'Man's' in the Bible

The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma [a soothing, satisfying scent] and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intent (strong inclination, desire) of man’s heart is wicked from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.

“Whoever sheds man’s blood [unlawfully],By man (judicial government) shall his blood be shed,For in the image of GodHe made man.

“He (Ishmael) will be a wild donkey of a man;His hand will be against every man [continually fighting]And every man’s hand against him;And he will dwell in defiance of all his brothers.”

But God came to Abimelech in a dream during the night, and said, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken [as your wife], for she is another man’s wife.”

So Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this [a man equal to Joseph], in whom is the divine spirit [of God]?”

We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies.”

Then Joseph gave orders [privately] that their bags be filled with grain, and that every man’s money [used to pay for the grain] be put back in his sack, and that provisions be given to them for the journey. And so this was done for them.

Now when they emptied their sacks, every man’s bundle of money [paid to buy grain] was in his sack. When they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

and when we arrived at the inn [after leaving here], we opened our sacks and there was each man’s money [with which he had paid for grain], in full, returned in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back [this time].

And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s [grain] money in the mouth of the sack.

But we said, ‘We cannot go down [to Egypt]. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down [there]; for we [were sternly told that we] cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’

The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, or the seeing or the blind? Is it not I, the Lord?

but every man’s slave who is bought with money, after you have circumcised him, then he may eat it.

If a ransom is demanded of him [in return for his life], then he shall give whatever is demanded for the redemption of his life.

If the ox has gored another’s son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule.

“If one man’s ox injures another’s so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide the proceeds equally; they shall also divide the dead ox [between them].

“If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed bare or lets his livestock loose so that it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.

‘But if his offering is from the flock, of the sheep or of the goats, as a burnt offering, he shall offer a male without blemish.

‘If a man’s offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord.

‘If his offering is a goat, he shall present it before the Lord,

The priest who presents any man’s burnt offering shall have for himself the hide of the burnt offering which he has presented.

“If a man loses the hair on his head, he is bald, but he is clean.

And every man’s holy gifts shall be the priest’s; whatever any man gives the priest, it becomes his.’”

“Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘If any man’s wife goes astray (deviates) and is unfaithful to him,

“Speak to the sons of Israel and get rods from them, a rod for each father’s household, from all their leaders according to their fathers’ households, twelve rods. Write every man’s name on his rod,

“If a man is intimate with a woman who is another man’s wife, they shall both be put to death, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall remove the evil from Israel.

Here is my virgin daughter and this man’s concubine. I will bring them out now; abuse and humiliate them and do to them whatever you want, but do not commit this act of sacrilege against this man.”

At daybreak the woman came and collapsed at the door of the man’s house where her master was, until it was [fully] light.

The man’s name was Elimelech and his wife’s name was Naomi and his two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went to the country of Moab and stayed there.

They said, “You have not exploited us or oppressed us or taken anything at all from a man’s hand.”

David said to Saul, “Let no man’s courage fail because of him (Goliath). Your servant will go out and fight with this Philistine.”

(now the man’s name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings; he was a Calebite).

“Now a traveler (visitor) came to the rich man,And to avoid taking one from his own flock or herdTo prepare [a meal] for the traveler who had come to him,He took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for his guest.”

And at the seventh time the servant said, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And Elijah said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the rain shower does not stop you.’”

Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, please, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servants eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha.

Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money for the dedicated things which is brought into the house of the Lord, in current money, both the money of each man’s assessment [for all those bound by vows], and all the money which any man’s heart prompts him to bring into the house (temple) of the Lord,

He killed an Egyptian also, a man of great stature, five cubits tall. In the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam, and Benaiah went down to him with [only] a staff (rod) and grabbed the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.

‘Are Your days as the days of a mortal,Are Your years as man’s years,

“Since his days are determined,The number of his months is with You [in Your control],And You have made his limits so he cannot pass [his allotted time].

“This is the wicked man’s portion from God,And the heritage decreed and appointed to him by God.”

“You say, ‘God stores away [the punishment of] man’s wickedness for his children.’Let God repay him so that he may know and experience it.

“But who will confront him with his actions and rebuke him face to face,And who will repay him for what he has done?

“I will not [I warn you] be partial to any man [that is, let my respect for you mitigate what I say];Nor flatter any man.

“Let his flesh be restored and become fresher than in youth;Let him return to the days of his youthful strength.

And wine which makes the heart of man glad,So that he may make his face glisten with oil,And bread to sustain and strengthen man’s heart.

For the ways of man are directly before the eyes of the Lord,And He carefully watches all of his paths [all of his comings and goings].

In the twilight, in the evening;In the black and dark night.

The rich man’s wealth is his fortress;The ruin of the poor is their poverty.

A man will be satisfied with good from the fruit of his words,And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him [as a harvest].

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,But a good (encouraging) word makes it glad.

When a man’s ways please the Lord,He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life],But the Lord directs his steps and establishes them.

The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters [copious and difficult to fathom];The fountain of [mature, godly] wisdom is like a bubbling stream [sparkling, fresh, pure, and life-giving].

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,And like a high wall [of protection] in his own imagination and conceit.

