Topical Encyclopedia In biblical terms, the concept of "stir" often conveys the idea of arousing, awakening, or inciting action or emotion. This term appears in various contexts throughout the Scriptures, illustrating both positive and negative connotations depending on the circumstances and the individuals involved.Old Testament Usage In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often translated as "stir" is "עורר" (ʿûr), which means to awaken or incite. One notable instance is found in the book of Isaiah, where God is depicted as stirring up the spirit of Cyrus, the Persian king, to fulfill His divine purposes. Isaiah 45:13 states, "I will raise up Cyrus in righteousness, and I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild My city and set My exiles free, but not for a price or reward, says the LORD of Hosts." The stirring of the spirit is also evident in the narrative of the rebuilding of the temple. In Ezra 1:1 , it is recorded, "In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing." Here, the divine stirring leads to the fulfillment of prophecy and the restoration of Jerusalem. New Testament Usage In the New Testament, the Greek word "παροξύνω" (paroxynō) is used, which can mean to provoke or incite. This term is seen in Acts 17:16 , where Paul is described as being stirred in his spirit when he sees the city of Athens full of idols: "While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols." This stirring leads Paul to engage in dialogue and preach the gospel to the Athenians. The concept of stirring is also present in the context of spiritual gifts and encouragement within the church. In 2 Timothy 1:6 , Paul exhorts Timothy, "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands." Here, the idea of stirring is linked to rekindling and actively using the spiritual gifts bestowed by God. Theological Implications Theologically, the act of stirring can be seen as a divine initiative that prompts individuals to action, whether it be for repentance, obedience, or the fulfillment of God's plans. It underscores the sovereignty of God in directing human affairs and the responsiveness required from His people. The stirring of the heart or spirit often leads to significant spiritual and communal outcomes, as seen in the rebuilding of the temple or the spread of the gospel. Practical Application For believers, the concept of stirring serves as a reminder to remain sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. It encourages vigilance and readiness to act upon God's leading, whether in personal spiritual growth or in service to others. The stirring of one's spirit can lead to renewed passion, commitment, and effectiveness in fulfilling God's purposes in the world. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (v. t.) To change the place of in any manner; to move.2. (v. t.) To disturb the relative position of the particles of, as of a liquid, by passing something through it; to agitate; as, to stir a pudding with a spoon. 3. (v. t.) To bring into debate; to agitate; to moot. 4. (v. t.) To incite to action; to arouse; to instigate; to prompt; to excite. 5. (v. i.) To move; to change one's position. 6. (v. i.) To be in motion; to be active or bustling; to exert or busy one's self. 7. (v. i.) To become the object of notice; to be on foot. 8. (v. i.) To rise, or be up, in the morning. 9. (n.) The act or result of stirring; agitation; tumult; bustle; noise or various movements. 10. (n.) Public disturbance or commotion; tumultuous disorder; seditious uproar. 11. (n.) Agitation of thoughts; conflicting passions. