Reference: Vanity
American
Does not usually denote, in Scripture, self-conceit or personal pride, 2Pe 2:18, but sometimes emptiness and fruitlessness, Job 7:3; Ps 144:4; Ec 1. It often denotes wickedness, particularly falsehood, De 32:21; Ps 4:2; 24:4; 119:37, and sometimes idols and idol-worship, 2Ki 17:15; Jer 2:5; 18:15; Jon 2:8. Compare Paul's expression, "they turned the truth of God into a lie," Ro 1:25. "In vain," in the second commandment, Ex 20:7, is unnecessarily and irreverently. "Vain men," 2Sa 6:20; 2Ch 13:7, are dissolute and worthless fellows.
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"You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God. They have provoked me to anger with their vanities. I will move them to jealousy with those who are not a people. I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!"
They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and [went] after the nations that were around them, concerning whom Yahweh had commanded them that they should not do like them.
so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.
You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? Will you love vanity, and seek after falsehood? Selah.
He who has clean hands and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully.
Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things. Revive me in your ways.
Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.
Thus says Yahweh, "What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
For my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to false [gods]; and they have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in byways, in a way not built up;
Those who regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error;
Hastings
The root-idea of the word is 'emptiness.' Skeat suggests that the Lat. vanus (perhaps for vac-nus) is allied to vacuus 'empty.' In English literature 'vanity' signifies (1) emptiness, (2) falsity, (3) vainglory. The modern tendency is to confine its use to the last meaning. But 'vanity' in the sense of 'empty conceit' is not found in the English Bible.
1. In the OT.
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They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit."
Surely God will not hear an empty cry, neither will the Almighty regard it.
You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? Will you love vanity, and seek after falsehood? Selah.
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood. His heart gathers iniquity to itself. When he goes abroad, he tells it.
Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.
whose mouths speak deceit, Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;
"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."
"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher. "All is vanity!"
All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.
who brings princes to nothing; who makes the judges of the earth like meaningless.
Behold, all of them, their works are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.
Everyone who makes an engraved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don't see, nor know, that they may be disappointed.
When you cry, let those who you have gathered deliver you; but the wind shall take them, a breath shall carry them all away: but he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain."
Then you shall call, and Yahweh will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedly;
None sues in righteousness, and none pleads in truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
Yahweh, my strength, and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of affliction, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, [even] vanity and things in which there is no profit.
Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have spoken falsehood, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, says the Lord Yahweh.
Her prophets have plastered for them with whitewash, seeing false visions, and divining lies to them, saying, Thus says the Lord Yahweh, when Yahweh has not spoken.
Behold, isn't it of Yahweh of Armies that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?
For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie; and they have told false dreams. They comfort in vain. Therefore they go their way like sheep. They are oppressed, because there is no shepherd.
And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.'"
But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'
For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
And again, "The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless."
But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was bestowed on me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain.
If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain.
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord's work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts;
but shun foolish questionings, genealogies, strife, and disputes about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man's religion is worthless.
But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error; promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him.