Topical Encyclopedia
The term "little" in the Bible often conveys notions of size, quantity, or significance, and it is used both literally and metaphorically. It appears in various contexts, from describing physical stature to illustrating spiritual principles.
1.
Physical Stature and Quantity:
· In the context of physical size, "little" is used to describe individuals or objects that are small in stature or number. For example, Zacchaeus is described as "small in stature" (
Luke 19:3), highlighting his physical height as he climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus.
· The term is also used to denote a small quantity, as seen in the account of the widow of Zarephath, who had "only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug" (
1 Kings 17:12). This illustrates the scarcity of resources during a time of famine.
2.
Spiritual and Moral Lessons:
· "Little" is often used to convey spiritual truths, emphasizing humility and the value of small beginnings. Jesus teaches that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains (
Matthew 17:20), underscoring the power of even the smallest amount of genuine faith.
· The concept of being "faithful in little" is highlighted in the parable of the talents, where the master commends the servant who is faithful with a few things and promises to set him over many things (
Matthew 25:21). This principle emphasizes the importance of stewardship and responsibility in the Christian life.
3.
Children and Innocence:
· The term "little" is also used affectionately to refer to children, who are often seen as examples of humility and purity. Jesus' words, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (
Matthew 19:14), highlight the value and significance of childlike faith and innocence in the kingdom of God.
4.
Warnings and Cautions:
· The Bible also uses "little" to warn against seemingly insignificant sins or influences that can have a large impact. In
Galatians 5:9, Paul warns, "A little leaven leavens the whole lump" , illustrating how a small amount of false teaching or sin can permeate and corrupt an entire community.
5.
Divine Perspective:
· From a divine perspective, what is considered "little" by human standards can be significant in God's eyes. The account of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) exemplifies how God can use a "little" shepherd boy to achieve a great victory, demonstrating that God's power is made perfect in weakness.
In summary, the concept of "little" in the Bible serves as a multifaceted symbol, teaching lessons about humility, faith, responsibility, and the transformative power of God's grace. Through various narratives and teachings, Scripture reveals that what is small in the eyes of the world can be mighty in the hands of God.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
a.) Small in size or extent; not big; diminutive; -- opposed to big or large; as, a little body; a little animal; a little piece of ground; a little hill; a little distance; a little child.
2. (a.) Short in duration; brief; as, a little sleep.
3. (a.) Small in quantity or amount; not much; as, a little food; a little air or water.
4. (a.) Small in dignity, power, or importance; not great; insignificant; contemptible.
5. (a.) Small in force or efficiency; not strong; weak; slight; inconsiderable; as, little attention or exertion; little effort; little care or diligence.
6. (a.) Small in extent of views or sympathies; narrow; shallow; contracted; mean; illiberal; ungenerous.
7. (n.) That which is little; a small quantity, amount, space, or the like.
8. (n.) A small degree or scale; miniature.
9. (adv.) In a small quantity or degree; not much; slightly; somewhat; -- often with a preceding it.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
OWL, LITTLE(koc; nuktikorax; Latin Athene meridionalis): A night bird of prey distinguished by a round head, and extremely large eyes. The little owl is left in the Revised Version (British and American) only in the lists of abominations (seeLeviticus 11:17Deuteronomy 14:16).
SeeOWL.
WAY, LITTLE
(kibhrah, "length," "a measure"): A technical measure of distance in the Hebrew; but it must be considered undefined (Genesis 35:16;Genesis 48:7 the King James Version, the English Revised Version "some way," the American Standard Revised Version "some distance"; 2 Kings 5:19, the English Revised Version "some way," the American Revised Version margin "some distance"). The Hebrew term kibhrah is also found in Phoenician inscriptions as a measure of distance.
LITTLE GENESIS
SeeBOOK OF JUBILEES.
Greek
3398. mikros -- small,little... small,
little. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: mikros Phonetic Spelling:
(mik-ros') Short Definition:
little, small Definition:
little, small.
...1024. brachus -- short,little
... short,little. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: brachus Phonetic Spelling:
(brakh-ooce') Short Definition: short,little Definition: short,little, few...
3641. oligos -- few,little, small
... few,little, small. Part of Speech: Adjective; Adverb Transliteration: oligos Phonetic
Spelling: (ol-ee'-gos) Short Definition: small, brief, few, soon...
3640. oligopistos --little faith
...little faith. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: oligopistos Phonetic Spelling:
(ol-ig-op'-is-tos) Short Definition: oflittle faith Definition: of...
974. biblaridion -- alittle book
... alittle book. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: biblaridion Phonetic
Spelling: (bib-lee-ar-id'-ee-on) Short Definition: alittle papyrus roll...
5040. teknion -- alittle child
... alittle child. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: teknion Phonetic Spelling:
(tek-nee'-on) Short Definition: alittle child Definition: alittle...
3397. mikron -- alittle
... alittle. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine; Noun, Neuter Transliteration: mikron
Phonetic Spelling: (mik-ron') Short Definition: alittle,little while Definition...
4142. ploiarion -- alittle boat
... alittle boat. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: ploiarion Phonetic
Spelling: (ploy-ar'-ee-on) Short Definition: alittle boat Definition: (alittle...
2365. thugatrion -- alittle daughter
... alittle daughter. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: thugatrion Phonetic
Spelling: (thoo-gat'-ree-on) Short Definition: alittle daughter Definition...
2762. keraia -- alittle horn
... alittle horn. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: keraia Phonetic Spelling:
(ker-ah'-yah) Short Definition: an apostrophe Definition: alittle hook...
Strong's Hebrew
4592. meat -- alittle, fewness, a fewmeat or meat. 4591, 4592. meat or meat. 4593 . a
little, fewness, a few.
