Topical Encyclopedia In the context of the Bible, the term "strange" often refers to that which is foreign, unfamiliar, or outside the covenant community of Israel. It can denote foreign gods, practices, or people that are not aligned with the worship and laws given by Yahweh to the Israelites. The concept of "strange" is significant in understanding the boundaries set by God for His people and the call to holiness and separation from pagan influences.Strange Gods and Idolatry The Bible frequently warns against the worship of "strange gods," which are foreign deities not recognized by the covenant community. In Deuteronomy 32:16 , it is written, "They provoked His jealousy with foreign gods; they enraged Him with abominations." This verse highlights the Israelites' tendency to turn to strange gods, which was considered an abomination and a direct violation of the first commandment (Exodus 20:3). The worship of strange gods is often associated with idolatry, a recurring issue for the Israelites. In Judges 10:13-14 , God expresses His anger towards Israel for forsaking Him and serving strange gods: "But you have forsaken Me and served other gods, so I will no longer deliver you. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them deliver you in your time of distress." Strange Fire The term "strange" is also used in the context of unauthorized or improper worship. In Leviticus 10:1 , Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, offered "strange fire" before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. The verse states, "Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them, and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command." This act of offering strange fire resulted in their immediate death, underscoring the seriousness of adhering to God's prescribed methods of worship. Strange Women The term "strange women" is used in the Bible to describe foreign women who lead Israelite men away from their faith and into idolatry. In Proverbs 5:3 , the dangers of succumbing to the allure of a strange woman are highlighted: "For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil." Solomon's downfall is attributed to his marriages to many foreign women, which led him to worship their gods (1 Kings 11:1-4). Strangers and Aliens While "strange" often carries a negative connotation, the Bible also addresses the treatment of "strangers" or "aliens" living among the Israelites. The Israelites are commanded to treat strangers with kindness and justice, remembering their own experience as strangers in Egypt. Leviticus 19:34 instructs, "You must treat the foreigner living among you as native-born and love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God." Conclusion The concept of "strange" in the Bible serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness to God and His commandments. It underscores the need for discernment in worship and relationships, while also calling for compassion and justice towards those who are different or outside the covenant community. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (superl.) Belonging to another country; foreign.2. (superl.) of or pertaining to others; not one's own; not pertaining to one's self; not domestic. 3. (superl.) Not before known, heard, or seen; new. 4. (superl.) Not according to the common way; novel; odd; unusual; irregular; extraordinary; unnatural; queer. 5. (superl.) Reserved; distant in deportment. 6. (superl.) Backward; slow. 7. (superl.) Not familiar; unaccustomed; inexperienced. 8. (adv.) Strangely. 9. (v. t.) To alienate; to estrange. 10. (v. i.) To be estranged or alienated. 11. (v. i.) To wonder; to be astonished. