Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Usage in Scripture:The term "rot" in the Bible often refers to decay, corruption, or deterioration, both in a physical and moral sense. It is used to describe the natural process of decomposition as well as the spiritual and moral decay that can occur in individuals or societies when they turn away from God.
Physical Decay:In the physical sense, rot is associated with the natural process of decay that affects organic matter. This is seen in the context of agriculture and food storage, where rot can destroy crops and provisions. The Bible uses this imagery to illustrate the transient nature of earthly possessions and the futility of relying on material wealth. For example, in
Matthew 6:19-20 , Jesus warns, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."
Moral and Spiritual Decay:Rot is also used metaphorically to describe moral and spiritual decay. This form of rot is a consequence of sin and disobedience to God's commandments.
Proverbs 14:30 states, "A tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones." Here, envy is depicted as a corrosive force that leads to internal decay, highlighting the destructive power of sin on one's spiritual health.
Consequences of Sin:The Bible frequently associates rot with the consequences of sin and the judgment of God. In
Isaiah 5:24 , the prophet declares, "Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the stubble and as dry grass sinks in the flames, so their roots will decay, and their blossoms will blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." This passage illustrates how turning away from God's law results in spiritual decay and eventual destruction.
Restoration and Renewal:Despite the presence of rot, the Bible also offers hope for restoration and renewal through repentance and faith in God. In
Ezekiel 37, the vision of the valley of dry bones symbolizes the restoration of Israel. God promises to breathe life into the dry bones, representing the renewal of a spiritually decayed nation. This vision underscores the transformative power of God's Spirit to bring life and healing to what was once dead and decayed.
Application for Believers:Believers are called to guard against spiritual rot by remaining faithful to God's Word and living in obedience to His commandments.
Romans 12:2 encourages believers, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." By renewing their minds and focusing on spiritual growth, Christians can prevent moral and spiritual decay and live lives that are pleasing to God.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. i.) To undergo a process common to organic substances by which they lose the cohesion of their parts and pass through certain chemical changes, giving off usually in some stages of the process more or less offensive odors; to become decomposed by a natural process; to putrefy; to decay.
2. (v. i.) Figuratively: To perish slowly; to decay; to die; to become corrupt.
3. (v. t.) To make putrid; to cause to be wholly or partially decomposed by natural processes; as, to rot vegetable fiber.
4. (v. t.) To expose, as flax, to a process of maceration, etc., for the purpose of separating the fiber; to ret.
5. (n.) Process of rotting; decay; putrefaction.
6. (n.) A disease or decay in fruits, leaves, or wood, supposed to be caused by minute fungi. See Bitter rot, Black rot, etc., below.
7. (n.) A fatal distemper which attacks sheep and sometimes other animals. It is due to the presence of a parasitic worm in the liver or gall bladder. See 1st Fluke, 2.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
ROT; ROTTENNESSrot, rot'-'-n-nes (verb raqebh, noun raqabh (riqqabhon,Job 41:27), with maq, "decay" (Isaiah 5:24), and `abhash, "shrivel" (soJoel 1:17 the Revised Version margin)): "Rottenness of the bones" (Proverbs 12:4;Proverbs 14:30Habakkuk 3:16) is ulceration (caries) of the bones, used as an example of an intensely painful disease. the King James Version, in addition, has "rot" inNumbers 5:21, 22, 27, where the Revised Version (British and American) has "fall away" (naphal), but a euphemistic paraphrase is in point (see the comms.). InJeremiah 38:11, 12 the King James Version has "old rotten rags" for melach, "rag" (the Revised Version (British and American) "wornout garments," a translation that specializes too far).
Greek
4595. sepo -- to make corrupt, pass. become corrupt... become corrupt. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: sepo Phonetic Spelling:
(say'-po) Short Definition: I cause to
rot Definition: I cause to
rot, make corrupt
...2556. kakos -- bad, evil
... 2556 (an adjective, and the root of 2549 , "inner malice") -- properly, inwardly , ();
(figuratively) inner flowing out of a character (= the "rot is already...
5112. tolmeroteron -- boldly
... boldly. Part of Speech: Adverb, Comparative Transliteration: tolmeroteron Phonetic
Spelling: (tol-may-rot'-er-on) Short Definition: more boldly Definition: more...
4401. procheirotoneo -- to appoint beforehand
... to appoint beforehand. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: procheirotoneo Phonetic
Spelling: (prokh-i-rot-on-eh'-o) Short Definition: I designate beforehand...
4550. sapros -- rotten, worthless
... 4550 -- properly, (putrid), over-ripe; (figuratively) (ripened); hence, . "4550 ()
is (akin to , 'torot'), primarily, of vegetable and animal substances...
100. hadrotes -- thickness, abundance
... thickness, abundance. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: hadrotes Phonetic
Spelling: (had-rot'-ace) Short Definition: lavishness Definition...
3398. mikros -- small, little
... Including the comparative mikroteros (ik-rot'-er-os) apparently a primary word;
small (in size, quantity, number or (figuratively) dignity) -- least, less...
