Deliver

DELIVER [ISBE]

DELIVER - de-liv'-er (natsal, nathan; rhuomai, paradidomi): Occurs very frequently in the Old Testament and represents various Hebrew terms. The English word is used in two senses, (1) "to set free," etc., (2) "to give up or over."

(1) The word most often translated "deliver" in the first sense is natsal, meaning originally, perhaps, "to draw out." It is used of all kinds of deliverance (Gen 32:11; Ps 25:20; 143:9, etc.; Jer 7:10; Ezek 3:19, etc.; Zeph 1:18, etc.). The Aramaic netsal occurs in Dan 3:29; 6:14; 8:4,7; yasha`, "to save," in Jdg 3:9,31 the King James Version, etc.; malaT, "to let or cause to escape," in Isa 46:2, "recover," etc. In the New Testament rhuomai, "to rescue," is most frequently translated "deliver" in this sense (Mt 6:13 the King James Version, "Deliver us from evil"); katargeo, "to make useless" or "without effect" (Rom 7:6 the Revised Version (British and American), "discharged"). In the New Testament "save" takes largely the place of "deliver" in the Old Testament, and the idea is raised to the spiritual and eternal.

(2) For "deliver" in the sense of "give over, up," etc., the most frequent word is nathan, the common word for "to give" (Gen 32:16; 40:13 the King James Version; Ex 5:18). Other words are maghan (Hos 11:8, the King James Version and the English Revised Version "How shall I deliver thee Israel?" i.e. "How shall I give thee up?" as in the first clause of the verse, with a different word (nathan), the American Standard Revised Version "How shall I cast thee off?"), yehabh, Aramaic (Ezr 5:14). In the New Testament paradidomi, "to give over to," is most frequent (Mt 5:25; 11:27, "All things have been delivered (given or made over) unto me of my Father"; Mk 7:13; Lk 1:2; 1 Tim 1:20, etc.); charizomai, "to grant as a favor" (Acts 25:11,16 the King James Version).

(3) Yaladh, "to bring forth," is also rendered "deliver" in the sense of childbirth (Gen 25:24; Ex 1:19, etc.). In the New Testament this sense is borne by tikto (Lk 1:57; 2:6; Rev 12:2,4), and gennao (Jn 16:21).

In the Revised Version (British and American) there are many changes, such as, for "deliver," "restore" (Gen 37:22; 40:13; Ex 22:26; Dt 24:13); for "delivered," "defended" (1 Ch 11:14); for "cannot deliver thee," "neither .... turn thee aside" (Job 36:18); for "betray," "betrayed" we have "deliver," "delivered up," etc. (Mt 10:4 margin; Mk 13:12; 14:10 f; Lk 21:16); for "delivered into chains," "committed to pits" (2 Pet 2:4, margin "some ancient authorities read chains"; compare The Wisdom of Solomon 17:17); "Deliver us from evil," omitted in Lk 11:4, margin "Many ancient authorities add but deliver us from the evil one (or, from evil)."

W. L. Walker