Definition and Meaning:
The term "forbear" generally means to refrain or abstain from something, to hold back, or to exercise self-control and patience. In a biblical context, forbearance is often associated with patience, long-suffering, and the willingness to endure offenses or hardships without retaliation.

Biblical References:
The concept of forbearance is woven throughout Scripture, emphasizing the importance of patience and self-restraint in the life of a believer. While the specific term "forbear" may not appear frequently, the principle is evident in various passages.

1. Ephesians 4:2 : "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." This verse highlights the call for Christians to exercise patience and forbearance in their relationships, emphasizing humility and love as foundational to this virtue.

2. Colossians 3:13 : "Bear with each other and forgive any complaint you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Here, forbearance is linked with forgiveness, suggesting that enduring grievances and forgiving others are interconnected aspects of Christian conduct.

3. Proverbs 19:11 : "A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense." This proverb underscores the wisdom and virtue inherent in forbearance, portraying it as a mark of understanding and moral strength.

4. James 5:8-9 : "You too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!" James encourages believers to exercise patience and forbearance, especially in anticipation of the Lord's return, warning against grumbling and judgment.

Theological Significance:
Forbearance is a reflection of God's character, as He is described as patient and long-suffering with humanity. In Romans 2:4 , Paul writes, "Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?" This passage illustrates how God's forbearance is an expression of His kindness and a means to lead people to repentance.

For Christians, forbearance is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and a vital aspect of living a life that honors God. It involves a conscious decision to endure difficulties and offenses with grace, reflecting the patience and love of Christ. By practicing forbearance, believers demonstrate their trust in God's justice and timing, choosing to respond to challenges with a Christ-like attitude.

Practical Application:
In daily life, forbearance can be applied in various situations, such as in family dynamics, workplace interactions, and church communities. It calls for a commitment to patience and understanding, even when faced with provocation or injustice. By cultivating a spirit of forbearance, Christians can foster unity, peace, and reconciliation, serving as a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel.1. (n.) An ancestor; a forefather; -- usually in the plural.

2. (v. i.) To refrain from proceeding; to pause; to delay.

3. (v. i.) To refuse; to decline; to give no heed.

4. (v. i.) To control one's self when provoked.

5. (v. t.) To keep away from; to avoid; to abstain from; to give up; as, to forbear the use of a word of doubtful propriety.

6. (v. t.) To treat with consideration or indulgence.

7. (v. t.) To cease from bearing.

FORBEAR

for-bar' (chadhal; anechomai): In the Old Testament chadhal, "to leave off," is the word most frequently translated "forbear" (Exodus 23:5, etc.); damam, "to be silent," chasakh, "to keep back," mashakh, "to draw or stretch out," occur once each; the Revised Version (British and American) renders Ezekiel 24:17 (damam), "Sigh, but not aloud," margin "Hebrew be silent,"; Proverbs 24:11 (chasakh), "See that thou hold back," margin "or forbear thou not to deliver," the King James Version "if thou forbear to deliver"; Nehemiah 9:30 (mashakh), "bear" instead of "forbear"; 'aph literally, "breathing," the "nose," hence, from violent breathing, "anger" ('erekh, "long," understood), and kul "to hold," are translated "forbearing" (Proverbs 25:15 Jeremiah 20:9, respectively).

In the New Testament we have anechomai, "to hold self back or up," "with longsuffering, forbearing one another" (Ephesians 4:2, Colossians 3:13); aniemi "to send back," the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "forbear threatening' (Ephesians 6:9); pheidomai, "to spare," "but I forbear" (2 Corinthians 12:6); meergazesthai, "not to work," "to forbear working" (1 Corinthians 9:6); stego, "to cover," "conceal": "when I could no longer forbear" (1 Thessalonians 3:1, 5).

W. L.Walker

5339. pheidomai -- to spare, forbear
... to spare, forbear. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: pheidomai Phonetic Spelling:
(fi'-dom-ahee) Short Definition: I spare, abstain Definition: I spare ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5339.htm - 6k

447. aniemi -- to send up, produce, send back
... forbear, give up, loosen. From ana and hiemi (to send); to let up, ie (literally)
slacken or (figuratively) desert, desist from -- forbear, leave, loose. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/447.htm - 7k

430. anecho -- to hold up, bear with
... 4), showing tolerance (1), tolerate (2). bear with, endure, forbear, suffer.
Middle voice from ana and echo; to hold oneself up ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/430.htm - 7k

4722. stego -- to cover closely (so as to keep water out) ...
... word Definition to cover closely (so as to keep water out), generally to bear
up under NASB Word Usage bears (1), endure (3). forbear, endure. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4722.htm - 7k

3361. me -- not, that...not, lest (used for qualified negation)
... lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas ou expects an
affirmative one)) whether -- any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3361.htm - 8k

2308. chadal -- to cease
... cease, end, fall, forbear, forsake, leave off, let alone, rest,. A primitive
root; properly, to be flabby, ie (by implication) desist ...
/hebrew/2308.htm - 6k