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia GOD, STRANGEstranj: The word "strange," as used in this connection in the Old Testament, refers to the fact that the god or gods do not belong to Israel, but are the gods which are worshipped by other families or nations. In several cases a more exact translation would give us the "gods of the stranger" or foreigner. So in Genesis 35:2, 4 Joshua 24:2 Judges 10:16 Deuteronomy 31:16; Deuteronomy 32:12, etc. In a few passages like Deuteronomy 32:16 Psalm 44:20; Psalm 81:9 Isaiah 43:12, the word is an adjective, but the idea is the same: the gods are those which are worshipped by other peoples and hence are forbidden to Israel, which is under obligation to worship Yahweh alone (compare 2 Esdras 1:6). STRANGE WIFE "Strange" as contrasted with "an Israelite." Such wives are spoken of in the King James Version Ezra 10:2, 11 (the English Revised Version "strange women," the American Standard Revised Version "foreign women"; see STRANGER AND SOJOURNER; in the parallel 1 Esdras 8:68-9:37, the King James Version uses "strange wives" and "strange women" indifferently, and the Revised Version (British and American) here follows the King James Version) as "wives of the people of the land," in taking whom the men of Israel are said to have "trespassed against their God." Accordingly such wives were "put away." STRANGE WOMAN The Hebrew zar, translated "stranger," meant primarily one "who turns aside," i.e. to visit another country; then a "sojourner," "stranger." The "strange woman" of Proverbs 2:16 is a technical term for "harlot"; compare Judges 11:1, 2, where "son of a strange (the Revised Version (British and American) "another") woman" (11:2, 'acher) is parallel to "the son of a harlot" (11:1). STRANGE, FIRE stranj ('esh zarah, "alien fire"): These words are mentioned in connection with the fatal sin committed by the two oldest sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, in "offering strange fire before Yahweh," on the occasion of the formal consecration of the Aaronitic priesthood (Leviticus 10:1, 2). The fact is mentioned again in Numbers 3:4; Numbers 26:61. The greatest calamity of all befell them in that they were cut off childless, which for every true Israelite was the darkest fate imaginable. This fact is mentioned twice (Numbers 3:4 1 Chronicles 24:2). The power which cut off the lives of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1, 2) is the same as that which shortly before had consumed the consecratory burnt offering (Leviticus 9:24). What was its true character, whether, as Rosenmuller and Dachsel surmise, it was a lightning stroke or some other supernatural agency, is not worth while debating. It is enough for us to know that "there came forth fire from before Yahweh and devoured them." Yet this latter word is not to be taken literally, since they were carried out for burial in their own linen garments (Leviticus 10:5). They were therefore merely killed, not incinerated. What was their sin? The words "strange fire" have been explained either as common fire, which they placed in their censers, or as unholy incense, which they put thereon (Exodus 39:38). But the text plainly points to the former. The sacred fire, once kindled on the altar, was never to be permitted to go out (Leviticus 6:12 f). When later the temple was dedicated Yahweh again lighted the fire on the altar from heaven, as in the case of the dedication of the tabernacle. As, however, the injunction to take fire for the censers of the incense offering only from the coals of the altar is not found before (Leviticus 16:12), Rosenmuller's observation would seem to be very much to the point: "Quamquam enim in iis quae praecedunt, non extat hoc interdictum, tamen est verisimile Mosem vetasse Aaroni et filiis eius ne ignem alienum altari imponerent." ("For although his injunction does not hold in regard to the preceding cases, yet it is very probable that Moses had forbidden Aaron and his sons to place strange fire upon the altar.") A verbal injunction of Moses must have preceded the fatal mistake. But the text leads us to believe there was more than a mistake here. Some find here the sin of drunkenness, from the enjoined abstinence from any intoxicating drink before the priests thereafter minister before Yahweh (Leviticus 10:9). The likeliest explanation is that, inflated with pride on account of the exaltation of the Aaronitic family above all Israel, they broke unbidden into the ritual of the consecration of the tabernacle and priesthood, eager to take part in the ceremony, and in their haste bringing strange fire into the tabernacle, and thus met their death (see Oehler, Old Testament Theol., 126, 282). The fire burning on the altar came from God, it might never go out, since it represented "the unbroken course of adoration of Yahweh, carried on in sacrifice." And this course was interrupted by Nadab and Abihu. The fire on the altar was a symbol of holiness, and they sought to overlay it with unholiness. And thus it became to them a consuming fire, because they approached the Holy One in a profane spirit (compare Isaiah 33:14). FIRE, STRANGE See FIRE. STRANGE GODS See GOD, STRANGE. Greek 3927. parepidemos -- sojourning in a strange place ... sojourning in a strange place. