Topical Encyclopedia
The term "tender" in the Bible often conveys notions of gentleness, compassion, and sensitivity. It is used in various contexts, from describing physical attributes to character qualities and emotional states. The concept of tenderness is significant in understanding the nature of God, human relationships, and the moral and spiritual expectations placed upon believers.
Old Testament UsageIn the Old Testament, "tender" is frequently used to describe physical attributes, particularly in relation to age or vulnerability. For example, in
Genesis 29:17, Leah is described as having "tender eyes," which may imply a gentle or soft appearance. The Hebrew word often translated as "tender" is "rak," which can mean soft, delicate, or weak.
In
Deuteronomy 28:56, the term is used to describe a woman of refined and delicate nature: "The most gentle and refined woman among you, so tender and delicate that she would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground..." . This usage highlights the fragility and sensitivity associated with tenderness.
New Testament UsageIn the New Testament, tenderness is more frequently associated with emotional and spiritual qualities.
Ephesians 4:32 exhorts believers to "be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you" . Here, tenderness is linked with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness, reflecting the character of Christ and the expected behavior of His followers.
The Greek word often translated as "tenderhearted" is "eusplagchnos," which conveys a deep-seated compassion and empathy. This term underscores the importance of emotional sensitivity and a compassionate disposition in Christian conduct.
Theological SignificanceTenderness is a reflection of God's own nature. In
Hosea 11:4, God describes His relationship with Israel using tender imagery: "I led them with cords of kindness, with ropes of love; I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them" . This passage illustrates God's gentle and nurturing care for His people, emphasizing His loving-kindness and mercy.
The tender nature of God is also evident in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. In
Matthew 11:29, Jesus invites the weary to find rest in Him, describing Himself as "gentle and humble in heart" . His tenderness is demonstrated through His interactions with the marginalized, the sick, and the repentant, offering healing, forgiveness, and acceptance.
Practical ApplicationBelievers are called to emulate God's tenderness in their interactions with others. This involves cultivating a heart of compassion, being sensitive to the needs and feelings of others, and responding with kindness and gentleness. Tenderness is not a sign of weakness but a strength that reflects the character of Christ and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer.
In family and community relationships, tenderness fosters unity, understanding, and peace. It is essential in parenting, marriage, and friendships, where patience and empathy are crucial for nurturing healthy and loving relationships. As Christians strive to live out their faith, tenderness becomes a vital expression of love and a testament to the grace of God at work in their lives.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) One who tends; one who takes care of any person or thing; a nurse.
2. (n.) A vessel employed to attend other vessels, to supply them with provisions and other stores, to convey intelligence, or the like.
3. (n.) A car attached to a locomotive, for carrying a supply of fuel and water.
4. (v. t.) To offer in payment or satisfaction of a demand, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture; as, to tender the amount of rent or debt.
5. (v. t.) To offer in words; to present for acceptance.
6. (n.) An offer, either of money to pay a debt, or of service to be performed, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture, which would be incurred by nonpayment or nonperformance; as, the tender of rent due, or of the amount of a note, with interest.
7. (n.) Any offer or proposal made for acceptance; as, a tender of a loan, of service, or of friendship; a tender of a bid for a contract.
8. (n.) The thing offered; especially, money offered in payment of an obligation.
9. (superl.) Easily impressed, broken, bruised, or injured; not firm or hard; delicate; as, tender plants; tender flesh; tender fruit.
10. (superl.) Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.
11. (superl.) Physically weak; not hardly or able to endure hardship; immature; effeminate.
12. (superl.) Susceptible of the softer passions, as love, compassion, kindness; compassionate; pitiful; anxious for another's good; easily excited to pity, forgiveness, or favor; sympathetic.
13. (superl.) Exciting kind concern; dear; precious.
14. (superl.) Careful to save inviolate, or not to injure; -- with of.
15. (superl.) Unwilling to cause pain; gentle; mild.
