The term "hankered" is not directly found in the Berean Standard Bible or other traditional translations of the Bible. However, the concept of longing or desiring intensely, which "hankered" implies, is a theme that appears throughout the Scriptures. This entry explores the biblical understanding of intense desire, often associated with the human inclination to yearn for things outside of God's will, and the spiritual implications of such desires.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the Israelites frequently exhibited a longing for things that were contrary to God's commands. A notable example is found in the wilderness narratives. In Numbers 11:4-6 , the Israelites expressed a strong craving for the foods they had in Egypt, saying, "Who will feed us meat? We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But now our appetite is gone; there is nothing to see but this manna!" This craving, or "hankering," led to discontent and rebellion against God's provision.

The Hebrew word often associated with such desires is "ta'avah," which can be translated as "craving" or "lust." This term is used in Proverbs 21:25-26 , where it states, "The craving of the sluggard will kill him because his hands refuse to work. All day long he covets more, but the righteous give without restraint." Here, the desire is portrayed as destructive, contrasting with the generosity of the righteous.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the concept of hankering is addressed in the context of the desires of the flesh versus the desires of the Spirit. Galatians 5:16-17 advises, "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want."

James 1:14-15 further elaborates on the progression of desire, stating, "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." This passage highlights the danger of unchecked desires leading to sin and spiritual death.

Spiritual Implications

From a biblical perspective, hankering after worldly things often leads to spiritual peril. The Scriptures encourage believers to cultivate desires that align with God's will. Psalm 37:4 offers a positive view of desire, stating, "Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart." This suggests that when one's desires are rooted in a relationship with God, they are transformed and fulfilled in a way that brings true satisfaction.

The Bible also calls for contentment and warns against covetousness. Hebrews 13:5 instructs, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: 'Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.'" This verse emphasizes reliance on God's presence and provision as the antidote to misplaced desires.

In summary, while the term "hankered" itself is not used in the Bible, the concept of intense longing is addressed extensively. The Scriptures provide guidance on redirecting desires towards God and His purposes, warning against the spiritual dangers of craving what is contrary to His will.(imp. & p. p.) of Hanker.

Zedekiah
... political insight he would have seen that his only chance was to adhere firmly to
Babylon, and to repress the foolish aristocracy who hankered after alliance ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/zedekiah.htm

The Wilderness.
... The Israelites could not even be roused to look for the present temporal promise,
and hankered after the fine soil and rich fruits of Egypt, rather than the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson iv the wilderness.htm

What Things King Agrippa did for Claudius; and How Claudius when ...
... Yet were there those that hankered after the government, both on account of the
dignity of their families and that accruing to them by their marriages; for ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 4 what things king.htm

Paracelsus {13}
... Even Newton seems to have hankered after it when young. Among his MSS. in Lord
Portsmouth's library at Hurstbourne are whole folios of astrologic calculations. ...
/.../kingsley/historical lectures and essays/paracelsus 13.htm

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners Or, a Brief Relation of ...
... but my conscience beginning to be tender, I thought such practice was but vain,
and therefore forced myself to leave it; yet my mind hankered; wherefore I ...
/.../bunyan/grace abounding to the chief of sinners/grace abounding to the chief.htm

Beginning at Jerusalem. --Luke xxiv. 47.
... the word. Yet even some of them so hankered after the conversion of the
Jews, that they preached the gospel only to them. Also the ...
/.../bunyan/jerusalem sinner saved/beginning at jerusalem luke xxiv 47.htm

The Jerusalem Sinner Saved;
... the word. Yet even some of them so hankered after the conversion of the
Jews, that they preached the gospel only to them. Also the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the jerusalem sinner saved.htm

Job's Regret and Our Own
... has borne with our ill manners, when he might justly have laid the reins on our
necks, and suffered us to rush on in the road which we so often hankered after. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/jobs regret and our own.htm

The Battle of the Books, 1749-1755.
... Revival than most historians have recognised; that they worked more like the unseen
leaven than like the spreading mustard tree; that they hankered not after ...
/.../hutton/history of the moravian church/chapter xiii the battle of.htm

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
... but my conscience beginning to be tender, I thought such practice was but vain,
and therefore forced myself to leave it, yet my mind hankered; wherefore I ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/grace abounding to the chief.htm

Hankered (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Hanker. Multi-Version Concordance
Hankered (1 Occurrence). 1 Timothy 6:10 For from love ...
/h/hankered.htm - 6k

Hannah (13 Occurrences)

/h/hannah.htm - 14k

Evils (26 Occurrences)
... 1 Timothy 6:10 For from love of money all sorts of evils arise; and some have so
hankered after money as to be led astray from the faith and be pierced through ...
/e/evils.htm - 14k

Countless (11 Occurrences)
... 1 Timothy 6:10 For from love of money all sorts of evils arise; and some have so
hankered after money as to be led astray from the faith and be pierced through ...
/c/countless.htm - 9k

Sorts (65 Occurrences)
... 1 Timothy 6:10 For from love of money all sorts of evils arise; and some have so
hankered after money as to be led astray from the faith and be pierced through ...
/s/sorts.htm - 26k

Haniel (1 Occurrence)

/h/haniel.htm - 6k

Arise (235 Occurrences)
... 1 Timothy 6:10 For from love of money all sorts of evils arise; and some have so
hankered after money as to be led astray from the faith and be pierced through ...
/a/arise.htm - 37k

Hankered: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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