Reference: Gift
Easton
(1.) An gratuity (Pr 19:6) to secure favour (Pr 18:16; 21:14), a thank-offering (Nu 18:11), or a dowry (Ge 34:12).
(2.) An oblation or proppitatory gift (2Sa 8:2,6; 1Ch 18:2,6; 2Ch 26:8; Ps 45:12; 72:10).
(3.) A bribe to a judge to obtain a favourable verdict (Ex 23:8; De 16:19).
(4.) Simply a thing given (Mt 7:11; Lu 11:13; Eph 4:8); sacrifical (Mt 5:23-24; 8:4); eleemosynary (Lu 21:1); a gratuity (Joh 4:10; Ac 8:20). In Ac 2:38 the generic word dorea is rendered "gift." It differs from the charisma (1Co 12:4) as denoting not miraculous powers but the working of a new spirit in men, and that spirit from God.
The giving of presents entered largely into the affairs of common life in the East. The nature of the presents was as various as were the occasions: food (1Sa 9:7; 16:20), sheep and cattle (Ge 32:13-15), gold (2Sa 18:11), jewels (Ge 24:53), furniture, and vessels for eating and drinking (2Sa 17:28); delicacies, as spices, honey, etc. (1Ki 10:25; 2Ki 5:1; 22). The mode of presentation was with as much parade as possible: the presents were conveyed by the hands of servants (Jg 3:18), or still better, on the backs of beasts of burden (2Ki 8:9). The refusal of a present was regarded as a high indignity; and this constituted the aggravated insult noticed in Mt 22:11, the marriage robe having been offered and refused.
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Then the servant brought forth jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment, and gave unto Rebekah, - and precious things, gave he to her brother and to her mother.
And he tarried there that night, and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother: She-goats, two hundred; And he-goats, twenty; Ewes, two hundred; And rams, twenty; read more. Milch camels, with their colts, thirty; Cows, forty; And bulls, ten; She-asses, twenty; And
Heap on me, exceedingly, dowry and gift, and I will give, just as ye may say unto me, - but give me the young woman, to wife.
And, a bribe, shalt thou not take, - for the bribe, blindeth the clear-sighted, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
This, therefore, shall be thine - the heave-offering of their gift even all the wave-offerings of the sons of Israel, unto thee, have I given them and unto thy sons and unto thy daughters with thee by a statute age-abiding, - every one that is clean in thy house, shall eat it.
Thou shalt not wrest judgment, thou shalt not take note of faces, - nor shalt thou accept a bribe, for the bribe, blindeth the eyes of wise men, and perverteth the words of righteous men.
And so it was, when he had made an end of offering the present, that he sent away the people who had been bearing the present;
Then said Saul to his young man: Behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man, for, the bread, hath failed from our sacks, and, present, there is none to bring to the man of God, - what is there with us?
Then took Jesse an ass laden with bread, and a skin of wine, and one kid, - and sent by the hand of David his son, unto Saul.
And he smote Moab, and measured them with the line casting, them down to the ground, and be measured with two lines to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive, - so the Moabites became David's, as servants, bringing gifts.
Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became David's, as servants bringing gifts, - and so Yahweh gave victory unto David, whithersoever he went.
brought, sleeping rugs, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat and barley, and meal and roasted corn, - and beans and lentils, and parched pulse;
Then said Joab to the man that was telling him, Lo! since thou sawest him, why didst thou not smite him there, to the ground? then should I have been bound to give thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle.
And, they, did bring every man his present - vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses and mules, - a rate of a year in a year.
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present in his hand, even every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, - and came, and stood before him, and said - Thy son, Ben-hadad king of Syria, hath sent me unto thee, saying, Shall I recover from this sickness?
Also, the daughter of Tyre, cometh in with a present! Thy face, shall the rich of the people appease.
The kings of Tarshish and of the Coastlands, A gift, let them render, The kings of Sheba and Seba, A present, let them bring;
The gift of a man, maketh room for him, and, before great men, setteth him down.
Many, will entreat the favour of a noble, and, every one, is a friend to a man abounding in gifts.
If, therefore, thou be bearing thy gift towards the altar, and, there, shouldst remember that, thy brother, hath aught against thee, leave, there, thy gift before the altar, and withdraw, - first, be reconciled unto thy brother, and, then, coming, be offering thy gift.
If then, ye, being, evil, know how, good gifts, to be giving unto your children, how much more, will, your Father who is in the heavens, give good things to them that ask, him?
And Jesus saith unto him, Mind! tell, no one, - but withdraw, thyself, shew to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses directed, for a witness unto them.
But the king, entering to view the guests, saw there a man, who had not put on a wedding-garment, -
If therefore, ye, being, evil, know how to be giving, good gifts, unto your children, how much rather, will, the heavenly Father, give Holy Spirit unto them that ask him!
And, looking up, he saw the, rich, who were casting their gifts into the treasury, -
Jesus answered, and said unto her - If thou hadst known the free gift of God, and who it is that is saying unto thee, Give me to drink, thou, wouldst have asked him, and he would have given thee living water.
And Peter said unto them - Repent ye, and let each one of you be immersed, in the name of Jesus Christ, into the remission of your sins, - and ye shall receive the free-gift of the Holy Spirit;
And Peter said unto him - Thy silver, with thee, go to destruction! Because, the free-gift of God, thou didst suppose could, with money, be obtained!
But, distributions of gifts, there are, yet the same Spirit,
Wherefore he saith - Ascending on high, he took captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Smith
Gift.
The giving and receiving of presents has in all ages been not only a more frequent but also a more formal and significant proceeding in the East than among ourselves. We cannot adduce a more remarkable proof of the important part which presents play in the social life of the East than the fact that the Hebrew language possesses no less than fifteen different expressions for the one idea. The mode of presentation was with as much parade as possible. The refusal of a present was regarded us a high indignity. No less an insult was it not to bring a present when the position of the parties demanded it.
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But, abandoned men, said - How can this one save us? So they treated him with contempt, and brought him no present, - but he was as one that was deaf.