Rejoice
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [1]
"to rejoice," is most frequently so translated. As to this verb, the following are grounds and occasions for "rejoicing," on the part of believers: in the Lord, Philippians 3:1; 4:4; His incarnation, Luke 1:14; His power, Luke 13:17; His presence with the Father, John 14:28; His presence with them, John 16:22; 20:20; His ultimate triumph, John 8:56; hearing the gospel, Acts 13:48; their salvation, Acts 8:39; receiving the Lord, Luke 19:6; their enrollment in Heaven, Luke 10:20; their liberty in Christ, Acts 15:31; their hope, Romans 12:12 (cp. Romans 5:2; Revelation 19:7 ); their prospect of reward, Matthew 5:12; the obedience and godly conduct of fellow believers, Romans 16:19 , RV, "I rejoice" (Av, "I am glad"); 2—Corinthians 7:7,9; 13:9; Colossians 2:5; 1—Thessalonians 3:9; 2—John 1:4; 3—John 1:3; the proclamation of Christ, Philippians 1:18; the gospel harvest, John 4:36; suffering with Christ, Acts 5:41; 1—Peter 4:13; suffering in the cause of the gospel, 2—Corinthians 13:9 (1st part); Philippians 2:17 (1st part); Colossians 1:24; in persecutions, trials and afflictions, Matthew 5:12; Luke 6:23; 2—Corinthians 6:10; the manifestation of grace, Acts 11:23; meeting with fellow believers, 1—Corinthians 16:17 , RV, "I rejoice;" Philippians 2:28; receiving tokens of love and fellowship, Philippians 4:10; the "rejoicing" of others, Romans 12:15; 2—Corinthians 7:13; learning of the well-being of others, 2—Corinthians 7:16 . See Farewell , Glad , Greeting , etc.
"to rejoice with" (sun, and No. 1), is used of "rejoicing" together in the recovery of what was lost, Luke 15:6,9; in suffering in the cause of the gospel, Philippians 2:17 (2nd part),18; in the joy of another, Luke 1:58; in the honor of fellow believers, 1—Corinthians 12:26; in the triumph of the truth, 1—Corinthians 13:6 , RV, "rejoiceth with."
"to rejoice greatly, to exult," is used, (I) in the Active Voice, of "rejoicing" in God, Luke 1:47; in faith in Christ, 1—Peter 1:8 , RV (Middle Voice in some mss.), "ye rejoice greatly;" in the event of the marriage of the Lamb, Revelation 19:7 , "be exceeding glad," RV; (II) in the Middle Voice, (a) of "rejoicing" in persecutions, Matthew 5:12 (2nd part); in the light of testimony for God, John 5:35; in salvation received through the gospel, Acts 16:34 , "he rejoiced greatly," RV; in salvation ready to be revealed, 1—Peter 1:6; at the revelation of His glory, 1—Peter 4:13 , "with exceeding joy," lit., "ye may rejoice (see No. 1) exulting;" (b) of Christ's "rejoicing" (greatly) "in the Holy Spirit," Luke 10:21 , RV; said of His praise, as foretold in Psalm 16:9 , quoted in Acts 2:26 (which follows the Sept., "My tongue"); (c) of Abraham's "rejoicing," by faith, to see Christ's day, John 8:56 .
in the Active Voice, "to cheer, gladden" (eu, "well," phren, "the mind"), signifies in the Passive Voice "to rejoice, make merry;" it is translated "to rejoice" in Acts 2:26 , RV, "was glad," AV, "did ... rejoice," of the heart of Christ as foretold in Psalm 16:9 [cp. No. 3, II (b)]; in Acts 7:41 , of Israel's idolatry; in Romans 15:10 (quoted from the Sept. of Deuteronomy 32:43 , where it is a command to the Gentiles to "rejoice" with the Jews in their future deliverance by Christ from all their foes, at the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom) the Apostle applies it to the effects of the gospel; in Galatians 4:27 (touching the barrenness of Sarah as referred to in Isaiah 54:1 , and there pointing to the ultimate restoration of Israel to God's favor, cp. Isaiah 51:2 ), the word is applied to the effects of the gospel, in that the progeny of grace would greatly exceed the number of those who had acknowledged allegiance to the Law; grace and faith are fruitful, law and works are barren as a means of salvation; in Revelation 12:12 , it is used in a call to the heavens to "rejoice" at the casting out of Satan and the inauguration of the Kingdom of God in manifestation and the authority of His Christ; in Revelation 18:20 , of a call to heaven, saints, apostles, prophets, to "rejoice" in the destruction of Babylon. See Glad , No. 3, Merry No. 1.
