In the context of the Bible, the term "undertake" generally refers to the act of taking on a responsibility, task, or obligation. This concept is woven throughout Scripture, illustrating both human commitments and divine promises. The idea of undertaking is closely related to themes of covenant, duty, and faithfulness.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, undertaking often involves entering into covenants or agreements. For example, in Genesis 43:9, Judah undertakes responsibility for the safety of his brother Benjamin, saying to his father Jacob, "I will be a guarantee for him; you can hold me personally accountable. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame before you all my life." This passage highlights the seriousness and personal accountability involved in undertaking a responsibility.

The concept of undertaking is also evident in the commitments made by the Israelites to follow God's laws. In Deuteronomy 27:26, the people are reminded of the curses that come upon those who do not uphold the words of the law by carrying them out. Here, undertaking the law is a communal responsibility, emphasizing the collective commitment to God's covenant.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the idea of undertaking is often associated with the call to discipleship and the responsibilities of following Christ. In Luke 14:28-30, Jesus uses the metaphor of building a tower to illustrate the importance of counting the cost before undertaking the commitment to follow Him: "For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'"

The Apostle Paul also speaks to the concept of undertaking in his letters. In 1 Timothy 5:8, he underscores the responsibility of providing for one's family: "If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." Here, undertaking the care of one's family is presented as a fundamental Christian duty.

Divine Undertakings

The Bible also presents God as the ultimate undertaker of promises and covenants. God's faithfulness in undertaking His commitments is a central theme throughout Scripture. In Hebrews 6:17-18, God's unchangeable purpose and His oath are highlighted: "Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath. Thus by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged."

God's undertaking of the New Covenant through Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of His commitment to humanity. In this covenant, God promises salvation and eternal life to those who believe in Jesus, as seen in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Practical Implications

For believers, undertaking responsibilities is a reflection of their faith and commitment to God's commands. It involves a willingness to serve, sacrifice, and remain faithful to one's word. Undertaking tasks with integrity and diligence is seen as an act of worship and obedience to God. The Bible encourages believers to undertake their responsibilities with the strength and guidance provided by the Holy Spirit, trusting in God's faithfulness to fulfill His promises.1. (v. t.) To take upon one's self; to engage in; to enter upon; to take in hand; to begin to perform; to set about; to attempt.

2. (v. t.) Specifically, to take upon one's self solemnly or expressly; to lay one's self under obligation, or to enter into stipulations, to perform or to execute; to covenant; to contract.

3. (v. t.) Hence, to guarantee; to promise; to affirm.

4. (v. t.) To assume, as a character.

5. (v. t.) To engage with; to attack.

6. (v. t.) To have knowledge of; to hear.

7. (v. t.) To take or have the charge of.

8. (v. i.) To take upon one's self, or assume, any business, duty, or province.

9. (v. i.) To venture; to hazard.

10. (v. i.) To give a promise or guarantee; to be surety.

UNDERTAKE

un-der-tak': "To take upon one's self," "assume responsibility," and so in Elizabethan English "be surety." In this sense in the King James Version Isaiah 38:14, "O Lord,.... undertake for me" (`arabh, the Revised Version (British and American) "be thou my surety"). Perhaps in the same sense in Sirach 29:19, although the idea is scarcely contained in the Greek verb dioko, "pursue." In the modern sense in 1 Esdras 1:28; 2 Maccabees 2:29; 8:10; the King James Version 2:27.

See SURE; SURETY.

324. anadechomai -- to undertake, receive
... to undertake, receive. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: anadechomai Phonetic
Spelling: (an-ad-ekh'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I welcome, receive kindly ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/324.htm - 7k

4323. prosanatithemi -- to lay on besides, hence to undertake ...
... to lay on besides, hence to undertake besides (mid.). Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: prosanatithemi Phonetic Spelling: (pros-an-at-ith'-ay-mee) Short ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4323.htm - 6k

2021. epicheireo -- to put one's hand to, hence to attempt
... go about, take in hand. From epi and cheir; to put the hand upon, ie Undertake --
go about, take in hand (upon). see GREEK epi. see GREEK cheir. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2021.htm - 6k

2974. yaal -- to show willingness, be pleased, determine ...
... to show willingness, be pleased, determine, undertake (to do anything). Transliteration:
yaal Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-al') Short Definition: willing. ...
/hebrew/2974.htm - 6k

6148. arab -- to take on pledge, give in pledge, exchange
... give to be security (as a kind of exchange) -- engage, (inter-)meddle (with), mingle
(self), mortgage, occupy, give pledges, be(-come, put in) surety, undertake ...
/hebrew/6148.htm - 6k

6901. qabal -- to receive, take
... choose, take hold, receive, undertake. A primitive root; to admit, ie Take (literally
or figuratively) -- choose, (take) hold, receive, (under-)take. ...
/hebrew/6901.htm - 6k