1826. damam -- to be or grow dumb, silent or still
... Short Definition: cease. cease, be cut down off, forbear, hold peace, quiet
self, rest, be silent, keep put to silence, A prim root ...
/hebrew/1826.htm - 6k

2820. chasak -- to withhold, refrain
... 1), withheld (3), withholds (2). assuage, darken, forbear, hinder, hold back,
keep back, punish, refrain,. A primitive root; to restrain ...
/hebrew/2820.htm - 6k

4900. mashak -- to draw, drag
... to sow, to sound, to prolong, to develop, to march, to remove, to delay, to be tall,
etc.) -- draw (along, out), continue, defer, extend, forbear, X give ...
/hebrew/4900.htm - 6k

Yet Love Can Forbear
... THE SECOND CENTURY 30 Yet Love can forbear. Yet Love can forbear, and Love can forgive,
though it can never be reconciled to an unlovely object. ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/30 yet love can forbear.htm

Whether one Ought to Forbear from Correcting Someone, through Fear ...
... OF FRATERNAL CORRECTION (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether one ought to forbear from
correcting someone, through fear lest he become worse? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether one ought to forbear.htm

Cliv My Glass is Half Unspent; Forbear T'Arrest
... The Treasury of Sacred Song. Book First CLIV My glass is half unspent; Forbear
t'arrest. My thriftless day too soon: my poor request ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/cliv my glass is half.htm

Here we Might Leave the Subject, but we Cannot Forbear Adding Some ...
... Section 6. Here we might leave the subject, but we cannot forbear adding
some further observations? 6. Here we might leave the ...
/.../jerram/thoughts on a revelation/section 6 here we might.htm

A Lullaby
... To hear me sing thy lullaby: My pretty lamb, forbear to weep; ... His holy
Spouse, thy Mother too. Sweet baby, then forbear to weep; ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/clvi a lullaby.htm

But Lest any Should Fancy that this was Granted Only to the Twelve ...
... "Or I only and Barnabas, have we not power to forbear working?" Lo, he hath taken
away all doubt even from the slowest hearts, that they may understand of what ...
/.../augustine/of the work of monks /section 7 but lest any.htm

Psalm 105. Abridged. God's Conduct of Israel, and the Plagues of ...
... 8 Then let the world forbear its rage, Nor put the church in fear: Israel must
live thro' every age, And be th' Almighty's care.]. PAUSE I. ...
/.../watts/the psalms of david/psalm 105 abridged gods conduct.htm

Psalm 105 Abridged God's Conduct of Israel, and the Plagues of ...
... Shall know their God is strong.". Then let the world forbear its rage,. ... Their
glory and their pride. Now let the world forbear its rage,. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/psalm 105 abridged gods conduct.htm

1 Thessalonians iii. 8-May
... Homily IV. 1 Thessalonians iii. 5-8. 1 Thessalonians iii.5-8 "For this cause I also,
when I could no longer forbear, sent that I might know your faith, lest by ...
/.../homily iv 1 thessalonians iii.htm

But, if it Does not Weary You, Let the Point Out as Briefly as ...
... Of this also the Prophet speaks, "And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me
my price, or if not, forbear;" and presently, "I received from them," he says ...
/.../20 but if it does.htm

Forbear (24 Occurrences)
... 5. (vt) To keep away from; to avoid; to abstain from; to give up; as, to forbear
the use of a word of doubtful propriety. ... Standard Bible Encyclopedia. FORBEAR. ...
/f/forbear.htm - 16k

Refrain (33 Occurrences)
... govern. 2. (vt) To abstain from. 3. (vi) To keep one's self from action
or interference; to hold aloof; to forbear; to abstain. 4 ...
/r/refrain.htm - 16k

Ramoth (30 Occurrences)
... of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them,
"Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?" They said ...
/r/ramoth.htm - 18k

Ramothgilead (19 Occurrences)
... the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said
unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? ...
/r/ramothgilead.htm - 19k

Ramoth-gilead (20 Occurrences)
... the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said
unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? ...
/r/ramoth-gilead.htm - 20k

Victorious (17 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 22:15 When he had come to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall
we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?" He answered him, "Go ...
/v/victorious.htm - 11k

Neglect (19 Occurrences)
... 1. (adv.) Not to attend to with due care or attention; to forbear one's duty in
regard to; to suffer to pass unimproved, unheeded, undone, etc.; to omit; to ...
/n/neglect.htm - 12k

Micai'ah (27 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 22:15 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him: 'Micaiah,
shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?' And he answered ...
/m/micai'ah.htm - 13k

Spare (80 Occurrences)
... 2. (v.) To keep to one's self; to forbear to impart or give. 3. (v.) To
preserve from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish ...
/s/spare.htm - 32k

Stay (221 Occurrences)
... still. 12. (vi) To continue in a state. 13. (vi) To wait; to attend; to
forbear to act. 14. (vi) To dwell; to tarry; to linger. 15. ...
/s/stay.htm - 38k

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