"to boast, to glory," is rendered "to rejoice," (a) Romans 5:2 , in hope of the glory of God; (b) Romans 5:3 , RV (AV "glory"), in tribulation; (c) Romans 5:11 , RV (AV, "we joy"), in God; (d) Philippians 3:3 , RV, "glory" (AV, "rejoice") in Christ Jesus; (e) James 1:9 (RV, "glory," AV, "rejoice"), the brother of low degree in his high estate; the rich brother in being made low; (f) James 4:16 , of evil glorying. See GLORY (to boast).
James 2:13 2—Corinthians 1:14 Galatians 6:4 Philippians 1:26 2:16 Hebrews 3:6 1—Corinthians 15:31 2—Corinthians 1:12 1—Thessalonians 2:19 James 4:16Glory
Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words [2]
A. Verb.
Śâmach ( שָׂמַח , Strong'S #8055), “to rejoice, be joyful.” This verb also occurs in Ugaritic (where its radicals are shh-m-h and perhaps in AramaicSyriac. It appears in all periods of Hebrew and about 155 times in the Bible. Śâmach usually refers to a spontaneous emotion or extreme happiness which is expressed in some visible and/or external manner. It does not normally represent an abiding state of wellbeing or feeling.
This emotion arises at festivals, circumcision feasts, wedding feasts, harvest feasts, the overthrow of one’s enemies, and other such events. The men of Jabesh broke out joyously when they were told that they would be delivered from the Philistines (1 Sam. 11:9). The emotion expressed in the verb śâmach usually finds a visible expression. In Jer. 50:11 the Babylonians are denounced as being glad and “jubilant” over the pillage of Israel. Their emotion is expressed externally by their skipping about like a threshing heifer and neighing like stallions. The emotion represented in the verb (and concretized in the noun simchah ) is sometimes accompanied by dancing, singing, and playing musical instruments. This was the sense when David was heralded by the women of Jerusalem as he returned victorious over the Philistines (1 Sam. 18:6). This emotion is usually described as the product of some external situation, circumstance, or experience, such as found in the first biblical appearance of śâmach : God told Moses that Aaron was coming to meet him and “when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart” (Exod. 4:14). This passage speaks of inner feeling which is visibly expressed. When Aaron saw Moses, he was overcome with joy and kissed him (v. 27).
Therefore, the verb śâmach suggests three elements: (1) a spontaneous, unsustained feeling of jubilance, (2) a feeling so strong that it finds expression in some external act, and (3) a feeling prompted by some external and unsustained stimulus.
This verb is used intransitively signifying that the action is focused on the subject (cf. 1 Sam. 11:9). God is sometimes the subject, the one who “rejoices and is jubilant”: “The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works” (Ps. 104:31). The godly are to “be glad in the Lord, and rejoice … and shout for joy …” (Ps. 32:11). Śâmach can also mean “to be joyful or glad.” In the place the Lord chooses, Israel is “to be joyful” in all in which the Lord blesses them (Deut. 12:7). Used thus the verb describes a state into which one places himself under given circumstances. It has a further and technical sense describing all that one does in making a feast before God: “And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days” (Lev. 23:40).
In a few cases the verb describes an ongoing state. In 1 Kings 4:20 the reign of Solomon is summarized as follows: “Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.”
B. Noun.
Śimchâh ( שִׂמְחָה , Strong'S #8057), “joy.” This noun, which also occurs in Ugaritic, is found 94 times in biblical Hebrew. Śimchâh is both a technical term for the external expression of “joy” (Gen. 31:27—the first biblical occurrence; cf. 1 Sam. 18:6; Jer. 50:11) and (usually) a representation of the abstract feeling or concept “joy” (Deut. 28:47). In another technical use this noun signifies the entire activity of making a feast before God: “And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth [literally, “to make a great rejoicing”] …” (Neh. 8:12).
The noun catches the concrete coloring of the verb, as in Isa. 55:12: “For ye shall go out with joy … : the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
C. Adjective.
Śâmêach ( שָׂמֵחַ , 8056), “joyful; glad.” This adjective occurs 21 times in the Old Testament. The first biblical occurrence is in Deut. 16:15: “Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord shall choose: because the Lord thy God shall bless thee … therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.”
King James Dictionary [3]
Rejoice rejois'.
To experience joy and gladness in a high degree to be exhilarated with lively and pleasurable sensations to exult.
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. Proverbs 29 .
I will rejoice in thy salvation. Psalms 9 .
REJOICE, rejois'. To make joyful to gladden to animate with lively pleasurable sensations to exhilarate.
Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father. Proverbs 29 .
While she, great saint, rejoices heaven.
Webster's Dictionary [4]
(1): ( n.) The act of rejoicing.
(2): ( v. t.) To give joy to; to make joyful; to gladden.
(3): ( v. i.) To feel joy; to experience gladness in a high degree; to have pleasurable satisfaction; to be delighted.
(4): ( v. t.) To enjoy.
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology [5]
See Joy
