Swelling, in a biblical context, often refers to physical manifestations of disease or injury, as well as metaphorical expressions of pride or arrogance. The Bible addresses swelling in both literal and figurative senses, providing insights into its spiritual and physical implications.

Physical Swelling:

In the Old Testament, swelling is frequently associated with disease and impurity. Leviticus 13 provides detailed instructions for the Israelites on how to handle various skin diseases, including swelling. The passage outlines the role of the priest in examining physical ailments to determine cleanliness or uncleanness:

"When a man has a swelling or rash or bright spot on his skin that may become an infectious skin disease, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest" (Leviticus 13:2).

This directive underscores the importance of maintaining ritual purity and the priest's role in safeguarding the community from potential contagion. Swelling, in this context, is a sign that requires careful examination and, if necessary, isolation to prevent the spread of disease.

Metaphorical Swelling:

Swelling is also used metaphorically in Scripture to describe pride, arrogance, or inflated self-importance. The Apostle Paul warns against such attitudes in his letters. In 2 Corinthians, he speaks of being given a "thorn in the flesh" to prevent him from becoming conceited due to the surpassing greatness of the revelations he received:

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me" (2 Corinthians 12:7).

Here, the concept of swelling is linked to the danger of pride, suggesting that unchecked arrogance can lead to spiritual downfall. The "thorn" serves as a humbling reminder of human limitations and the need for reliance on God's grace.

Spiritual Implications:

Swelling, whether physical or metaphorical, often points to a deeper spiritual reality. In the case of physical ailments, it serves as a reminder of the fallen state of the world and the need for divine intervention and healing. In its metaphorical sense, swelling warns against the dangers of pride and self-exaltation, urging believers to cultivate humility and dependence on God.

The Bible consistently calls for humility and warns against the dangers of pride. Proverbs 16:18 states, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" . This principle is echoed throughout Scripture, emphasizing the importance of humility in the life of a believer.

In summary, swelling in the Bible is a multifaceted concept that encompasses both physical and spiritual dimensions. It serves as a reminder of the need for vigilance in maintaining purity, humility, and reliance on God in all aspects of life.Of Jordan (Jeremiah 12:5), literally the "pride" of Jordan (as in R.V.), i.e., the luxuriant thickets of tamarisks, poplars, reeds, etc., which were the lair of lions and other beasts of prey. The reference is not to the overflowing of the river banks. (Comp. 49:19; 50:44; Zechariah 11:3). 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Swell.

2. (n.) The act of that which swells; as, the swelling of rivers in spring; the swelling of the breast with pride.

3. (n.) A protuberance; a prominence

4. (n.) an unnatural prominence or protuberance; as, a scrofulous swelling.

SWELLING

swel'-ing: The verb ga'-ah, means "rise up" (Ezekiel 47:5, etc.), so that the noun ga'awah (Psalm 46:3) means "arising." The "swelling" of the sea that shakes the mountains is a perfectly good translation, and "pride" (so the American Revised Version margin) is beside the mark. In Jeremiah 12:5; Jeremiah 49:19 parallel 50:44; Zechariah 11:3 is found the phrase ge'on ha-yarden, "exaltation of the Jordan," which the King James Version translates "pride of Jordan" in Zechariah and "swelling of Jordan" in Jeremiah (the Revised Version (British and American) has "pride" throughout, with "swelling" in the margin of Jeremiah). What is described is a place, with a mass of vegetation, easily burned (Zechariah 11:1-3), a lair of lions (Jeremiah 49:19 Zechariah 11:3), and a particularly dangerous place for human beings (Jeremiah 12:5). The luxuriant thicket of the Jordan bank is evidently meant, which could well be spoken of as "Jordan's pride" (OHL, "majesty of the Jordan"), and "swelling" is quite impossible.

In the New Testament "swelling" is used in 2 Corinthians 12:20 for phusiosis, "puffing up," "blatant self-conceit," and 2 Peter 2:18 parallel Jude verse 16 for huperogkos, "overgrown," "solemnly inane."