16. (superl.) Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; expressive of the softer passions; pathetic; as, tender expressions; tender expostulations; a tender strain.
17. (superl.) Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate; as, a tender subject.
18. (superl.) Heeling over too easily when under sail; -- said of a vessel.
19. (n.) Regard; care; kind concern.
20. (v. t.) To have a care of; to be tender toward; hence, to regard; to esteem; to value.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
TENDERten'-der: The usua1 (11 out of 16 times) translation of rakh, "soft," "delicate," with the noun rokh, inDeuteronomy 28:56 and the verb rakhakh, in2 Kings 22:19 parallel2 Chronicles 34:27. Attention need be called only to the following cases: InGenesis 29:17, "Leah's eyes were tender," a physical defect is described ("weak-eyed"; see BLINDNESS). "Tender-hearted" in2 Chronicles 13:7 means "faint-hearted," while in2 Kings 22:19 parallel2 Chronicles 34:27 ("because thy heart was tender"), it means "penitent." Contrast the modern use inEphesians 4:32.
Throughout Psalms (10 times) and Proverbs (12:10), but not elsewhere (the King James Version has "tender love" inDaniel 1:9, the Revised Version (British and American) "compassion"), English Versions of the Bible translate rachamim, "bowels," by "tender mercies," and this translation has been carried into the New Testament as "tender mercy" (the Revised Version margin "heart of mercy") for the corresponding Greek phrase splagchna eleous ("bowels of mercy") inLuke 1:78; compare "tenderhearted" for eusplagchnos ("right boweled") inEphesians 4:32, based upon the idea of psychology widely spread among Semitic people, which considers the "bowels" (qerebh) as the seat of all tender emotions of kindness and mercy: SeeBOWELS. the King James Version also has "of tender mercy" inJames 5:11 without justification in the Greek (oiktirmon, the Revised Version (British and American) "merciful").
Other special phrases: "tender grape" in the King James Version,Songs 2:13, 15;Songs 7:12, for cemadhar. The meaning of the word is not quite certain, but Revised Margin's "blossom" (except 7:12 margin) is probably right. "Tender grass" in2 Samuel 23:4Proverbs 27:25; the Revised Version (British and American)Deuteronomy 32:2 (the King James Version "tender herb");Isaiah 15:6;Isaiah 66:14 for deshe' "grass" (Aramaic dethe',Daniel 4:15, 23). The context in these passages and the meaning of the cognates of deshe' in other Semitic languages make this translation probable, but Revised Version's usage is not consistent (compareGenesis 1:11, 12Job 6:5Psalm 23:2, etc.). Isaiah, 53:2 has "tender plant" for yoneq, "a sapling," whileJob 14:7 has "tender branch" for the allied word yoneqeth, usually rendered "shoot" (Job 8:16, etc.). Finally, "tender" inMark 13:28 parallelMatthew 24:32 is for hapalos, "soft." The running sap of springtime softens the branches that were stiff during the winter.
The verb "tender" occurs in 2 Maccabees 4:2, the King James Version "(he had) tendered his own nation," in the modern sense of "tend." The translation is a paraphrase of the noun kedemon, "a protector," the Revised Version (British and American) "the guardian of his fellow-countrymen."
Burton Scott Easton
EYES, TENDER
SeeBLINDNESS.
Greek
527. hapalos --tender...tender. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: hapalos Phonetic Spelling:
(ap-al-os') Short Definition:
tender Definition: soft,
tender, as a shoot of a tree
...2155. eusplagchnos -- tenderhearted, compassionate
... compassionate. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: eusplagchnos Phonetic
Spelling: (yoo'-splangkh-nos) Short Definition:tender-hearted, merciful...
4698. splagchnon -- the inward parts (heart, liver, lungs, etc.)...
... the emotions NASB Word Usage affection (3), affections (1), heart (4), hearts (1),
intestines (1),tender (1). bowels, inward affection,tender mercy....