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia STIR, STIR UPstur: Used transitively and intransitively to indicate inner, concentrated movement; translates a number of Hebrew and Greek verbs, each of which has its different shade of meaning. Thus, e.g. in Psalm 39:2, we have `akhar, "to be troubled," "excited"; in Songs 2:7, `ur, "to awake," "disturb" (by the festal dances and songs). In 2 Timothy 1:6, it stands for Greek anazopureo, used of the resuscitation of a flame; in 2 Peter 1:13; 2 Peter 3:1, Greek diegeiro, "to awaken from sleep or stupor"; in Acts 21:27, Greek sugcheo, "to commingle," vividly portraying the confusion and tumult that resulted; in Acts 13:50, Greek parotruno, "to urge on"; Acts 17:13, Greek saleuo, "to shake to and fro." Greek 383. anaseio -- to move to and fro, stir up ... to move to and fro, stir up. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: anaseio Phonetic Spelling: (an-as-i'-o) Short Definition: I shake up, stir up, excite ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/383.htm - 6k 4787. sugkineo -- to move together, fig. to stir up 3951. parotruno -- to urge on, to stir up 2042. erethizo -- to stir up 5015. tarasso -- to stir up, to trouble 387. anastatoo -- to stir up, unsettle 4797. sugcheo -- to pour together, ie to confuse, throw into ... 329. anazopureo -- to kindle afresh 1326. diegeiro -- to arouse completely 2795. kineo -- to move Strong's Hebrew 1624. garah -- to stir up (strife), engage in strife... to stir up (strife), engage in strife. Transliteration: garah Phonetic Spelling: (gaw-raw') Short Definition: provoke. ... contend, meddle, stir up, strive. ... /hebrew/1624.htm - 6k 5916. akar -- to stir up, disturb, trouble 1481b. gur -- to stir up strife, quarrel 7246. rabak -- to mix, stir 7370. rachash -- to keep moving, stir 5782. ur -- to rouse oneself, awake 5496. suth -- to incite, allure, instigate 8663. teshuah -- noise 6965. qum -- to arise, stand up, stand 6470. paam -- to thrust, impel Library A Caution to Stir up to Watch against Sin Farther Meditations to Stir up to Prayer in the Morning. Meditations to Stir us up to Morning Prayer. Up, Lord, and Do; Stir us Up, and Recall Us... Again, when it Becomes Necessary to Stir and Sway the Hearer's ... That it was Before Predicted that the World Would Hold us in ... I Charge You, O Ye Daughters of Jerusalem, by the Roes and the ... Charge You, O Ye Daughters of Jerusalem, by the Roes and by the ... I Charge You, O Daughters of Jerusalem, that Ye Stir not Up, nor ... Julian, on his Settlement in the Empire, Began Quietly to Stir up ... Thesaurus Stir (57 Occurrences)... 2. (vt) To disturb the relative position of the particles of, as of a liquid, by passing something through it; to agitate; as, to stir a pudding with a spoon. ... /s/stir.htm - 25k Arouse (24 Occurrences) Reviving (4 Occurrences) Revive (31 Occurrences) Rouse (25 Occurrences) Raise (175 Occurrences) Move (113 Occurrences) Awaken (10 Occurrences) Adjure (16 Occurrences) Adjured (11 Occurrences) Resources What does it mean to stir up the gift (2 Timothy 1:6)? | GotQuestions.orgIn the Song of Solomon, why is it said that we shouldn't awaken love until it pleases? | GotQuestions.org What is ultimate reconciliation? | GotQuestions.org Stir: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Stir (57 Occurrences)Luke 23:5 Acts 6:12 Acts 12:18 Acts 14:2 Acts 19:23 Acts 21:27 2 Corinthians 9:2 2 Timothy 1:6 Hebrews 10:24 2 Peter 1:13 2 Peter 3:1 Numbers 24:9 Deuteronomy 2:9 Deuteronomy 2:19 Deuteronomy 2:24 Deuteronomy 32:21 Judges 13:25 2 Samuel 5:24 2 Kings 14:10 1 Chronicles 5:26 2 Chronicles 25:19 Nehemiah 4:8 Job 17:8 Job 36:18 Job 41:10 Psalms 35:23 Psalms 44:23 Psalms 59:4 Psalms 78:38 Psalms 80:2 Psalms 140:2 Proverbs 15:1 Proverbs 29:8 Song of Songs 2:7 Song of Songs 3:5 Song of Songs 8:4 Isaiah 9:11 Isaiah 10:26 Isaiah 13:17 Isaiah 19:2 Isaiah 22:2 Isaiah 32:14 Isaiah 42:13 Jeremiah 50:9 Jeremiah 51:1 Ezekiel 23:22 Daniel 11:2 Daniel 11:10 Daniel 11:25 Hosea 7:4 Joel 3:7 Joel 3:9 Amos 6:14 Habakkuk 2:19 Haggai 1:14 Zechariah 4:1 Zechariah 9:13 Subtopics Related Terms Tillegath-pilneser (3 Occurrences) Tilgathpilneser (3 Occurrences) Tiglathpileser (3 Occurrences) Tilgath-pilneser (3 Occurrences) Til'gath-pilne'ser (3 Occurrences) |
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