Transliteration: meat or meat Phonetic Spelling: (meh-at') Short Definition:
little...6810. tsair --little, insignificant, young
... 6809, 6810. tsair. 6811 .little, insignificant, young. Transliteration:
tsair Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-eer') Short Definition: younger....
2191. zeer -- alittle
... 2190, 2191. zeer. 2192 . alittle. Transliteration: zeer Phonetic Spelling:
(zeh-ayr') Short Definition:little. Word Origin from...
6995. qeton --little (finger)
... 6994, 6995. qeton. 6996 .little (finger). Transliteration: qeton Phonetic
Spelling: (ko'-ten) Short Definition: finger....little finger....
2835. chasiph --little flock
... 2834, 2835. chasiph or chasiph. 2836 .little flock. Transliteration: chasiph
or chasiph Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-seef') Short Definition: flocks....little flock...
2192. zeer --little, small
... zeer. 2193 .little, small. Transliteration: zeer Phonetic Spelling: (zeh-ayr')
Short Definition: one....little. (Aramaic) corresponding to ze'eyr --little....
8241. shetseph --little
... shetseph. 8242 .little. Transliteration: shetseph Phonetic Spelling: (sheh'-tsef)
Short Definition:little. Word Origin the same as sheteph, qv.little...
4704. mitstseirah --little
... mitstseirah. 4705 .little. Transliteration: mitstseirah Phonetic Spelling:
(mits-tseh-ee-raw') Short Definition:little. Word Origin see tsair.little...
6686. Tsuar -- "little one," a man of Issachar
... 6685, 6686. Tsuar. 6687 . "little one," a man of Issachar. Transliteration:
Tsuar Phonetic Spelling: (tsoo-awr') Short Definition: Zuar....
4213. mizar -- alittle, a trifle, a few
... 4212, 4213. mizar. 4214 . alittle, a trifle, a few. Transliteration:
mizar Phonetic Spelling: (miz-awr') Short Definition: very....
Library
TheLittle Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi
TheLittle Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi. <. TheLittle Flowers of St.
Francis of Assisi Brother Ugolino. Table of Contents. Title Page....
ALittle Book of Eternal Wisdom
ALittle Book of Eternal Wisdom. <. ALittle Book of Eternal Wisdom Henry
Suso. Table of Contents. Title Page. ALittle Book of Eternal Wisdom....
Luther'sLittle Instruction Book
Luther'sLittle Instruction Book. <. Luther'sLittle Instruction Book Martin
Luther. Smith, Robert Ernest (Translator) Table of Contents. Title Page....
Little Foxes
...LITTLE FOXES. In far-off... These watchers manage very well with all the other
wild animals excepting thelittle foxes. They can see...
TheLittle Foxes.
... THELITTLE FOXES. Onelittle fox is, "Some other time." If you track him
up, you come to his hole"never. Anotherlittle fox is...
Little Folded Hands
Little Folded Hands. <.Little Folded Hands Anonymous. Produced by The Children's
Library Project Management Team, Christine Table of Contents....
"Little Mother"
... "LITTLE MOTHER". She was a clear... miles away. "Be mother'slittle woman, dear,"
said Mrs. Mayfield as she kissed the rosy face. Her husband...
ALittle While.
... ALITTLE WHILE. ALITTLE WHILE. 10,10,6,6,10. "Alittle while, and ye shall
not see me: and again alittle while, and ye shall see...
ALittle Maid
... BIBLE STORIES AND RELIGIOUS CLASSICS ALITTLE MAID.... Of all old stories, I hardly
know a better one than this of Naaman and thelittle maid from Samaria....
TheLittle Match Girl
... BIBLE STORIES AND RELIGIOUS CLASSICS THELITTLE MATCH GIRL.... In the cold and gloom
a poorlittle girl, bareheaded and barefoot, was walking through the streets....
Thesaurus
Little (2458 Occurrences)... 1. (a.) Small in size or extent; not big; diminutive; -- opposed to big or large;
as, a
little body; a
little animal; a
little piece of ground; a
little hill
...Small (1110 Occurrences)
... 1. (superl.) Havinglittle size, compared with other things of the same kind;little
in quantity or degree; diminutive; not large or extended in dimension; not...
Almost (27 Occurrences)
... of the first two words is concerned; but their explanation of the sentence is also
erroneous; for the Greek cannot mean "With butlittle persuasion thou...
Slumber (14 Occurrences)
... Proverbs 6:10 Alittle sleep, alittle slumber, alittle folding of the
hands to sleep: (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)....
Chambers (68 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter into your chambers, and shut your doors behind
you. Hide yourself for alittle moment, until the indignation is past....
Crowned (14 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 2:7 You made him alittle lower than the angels.... (BBE). Psalms 8:5 For you
have made him alittle lower than God, and crowned him with glory and honor....
Appears (38 Occurrences)
... Matthew 2:13 Now, they having departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appears in
a dream to Joseph, saying, Arise, take to thee thelittle child and his mother...
Cord (47 Occurrences)
... cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope." This verse is thus given
in the Chaldee paraphrase: "Woe to those who begin to sin bylittle andlittle...
Zoology
... RODENTIA: Mouse, Mole-Rat (sv MOLE), Porcupine, Hare Birds: PASSERES: Sparrow, Swallow,
Raven, Hoopoe, Night Hawk RAPTORES: Great Owl,Little Owl, Horned Owl...
Belongeth (36 Occurrences)
... Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer thelittle children, and forbid them not, to
come unto me: for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven. (ASV)....
Resources
What is the little horn in the book of Daniel? | GotQuestions.orgIs the little drummer boy in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean that Jesus loves the little children? | GotQuestions.orgLittle: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
