The term "rouse" in the context of the Bible generally refers to awakening, stirring up, or inciting action. It is often used metaphorically to describe spiritual awakening or the call to action in the service of God. The concept of rousing is significant in both the Old and New Testaments, where it is associated with divine intervention, prophetic messages, and the call to spiritual vigilance.

Old Testament Usage

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often translated as "rouse" is "עורר" (ʿûr), which means to awaken or stir up. This term is used in various contexts, including the awakening of individuals from sleep, the stirring of emotions, or the incitement to action. For example, in Isaiah 51:9 , the prophet calls upon the arm of the Lord to "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of long ago." Here, the rousing is a plea for God to act with the same power and might as in the past.

The concept of rousing is also evident in the context of military action or divine judgment. In Judges 5:12 , Deborah and Barak are called to "Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and take captive your captives, O son of Abinoam." This call to rouse is both a literal and spiritual awakening to fulfill God's purpose in delivering Israel from its enemies.

New Testament Usage

In the New Testament, the Greek word "ἐγείρω" (egeirō) is often used to convey the idea of rousing or awakening. This term is frequently associated with resurrection and spiritual awakening. In Ephesians 5:14 , Paul writes, "Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." This passage uses the metaphor of rousing from sleep to describe the transformation from spiritual death to life in Christ.

The theme of rousing is also present in the context of vigilance and readiness for the Lord's return. In Romans 13:11 , Paul exhorts believers, "And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." Here, the call to rouse is a reminder of the urgency and imminence of Christ's return, urging believers to live in a state of spiritual alertness and preparedness.

Theological Implications

The concept of rousing in the Bible carries significant theological implications. It underscores the necessity of spiritual awakening and responsiveness to God's call. Rousing is often associated with repentance, renewal, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. It serves as a reminder of the believer's duty to remain vigilant, active, and engaged in the work of the Kingdom.

In a broader sense, the idea of rousing reflects the dynamic nature of the Christian faith, which calls for continuous growth, transformation, and readiness to respond to God's leading. It emphasizes the importance of being spiritually alert and responsive to the movements of the Holy Spirit, both individually and collectively as the body of Christ.1. (v. i. & t.) To pull or haul strongly and all together, as upon a rope, without the assistance of mechanical appliances.

2. (n.) A bumper in honor of a toast or health.

3. (n.) A carousal; a festival; a drinking frolic.

4. (v.) To cause to start from a covert or lurking place; as, to rouse a deer or other animal of the chase.

5. (v.) To wake from sleep or repose; as, to rouse one early or suddenly.

6. (v.) To excite to lively thought or action from a state of idleness, languor, stupidity, or indifference; as, to rouse the faculties, passions, or emotions.

7. (v.) To put in motion; to stir up; to agitate.

8. (v.) To raise; to make erect.

9. (v. i.) To get or start up; to rise.

10. (v. i.) To awake from sleep or repose.

11. (v. i.) To be exited to thought or action from a state of indolence or inattention.

1892. epegeiro -- to rouse up, excite
... to rouse up, excite. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: epegeiro Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-eg-i'-ro) Short Definition: I arouse, stimulate, excite against ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1892.htm - 6k

1453. egeiro -- to waken, to raise up
... Probably akin to the base of agora (through the idea of collecting one's faculties);
to waken (transitively or intransitively), ie Rouse (literally, from sleep ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1453.htm - 9k

1594. eknepho -- to become sober (after drunkenness)
... to come to one's senses. From ek and nepho; (figuratively) to rouse (oneself) out
of stupor -- awake. see GREEK ek. see GREEK nepho. (eknepsate) -- 1 Occurrence ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1594.htm - 7k

2868. koniortos -- dust
... dust. From the base of koniao and ornumi (to "rouse"); pulverulence (as blown about) --
dust. see GREEK koniao. (koniorton) -- 5 Occurrences. 2867, 2868. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2868.htm - 6k

3949. parorgizo -- to provoke to anger
... 3949 (from 3844 , "from close-beside" and 3710 , "become angry") -- properly, rouse
someone to anger; to in a way that "really pushes someone's buttons," ie to ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3949.htm - 7k

1825. exegeiro -- to raise up
... raise up. From ek and egeiro; to rouse fully, ie (figuratively) to resuscitate
(from death), release (from infliction) -- raise up. see GREEK ek. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1825.htm - 7k

4891. sunegeiro -- to raise together
... From sun and egeiro; to rouse (from death) in company with, ie (figuratively) to
revivify (spirtually) in resemblance to -- raise up together, rise with. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4891.htm - 6k