Burton Scott Easton

5450. phusiosis -- a puffing up
... Noun, Feminine Transliteration: phusiosis Phonetic Spelling: (foo-see'-o-sis) Short
Definition: a puffing up, pride Definition: a puffing up, pride, swelling. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5450.htm - 6k

5246. huperogkos -- of excessive weight or size
... 5246 (from 5228 , "beyond" and 3591 , "a swelling") -- properly, "oversized,"
("bloated"); used of a who constantly exaggerates, spuing words out from his ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5246.htm - 7k

3709. orge -- impulse, wrath
... 3709 (from , "to teem, swelling up to constitutionally oppose") -- properly,
(), ie rising up from an ongoing (fixed) opposition. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3709.htm - 7k

1471. egkuos -- pregnant
... pregnant. From en and the base of kuma; swelling inside, ie Pregnant -- great with
child. see GREEK en. see GREEK kuma. (enkuo) -- 1 Occurrence. 1470, 1471. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1471.htm - 6k

5445. phurama -- that which is mixed
... From a prolonged form of phuro (to mix a liquid with a solid; perhaps akin to phuo
through the idea of swelling in bulk), mean to knead; a mass of dough -- lump ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5445.htm - 6k

7613. seeth -- exaltation, dignity, swelling, uprising
... 7612, 7613. seeth. 7614 . exaltation, dignity, swelling, uprising. Transliteration:
seeth Phonetic Spelling: (seh-ayth') Short Definition: swelling. ...
/hebrew/7613.htm - 6k

6639. tsabeh -- swelling, swollen
... 6638, 6639. tsabeh. 6640 . swelling, swollen. Transliteration: tsabeh
Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-beh') Short Definition: swell. Word ...
/hebrew/6639.htm - 6k

1346. gaavah -- majesty, pride
... from gaah Definition majesty, pride NASB Word Usage arrogance (2), back (1),
haughtiness (1), majesty (3), pride (8), proud (2), proudly (1), swelling pride ( ...
/hebrew/1346.htm - 6k

1347. ga'own -- redemption
... majesty, pomp, pride, proud, swelling From ga'ah; the same as ga'avah -- arrogancy,
excellency(-lent), majesty, pomp, pride, proud, swelling. see HEBREW ga'ah. ...
/hebrew/1347.htm - 5k

6121. aqob -- insidious, deceitful, tracked by footprints
... From aqab; in the original sense, a knoll (as swelling up); in the denominative
sense (transitive) fraudulent or (intransitive) tracked -- crooked, deceitful ...
/hebrew/6121.htm - 5k

4863. mishereth -- perhaps kneading trough
... kneading trough, store. From sha'ar in the original sense of swelling; a
kneading-trough (in which the dough rises) -- kneading trough, store. see HEBREW ...
/hebrew/4863.htm - 6k

1217. batseq -- dough (for cooking)
... dough, flour. From batseq; dough (as swelling by fermentation) -- dough, flour.
see HEBREW batseq. 1216, 1217. batseq. 1218 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/1217.htm - 6k

1348. geuth -- majesty
... Word Origin from gaah Definition majesty NASB Word Usage column (1), excellent
things (1), majesty (2), proud (2), proudly (1), swelling (1). ...
/hebrew/1348.htm - 6k

7165. qeres -- a hook
... tache. From qarac; a knob or belaying-pin (from its swelling form) -- tache. see
HEBREW qarac. 7164, 7165. qeres. 7166 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/7165.htm - 6k

3770. kares -- belly
... belly. By variation from qarac; the paunch or belly (as swelling out) -- belly.
see HEBREW qarac. 3769, 3770. kares. 3771 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/3770.htm - 6k

The Swelling of Jordan
... THE SWELLING OF JORDAN. TEXT: "How wilt thou do in the swelling of
Jordan?""Jer.12:5. ... How wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? III. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chapman/and judas iscariot/the swelling of jordan.htm

