Dictionaries :: Mean

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Mean:

men: The noun "meaning" (Da 8:15 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "I sought to understand"; and 1Co 14:11) is synonymous with "signification" but in 1 Macc 15:4 the King James Version it expresses "purpose" (the Revised Version (British and American) "I am minded to land"). The noun "mean" in Hebrew always occurs in the plural, and is generally used in the sense of "agency," "instrument" (compare 1Ki 10:29, etc.). the Revised Version (British and American) very frequently changes, King James Version: The Wisdom of Solomon 8:13, "because of her"; 2Th 2:3, "in any wise"; Lu 8:36, "how"; Pr 6:26, "on account of"; Re 13:14, "by reason of" (compare also 2Th 3:16; Joh 9:21). Heb 9:15 (the King James Version "that by means of death") translates literally, "that a death having taken place," from ginomai, "to become," "to happen." Ac 18:21 the King James Version, "I must by all means keep this feast," is omitted in the Revised Version (British and American) in harmony with several cursives, the Vulgate, and some other versions

The adjective "mean" is used in the sense of "common," "humble" ('adham, "man"; compare Isa 2:9; 5:15; 31:8 omits "mean"). It is also used in the sense of "obscure" (Pr 22:29, chashokh, "obscure"; asemos, literally, "without a mark," "unknown," Ac 21:39). "Mean" is found in expressions like "in the meanwhile" (the King James Version 1Ki 18:45, the Revised Version (British and American) "little while"; Joh 4:31; Ro 2:15, the Revised Version (British and American) "one with another"); "in the meantime" (1 Macc 11:41 the King James Version; Lu 12:1); and "in the mean season" the King James Version (1 Macc 11:14; 15:15). The adverb "meanly" is found (2 Macc 15:38) in the sense of "moderately."

The verb "mean" expresses purpose (Isa 3:15; 10:7; Ge 50:20, etc.). In some cases the Revised Version (British and American) renders literal translation: Ac 27:2, "was about to sail" (the King James Version "meaning to sail"); compare Ac 21:13; 2Co 8:13. In other instances the idea of "to mean" is "to signify," "to denote" (1Sa 4:6; Ge 21:29; Mt 9:13, etc.). Lu 15:26translates literally, "what these things might be." In Ex 12:26 the sense of "mean ye" is "to have in mind."

Written by Arthur L. Breslich

King James Dictionary

Mean: Common.

And the MEAN man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. (Isaiah 5:15-16)

Mean: Obscure; Insignificant.

But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no MEAN city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. (Acts 21:39)