Sullen
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Topical Encyclopedia
The term "sullen" is not directly found in the Berean Standard Bible , but the concept can be understood through various biblical narratives and teachings that address attitudes of gloominess, resentment, or a brooding spirit. In Scripture, such attitudes are often contrasted with the virtues of joy, gratitude, and contentment that are encouraged among believers.

Biblical Examples and Contexts:

1. Cain's Disposition:
One of the earliest examples of a sullen attitude can be seen in the account of Cain. After God did not look with favor on Cain's offering, Cain became very angry, and his face was downcast. The Lord addressed Cain's sullen demeanor, saying, "Why are you angry, and why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?" (Genesis 4:6-7). This passage highlights how a sullen attitude can lead to further sin if not addressed.

2. Ahab's Reaction:
King Ahab of Israel exhibited a sullen attitude when he could not obtain Naboth's vineyard. The Bible describes Ahab as "sullen and angry" because Naboth refused to sell his inheritance (1 Kings 21:4). Ahab's sulking led to the wicked actions of his wife Jezebel, resulting in Naboth's unjust death. This narrative illustrates how a sullen spirit can lead to destructive behavior and injustice.

3. Jonah's Displeasure:
The prophet Jonah displayed a sullen attitude after God spared Nineveh. Jonah was displeased and became angry, expressing his discontent with God's mercy (Jonah 4:1-3). God's response to Jonah's sullen spirit was to teach him about compassion and divine grace, emphasizing that God's ways and thoughts are higher than human understanding.

Theological Insights:

· Sin and Sullenness:
A sullen attitude is often associated with sin, as it can stem from pride, envy, or a lack of trust in God's sovereignty. The Bible warns against harboring such attitudes, as they can lead to further disobedience and separation from God.

· Joy and Contentment:
In contrast to sullenness, Scripture encourages believers to cultivate joy and contentment. Philippians 4:4 exhorts, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" This joy is rooted in a relationship with Christ and the assurance of His promises.

· Transformation through Christ:
The New Testament teaches that believers are to be transformed by the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2). This transformation includes shedding negative attitudes like sullenness and embracing the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love, joy, and peace (Galatians 5:22-23).

Practical Application:

Believers are encouraged to examine their hearts and attitudes regularly, seeking to align them with the teachings of Scripture. Prayer, fellowship, and meditation on God's Word are vital practices for overcoming a sullen spirit. By focusing on God's goodness and faithfulness, Christians can cultivate a spirit of gratitude and joy, reflecting the light of Christ in a world often marked by darkness and despair.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (a.) Lonely; solitary; desolate.

2. (a.) Gloomy; dismal; foreboding.

3. (a.) Mischievous; malignant; unpropitious.

4. (a.) Gloomily angry and silent; cross; sour; affected with ill humor; morose.

5. (a.) Obstinate; intractable.

6. (a.) Heavy; dull; sluggish.

7. (n.) One who is solitary, or lives alone; a hermit.

8. (n.) Sullen feelings or manners; sulks; moroseness; as, to have the sullens.

9. (v. t.) To make sullen or sluggish.

Greek
4659. skuthropos -- with a gloomy look
... Word Origin from skuthros (sullen) and ops (eye) Definition with a gloomy look
NASB Word Usage gloomy face (1), looking sad (1). sad, gloomy. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4659.htm - 6k
Strong's Hebrew
5620. sar -- stubborn, resentful, sullen, implacable
... 5619, 5620. sar. 5621 . stubborn, resentful, sullen, implacable. Transliteration:
sar Phonetic Spelling: (sar) Short Definition: sullen. ...
/hebrew/5620.htm - 6k
Library

Whether the Philosopher Suitably Assigns the Species of Anger?
... iv, 5) where he says that some angry persons are "choleric," some "sullen," and
some "ill-tempered" or "stern." According to him, a person is said to be "sullen ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the philosopher suitably assigns.htm

'Thy Will be Done'
... If men begin with the will, then their religion will be slavish, a dull, sullen
resignation, or a painful, weary round of unwelcome duties and reluctant ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/thy will be done.htm

Resignation
... And let me proceed to say, that by resignation I mean not cold and sullen apathy,
or reckless hardihood, but a sweet trust and humble acquiescence, which show ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chapin/the crown of thorns/resignation.htm

The Entreaties of God
... have the place of the suppliant and of the supplicated inverted, and Love upon the
Throne bends down to ask of the rebel that lies powerless and sullen at His ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/the entreaties of god.htm

The Story of Joseph
... With angry, sullen looks they told him that Joseph was now far away on his road
to Egypt. Reuben must keep their secret. There was but one thing to be done. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/steedman/joseph the dreamer/the story of joseph.htm

