Difference between revisions of "Abomination"

<p> '''A. Noun.''' </p> <p> <em> Tô‛êbah </em> ( '''''תּוֹעֵבָה''''' , Strong'S #8441), “abomination; loathsome, detestable thing.” Cognates of this word appear only in Phoenician and Targumic Aramaic. The word appears 117 times and in all periods. </p> <p> First, <em> tô‛êbah </em> defines something or someone as essentially unique in the sense of being “dangerous,” “sinister,” and “repulsive” to another individual. This meaning appears in Gen. 43:32 (the first occurrence): “… The Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.” To the Egyptians, eating bread with foreigners was repulsive because of their cultural or social differences (cf. Gen. 46:34; Ps. 88:8). Another clear illustration of this essential clash of disposition appears in Prov. 29:27: “An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.” When used with reference to God, this nuance of the word describes people, things, acts, relationships, and characteristics that are “detestable” to Him because they are contrary to His nature. Things related to death and idolatry are loathsome to God: “Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing” (Deut. 14:3). People with habits loathsome to God are themselves detestable to Him: “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God” (Deut. 22:5). [[Directly]] opposed to <em> tô‛êbah </em> are such reactions as “delight” and “loveth” (Prov. 15:8-9). </p> <p> Second, <em> tô‛êbah </em> is used in some contexts to describe pagan practices and objects: “The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire; thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house …” (Deut. 7:25-26). In other contexts, <em> tô‛êbah </em> describes the repeated failures to observe divine regulations: “Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you; … because of all thine abominations” (Ezek. 5:7, 9). <em> tô‛êbah </em> may represent the pagan cultic practices themselves, as in Deut. 12:31, or the people who perpetrate such practices: “For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee” (Deut. 18:12). If [[Israelites]] are guilty of such idolatry, however, their fate will be worse than exile: death by stoning (Deut. 17:2-5).Third, <em> tô‛êbah </em> is used in the sphere of jurisprudence and of family or tribal relationships. [[Certain]] acts or characteristics are destructive of societal and familial harmony; both such things and the people who do them are described by <em> tô‛êbah </em> : “These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him: … a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, … and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16-19). God says, “The scorner is an abomination to men” (Prov. 24:9) because he spreads his bitterness among God’s people, disrupting unity and harmony. </p> <p> '''B. Verb.''' </p> <p> <em> Tâ‛ab </em> ( '''''תָּעַב ''''' , Strong'S #8581), “to abhor, treat as abhorrent, cause to be an abomination, act abominably.” This verb occurs 21 times, and the first occurrence is in Deut. 7:26: “Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house.…” </p>

<p> <strong> ABOMINATION </strong> . Four [[Hebrew]] words from three different roots are rendered in EV [Note: English Version.] by ‘abomination’ and, occasionally, ‘abominable thing.’ In almost all cases (for exceptions see &nbsp; [[Genesis]] 43:32; &nbsp; Genesis 46:34 ) the reference is to objects and practices abhorrent to J″ [Note: Jahweh.] , and opposed to the moral requirements and ritual of His religion. Among the objects so described are heathen deities such as [[Ashtoreth]] (Astarte), Chemosh, Milcom, the ‘abominations’ of the Zidonians (PhÅ“nicians), Moabites, and [[Ammonites]] respectively (&nbsp; 2 Kings 23:13 ); images and other paraphernalia of the forbidden cults (&nbsp; Deuteronomy 7:25; &nbsp; Deuteronomy 27:15 , and often in Ezk.); and the flesh of animals ritually taboo (see esp. &nbsp; Leviticus 11:10 ff. and art. Clean and Unclean). Some of the practices that are an ‘abomination unto J″ [Note: Jahweh.] ,’ are the worship of heathen deities and of the heavenly bodies (&nbsp; Deuteronomy 13:14; &nbsp; Deuteronomy 17:4 and often), the practice of witchcraft and kindred arts (&nbsp; Deuteronomy 18:12 ), gross acts of immorality (&nbsp; Leviticus 18:22 ff.), falsification of weights and measures (&nbsp; Proverbs 11:1 ), and ‘evil devices’ generally (&nbsp; Proverbs 15:26 RV [Note: Revised Version.] ). </p> <p> One of the four words above referred to ( <em> piggûl </em> ) occurs only as a ‘technical term for stale sacrificial flesh, which has not been eaten within the prescribed time’ (Driver, who would render ‘refuse meat’ in &nbsp; Leviticus 7:18; &nbsp; Leviticus 19:7 , &nbsp; Ezekiel 4:14 , &nbsp; Isaiah 65:4 ). </p> <p> [[A. R. S]]  Kennedy. </p>

<p> ''''' a ''''' - ''''' bom ''''' - ''''' i ''''' - ''''' nā´shun ''''' ( פּגּוּל , <i> ''''' tō‛ēbhāh ''''' </i> , שׁקץ , <i> ''''' sheḳec ''''' </i> (שׁקּוּץ , <i> ''''' shiḳḳūc ''''' </i> )): three distinct Hebrew words are rendered in the English Bible by "abomination," or "abominable thing," referring (except in &nbsp;Genesis 43:32; &nbsp;Genesis 46:34 ) to things or practices abhorrent to Yahweh, and opposed to the ritual or moral requirements of His religion. It would be well if these words could be distinguished in translation, as they denote different degrees of abhorrence or loathsomeness. </p> <p> The word most used for this idea by the Hebrews and indicating the highest degree of abomination is תּועבה , <i> ''''' tō‛ēbhāh ''''' </i> , meaning primarily that which offends the religious sense of a people. When it is said, for example, "The Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians," this is the word used; the significance being that the Hebrews were repugnant to the Egyptians as foreigners, as of an inferior caste, and especially as shepherds (&nbsp;Genesis 46:34 ). </p> <p> The feeling of the Egyptians for the [[Greeks]] was likewise one of repugnance. Herodotus (ii.41) says the Egyptians would not kiss a Greek on the mouth, or use his dish, or taste meat cut with the knife of a Greek. </p> <p> Among the objects described in the Old [[Testament]] as "abominations" in this sense are heathen gods, such as Ashtoreth (Astarte), Chemosh, Milcom, the "abominations" of the Zidonians (Phoenicians), Moabites, and Ammonites, respectively (&nbsp;2 Kings 23:13 ), and everything connected with the worship of such gods. When Pharaoh, remonstrating against the departure of the children of Israel, exhorted them to offer sacrifices to their God in Egypt, Moses said: "Shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians (i.e. the animals worshipped by them which were <i> taboo </i> , <i> ''''' tō‛ēbhāh ''''' </i> , to the Israelites) before their eyes, and will they not stone us?" (&nbsp;Exodus 8:26 ). </p> <p> It is to be noted that, not only the heathen idol itself, but anything offered to or associated with the idol, all the paraphernalia of the forbidden cult, was called an "abomination," for it "is an abomination to [[Yahweh]] thy God" (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 7:25 , &nbsp;Deuteronomy 7:26 ). The Deuteronomic writer here adds, in terms quite significant of the point of view and the spirit of the whole law: 'Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thy house and thus become a thing set apart ( <i> ''''' ḥērem ''''' </i> = <i> tabooed </i> ) like unto it; thou shalt utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is a thing set apart' ( <i> tabooed </i> ). <i> ''''' Tō‛ēbhāh ''''' </i> is even used as synonymous with "idol" or heathen deity, as in &nbsp;Isaiah 44:19; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 32:16; &nbsp;2 Kings 23:13; and especially &nbsp;Exodus 8:22 . </p> <p> Everything akin to magic or divination is likewise an abomination <i> ''''' tō‛ēbhāh ''''' </i> ; as are sexual transgressions (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 22:5; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 23:18; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 24:4 ), especially