The term "conceive" in the Bible primarily refers to the act of becoming pregnant, but it also carries broader implications of beginning or forming something new, whether physically, spiritually, or metaphorically. The concept of conception is significant in both the Old and New Testaments, often symbolizing the initiation of God's plans and purposes.

Old Testament Usage

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word "conceive" is frequently used in the context of childbirth. One of the earliest mentions is found in Genesis 4:1, where Eve conceives and bears Cain: "Now Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. 'With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,' she said." This passage highlights the belief that conception and childbirth are acts of divine involvement and blessing.

The account of Sarah, Abraham's wife, is another pivotal example. Despite her old age and barrenness, God promises Abraham that Sarah will conceive and bear a son. Genesis 21:1-2 records the fulfillment of this promise: "Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him." This miraculous conception underscores God's sovereignty and faithfulness.

Hannah's account in 1 Samuel 1 also illustrates the theme of divine intervention in conception. After fervent prayer, God remembers Hannah, and she conceives Samuel, dedicating him to the Lord's service. This narrative emphasizes the power of prayer and God's responsiveness to the cries of His people.

New Testament Usage

In the New Testament, the most significant instance of conception is the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. The angel Gabriel announces to Mary in Luke 1:31, "Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus." This miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit fulfills Old Testament prophecy and signifies the incarnation of God in human form.

The conception of John the Baptist is another notable event. In Luke 1:24, Elizabeth, who was barren and advanced in years, conceives after her husband Zechariah receives a divine message. This event prepares the way for the coming of the Messiah and highlights God's plan of redemption.

Metaphorical and Spiritual Connotations

Beyond physical conception, the Bible uses the term metaphorically to describe the inception of ideas, plans, or sin. James 1:14-15 illustrates this spiritual conception: "But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." Here, conception is used to describe the process by which sin is birthed from desire, warning believers of the dangers of unchecked temptation.

In a positive sense, the Apostle Paul speaks of spiritual conception in Galatians 4:19, where he expresses his desire for Christ to be formed in the believers: "My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you." This metaphorical use underscores the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life.

Conclusion

The concept of conception in the Bible is rich with meaning, encompassing both the physical act of bearing children and the spiritual and metaphorical beginnings of God's work in the world. Through miraculous births and spiritual metaphors, the Bible portrays conception as an integral part of God's divine plan and purpose.1. (v. t.) To form in the mind; to plan; to devise; to generate; to originate; as, to conceive a purpose, plan, hope.

2. (v. t.) To receive into the womb and begin to breed; to begin the formation of the embryo of.

3. (v. t.) To apprehend by reason or imagination; to take into the mind; to know; to imagine; to comprehend; to understand.

4. (v. i.) To have an embryo or fetus formed in the womb; to breed; to become pregnant.

5. (v. i.) To have a conception, idea, or opinion; think; -- with of.

CONCEPTION; CONCEIVE

kon-sep'-shun, kon-sev' (harah, and derivatives; sullambano): Physically, the beginning of a new life in the womb of a mother, "to catch on," used thus some forty times, as in Genesis 3:16; Genesis 4:1 Psalm 51:5. Metaphorically, applied to the start and growth within the heart, of thought, purpose, desire, e.g. "conceive mischief" (Job 15:35 Psalm 7:14), "conceive chaff" (Isaiah 33:11). This figure is carried out in details in James 1:15: "Lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin."

4815. sullambano -- to collect, ie to take, by impl. to take part ...
... to conceive. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: sullambano Phonetic Spelling:
(sool-lam-ban'-o) Short Definition: I seize, apprehend, become pregnant ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4815.htm - 7k

2602. katabole -- a laying down
... earth. Word Origin from kataballo Definition a laying down NASB Word Usage
conceive* (1), foundation (10). conception, foundation. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2602.htm - 7k

1080. gennao -- to beget, to bring forth
... gives birth (1), produce (1). bear, beget, conceive. From a variation of genos;
to procreate (properly, of the father, but by extension ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1080.htm - 9k

2845. koite -- a bed
... bed, chambering, cohabitation. From keimai; a couch; by extension, cohabitation;
by implication, the male sperm -- bed, chambering, X conceive. see GREEK keimai ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2845.htm - 6k

3539. noeo -- to perceive, think
... noeo Phonetic Spelling: (noy-eh'-o) Short Definition: I understand, consider Definition:
I understand, think, consider, conceive, apprehend; aor. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3539.htm - 7k

5087. tithemi -- to place, lay, set
... properly denotes an upright and active position, while keimai is properly reflexive
and utterly prostrate) -- + advise, appoint, bow, commit, conceive, give, X ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5087.htm - 10k

4690. sperma -- that which is sown, ie seed
... Word Origin from speiro Definition that which is sown, ie seed NASB Word Usage children
(7), conceive* (1), descendant (4), descendants (16), posterity (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4690.htm - 6k

2192. echo -- to have, hold
... ability, contiuity, relation, or condition) -- be (able, X hold, possessed with),
accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2192.htm - 11k

2029. harah -- to conceive, become pregnant
... to conceive, become pregnant. Transliteration: harah Phonetic Spelling: (haw-raw')
Short Definition: conceived. ... been, be with child, conceive, progenitor. ...
/hebrew/2029.htm - 6k

3179. yacham -- to be hot, to conceive
... yacham. 3180 . to be hot, to conceive. Transliteration: yacham Phonetic Spelling:
(yaw-kham') Short Definition: mating. ... get heat, be hot, conceive, be warm. ...
/hebrew/3179.htm - 6k

