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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And the slave brought forth vessels of silver and vessels of gold and raiment and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.
And he lodged there that same night and took of that which came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother: two hundred she goats and twenty he goats, two hundred sheep and twenty rams, read more. thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.
Ask me for as much dowry and gift as ye desire, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me; but give me the damsel to wife.
And thou shalt take no bribe; for the bribe blinds the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.
This also shall be thine: the heave offering of their gifts. All the wave offerings of the sons of Israel, I have given them unto thee and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever; everyone that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.
Thou shalt not twist that which is right; thou shalt not respect persons neither take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.
And when he had offered the present, he sent away the people that had brought the present.
Then Saul replied unto his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and we have nothing to present unto the man of God. What do we have?
And Jesse took an ass laden with bread and a bottle of wine and a kid and sent them by David, his son, unto Saul.
He also smote those of Moab and measured them with a line, causing them to lie down on the ground, and he measured them with two lines, with one to put to death and the other full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's slaves, bringing presents.
Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became slaves to David, bringing presents. And the LORD saved David wherever he went.
brought beds and basins and earthen vessels and wheat and barley and flour and parched wheat and beans and lentils and parched grain
And Joab replied unto the man that told him, Behold, when thou didst see him, why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? I would have given thee ten shekels of silver and a girdle.
And they each one brought his presents each year, vessels of gold and vessels of silver and garments and arms and spices, horses, and mules.
So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad, king of Syria, has sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?
And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour.
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.
Many will intreat the favour of the prince, but every man is a friend to him that gives.
A gift in secret pacifies anger, and a bribe in the bosom strong wrath.
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remember that thy brother has something against thee; leave thy gift there before the altar, and go; first restore friendship with thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those that ask him?
Then Jesus said unto him, See thou tell no one; but go, show thyself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who did not have on a wedding garment,
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him?
And he looked up and saw the rich casting their gifts into the treasury.
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized each one of you into the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Now there is dispersal of gifts, but the same Spirit.
Therefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led 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 the sons of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him and brought him no presents. But he pretended not to notice.