Now Let the Proud and Swelling Necks of the Heretics Raise ...
... Book II. Chapter 3. " 4. Now let the proud and swelling necks of the
heretics raise themselves? "4. Now let the proud and ...
/.../writings in connection with the donatist controversy /chapter 3 4 now.htm

Hark! Hark, My Soul! Angelic Songs are Swelling
... hark, my soul! Angelic songs are swelling. 11.10.11.10.9.11 ... hark, my soul! Angelic
songs are swelling. O'er earth's green fields and ocean's wave-beat shore; ...
/.../holy days st michael and 2.htm

Whether Six Daughters are Fittingly Assigned to Anger?
... Objection 1: It would seem that six daughters are unfittingly assigned to anger,
namely "quarreling, swelling of the mind, contumely, clamor, indignation and ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether six daughters are fittingly 2.htm

On the Same Words of the Gospel, John xiv. 6, "I am the Way," Etc.
... Thou hast a Judge by flying; have a Father by returning. 5. But he had been swollen
up by pride, and by this swelling could not return by the strait way. ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon xcii on the same.htm

How He Healed a Sick Maiden by his Prayers. [705 AD ]
... Wherefore he went in, taking me with him to the maid, who lay, as I said, in sore
anguish, and her arm swelling so greatly that it could not be bent at all at ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap iii how he healed.htm

Are You Prepared to Die?
... At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington. "How wilt thou do in the swelling of
Jordan?""Jeremiah 12:5. ... "How wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?". ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 11 1865/are you prepared to die.htm

Christian Morals. Part iii.
... hearts were evil, only evil, and continually evil; it may be feared that their sins
held pace with their lives; and their longevity swelling their impieties ...
//christianbookshelf.org/browne/christian morals/christian morals part iii.htm

Whereas, Then, all Christians have to Guard Humility...
... more elegant dress than the necessity of so great profession demands, or by remarkable
manner of binding the head, whether by bosses of hair swelling forth, or ...
/.../augustine/of holy virginity /section 33 whereas then all.htm

Calms and Crises
... is more clear in the Revised Version rendering: 'Though in a land of peace you are
secure, what will you do in Jordan when it swells?' The 'swelling of Jordan ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/calms and crises.htm

Swelling (14 Occurrences)
... 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Swell. 2. (n.) The act of that which swells; as, the swelling
of rivers in spring; the swelling of the breast with pride. ...SWELLING. ...
/s/swelling.htm - 13k

Swell (9 Occurrences)
... 6. (vi) To be turgid, bombastic, or extravagant; as, swelling words; a swelling
style. ... 16. (n.) The act of swelling. 17. (n.) Gradual increase. 18. ...
/s/swell.htm - 13k

Ophel (6 Occurrences)
... and Habakkuk 2:4, where a verbal form is translated "puffed up," seem to imply that
one meaning assigned to the root may be that of "swelling." Recently Dr ...
/o/ophel.htm - 14k

Inflammation (6 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The state of being inflamed; redness and swelling in the body. ... It is manifested
outwardly by redness and swelling, attended with heat and pain. ...
/i/inflammation.htm - 9k

Tumor
... 1. (n.) A morbid swelling, prominence, or growth, on any part of the body; especially,
a growth produced by deposition of new tissue; a neoplasm. ...
/t/tumor.htm - 7k

Swollen (7 Occurrences)
... 1. (pp) of Swell. 2. (p. p) of Swell. 3. (a.) Enlarged by swelling; immoderately
increased; as, swollen eyes; swollen streams. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ...
/s/swollen.htm - 9k

Assign (22 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 49:19 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of the Jordan
against the strong habitation; for I will make them suddenly run away from ...
/a/assign.htm - 14k

Swelled (5 Occurrences)

/s/swelled.htm - 8k

Quake (23 Occurrences)
... (Root in WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV). Psalms 46:3 though its waters roar and are
troubled, though the mountains tremble with their swelling. Selah. ...
/q/quake.htm - 12k

Vanity (100 Occurrences)
... 2 Peter 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through
the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean ...
/v/vanity.htm - 39k

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