The meaning of Goods in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
goodz (rekhush, Tubh; ta huparchonta): In the Old Testament rekhush ("substance") is most frequently translated "goods," as in Genesis 14:11-12, Genesis 14:16, Genesis 14:21, etc.; Tubh is also 3 times so translated in the King James Version (Genesis 24:10, the Revised Version (British and American) "goodly things," margin "all the goods"; Nehemiah 9:25, the Revised Version (British and American) "good things"; Job 20:21, the Revised Version (British and American) "prosperity"). Other words, are 'on (Job 20:10, the Revised Version (British and American) "wealth"); Chayil ("force," Numbers 31:9; Zephaniah 1:13, the Revised Version (British and American) "wealth"); Tobh (Deuteronomy 28:11, the Revised Version (British and American) "for good"; Ecclesiastes 5:11); mela'khah ("work," Exodus 22:8, Exodus 22:11); nikhcin (Aramaic "riches," Ezra 6:8; Ezra 7:26); Qinyan, "getting" (Ezekiel 38:12 f.). We have ta huparchonta (literally, "the things existing") in Matthew 24:47, "ruler over all his goods," the Revised Version (British and American) "all that he hath," etc. Agathos is translated "goods" in Luke 12:18 f.; skeuos ("instrument") in Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27; ta sa ("the things belonging to thee") in Luke 6:30; ousia ("substance") in Luke 15:12, the Revised Version (British and American) "substance"; huparxis ("existence," "substance") in Acts 2:45; plouteo ("to be rich") in Revelation 3:17, the Revised Version (British and American) "have gotten riches." In the Revised Version (British and American) "goods" stands instead of "carriage" (Judges 18:21), of "stuff" (Luke 17:31), of "good" (I John 3:17). "Goods" was used in the sense of "possessions" generally; frequently in this sense in Apocrypha (1 Esdras 6:32); ta huparchonta (Tobit 1:20); Ecclesiasticus 5:1, "Set not thy heart upon thy goods" (chrema), etc.
W. L. Walker
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