5782. ur -- to rouse oneself, awake
... 5781, 5782. ur. 5783 . to rouse oneself, awake. Transliteration: ur Phonetic
Spelling: (oor) Short Definition: awake. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/5782.htm - 6k

6965. qum -- to arise, stand up, stand
... 1), raise (29), raised (12), raises (3), raising (1), remained (1), restore (1),
rise (73), risen (11), rises (10), rising (2), rose (36), rouse (2), set (22 ...
/hebrew/6965.htm - 7k

Next it is Written that "He Gave up the Ghost. " this Also had ...
... place, "I will give the malignant for his burial;" and yet once more, "He hath lain
down and slept as a lion, and as a lion's whelp; who shall rouse Him up ...
/.../27 next it is written.htm

Discipline
... He couched, he lay down as a lion; and as a great lion. Who dare rouse him up? ... He
would couch as a lion, and as a great lion. Who dare rouse him up? ...
/.../kingsley/discipline and other sermons/sermon i discipline.htm

Rom. xii. 4, 5
... he may subdue the haughty. But he says also that the beginnings lie with
themselves, to rouse the listless. And this he does in ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxi rom xii 4.htm

In the Course of the Second Year, the Persecution against us ...
... have wished Christianity safely abolished, feared the growing power of the Church,
and dared not persecute (till he was forced), lest he should rouse her from ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/pamphilius/church history/chapter iii in the course.htm

The Third Wall.
... house? Is not every citizen bound in this case to rouse and call in the rest? ...
town. The first to rouse up the rest earns glory and thanks. ...
/.../luther/first principles of the reformation/the third wall.htm

The Last Farthing.
... They are not meant to explain anything, but to rouse a man to the feeling, 'I am
not what I ought to be, I do not the thing I ought to do!' Many maundering ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macdonald/unspoken sermons/the last farthing.htm

The Broken Fence
... When we have examined it, let us consider the consequences of broken-down walls;
and then in the last place, let us try to rouse up this sluggard that his wall ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the broken fence.htm

A String of Pearls
... now. The proverb warns that it is no trifle to rouse the lion from his lair,
and that when he begins to growl there is danger. The ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/a string of pearls.htm

Philippians ii. 8-May
... upon Him the form of a servant." (Philip. ii.5-7.) Attend, I entreat you, and
rouse yourselves. For as a sharp two-edged sword, wheresoever ...
/.../homily vi philippians ii 8-may.htm

Letter clxxxiii. To the Senate of Samosata.
... Rouse ye, then, most excellent sirs, that the labours you are about to undertake
may not be unworthy of those which you have already sustained, and that on a ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter clxxxiii to the senate.htm

Rouse (25 Occurrences)
... 4. (v.) To cause to start from a covert or lurking place; as, to rouse a deer or
other animal of the chase. ... Multi-Version Concordance Rouse (25 Occurrences). ...
/r/rouse.htm - 14k

Awake (83 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To rouse from sleep; to wake; to awaken.
2. (vt) To rouse from a state resembling sleep, as from ...
/a/awake.htm - 33k

Lioness (13 Occurrences)
... Who will rouse him up? (WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT RSV NIV). ... Numbers 24:9 He couched,
he lay down as a lion, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? ...
/l/lioness.htm - 10k

Wake (34 Occurrences)
... 5. (vi) To be exited or roused up; to be stirred up from a dormant, torpid, or inactive
state; to be active. 6. (vt) To rouse from sleep; to awake. ...
/w/wake.htm - 17k

Dares (6 Occurrences)
... Who will rouse him up? (See NAS RSV NIV). Numbers 24:9 He couched, he
lay down as a lion, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? ...
/d/dares.htm - 7k

Betrayer (5 Occurrences)
... Betrayer (5 Occurrences). Matthew 26:46 Rouse yourselves. ... Mark 14:42 Rouse yourselves,
let us be going: my betrayer is close at hand." (WEY RSV NIV). ...
/b/betrayer.htm - 7k

Couches (15 Occurrences)
... Genesis 49:9 Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up. He
stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? ...
/c/couches.htm - 10k

Couched (4 Occurrences)
... Genesis 49:9 Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he
stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up ...
/c/couched.htm - 7k

Roused (24 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Rouse. Multi-Version Concordance
Roused (24 Occurrences). Matthew 2:14 So Joseph roused ...
/r/roused.htm - 13k

Yourselves (530 Occurrences)
... Matthew 17:7 But Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Rouse yourselves and have
no fear." (WEY). ... Matthew 26:46 Rouse yourselves. Let us be going. ...
/y/yourselves.htm - 36k

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