Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of confusion is addressed in various contexts throughout the Bible, often associated with disorder, misunderstanding, and the consequences of sin. In Scripture, confusion can be seen as both a divine judgment and a human condition resulting from a departure from God's order and truth.
Divine Judgment and ConfusionOne of the most notable instances of God causing confusion as a form of judgment is found in the account of the Tower of Babel. In
Genesis 11:7-9 , God confounds the language of the people to disrupt their plans: "Come, let Us go down and confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech." This act of divine intervention scatters humanity across the earth, illustrating how God uses confusion to thwart human pride and self-reliance.
Similarly, in
Deuteronomy 28:20 , confusion is listed as a curse for disobedience: "The LORD will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke in all you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your deeds in which you have forsaken Me." Here, confusion is a consequence of turning away from God's commandments, leading to chaos and failure.
Confusion in WarfareConfusion is also depicted in the context of warfare, where God intervenes to protect His people. In
1 Samuel 7:10 , during a battle between the Israelites and the Philistines, "the LORD thundered with a loud voice against the Philistines that day and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel." This divine-induced confusion results in victory for the Israelites, demonstrating God's power to disrupt the plans of their enemies.
Moral and Spiritual ConfusionThe Bible also addresses moral and spiritual confusion, often linked to a lack of discernment and understanding of God's truth. In
Isaiah 5:20 , the prophet warns against those who confuse moral standards: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter." This passage highlights the danger of moral relativism and the resulting confusion when God's standards are ignored.
In the New Testament, confusion is associated with disorder within the church. In
1 Corinthians 14:33 , Paul writes, "For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints." This verse underscores the importance of order and clarity in worship and doctrine, reflecting God's nature as a God of peace and not confusion.
Confusion and the Human ConditionConfusion is also a part of the human condition, often resulting from a lack of wisdom and understanding.
James 3:16 states, "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice." This passage links confusion to sinful attitudes and behaviors, suggesting that a heart aligned with God's wisdom is necessary to overcome confusion.
In contrast, the pursuit of God's wisdom brings clarity and understanding.
Proverbs 3:5-6 advises, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." This counsel encourages believers to rely on God's guidance to avoid confusion and find direction in life.
ConclusionThe theme of confusion in the Bible serves as a reminder of the consequences of sin and the importance of aligning with God's truth and order. Whether as a divine judgment or a human struggle, confusion highlights the need for reliance on God's wisdom and guidance to navigate the complexities of life.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
a.) Mixed; confounded.
2. (v. t.) To mix or blend so that things can not be distinguished; to jumble together; to confound; to render indistinct or obscure; as, to confuse accounts; to confuse one's vision.
3. (v. t.) To perplex; to disconcert; to abash; to cause to lose self-possession.
Greek
4797. sugcheo -- to pour together, ie toconfuse, throw into...... to pour together, ie to
confuse, throw into confusion. Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: sugcheo or sugchunno Phonetic Spelling: (soong-kheh'-o) Short
...3791. ochleo -- to disturb, trouble
... 3791 ("to trouble,confuse") refers to pressing someone, by carrying them along
with the torrential force of a . 3791 () is used twice in the NT (Lk 6:18; Ac 5...
Strong's Hebrew
2000. hamam -- to make a noise, move noisily,confuse, discomfit... 1999, 2000. hamam. 2001 . to make a noise, move noisily,
confuse, discomfit.
Transliteration: hamam Phonetic Spelling: (haw-mam') Short Definition: routed.
...1101a. balal -- to mingle, mix,confuse, confound
... 1101, 1101a. balal. 1101b . to mingle, mix,confuse, confound.
Transliteration: balal Short Definition: mixed. Word Origin a prim....
943. buk -- to perplex,confuse
... 942, 943. buk. 944 . to perplex,confuse. Transliteration: buk Phonetic Spelling:
(book) Short Definition: confusion. Word Origin a prim....
1101. balal -- to mingle, mix,confuse, confound
... 1100, 1101. balal. 1101a . to mingle, mix,confuse, confound. Transliteration:
balal Phonetic Spelling: (baw-lal') Short Definition: anoint....
1104. bala -- to swallow down, swallow up, engulf
... root Definition to swallow down, swallow up, engulf NASB Word Usage brought to
confusion (1), confound (1),confuse (2), confused (1), consume (1), destroy (1...
Library
The Name of God
... If I begin thinking about it I shall onlyconfuse myself. So it is better for me
not to think at all.... I cannot see why they needconfuse themselves....
Concerning the Number of the Natures.
... as even though the three subsistences of the Godhead are united with each other,
we cannot speak of them as one subsistence because we shouldconfuse and do...
Chapter xi
... desist. Come, let us go down and thereconfuse their language so that one
man will not be able to understand another's speech. God...
Impressive Phrases
... conform, submit, obey, and satisfy.confuse, distort, involve, and misinterpret.
consistent... appropriate. perplex, embarrass,confuse, and mystify....
Concerning the Energies in Our Lord Jesus Christ.
... cut apart from the burning: and we do not maintain on account of the twofold natural
energy that there are two flaming swords, nor do weconfuse the essential...
Elucidations
... That they sometimes misquote orconfuse quotations, or mix a Scriptural saying with
some current proverb or an apocryphal gloss, is surely not surprising, when...
Mr. Bernard Shaw
... biggest ideals after all. All his schemes have ended in smoke; he has
touched nothing that he did notconfuse. About his figure...
Book iii. The Words of the Lord, I in the Father...
... 1. The words of the Lord, I in the Father, and the Father in Me [635] ,confuse
many minds, and not unnaturally, for the powers of human reason cannot provide...
Causes of Corruption Chiefly Intentional.
... and transposition of words already placed in lucid order, such as the sacred Text
may be reasonably supposed to have observed, wouldconfuse rather than...
What Wonder is There in It? Such Inconsistencies as These are Just...
... Such inconsistencies as these are just such as we might expect from men, whoconfuse
and change the nature of good and evil in their inconstancy of feeling and...
Thesaurus
Confuse (6 Occurrences)... 2. (vt) To mix or blend so that things can not be distinguished; to jumble together;
to confound; to render indistinct or obscure; as, to
confuse accounts; to
...Confound (9 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To mingle and blend, so that different
elements can not be distinguished; toconfuse. 2. (vt) To...
Confused (13 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) ofConfuse. Multi-Version Concordance
Confused (13 Occurrences). Acts 19:32 Some therefore...
Altar (343 Occurrences)
... drawn to the fact that these texts know of at least two kinds of altars which were
so different in appearance that no contemporary could possiblyconfuse them....
Confusion (71 Occurrences)
... Exodus 23:27 I will send my terror before you, and willconfuse all the people to
whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you....
Speech (107 Occurrences)
... Genesis 11:7 Come, let's go down, and thereconfuse their language, that they may
not understand one another's speech." (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)....
Throw (135 Occurrences)
... Exodus 23:27 I will send my terror before you, and willconfuse all the people to
whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you....
Unsettle (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To throw into confusion; to unfix; to displace;
to disorder; toconfuse. 2. (vi) To become unsettled...
Festus (14 Occurrences)
... The previous audiences of Festus with Paul and his accusers had, however, served
only toconfuse him as to the exact nature of the charge....
Rattle (2 Occurrences)
... 5. (vt) To assail, annoy, or stun with a rattling noise. 6. (vt) Hence, to disconcert;
toconfuse; as, to rattle one's judgment; to rattle a player in a game....
Resources
What happened at the Tower of Babel? | GotQuestions.orgIs Jesus the only way to Heaven? | GotQuestions.orgHow should the different genres of the Bible impact how we interpret the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgConfuse: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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