Page 110 - Yahwehs Book

Strong’s which was first published in 1890.

For even more expansive definitions of Hebrew and Greek words that appear in the Bible, a
dedicated Bible Dictionary is helpful. There are a great many of these available. As a youth, the one
I used was Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. This book was authored by
William Edwy Vine and first published as a four volume set in 1940. The word “expository” means
“to expound, or explain.” Vine only produced a New Testament dictionary as he was a Greek
scholar. Vine’s Dictionary is sold today with both Old Testament and New Testament words, but the
Old Testament definitions are the work of other men.

To get an idea of how much fuller the word definitions are in Vine’s Expository Dictionary,
following is the entry for the Greek word “pharmakia,” which is translated into English as “sorcery.”

Sorcery:
(Eng., "pharmacy," etc.) primarily signified "the use of medicine, drugs, spells;" then, "poisoning;"
then, "sorcery," Galatians 5:20, RV, "sorcery" (AV, "witchcraft"), mentioned as one of "the works
of the flesh." See also Revelation 9:21; 18:23. In the Septuagint., Exodus 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18; Isaiah
47:9, 12. In "sorcery," the use of drugs, whether simple or potent, was generally accompanied by
incantations and appeals to occult powers, with the provision of various charms, amulets, etc.,
professedly designed to keep the applicant or patient from the attention and power of demons, but
actually to impress the applicant with the mysterious resources and powers of the sorcerer.

An additional tool I used from the time of my teenage years was Halley’s Bible Handbook. This book
provides a wealth of historical and contextual information about the Bible. It is also highly
illustrated, containing maps and color photos of various places and objects named in the Scriptures.
Dr. Henry H. Halley was an author, minister, and Bible lecturer. He was first ordained to ministry
in 1898 and had a penchant for memorizing passages of Scripture. Dr. Halley could recite from
memory entire books of the Bible. He was often called upon to provide recitations. He would begin
by sharing background information about a book of the Bible, and then proceed to recite the book
from memory. This introductory information formed the basis for his Bible Handbook.