A man’s gift [given in love or courtesy] makes room for himAnd brings him before great men.

A man’s stomach will be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth;He will be satisfied with the consequence of his words.

Many plans are in a man’s mind,But it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand (be carried out).

Man’s steps are ordered and ordained by the Lord.How then can a man [fully] understand his way?

Whoever digs a pit [for another man’s feet] will fall into it,And he who rolls a stone [up a hill to do mischief], it will come back on him.

A man’s pride and sense of self-importance will bring him down,But he who has a humble spirit will obtain honor.

The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness; and yet I know that [in the end] one fate happens to them both.

I have seen that every [effort in] labor and every skill in work comes from man’s rivalry with his neighbor. This too is vanity (futility, false pride) and chasing after the wind.

Who is like the wise man?And who knows the interpretation of a matter?A man’s wisdom illumines his face,And causes his stern face to beam.

Whoever keeps and observes a royal command will experience neither trouble nor misery;For a wise heart will know the proper time and [appropriate] procedure.

All this I have seen while applying my mind to every deed that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has exercised power over others to their detriment.

But I say that wisdom is better than strength, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heeded.

A wise man’s heart turns him toward the right [which is the way of blessing], but a fool’s heart turns him toward the left [which is the way of condemnation].

The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious and win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him;

then the dust [out of which God made man’s body] will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Therefore all hands will fall limp,And every man’s heart will melt.

Just as many were astonished and appalled at you, My people,So His appearance was marred more than any manAnd His form [marred] more than the sons of men.

That is to say, “If a man divorces his wifeAnd she goes [away] from himAnd becomes another man’s [wife],Will he return to her again? [Of course not!]Will not that land [where such a thing happened] be completely desecrated?But you [rebelled against Me and you] are a prostitute with many lovers;Yet you turn to Me.” says the Lord.

For you will no longer remember the oracle of the Lord, because every man’s own word will become the oracle, [for as they mockingly call all prophecies oracles, whether good or bad, so will it prove to be to them; God will take them at their own word]; and you have perverted the words [not of a lifeless idol, but] of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God.

Beneath their wings the cherubim seemed to have [something in] the form of a man’s hand.

I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,” says the Lord God. “Every man’s (invading soldier’s) sword will be against his brother (ally) [in panic and confusion].

And behold, there was a wall all around the outside [area] of the temple (house) [of the Lord], and in the man’s hand a measuring rod six cubits long (10.2 ft.), each cubit being longer than the standard one by a hand width. So he measured the thickness of the wall, one rod; and the height, one rod.

“Let his mind and nature be changed from a man’sAnd let an animal’s mind and nature be given to him,And let seven periods of time pass over him.

Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing opposite the lampstand on [a well-lit area of] the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the part of the hand that did the writing.

The first (the Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar) was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind was given to it.

And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of the Ulai, which called out and said, “Gabriel, give this man (Daniel) an understanding of the vision.”

Ephraim is oppressed; he is broken and crushed by [divine] judgment,Because he was determined to follow man’s command (vanities, filth, secular precepts).

Then one’s uncle, or his undertaker, shall come to bring the [disease-infected] body out of the house, [to cremate it], and he will say to another in the farthest part of the house, “Is there anyone else with you?” And that one will say, “No one.” Then he will respond, “Hush! Keep quiet! For the name of the Lord is not to be mentioned [even casually, for fear that we might invoke even more punishment].”

Then they called on the Lord and said, “Please, O Lord, do not let us perish because of taking this man’s life, and do not make us accountable for innocent blood; for You, O Lord, have done as You pleased.”

For the son dishonors the father and treats him contemptuously,The daughter rises up [in hostility] against her mother,The daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—A man’s enemies are the men (members) of his own household.

and a man’s enemies will be the members of his [own] household [when one believes and another does not].

He who receives and welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous (honorable) man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.

Or how can anyone go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man? Then he will ransack and rob his house.

So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands [to ceremonially cleanse himself of guilt] in the presence of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this [righteous] Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”

But no one can go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man, and then he will ransack and rob his house.

Jesus, taking him aside by himself, away from the crowd, put His fingers into the man’s ears, and after spitting, He touched the man’s tongue [with the saliva];

But the man was saddened at Jesus’ words, and he left grieving, because he owned much property and had many possessions [which he treasured more than his relationship with God].

“Teacher, Moses wrote for us [a law] that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but leaves no child, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.

For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii [a laborer’s wages for almost a year], and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her.

Then He said to them, “Watch out and guard yourselves against every form of greed; for not even when one has an overflowing abundance does his life consist of nor is it derived from his possessions.”

He [eagerly] longed to eat the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.

and they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us [a law that] if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife and no children, his brother should marry the wife and raise children for his brother.

If, to avoid breaking the Law of Moses, a man undergoes circumcision on the Sabbath, why are you angry with Me for making a man’s whole body well on the Sabbath?

When He had said this, He spat on the ground and made mud with His saliva, and He spread the mud [like an ointment] on the man’s eyes.

Now it was on a Sabbath day that Jesus made the mud and opened the man’s eyes.

But some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the blind man’s eyes, have kept this man from dying?”