4643. sklerotes -- hardness
... hardness. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: sklerotes Phonetic Spelling:
(sklay-rot'-ace) Short Definition: hardness of heart Definition: hardness...
4191. poneroteros -- more wicked.
... Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: poneroteros Phonetic Spelling:
(pon-ay-rot'-er-os) Short Definition: more wicked Definition: more wicked....
5500. cheirotoneo -- to vote by stretching out the hand, to...
... to vote by stretching out the hand, to appoint. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration:
cheirotoneo Phonetic Spelling: (khi-rot-on-eh'-o) Short Definition: I...
Strong's Hebrew
7537. raqeb -- torot... raqeb. 7538 . to
rot. Transliteration: raqeb Phonetic Spelling: (raw-kab') Short
Definition:
rot.
... root Definition to
rot NASB Word Usage
rot (2).
rot.
...4743. maqaq -- to decay,rot, fester, pine away
... 4742, 4743. maqaq. 4744 . to decay,rot, fester, pine away. Transliteration:
maqaq Phonetic Spelling: (maw-kak') Short Definition:rot. Word Origin a prim....
5307. naphal -- to fall, lie
... palal), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost, lying,
overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to)rot, slay, smite...
7060. qamel -- to be decayed
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to be decayed NASB Word Usagerot away (1),
withers (1). hew down, wither. A primitive root; to wither -- hew down, wither....
4716. maq -- decay, rottenness
... putrefaction. Word Origin from maqaq Definition decay, rottenness NASB Word
Usage putrefaction (1),rot (1). rottenness, stink. From...
Library
The TemptationRot an Inward One, but the Work of Satan.
... CHAPTER II. IMPORT OF THE TEMPTATION AS A WHOLE. Section 47. The Temptation
rot an inward one, but the Work of Satan. We find, then...
Living as Dead
... It was like a tree which seems all vigorous, but which, when one thrusts
into the heart of it, proves to be pervaded by dry-rot....
Eccles. 12:12 Simplicity in Preaching.
... Once he gave out for his text, "He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation,
chooseth unto him a tree that will notrot" (Isa.40:20)....
High Doctrine
... God. Leave men to themselves, and the corruption of their nature may fester,
androt, and breed the fungus of a vile imagination....
On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. vi. 19, "Lay not up for...
... and says to thee, "What hast thou done?" Thou hast put the corn in the flat soil,
in the lower land; the soil is moist; it will allrot, and thou wilt lose thy...
When a Man Sows, He Expects to Reap.
... Wet soil mayrot the seed, or frost may nip the early buds, or the weather may prove
too wet or too dry to bring the crops to maturity, but none of these...
Pride Catechized
... that the moon should be darkened, that all springs should be dried, that the very
air itself should disappear,"we could better afford to die, androt in our...
The Vanity of Idols.
... Are they not without life? Are they not destitute of feeling? Are they not incapable
of motion? Are they not all liable torot? Are they not all corruptible?...
The Jordan Memorial Stone
... testimony now. First note that this memorial was stone. It was not wood, that
wouldrot, burn up, or float away to the Dead Sea. It was...
Success.
... When a church begins torot instead of grow it is natural for us to do our utmost
to find out some way of excusing the retrogression without admitting our...
Thesaurus
Rot (15 Occurrences)... 3. (vt) To make putrid; to cause to be wholly or partially decomposed by natural
processes; as, to
rot vegetable fiber.
... See Bitter
rot, Black
rot, etc., below.
...Rottenness (9 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible EncyclopediaROT; ROTTENNESS.rot,rot'-'-n-nes (verb
raqebh, noun raqabh (riqqabhon, Job 41:27), with maq, "decay...
Belly (62 Occurrences)
... of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse
and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh torot, and thy...
Rote (1 Occurrence)
...rot: the Revised Version margin gives "learned by rote" in Isaiah 29:13 for the
King James Version "taught," which indicates that the service of Yahweh was...
Putrefy (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (vt) To render putrid; to cause to decay offensively; to cause to be decomposed;
to cause torot.... 4. (vi) To become putrid; to decay offensively; torot....
Causeth (209 Occurrences)
... Numbers 5:22 And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to
make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh torot: And the woman shall say, Amen...
Granaries (7 Occurrences)
... (See JPS RSV NIV). Joel 1:17 The seedsrot under their clods. The granaries are
laid desolate. The barns are broken down, for the grain has withered....
Impoverished (4 Occurrences)
... the LORD. (KJV WBS NIV). Isaiah 40:20 He who is too impoverished for such
an offering chooses a tree that will notrot. He seeks...
Rostrum (1 Occurrence)
Decay (18 Occurrences)
... state, to one of imperfection, adversity, or dissolution; to waste away; to decline;
to fail; to become weak, corrupt, or disintegrated; torot; to perish; as...
Resources
Is God sovereign over death? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about zombies? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is Christless Christianity? | GotQuestions.orgRot: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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