The Last Supper.
... on his left. Judas, sullen and scowling, sat next to Peter, and the other
disciples were arranged in their order. The table was ...
//christianbookshelf.org/stead/king of the jews/chapter iii the last supper.htm

Psalm XLIV.
... And we speak of a "sullen sky." Not that there is any such feeling in the clouds,
but because men are affected with sullenness at the sight of such an ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xliv.htm

Significant Phrases
... agreeable and ingenuous. aggressive and sullen. aghast and incredulous. agility
and briskness. ... grief and remorse. grim and sullen. grimaces and gesticulations. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section ii significant phrases.htm

The Tears of the Penitent.
... of this period. They tell of sullen "silence;" dust had settled on the
strings of his harp, as on helmet and sword. He will not ...
/.../maclaren/the life of david/xiii the tears of the penitent.htm

Literary Expressions
... A staccato cough interrupted the flow of speech. A state of sullen
self-absorption. ... Grim and sullen after the flush of the morning. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section vii literary expressions.htm

Thesaurus
Sullen (4 Occurrences)
... 8. (n.) Sullen feelings or manners; sulks; moroseness; as, to have the sullens.
9. (vt) To make sullen or sluggish. ...Sullen (4 Occurrences). ...
/s/sullen.htm - 8k

Morose (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Sullen; gloomy; brooding; ill-humored; severe. ... Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do
not fret and harass your children, or you may make them sullen and morose. ...
/m/morose.htm - 7k

Sulky (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Moodily silent; sullen; sour; obstinate; morose;
splenetic. 2. (n.) A light two-wheeled carriage for a single person. ...
/s/sulky.htm - 7k

Sulphur (7 Occurrences)

/s/sulphur.htm - 9k

Vexed (37 Occurrences)
... to her. (KJV ASV DBY). 1 Kings 20:43 And the king of Israel went to his
house sullen and vexed, and came to Samaria. (DBY NAS). 1 ...
/v/vexed.htm - 16k

Naboth (18 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 21:4 Ahab came into his house sullen and angry because of the word which
Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, "I will not give you ...
/n/naboth.htm - 16k

Jez'ebel (19 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 21:5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him: 'Why is
thy spirit so sullen, that thou eatest no bread?' (See RSV). ...
/j/jez'ebel.htm - 11k

Jezreelite (9 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 21:4 Ahab came into his house sullen and angry because of the word which
Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, "I will not give you ...
/j/jezreelite.htm - 10k

Lower (72 Occurrences)
... 10. (vi) To frown; to look sullen. 11. (n.) Cloudiness; gloominess. 12. (n.) A frowning;
sullenness. Multi-Version Concordance Lower (72 Occurrences). ...
/l/lower.htm - 30k

Lowering (2 Occurrences)
... 2. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Lower. 3. (a.) Dark and threatening; gloomy; sullen; as,
lowering clouds or sky. Multi-Version Concordance Lowering (2 Occurrences). ...
/l/lowering.htm - 7k

Resources
Who was Naboth in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Jezebel in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about self-pity? | GotQuestions.org

Sullen: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Sullen (4 Occurrences)

Colossians 3:21
Fathers, do not fret and harass your children, or you may make them sullen and morose.
(WEY)

1 Kings 20:43
The king of Israel went to his house sullen and angry, and came to Samaria.
(WEB JPS DBY NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 21:4
Ahab came into his house sullen and angry because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." He laid himself down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
(WEB JPS DBY NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 21:5
But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?
(See JPS DBY NAS NIV)

Subtopics

Sullen

Related Terms

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Sullen (4 Occurrences)

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Undiluted (1 Occurrence)

Ore (5 Occurrences)

Fury (152 Occurrences)

Fornicators (8 Occurrences)

Torture (9 Occurrences)

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Mixture (16 Occurrences)

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Body-armour (1 Occurrence)

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Allotted (54 Occurrences)

Armenia (2 Occurrences)

Shaped (10 Occurrences)

Statue (15 Occurrences)

Sultry (1 Occurrence)

Wild (147 Occurrences)

Portion (227 Occurrences)

Idols (186 Occurrences)

Practise (52 Occurrences)

Miraculous (54 Occurrences)

Appearance (126 Occurrences)

Stands (111 Occurrences)

Practice (71 Occurrences)

Destroyed (377 Occurrences)

Astray (116 Occurrences)

Leading (101 Occurrences)

Magic (12 Occurrences)

Led (260 Occurrences)

Wanderings (7 Occurrences)

Lot (145 Occurrences)

Archaeology

Criticism (1 Occurrence)

Worship (332 Occurrences)

Israel (27466 Occurrences)

Sulky
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