Change

CHANGE [ISBE]

CHANGE - chanj: A word which seeks to express the many shades of meaning contained in 13 variations of 9 Hebrew words and 5 Greek. These signify, in turn, "to change" "to exchange," "to turn," "to put or place," "to make other" i.e. "alter," "to disguise oneself." chalaph, and its derivatives, occuring often, indicates "to pass away," hence, alter, renew, e.g. (1) "changes of raiment" (Gen 45:22; Jdg 14:12,13,19); (2) "changed my wages ten times" (Gen 31:7,41); (3) heavens changed "as a vesture" (Ps 102:26); (4) "changes and warfare" (Job 10:17), i.e. relays of soldiers as illustrated in 1 Ki 5:14 (the Revised Version, margin "host after host is against me"); (5) "till my change come" (the Revised Version (British and American) "release"), i.e. death (Job 14:14); (6) "changed the ordinances" (the American Standard Revised Version "violated the statutes"), i.e. disregarded law (Isa 24:5); (7) change of mind (Hab 1:11 the King James Version). Used also of change of character, haphakh: (1) of leprosy, "changed unto white" (Lev 13:16); (2) figuratively of the moral life, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin?" (Jer 13:23); so also mur, and derivatives, "changed their gods" and "their glory," etc. (Ps 106:20; Jer 2:11; Hos 4:7). Other words used to indicate change of name (2 Ki 24:17); of day and night (Job 17:12); of times and seasons (Dan 2:21); of countenance. (Dan 7:28); of behavior (1 Sam 21:13); God's unchangeableness, "I, Yahweh, change not" (Mal 3:6).

In the New Testament the word has to do chiefly with spiritual realities: (1) metatithemi, of the necessary change of the priesthood and law under Christ (Heb 7:12); (2) allatto, of His changing the customs of Moses (Acts 6:14); (3) of moral change, e.g. debasement (Rom 1:23,25,26); (4) of bodily change at the resurrection (1 Cor 15:51,52; metaschematizo, Phil 3:21 the King James Version); (5) metaballo, of change of mind in presence of a miracle (Acts 28:6); (6) of the change to come over the heavens at the great day of the Lord (Heb 1:12; compare 2 Pet 3:10,12).

Figurative uses indicated separately in the course of the article.

Dwight M. Pratt