Definition and Context
Provocation, in a biblical sense, refers to actions or behaviors that incite anger, wrath, or displeasure, particularly in relation to God or among individuals. It is often associated with rebellion, disobedience, or actions that lead to divine judgment or interpersonal conflict.

Biblical Instances of Provocation

1. Provocation of God by Israel
The Israelites frequently provoked God through their disobedience and idolatry. In the wilderness, their lack of faith and constant complaints were seen as provocations. Psalm 95:8-9 states, "Do not harden your hearts, as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, where your fathers tested and tried Me, though they had seen My work." This passage refers to the Israelites' testing of God, which provoked His anger.

2. Provocation through Idolatry
Idolatry is a significant form of provocation against God. In Deuteronomy 9:7 , Moses reminds the Israelites, "Remember this and never forget how you provoked the LORD your God in the wilderness. From the day you left the land of Egypt until you reached this place, you have been rebelling against the LORD." The worship of the golden calf at Mount Sinai is a prime example of such provocation.

3. Provocation in Human Relationships
Provocation is not limited to the divine-human relationship but also occurs among individuals. Ephesians 6:4 advises, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." This verse highlights the responsibility of parents to nurture rather than incite anger in their children.

4. Provocation and God's Patience
Despite frequent provocations, the Bible emphasizes God's patience and mercy. Nehemiah 9:17 recounts, "They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them."

Theological Implications

Provocation in the Bible underscores the tension between human sinfulness and divine holiness. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of maintaining a faithful relationship with God. The repeated provocations by Israel highlight the need for repentance and the transformative power of God's grace.

Practical Applications

1. Avoiding Provocation
Believers are called to live in a manner that avoids provoking God or others. This involves obedience to God's commandments, fostering peace in relationships, and exercising self-control.

2. Responding to Provocation
When faced with provocation, Christians are encouraged to respond with patience and forgiveness, emulating God's character. Romans 12:19 advises, "Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: 'Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.'"

3. Cultivating a Heart of Repentance
Recognizing one's own provocations against God should lead to repentance and a renewed commitment to follow His ways. This involves a humble acknowledgment of sin and a sincere desire to align one's life with God's will.

In summary, provocation in the biblical narrative serves as a cautionary theme, urging believers to live in harmony with God's commands and with one another, while relying on His grace and forgiveness.1. (n.) The act of inciting anger or resentment.

2. (n.) That which provokes, or excites anger; the cause of resentment; as, to give provocation.

3. (n.) Incitement; stimulus; as, provocation to mirth.

4. (n.) Such prior insult or injury as may be supposed, under the circumstances, to create hot blood, and to excuse an assault made in retort or redress.

5. (n.) An appeal to a court. [A Latinism]

PROVOCATION; PROVOKE

prov-o-ka'-shun, pro-vok': "Provoke," literally, "to call forth," hence, to excite or stir up, whether in a good or bad sense, appears frequently in the Old Testament as the translation of Piel, or Hiphil of ka`ac (noun, ka`ac), in the sense of "to make angry" (Deuteronomy 4:25; Deuteronomy 9:18 1 Kings 14:9, 15, etc.); sometimes of marah (Isaiah 3:8), and of other words. In the New Testament we have parazeloo, "to make jealous" (Romans 10:19; Romans 11:11, 14); parorgizo, "to make angry" (Ephesians 6:4; compare Colossians 3:21); with parapikraino, "to embitter" (Hebrews 3:16; compare in 1Es 6:15), and other Greek words. "Provocation" in Hebrews 3:8, 15 (quoting Psalm 95:8) is parapikrasmos, the Septuagint for the Hebrew meribhah. An example of the good sense of the word is in Hebrews 10:24, "Consider one another to provoke (literally, "to the provoking," here paroxusmos) unto love and good works."

For "provoke" the Revised Version (British and American) has "despise" (Numbers 14:11; Numbers 31:20), "rebel against" (Psalm 78:40); for "provoked," "despised" (Numbers 14:23; Numbers 16:30 Isaiah 1:4), "moved" (Deuteronomy 32:16 1 Chronicles 21:1), "rebelled against" (Psalm 78:56), "were rebellious" (106:33, 43); for "provoking" (Psalm 78:17), "to rebel against"; for "provoked" (2 Corinthians 9:2), "stirred up"; "provoked within" for "stirred in" (Acts 17:16); "provoked" for "limited" (Psalm 78:41 margin, "limited"); "provoketh" for "emboldeneth" (Job 16:3); instead of "Provoke not your children to anger" (Colossians 3:21), "Provoke not your children."

