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 servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.
And he lodged there that night. And he took of that which came to his hand, a present for Esau his brother two hundred she-goats, twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, read more. thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals.
Heap upon me ever so much price and dowry, and I will give according as you shall say to me. But give me the girl for a wife.
And you shall take no bribe, for the bribe blinds the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.
And this is yours, the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the sons of Israel. I have given them to you and to your sons and to your daughters with you, by a statute forever. Everyone that is clean in your house shall eat it.
You shall not pervert judgment; you shall not respect persons, nor take a gift. For a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.
And when he had finished offering the present, he sent away the people who carried the present.
Then Saul said to his young man, But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread in our vessels is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?
And Jesse took an ass loaded with bread and a skin of wine and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
And he struck Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground. Even with two lines he measured to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became David's servants, bringing gifts.
And David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus. And the Syrians became servants to David, bringing gifts. And Jehovah preserved David wherever he went.
brought beds and basins and earthen vessels, and wheat and barley and flour and roasted grain, and beans and lentils and other roasted food,
And Joab said to the man who told him, And, behold, you saw him, and why did you not strike him there to the ground? And I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a girdle.
And every man brought his presents, vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and clothing and armor, and spices, horses and mules, so much year by year.
And 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, Your servant Ben-hadad, king of Syria, has sent me to you, saying, Shall I recover from this disease?
And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the peoples shall stroke your face.
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 beg the favor of a ruler, and all are friends to a man who gives gifts.
A gift in secret quiets anger; and a bribe in the bosom quiets strong wrath.
Therefore if you offer your gift on the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him?
And Jesus said to him, See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest. And offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
And the king coming in to look over the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?
And looking up, He saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give Me to drink, you would have asked of Him, and He would have given you living water.
Then Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ to remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
But Peter said to him, May your silver perish with you, because you have thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
But there are differences of gifts, but the same Spirit.
Therefore He says, "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to 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 present. But he was silent.