The meaning of Hap; Haply in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
hap, hap'-li (miqreh, lu; mepote):
Hap (a Saxon word for "luck, chance") is the translation of miqreh, "a fortuitous chance," "a lot" (Ruth 2:3, the King James Version "Her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz"); in I Samuel 6:9, the same word is translated "chance" (that happened); "event," in Ecclesiastes 9:2-3, with "happeneth," in Ecclesiastes 2:14.
Haply (from "hap") is the translation of lu, "if that" (I Samuel 14:30, "if haply the people had eaten freely"); of ei ara, "if then" (Mark 11:13, "if haply he might find anything thereon"); of ei arage (Acts 17:27, "if haply they might feel after him"); of mepote, "lest ever" "lest perhaps" etc. (Luke 14:29; Acts 5:39); of me pos, "lest in anyway" (II Corinthians 9:4 the King James Version, "lest haply," the Revised Version (British and American) "lest by any means").
The Revised Version has "haply" for "at any time" (Matthew 4:6; Matthew 5:25; Matthew 13:15; Mark 4:12; Luke 4:11; Luke 21:34; Hebrews 2:1); introduces "haply" (Matthew 7:6; Matthew 13:29; Matthew 15:32; Matthew 27:64; Mark 14:2; Luke 3:15; Luke 12:58; Luke 14:8, Luke 14:12; Acts 27:29; Hebrews 4:1); has "haply there shall be," for "lest there be" (Hebrews 3:12).
W. L. Walker
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