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: parepidemos Phonetic Spelling: (par-ep-id'-ay-mos) Short Definition: residing in a ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3927.htm - 7k 824. atopos -- out of place, strange 3579. xenizo -- to receive as a guest, to surprise 3861. paradoxos -- contrary to opinion or expectation 3581. xenos -- foreign, a foreigner, guest 245. allotrios -- belonging to another 2087. heteros -- other 1854. exo -- outside, without 2084. heteroglossos -- of another tongue 241. allogenes -- of another race Strong's Hebrew 5235. neker -- to act or treat as foreign or strange, to disguise... neker. 5235a . to act or treat as foreign or strange, to disguise. Transliteration: neker Phonetic Spelling: (neh'-ker) Short Definition: strange. strange ... /hebrew/5235.htm - 5k 5235a. nakar -- to act or treat as foreign or strange, to disguise 5236. nekar -- that which is foreign, foreignness 2114a. zur -- to be a stranger 1970. hakar -- perhaps to wrong 2054. vazar -- criminal, guilty 2114. zuwr -- to be a stranger 5237. nokri -- foreign, alien 6012. ameq -- deep, unfathomable 5234. nakar -- to regard, recognize Library Strange Fire A Strange Battle Strange Dark Shadowings. A Strange Reward for Faithfulness God's Strange Work Wisdom and the Strange Woman Christ's Strange Thanksgiving A Prophet's Strange Providers It is Strange that These Delightful Promises Affect us Coldly... The Sexton's Strange Apparition Thesaurus Strange (234 Occurrences)... 9. (vt) To alienate; to estrange. 10. (vi) To be estranged or alienated. 11. (vi) To wonder; to be astonished. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. GOD, STRANGE. ... /s/strange.htm - 45k Strange-speaking (1 Occurrence) Nadab (21 Occurrences) Wife (437 Occurrences) Adventuress (5 Occurrences) Abihu (12 Occurrences) Unholy (23 Occurrences) Foreign (65 Occurrences) Undertaking (30 Occurrences) Security (41 Occurrences) Resources What is the strange flesh in Jude 1:7? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the meaning of the strange fire in Leviticus 10:1? | GotQuestions.org Why is apocalyptic literature so strange? | GotQuestions.org Strange: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Strange (234 Occurrences)Matthew 2:9 Luke 2:50 Luke 5:26 Luke 17:18 John 9:30 John 10:5 Acts 7:6 Acts 10:28 Acts 17:20 Acts 19:19 Acts 26:11 Romans 10:20 1 Corinthians 14:9 1 Corinthians 14:11 1 Corinthians 14:19 1 Corinthians 14:21 2 Corinthians 6:9 2 Corinthians 11:15 Galatians 3:1 Ephesians 4:18 Colossians 3:5 1 Timothy 1:3 Hebrews 11:9 Hebrews 13:9 1 Peter 2:11 1 Peter 4:4 1 Peter 4:12 Jude 1:7 Revelation 15:1 Genesis 19:9 Genesis 21:34 Genesis 23:4 Genesis 31:15 Genesis 35:2 Genesis 35:4 Genesis 42:7 Exodus 2:22 Exodus 3:3 Exodus 12:45 Exodus 12:49 Exodus 18:3 Exodus 20:10 Exodus 21:8 Exodus 22:21 Exodus 23:9 Exodus 23:12 Exodus 30:9 Exodus 30:33 Leviticus 10:1 Leviticus 16:1 Leviticus 19:26 Leviticus 19:34 Leviticus 22:12 Leviticus 26:38 Numbers 1:51 Numbers 3:4 Numbers 3:10 Numbers 3:38 Numbers 14:3 Numbers 14:31 Numbers 16:30 Numbers 26:61 Deuteronomy 1:39 Deuteronomy 5:14 Deuteronomy 10:18 Deuteronomy 10:19 Deuteronomy 13:2 Deuteronomy 13:6 Deuteronomy 14:29 Deuteronomy 16:11 Deuteronomy 16:14 Deuteronomy 18:10 Deuteronomy 23:17 Deuteronomy 24:17 Deuteronomy 24:19 Deuteronomy 24:20 Deuteronomy 24:21 Deuteronomy 25:5 Deuteronomy 26:11 Deuteronomy 26:13 Deuteronomy 27:19 Deuteronomy 28:33 Deuteronomy 28:36 Deuteronomy 28:41 Deuteronomy 28:43 Deuteronomy 28:49 Deuteronomy 29:26 Deuteronomy 30:11 Deuteronomy 31:16 Deuteronomy 32:12 Deuteronomy 32:16 Deuteronomy 32:17 Joshua 24:20 Joshua 24:23 Judges 10:16 Judges 11:2 Judges 13:19 Judges 18:3 Judges 19:12 Ruth 2:10 Subtopics Related Terms Strange-speaking (1 Occurrence) Unintelligible (3 Occurrences) Woman-servant (12 Occurrences) |