12), margin and the American Standard Revised Version, "prudence"; for "with subtlety" (the English Revised Version Mark 14:1, the King James Version "by craft") the American Standard Revised Version has "with subtlety."

W. L. Walker

Greek

1065. ge -- emphasizes the word to which it is joined
... gheh) Short Definition: at least, indeed, really Definition: an enclitic, emphasizing
particle: at least, indeed, really, but generally too subtle to be ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1065.htm - 7k

Library

Coelestius the Bolder Heretic; Pelagius the More Subtle.
... Book II. On Original Sin. Chapter 13 [XII.]"Coelestius the Bolder Heretic;
Pelagius the More Subtle. You see, indeed, not to mention ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 13 xii coelestius the bolder.htm

Whether Subtlety is a Property of the Glorified Body?
... Accordingly if subtlety be a property of the glorified body, it would seem that
the glorified body will be more subtle than anything which is subtle in nature ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether subtlety is a property.htm

Whether one Glorified Body Can be in the Same Place Together with ...
... If then a glorified body is more subtle than a non-glorified body, it will offer
less resistance to a glorified body: and so if a glorified body can be in the ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether one glorified body can.htm

It is Admitted, one May Hope, that Common Things are Never ...
... may be claimed. It is not merely true that these universal things are
strange; it is moreover true that they are subtle. In the ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 13 it is admitted.htm

The Real Thing of Light.
... Every generation seems to have been so bothered and confused. And even our own
doesn't seem to have entirely escaped the subtle contagion. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on johns gospel/the real thing of light.htm

Showing How we May Recognise those Men who Fail in Charity to All
... There are some men who are very subtle in words, and skilful in showing forth high
things, and yet do not enjoy this enlightened condition, neither this common ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter xliv showing how we.htm

The Epistle to the Colossians Time the Criterion of Truth and ...
... When, again, he warns them to "beware of subtle words and philosophy," as being
"a vain deceit," such as is "after the rudiments of the world" (not ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter xix the epistle to the.htm

Trumpets and Street Corners
... Our Lord follows His exposition of the deepened sense which the old law assumes
in His kingdom, by a warning against the most subtle foes of true righteousness ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/trumpets and street corners.htm

Vain Hopes.
... when we are within the fiery circle of trial or temptation, when sinful desires
arise, or passions are strong, or solicitations to evil are subtle and enticing ...
//christianbookshelf.org/percival/sermons at rugby/v vain hopes.htm

Thirtieth Day. The Unction from the Holy One.
... Just as there is nothing so subtle and penetrating as the odour with which the ointment
fills a house, so holiness is an indescribable, all-pervading breath of ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/murray/holy in christ/thirtieth day the unction from.htm

Thesaurus

Subtle (5 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Elusive; sly in design; insinuating; refined; as, a subtle difference. 2.
(superl.) Cunningly devised; crafty; treacherous; as, a subtle stratagem. ...
/s/subtle.htm - 11k

Subtlety (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The quality or state of being subtle, or sly;
cunning; craftiness; artfulness. ... SUBTIL; SUBTLE; SUBTLETY; SUBTILTY. ...
/s/subtlety.htm - 10k

Subtilty (9 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The quality or state of being subtle; thinness; fineness; as, the
subtlety of air or light. ... SUBTIL; SUBTLE; SUBTLETY; SUBTILTY. ...
/s/subtilty.htm - 12k

Subtile (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Thin; not dense or gross; rare; as, subtle
air; subtle vapor; a subtle medium. 2. (a.) Delicately ...
/s/subtile.htm - 8k

Subtil (3 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia SUBTIL; SUBTLE; SUBTLETY; SUBTILTY.
sub'-til, sut'-'-l, sut'-'-l-ti (chakham, nakhal, mirmah; dolos ...
/s/subtil.htm - 10k

Fine (184 Occurrences)
... showy. 3. (superl.) Nice; delicate; subtle; exquisite; artful; skillful; dexterous.
4 ... heavy. 5. (superl.) Not gross; subtle; thin; tenous. 6 ...
/f/fine.htm - 47k

Serpent (40 Occurrences)
... (see ADDER.). This word is used symbolically of a deadly, subtle, malicious enemy
(Luke 10:19). ... 2. (n.) Fig.: A subtle, treacherous, malicious person. ...
/s/serpent.htm - 46k

Proverbs (11 Occurrences)
... illustrative additions. Out of 191 proverbs only 18 are antithetic, and these
contain contrasts of a more subtle and hidden suggestion. As ...
/p/proverbs.htm - 43k

Upon (17009 Occurrences)
... expressed of incorruption and immortality. The meaning here is very subtle
and difficult of interpretation. In all probability Paul ...
/u/upon.htm - 8k

Jonadab (11 Occurrences)
... Jonadab (11 Occurrences). 2 Samuel 13:3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab,
the son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man. ...
/j/jonadab.htm - 10k

Bible Concordance

Subtle (5 Occurrences)

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Has God really said,'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'"
(WEB JPS ASV RSV)

2 Samuel 13:3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.
(WEB JPS ASV)

2 Samuel 22:27 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; And with the perverse thou wilt show thyself froward.
(See JPS)

Psalms 18:26 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; And with the perverse thou wilt show thyself froward.
(See JPS)

Proverbs 7:10 And behold, there met him a woman in the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart.
(DBY)

Subtopics

Subtle

Related Terms

Subtlety (3 Occurrences)

Subtilty (9 Occurrences)

Subtile (4 Occurrences)

Subtil (3 Occurrences)

Fine (184 Occurrences)