4916a. mishlach -- outstretching
... Word Origin from shalach Definition outstretching NASB Word Usage place for pasturing
(1), put (1), undertake* (2), undertakings* (3). 4916, 4916a. ...
/hebrew/4916a.htm - 5k

3027. yad -- hand
... stays (2), strength (5), submitted* (1), support (1), support* (1), swore* (12),
sworn* (4), tenons (6), through (60), times (2), undertake* (2), undertakings ...
/hebrew/3027.htm - 8k

the Nature of this Oversight
... I should scarcely commend the prudence or humility of that laborer, let his parts
be ever so great, that would not only undertake to gather in all the harvest ...
//christianbookshelf.org/baxter/the reformed pastor/section 1 the nature 2.htm

The Stony Heart Removed
... But while such a thing would be impossible apart from God, it is certain that God
can do it. Oh, how the Master delighteth to undertake impossibilities! ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 8 1863/the stony heart removed.htm

Of Certain Temptations of Satan. Instructions Relating Thereto.
... I am astonished at the great things done on this road by encouraging oneself to
undertake great things, though we may not have the strength for them at once ...
/.../teresa/the life of st teresa of jesus/chapter xiii of certain temptations.htm

Ambrose is not in Agreement with Pelagius.
... operates everywhere with human efforts, that no man is able to build without the
Lord, no man to watch without the Lord, no man to undertake anything without ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 48 xliv ambrose is not.htm

Mortifications Divided Into: 1...
... or human constitution, or by obedience and subjection to our superiors, conversation
with our equals, inferiors, &c.; 3. those also that we undertake by the ...
/.../chapter v mortifications divided into .htm

Against Rash and Vain Swearing.
... a binding our souls with a most strict and solemn obligation, to answer before God,
and to undergo the issue of His judgment about what we affirm or undertake. ...
/.../sermons on evil-speaking by isaac barrow/against rash and vain swearing.htm

Your Origen Allows Himself to Treat of the Transmigration of Souls ...
... creatures in one body after another, to say that Christ has often suffered, and
will often suffer again, it being always profitable to undertake what has once ...
/.../20 your origen allows himself.htm

Later History of Revision.
... history, followed every course, adopted every expedient, and carefully took every
precaution to bring the great work it was preparing to undertake to a worthy ...
/.../address ii later history of.htm

The Ecclesiastical Canons of the Same Holy Apostles.
... If he go on in it, let him be deprived. 7. Let not a bishop, a priest, or deacon
undertake the cares of this world; but if he do, let him be deprived. [3773]. ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/the ecclesiastical canons of the.htm

Christ the Conqueror of Satan
... He tells the dragon that he will undertake to deal with him; this quarrel shall
not be between the serpent and man, but between God and the serpent. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 22 1876/christ the conqueror of satan.htm

Undertake (16 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. UNDERTAKE. ...undertake for me" (`arabh, the
Revised Version (British and American) "be thou my surety"). ...
/u/undertake.htm - 13k

Undertaken (10 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (pp) of Undertake. Multi-Version Concordance Undertaken
(10 Occurrences). Luke 1:1 Since many have undertaken ...
/u/undertaken.htm - 9k

Go (17871 Occurrences)
... infinitive; as, this goes to show. 7. (vi) To apply one's self; to set
one's self; to undertake. 8. (vi) To proceed by a mental ...
/g/go.htm - 19k

Guarantee (5 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) In law and common usage: to undertake or engage for the payment of (a debt)
or the performance of (a duty) by another person; to undertake to secure (a ...
/g/guarantee.htm - 8k

Enterprise (1 Occurrence)
... 3. (vt) To undertake; to begin and attempt to perform; to venture upon. ... 5. (vi)
To undertake an enterprise, or something hazardous or difficult. ...
/e/enterprise.htm - 7k

Proffer (1 Occurrence)
... to proffer friendship. 2. (vt) To essay or attempt of one's own accord;
to undertake, or propose to undertake. 3. (n.) An offer ...
/p/proffer.htm - 7k

Version
... greatly corrupted by repeated transcription, and to remedy the evil Jerome (AD
329-420) was requested by Damasus, the bishop of Rome, to undertake a complete ...
/v/version.htm - 37k

Venture (10 Occurrences)
... in trade. 4. (vi) To hazard one's self; to have the courage or presumption
to do, undertake, or say something; to dare. 5. (vi) To ...
/v/venture.htm - 10k

Newly (15 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 24:5 A newly married man will not have to go out with the army or undertake
any business, but may be free for one year, living in his house for the ...
/n/newly.htm - 11k

Undertook (14 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (imp.) of Undertake. 2. (v.) imp. of Undertake.
Multi-Version Concordance Undertook (14 Occurrences). ...
/u/undertook.htm - 11k

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