W. L. Walker

3894. parapikrasmos -- provocation
... provocation. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: parapikrasmos Phonetic
Spelling: (par-ap-ik-ras-mos') Short Definition: a provocation, irritation ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3894.htm - 6k

3948. paroxusmos -- stimulation, provocation
... stimulation, provocation. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: paroxusmos
Phonetic Spelling: (par-ox-oos-mos') Short Definition: incitement ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3948.htm - 7k

3986. peirasmos -- an experiment, a trial, temptation
... temptation. From peirazo; a putting to proof (by experiment (of good), experience
(of evil), solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3986.htm - 7k

3950. parorgismos -- irritation
... 3950 ("slowly built-up provocation") is only used in Eph 4:26. See 3949 (). Word
Origin from parorgizo Definition irritation NASB Word Usage anger (1). wrath. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3950.htm - 7k

4784. marah -- to be contentious or rebellious
... root Definition to be contentious or rebellious NASB Word Usage became disobedient
(1), bitter (1), disobedient (1), disobeyed (2), provocation (1), rebel (6 ...
/hebrew/4784.htm - 6k

4808. meribah -- strife, contention
... Word Origin from rib Definition strife, contention NASB Word Usage strife (2).
provocation, strife. From riyb; quarrel -- provocation, strife. see HEBREW riyb. ...
/hebrew/4808.htm - 6k

3708a. kaas -- vexation, anger
... 3708, 3708a. kaas. 3708b . vexation, anger. Transliteration: kaas Short
Definition: provocation. Word Origin from kaas Definition ...
/hebrew/3708a.htm - 5k

How Dejection and Accidie Generally Arise Without any External ...
... II. Second Conference of Abbot Moses. Chapter IX. How dejection and accidie generally
arise without any external provocation, as in the case of other faults. ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter ix how dejection and.htm

Hebrew Craft
... till of late, and it is whispered that some secret work against him inaugurated
by the priesthood, or mayhap the Pharaoh, hath given him provocation to revolt ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xi hebrew craft.htm

Hebrews iii. 11-Jul
... Hebrews iii. 7-11. Hebrews iii.7-11 "Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, To-day
if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation in the ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily vi hebrews iii 11-jul.htm

Fundamental Oneness of the Dispensations.
... To-day if ye shall hear His voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation,
Like as in the day of the temptation in the wilderness, Wherewith your ...
/.../chapter iii fundamental oneness of.htm

Letter ii. Self-Control and Self-Culture.
... self-imposed silence. Then, too, there is a dignity about silence under
provocation that is impressive and effective. The greatest ...
/.../letter ii self-control and self-culture.htm

"And He is the Propitiation,"
... One is that sin is the cause of enmity between God and man, and sets us at an infinite
distance"that sin is a heinous provocation of his wrath. ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxvii and he is.htm

Earnest Expostulation
... has to do with the magnitude of sin; longsuffering with the multiplicity of it:
forbearance has to do with present provocation; longsuffering relates to that ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 29 1883/earnest expostulation.htm

Judged by Fruit
... With deep humility, and in the presence of the family, he confessed his sin, said
not a word about provocation, and only pleaded that they would forgive him ...
/.../howard/standards of life and service/xi judged by fruit.htm

The Third Beatitude
... displayed in our attitude towards men. The truly meek heart remains unprovoked
amidst all provocation. Most men are like dogs that ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the third beatitude.htm

The Sinner Stripped of his Vain Pleas.
... if thou wast now actually before his tribunal, where, to multiply vain words, and
to frame idle apologies, would be but to increase thy guilt and provocation? ...
/.../the rise and progress of religion in the soul/chapter v the sinner stripped.htm

Provocation (20 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) That which provokes, or excites anger; the cause of resentment; as, to give
provocation. 3. (n.) Incitement; stimulus; as, provocation to mirth. ...
/p/provocation.htm - 15k

Grief (252 Occurrences)
... The Lord added grief to my sorrow," the Revised Version (British and American)
"sorrow to my pain" (Jeremiah 45:3); ka`ac implies provocation, anger, irritation ...
/g/grief.htm - 45k

Grieve (29 Occurrences)
... The Lord added grief to my sorrow," the Revised Version (British and American)
"sorrow to my pain" (Jeremiah 45:3); ka`ac implies provocation, anger, irritation ...
/g/grieve.htm - 23k

Provoked (70 Occurrences)
... (KJV). Hebrews 3:8 ye may not harden your hearts, as in the provocation,
in the day of the temptation in the wilderness, (See NAS). ...
/p/provoked.htm - 28k

Provoke (64 Occurrences)
... 2. (vi) To cause provocation or anger. 3. (vi) To appeal. [A Latinism].
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. PROVOCATION; PROVOKE. ...
/p/provoke.htm - 31k

Forefathers (135 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 3:8 do not harden your hearts as your forefathers did in the time of the
provocation on the day of the temptation in the Desert, (WEY). ...
/f/forefathers.htm - 36k

Jerobo'am (92 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 15:30 for the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and wherewith he made Israel
to sin; because of his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD, the God ...
/j/jerobo'am.htm - 32k

Provisions (41 Occurrences)

/p/provisions.htm - 19k

Vexation (36 Occurrences)
... (KJV WBS). 1 Samuel 1:16 Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman; for out of the
abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto. ...
/v/vexation.htm - 18k

Nebat (25 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 21:22 I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah for the provocation with which ...
/n/nebat.htm - 15k

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