Dictionaries :: Embrace

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Embrace:

em-bras':The word has two distinct meanings in the Old Testament:

(1) to clasp and hold fondly in the arms, pointing to a common custom (Ge 29:13; 33:4; 48:10; 2Ki 4:16; So 2:6; 8:3 compare Ac 20:10), and

(2) to have sexual intercourse (Pr 4:8; 5:20; Ec 3:5). It seems to have acquired this technical sense in later Jewish usage.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Embrace:

lit. signifies "to draw to oneself;" hence, "to greet, salute, welcome," the ordinary meaning, e.g., in Rom. 16, where it is used 21 times. It also signifies "to bid farewell," e.g., Act 20:1, RV, "took leave of" (AV, "embraced"). A "salutation or farewell" was generally made by embracing and kissing (see Luk 10:4, which indicates the posibility of delay on the journey by frequent salutation). In Hbr 11:13 it is said of those who greeted the promises from afar, RV, "greeted," for AV, "embraced." Cp. aspasmos, "a salutation."
See GREET, LEAVE (take), SALUTE.

Note: In Act 21:6 the most authentic texts have apaspazomai (apo, and No. 1), "to bid farewell."

Embrace:

lit., "to take around with," (sun, "with" peri, "around," lambano, "to take"), "to embrace," is used in Act 20:10, in connection with Paul's recovery of Eutychus. In the Sept., Ezr 5:3, "to enclose."