2232. zara -- to sow, scatter seed
... root Definition to sow, scatter seed NASB Word Usage conceive (1), gives birth
(1), perpetuated (1), plant seed (1), scatter (1), set (1), sow (28), sowed (2 ...
/hebrew/2232.htm - 6k

2030. harah -- pregnant
... Word Origin from harah Definition pregnant NASB Word Usage child (5), conceive
(2), pregnant (3), pregnant woman (1), pregnant women (1), woman with child (1 ...
/hebrew/2030.htm - 6k

2803. chashab -- to think, account
... make account of, conceive, consider, count, cunning man, work, workman, devise,.
A primitive root; properly, to plait or interpenetrate ...
/hebrew/2803.htm - 6k

3254. yasaph -- to add
... add, again, any more, cease, come more, conceive again, continue, exceed,.
A primitive root; to add or augment (often adverbial, to ...
/hebrew/3254.htm - 6k

2032. heron -- conception, pregnancy
... Word Origin from harah Definition conception, pregnancy NASB Word Usage
childbirth (1), conceive (1), conception (1). conception. ...
/hebrew/2032.htm - 6k

This Then is what I Conceive, O My God...
... Book XII Chapter XIII This then is what I conceive, O my God? This then
is what I conceive, O my God, when I hear Thy Scripture ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter xiii this then is.htm

Is it not Easy to Conceive the World in Your Mind? to Think the ...
... THE FIRST CENTURY 9 Is it not easy to conceive the World in your Mind? To think
the Heavens fair? ... Is it not easy to conceive the World in your Mind? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/traherne/centuries of meditations/9 is it not easy.htm

We Conceive and Beget the Word Within, from the Things we have ...
... Book IX. Chapter 7."We Conceive and Beget the Word Within, from the Things
We Have Beheld in the Eternal Truth. The Word, Whether ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 7 we conceive and beget.htm

Let the Sea Also Conceive and Bring Forth Your Works...
... Book XIII Chapter XX Let the sea also conceive and bring forth your works?
Let the sea also conceive and bring forth your works ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter xx let the sea.htm

But, Lest Man Should Conceive Thoughts Too High, and be Exalted ...
... THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE APOSTOLIC PREACHING Chapter 15 But, lest man should
conceive thoughts too high, and be exalted and uplifted? ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/chapter 15 but lest man.htm

So that when Thought Seeketh what the Sense May Conceive under ...
... Book XII Chapter V So that when thought seeketh what the sense may conceive
under this? So that when thought seeketh what the ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter v so that when.htm

Manner of Christ's Birth Predicted.
... And hear again how Isaiah in express words foretold that He should be born of a
virgin; for he spoke thus: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bring forth a ...
/.../justin/the first apology of justin/chapter xxxiii manner of christs birth.htm

We Shall not be Curious in the Ranking of the Duties in which ...
... I conceive we would labour to enforce upon our hearts, and persuade our souls to
a love of all men, by often ruminating upon the words of the Apostle, which ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/chapter iv we shall not.htm

Of Creation
... country, and wandered into a wilderness where he could see no inhabitants but only
houses, villages and cities built, he would straightway conceive there hath ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/lecture xvii of creation.htm

The Humanheartedness of Jesus.
... means to us. It is difficult for us to conceive of him as learning in childhood
as other children have to learn. We find ourselves ...
/.../miller/personal friendships of jesus/chapter i the humanheartedness of.htm

Conceive (23 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To form in the mind; to plan; to devise; to generate; to originate;
as, to conceive a purpose, plan, hope. ... CONCEPTION; CONCEIVE. ...
/c/conceive.htm - 14k

Conception (6 Occurrences)
... See Concept. 6. (n.) Idea; purpose; design. 7. (n.) Conceit; affected sentiment
or thought. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CONCEPTION; CONCEIVE. ...
/c/conception.htm - 19k

Womb (84 Occurrences)
... Luke 1:31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will
call his name'Jesus.' (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). ...
/w/womb.htm - 32k

Conceived (66 Occurrences)
... (imp. & pp) of Conceive. ... (YLT). Isaiah 33:11 Ye conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth
stubble; your breath is a fire that shall devour you. (See NAS). ...
/c/conceived.htm - 26k

Whensoever (13 Occurrences)
... Genesis 30:41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive,
that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that ...
/w/whensoever.htm - 10k

Imagine (24 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To form in the mind a notion or idea of; to form
a mental image of; to conceive; to produce by the imagination. ...
/i/imagine.htm - 14k

Troughs (5 Occurrences)
... Genesis 30:41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger of the flock did conceive,
that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters ...
/t/troughs.htm - 8k

Unchangeableness (1 Occurrence)
... The logical result of this is to conceive of God as abstract Being or Substance,
so that the word "God" becomes only a name for the Unknowable. ...
/u/unchangeableness.htm - 27k

Unchangeable (4 Occurrences)
... The logical result of this is to conceive of God as abstract Being or Substance,
so that the word "God" becomes only a name for the Unknowable. ...
/u/unchangeable.htm - 28k

Infinitude
... They did not, eg conceive of God as having been born, or as having a beginning,
as the Babylonian and Greek gods had, but thought of Him as the ever-existing ...
/i/infinitude.htm - 12k

What does the Bible say about fertility? | GotQuestions.org

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Conceive: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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