The term "madly" is not directly found in the Berean Standard Bible ; however, the concept of madness and acting madly is present throughout the Scriptures. In biblical terms, madness often refers to irrational behavior, a departure from wisdom, or a state of mental disturbance. It is frequently associated with divine judgment or the consequences of sin.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, madness is sometimes depicted as a punishment from God. For instance, in Deuteronomy 28:28, as part of the curses for disobedience, it is written: "The LORD will afflict you with madness, blindness, and confusion of mind." Here, madness is portrayed as a divine retribution for turning away from God's commandments.

The account of King Saul provides a narrative example of madness. After the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, an evil spirit tormented him, leading to erratic and violent behavior (1 Samuel 16:14). Saul's madness is seen as a consequence of his disobedience and rejection by God.

Wisdom Literature

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon reflects on the futility and madness of life without God. Ecclesiastes 1:17 states, "So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind." Here, madness is contrasted with wisdom, emphasizing the emptiness of life when lived apart from divine purpose.

Prophetic Literature

The prophets also speak of madness in the context of judgment. Jeremiah 25:16 describes the nations drinking the cup of God's wrath, resulting in their staggering and acting madly: "They will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them." This imagery underscores the chaos and irrationality that accompany divine judgment.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, madness is mentioned in the context of demonic possession and spiritual warfare. In Mark 5:1-20, Jesus encounters a man possessed by a legion of demons, who exhibits behavior that could be described as mad. After Jesus casts out the demons, the man is found "sitting there, clothed and in his right mind" (Mark 5:15), illustrating the restoration that comes through Christ's authority.

The Apostle Paul, in his defense before Festus, is accused of being mad due to his fervent preaching of the Gospel. In Acts 26:24-25, Festus exclaims, "You are out of your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you mad." Paul responds, "I am not insane, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking words of truth and sobriety." Here, what is perceived as madness by the world is, in fact, the wisdom and truth of the Gospel.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, madness in the Bible often symbolizes the spiritual disarray that results from sin and separation from God. It serves as a metaphor for the chaos and confusion that ensue when individuals or nations reject divine wisdom and guidance. Conversely, the restoration of a sound mind is associated with repentance, deliverance, and alignment with God's will.

In summary, while the term "madly" itself may not appear in the BSB, the concept is woven throughout Scripture, illustrating the contrast between the folly of sin and the peace of a life grounded in God's truth.(a.) In a mad manner; without reason or understanding; wildly.1693. emmainomai -- to rage against
... to rage against. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: emmainomai Phonetic Spelling:
(em-mah'-ee-nom-ahee) Short Definition: I am madly enraged with Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1693.htm - 7k1984b. halal -- to be boastful, to praise
... praise NASB Word Usage acted insanely (1), arrogant (1), boast (9), boasted (1),
boastful (3), boasts (3), boasts boast (1), deride (1), drive madly (1), give ...
/hebrew/1984b.htm - 6k

A Specimen of a Catechetical Address; and First, the Case of a ...
... and they favor them when thus excited, [1432] and by so favoring them they excite
them all the more, the spectators themselves striving more madly with each ...
/.../augustine/on the catechising of the uninstructed/chapter 16 a specimen of a.htm

Moral Insanity.
... sunder. Doing thus madly what they know will always defeat and never ensure
real happiness, they show themselves to be morally insane. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/finney/sermons on gospel themes/ix moral insanity.htm

Psalm XL.
... not a reality. Thou applaudest the charioteer; thou cheerest the charioteer;
thou art madly in love with the charioteer. It is "vanity ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xl.htm

The Hand Felt Its Way up his Arm, And...
... like grey and black water, So that it was as if the wind itself had taken shape,
and he saw the grey and black wind tossing and raving most madly all about him ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 6 the hand felt.htm

Thoughts for the Clergy on the Amusement Question.
... decoys lie in wait for the daughters of our families, and the whirl of general society
in which so many of them, at a tender age, are madly revolving night ...
/.../vincent/amusement a force in christian training/thoughts for the clergy on.htm

The Wonderful Skill with which Origen Prepares Gregory and ...
... by his argumentation whenever he saw us getting restive under him, like so many
unbroken steeds, and springing out of the course and galloping madly about at ...
/.../argument vii the wonderful skill with.htm

As the Foam Upon Water
... They seemed to be balanced, prepared, ready at the least whisper in the wind to
scatter madly, each in his own direction, after a vagary, albeit the end were ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the city of delight/chapter xx as the foam.htm

Acts XII
... his conscience makes him timid while left to himself; but the applause of the multitude
enables him to drown the voice of conscience, and rush on madly to the ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xii.htm

Essay vi. "The Way of Ancient Ordinance, Though it Winds, is yet ...
... Among the latter each man's soul seems hardly containable in his body, like a prisoner
whose gaol is on fire, flying madly from one barred outlet to another ...
/.../coleridge/confessions of an inquiring spirit etc/essay vi the way of.htm

Artifices of the Demons.
... [799] These irrational and fantastic movements of the soul, then, give birth to
empty visions in the mind, by which it becomes madly set on idols. ...
/.../athenagoras/a plea for the christians/chapter xxvii artifices of the demons.htm

Madly (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) In a mad manner; without reason or understanding;
wildly. Multi-Version Concordance Madly (2 Occurrences). ...
/m/madly.htm - 7k

Madman (8 Occurrences)

/m/madman.htm - 8k

Insanely (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (adv.) Without reason; madly; foolishly.
Multi-Version Concordance Insanely (1 Occurrence). 1 Samuel 21 ...
/i/insanely.htm - 6k

Madian (1 Occurrence)

/m/madian.htm - 6k

Tobit
... Reaching Ecbatana they are hospitably lodged in the home of Raguel, and at once
Tobias falls madly in love with the beautiful daughter Sarah, and desires to ...
/t/tobit.htm - 34k

Anaharath (1 Occurrence)
... Reaching Ecbatana they are hospitably lodged in the home of Raguel, and at once
Tobias falls madly in love with the beautiful daughter Sarah, and desires to ...
/a/anaharath.htm - 87k

Pontius (4 Occurrences)
... now come. They madly exclaimed, "We have no king but Caesar;" and now Jesus
is given up to them, and led away to be crucified. By ...
/p/pontius.htm - 36k

Pilate (60 Occurrences)
... now come. They madly exclaimed, "We have no king but Caesar;" and now Jesus
is given up to them, and led away to be crucified. By ...
/p/pilate.htm - 53k

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