3629. oiktirmon -- merciful
... merciful, oftender mercy. From oikteiro; compassionate -- merciful, oftender
mercy. see GREEK oikteiro. (oiktirmones) -- 1 Occurrence....
1656. eleos -- mercy, pity, compassion
...tender mercy. Of uncertain affinity; compassion (human or divine, especially active) --
(+tender) mercy. (eleos) -- 20 Occurrences. (eleous) -- 5 Occurrences....
2798. klados -- a branch
... a branch. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: klados Phonetic Spelling:
(klad'-os) Short Definition: a branch Definition: a youngtender shoot, then...
2324. therapon -- an attendant
... 2324 () refers to a faithful attendant who serves another, like a friend serving
in atender, noble way (used only in Heb 3:5). Moses is called a faithful 2324...
5368. phileo -- to love
... 5368 (from 5384 , "affectionate friendship") -- properly, to show in intimate ,
characterized bytender, heartfelt consideration and kinship....
4374. prosphero -- to bring to, ie to offer
... From pros and phero (including its alternate); to bear towards, ie Lead to,tender
(especially to God), treat -- bring (to, unto), deal with, do, offer (unto...
Strong's Hebrew
7390. rak --tender, delicate, soft... 7389, 7390. rak. 7391 .
tender, delicate, soft. Transliteration: rak Phonetic
Spelling: (rak) Short Definition:
tender. Word Origin
...7401. rakak -- to betender, weak or soft
... 7400, 7401. rakak. 7402 . to betender, weak or soft. Transliteration: rakak
Phonetic Spelling: (raw-kak') Short Definition: fainthearted. Word Origin a prim...
5349. noqed -- sheep raiser, sheep dealer, sheeptender
... 5348, 5349. noqed. 5350 . sheep raiser, sheep dealer, sheeptender.
Transliteration: noqed Phonetic Spelling: (no-kade') Short Definition: breeder....
3648. kamar -- to grow warm andtender, to be or grow hot
... kamar. 3649 . to grow warm andtender, to be or grow hot. Transliteration: kamar
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-mar') Short Definition: stirred. Word Origin a prim....
1877. deshe -- grass
... Word Origin from dasha Definition grass NASB Word Usage fresh grass (1), grass
(3), green (1), herb (3), new grass (1), new growth (1),tender grass (2...
7356. racham -- compassion
... mercy (2).tender love, great,tender mercy, pity, womb. From racham; compassion
(in the plural); by extension, the womb (as cherishing...
3126. yoneq -- a young plant, sapling
... shoot. Word Origin active participle of yanaq Definition a young plant, sapling
NASB Word Usagetender shoot (1).tender plant. Active...
3127. yoneqeth -- a young shoot, twig
...tender branch, young twig. Feminine of yowneq; a sprout -- (tender) branch, young
twig. see HEBREW yowneq. 3126, 3127. yoneqeth. 3128 . Strong's Numbers.
1883. dethe -- grass
... Word Origin (Aramaic) corresponding to deshe Definition grass NASB Word Usage new
grass (2).tender grass. (Aramaic) corresponding to deshe' --tender grass....
5563. semadar -- blossom (of the grape)
...tender grape. Of uncertain derivation; a vine blossom; used also adverbially, abloom --
tender grape. 5562, 5563. semadar. 5564 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
Tender Mercies, on My Way
...Tender mercies, on my way. 7,7,7,7 "I will bless the Lord at all times." " Psalm
34:1.Tender mercies, on my way. Falling softly like the dew,....
God'sTender Care of his Church, Isa. 13 &C.
... God'stender care of his church, Isa.... 4 Can a kind woman e'er forget The infant of
her womb, And 'mongst a thousandtender thoughts Her suckling have no room?...
