Bible History

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

 

A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H    I    J    K    L    M    N    O    P    Q    R    S    T    U    V    W    X    Y    Z   



SHAME

sham (bosh, "to be ashamed," bosheth, "shame," qalon; aischune, "ignominy," atimia, "dishonor," and other words): An oft-recurring word in Scripture almost uniformly bound up with a sense of sin and guilt. It is figuratively set forth as a wild beast (Jer 3:24), a Nessus-garment (Jer 3:25), a blight (Jer 20:18), a sin against one's own soul (Hab 2:10), and twice as the condensed symbol of Hebrew abomination--Baal (Jer 11:13 margin; Hos 9:10 margin; see ISH-BOSHETH). It is bracketed with defeat (Isa 30:3), reproach (Ps 69:7; Isa 54:4; Mic 2:6), confusion (Isa 6:7), nakedness (Isa 47:3; Mic 1:11), everlasting contempt (Dan 12:2), folly (Prov 18:13), cruelty (Isa 50:6; Heb 12:2), poverty (Prov 13:18), nothingness (Prov 9:7 the King James Version), unseemliness (1 Cor 11:6; 14:35 the King James Version; Eph 5:12), and "them that go down to the pit" (Ezek 32:25). In the first Biblical reference to this emotion, "shame" appears as "the correlative of sin and guilt" (Delitzsch, New Commentary on Genesis and Biblical Psychology). Shamelessness is characteristic of abandoned wickedness (Phil 3:19; Jude 1:13, margin "Greek: `shames'"). Manifestly, then, shame is a concomitant of the divine judgment upon sin; the very worst that a Hebrew could wish for an enemy was that he might be clothed with shame (Ps 109:29), that the judgment of God might rest upon him visibly.
Naturally, to the Hebrew, shame was the portion of those who were idolaters, who were faithless to Yahweh or who were unfriendly to themselves--the elect people of Yahweh. Shame is to come upon Moab because Moab held Israel in derision (Jer 48:39,27), and upon Edom "for violence against his brother Jacob" (Ob 1:10). But also, and impartially, shame is the portion of faithless Israelites who deny Yahweh and follow after strange gods (Ezek 7:18; Mic 7:10; Hos 10:6, and often). But shame, too, comes upon those who exalt themselves against God, who trust in earthly power and the show of material strength (2 Ch 32:21; Isa 30:3); and upon those who make a mock of righteousness (Job 8:22; Ps 35:26; 132:18). With a fine sense of ethical distinctions the Biblical writers recognize that in confessing to a sense of shame there is hope for better things. Only in the most desperate cases is there no sense of shame (Hos 4:18; Zeph 3:5; Phil 3:19; Jude 1:13); in pardon God is said to remove shame (Isa 54:4 twice; 61:7).
On conditions beyond the grave the Biblical revelation is exceedingly reticent, but here and there are hints that shame waits upon the wicked here and hereafter. Such an expression as that in Daniel (12:2) cannot be ignored, and though the writing itself may belong to a late period and a somewhat sophisticated theological development, the idea is but a reflection of the earlier and more elementary period, when the voice of crime and cruelty went up from earth to be heard in the audience chamber of God (Gen 4:11; 6:13). In the New Testament there is similar reticence but also similar implications. It cannot be much amiss to say that in the mind of the Biblical writers sin was a shameful thing; that part of the punishment for sin was a consciousness of guilt in the sense of shame; and that from this consciousness of guilt there was no deliverance while the sin was unconfessed and unforgiven. "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt." From one's own past there is no deliverance, save through contrition of spirit and the grace and forgiveness of God. While the sense of shame persists, or, in other words, while the moral constitution of man's nature remains as it is, there will never be wanting an avenger of sin.
Charles M. Stuart Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Definition for 'shame'". "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". bible-history.com - ISBE; 1915.

Copyright Information
© International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)

ISBE Bible Encyclopedia Home
Bible History Online Home

 

Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
Online Bible (KJV)
Naves Topical Bible
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Schaff's Bible Dictionary
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Hitchcock's Bible Dictionary

Related Bible History

Popular and Trending:

Meaning of the name Alexander, Alexander the Great, Alexander the Coppersmith, Syria and Bible Prophecy, Bible Study about Syria, What the Bible Says about Syria and Damascus, Isaiah 17, The Bible and Palm Trees, Bible Study about the Palm Tree, The Righteous Will Flourish like a Palm Tree Psalm 92:12 , Definition of Paraclete, Bible study about the Holy Spirit and the Paraclete, Paracletus in the Greek, Games in the Bible, What Games Did Kids Play in Biblical Times? Which Kinds of Games Existed in the Time of Jesus?, The Church at Thyatira, What Was the Message to Thyatira, Revelation 2 and Thyatira, history of Thyatira, David and Goliath, How Tall Was Goliath, Archaeological Discoveries and Goliath, Goliath And Philistine History, Who Was Titus in the Bible, Paul's Letter to Titus, Bible Study Lessons in Titus, Meaning of the Name Tanner, Bible Study about Simon the Tanner, Acts 10:6 Peter Was Staying at the House of Simon the Tanner, What Was a Tanner