incest and other unnatural offenses: "For all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you" (&nbsp;Leviticus 18:27; compare &nbsp;Ezekiel 8:15 ). It is to be noted, however, that the word takes on in the later usage a higher ethical and spiritual meaning: as where "divers measures, a great and a small," are forbidden (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 25:14-16 ); and in Proverbs where "lying lips" (&nbsp;Proverbs 12:22 ), "the proud in heart" (&nbsp;Proverbs 16:5 ), "the way of the wicked" (&nbsp;Proverbs 15:9 ), "evil devices" (&nbsp;Proverbs 15:26 ), and "he that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous" (&nbsp;Proverbs 17:15 ), are said to be an abomination in God's sight. At last prophet and sage are found to unite in declaring that any sacrifice, however free from physical blemish, if offered without purity of motive, is an abomination: 'Bring no more an oblation of falsehood - an incense of abomination it is to me' (&nbsp;Isaiah 1:13; compare &nbsp;Jeremiah 7:10 ). "The sacrifice of the wicked" and the prayer of him "that turneth away his ear from hearing the law," are equally an abomination (see &nbsp;Proverbs 15:8; &nbsp;Proverbs 21:27; &nbsp;Proverbs 28:9 ). </p> <p> Another word rendered "abomination" in the King James Version is שׁקץ , <i> ''''' sheḳec ''''' </i> or שׁקּוּץ , <i> ''''' shiḳḳuc ''''' </i> ̌ . It expresses generally a somewhat less degree of horror or religious aversion than <i> ''''' tō‛ēbhāh ''''' </i> , but sometimes seems to stand about on a level with it in meaning. In &nbsp;Deuteronomy 14:3 , for example, we have the command, "Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing," as introductory to the laws prohibiting the use of the unclean animals (see [[Clean And [[Unclean]] Animals]] ), and the word there used is <i> ''''' tō‛ēbhāh ''''' </i> ̌ . But in &nbsp;Leviticus 11:10-13 , &nbsp;Leviticus 11:20 , &nbsp;Leviticus 11:23 , &nbsp;Leviticus 11:41 , &nbsp;Leviticus 11:42; &nbsp;Isaiah 66:17; and in &nbsp;Ezekiel 8:10 <i> ''''' sheḳec ''''' </i> is the word used and likewise applied to the prohibited animals; as also in &nbsp;Leviticus 11:43 <i> ''''' sheḳec ''''' </i> is used when it is commanded, "Ye shall not make yourselves abominable." Then <i> ''''' sheḳec ''''' </i> is often used parallel to or together with <i> ''''' tō‛ēbhāh ''''' </i> of that which should be held as detestable, as for instance, of idols and idolatrous practices (see especially &nbsp;Deuteronomy 29:17; &nbsp;Hosea 9:10; &nbsp;Jeremiah 4:1; &nbsp;Jeremiah 13:27; &nbsp;Jeremiah 16:18; &nbsp;Ezekiel 11:18-21; &nbsp;Ezekiel 20:7 , &nbsp;Ezekiel 20:8 ). It is used exactly as <i> ''''' tō‛ēbhāh ''''' </i> is used as applied to Milcom, the god of the Ammonites, which is spoken of as the detestable thing <i> ''''' sheḳec ''''' </i> of the Ammonites (&nbsp;1 Kings 11:5 ). Still even in such cases <i> ''''' to'ebhah ''''' </i> seems to be the stronger word and to express that which is in the highest degree abhorrent. </p> <p> The other word used to express a somewhat kindred idea of abhorrence and translated "abomination" in the King James Version is פגול , <i> ''''' piggūl ''''' </i> ; but it is used in the Hebrew Bible only of sacrificial flesh that has become stale, putrid, tainted (see &nbsp;Leviticus 7:18; &nbsp;Leviticus 19:7; &nbsp;Ezekiel 4:14; &nbsp;Isaiah 65:4 ). Driver maintains that it occurs only as a "technical term for such state sacrificial flesh as has not been eaten within the prescribed time," and, accordingly, he would everywhere render it specifically "refuse meat." Compare <i> ''''' leḥem meghō'āl ''''' </i> , "the loathsome bread" (from <i> ''''' gā'al ''''' </i> , "to loathe") &nbsp;Malachi 1:7 . A chief interest in the subject for [[Christians]] grows out of the use of the term in the expression "abomination of desolation" (&nbsp;Matthew 24:15 and &nbsp; Mark 13:14 ), which see. See also [[Abhor]] . </p> Literature <p> Commentators at the place Rabbinical literature in point. Driver; Weiss; Gratz, <i> Gesch. der Juden </i> , IV, note 15. </p>