Tender Shepherd, Thou Hast Stilled
... III. SACRAMENTS AND RITES Burial of the Dead: For Children 414.Tender Shepherd,
thou hast stilled.... Catherine Winkworth, 1868.Tender Shepherd, thou hast stilled...
Give Me aTender Spotless Child,
... The Treasury of Sacred Song. Book First CCCXIV Give me atender spotless child,.
Rehearsing or at eve or morn His chant of glory undefiled,....
God'sTender Care of his Church. Isa. 49:13Ff.
... HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS IN THREE BOOKS. HYMN 39 God'stender care of his church.
Isa. 49:13ff. CM God'stender care of his church. Isa.49:13ff....
Jesus,Tender Shepherd, Hear Me
... SACRAMENTS AND RITES Catechism 360. Jesus,tender Shepherd, hear me. 8.7.8.7... Mary
Duncan, 1839. Jesus,tender Shepherd, hear me; Bless thy little lamb tonight:...
"TheTender Mercy of Our God"
... "TheTender Mercy of Our God". A Sermon (No.1907). Delivered on Lord's-day Morning,
June 27th, 1886, by. CH SPURGEON,. At [8]the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington...
The Long-Suffering, Loving-Kindness, andTender-Mercies of God....
... The Long-suffering, Loving-kindness, andTender-mercies of God."Ps. ciii.... The
Long-suffering, Loving-kindness, andTender-mercies of God."Psalm 103.p>....
He Maketh Me to Lie Down in Pastures ofTender Grass; He Leadeth...
... IV. HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN IN PASTURES OFTENDER GRASS; HE LEADETH ME BESIDE
THE WATERS OF QUIETNESS. Our attention is now directed...
Laban had Two Daughters, Leah and Rachel; but Leah hadTender Eyes...
... The Sacred History Of Sulpitius Severus. Book I. Chapter IX. Laban had
two daughters, Leah and Rachel; but Leah hadtender eyes?...
Thesaurus
Tender (66 Occurrences)... 4. (vt) To offer in payment or satisfaction of a demand, in order to save a penalty
or forfeiture; as, to
tender the amount of rent or debt.
...Tender-hearted (2 Occurrences)
Tender-hearted. Tenderhearted,Tender-hearted.Tender-heartedness . Noah Webster's
Dictionary... Multi-Version ConcordanceTender-hearted (2 Occurrences)....
Tender-heartedness (2 Occurrences)
Tender-heartedness.Tender-hearted,Tender-heartedness. Tenderly .
Multi-Version ConcordanceTender-heartedness (2 Occurrences)....
Tender-eyed (1 Occurrence)
Tender-eyed. Tenderer,Tender-eyed. Tenderhearted . Multi-Version
ConcordanceTender-eyed (1 Occurrence). Genesis 29...
Compassions (17 Occurrences)
... Philippians 2:1 If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation
of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if anytender mercies and...
Mercies (62 Occurrences)
... RSV). Philippians 1:8 For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in
thetender mercies of Christ Jesus. (WEB ASV BBE). Philippians...
Delicate (32 Occurrences)
... 9. (a.)Tender; not able to endure hardship; feeble; frail; effeminate; -- said
of constitution, health, etc.; as, a delicate child; delicate health. 10....
Grape (20 Occurrences)
... Grapes are spoken of as "tender" (Cant.... Song of Songs 2:13 The fig tree putteth forth
her green figs, and the vines with thetender grape give a good smell....
Greenness (4 Occurrences)
... inhabitants 'are' feeble-handed, They were broken down, and are dried up, They have
been the herb of the field, And the greenness of thetender grass, Grass of...
Twigs (8 Occurrences)
... Matthew 24:32 "Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch has now
becometender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near....
Resources
The Fruit of the Holy Spirit What is kindness? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean that God's mercies are new every morning? | GotQuestions.orgWhy does Solomon refer to his wife as his sister (Song of Solomon 4:9)? | GotQuestions.orgTender: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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