I realized after my previous post that there may be questions as to the difference between the above bible resources. Below you will find a very brief description of each:
Dictionary- just as in English, this resource provides a definition of Hebrew and Greek words. With some definitions there might also be a photo or prototype drawing, or another kind of related visual, such as a map. However, even though the etymology of the word is present in most cases, there is little depth as to the use of the word as it is found in scripture.
Concordance- Strong's seems to be the most widely used concordance as they have individual concordances that are available for use with the King James, New International, and New American Standard versions of the bible. The concordance, Strong's or otherwise, is a popular resource when you remember a certain word but not the verse in which it can be found. Since all the words are alphabetized, you can easily find the word, and then read the list of scriptures where the word is found. In addition, there is a corresponding number for each word, Hebrew or Greek, and by using that number you can find the meaning of the word.
Lexicon- synonyms for lexicon may be dictionary, word or vocabulary book, glossary, or thesaurus of Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic languages. Used in tandem with a concordance, a lexicon can help complete a study of bible words and scriptures as they relate to the culture of each language.The Blue Letter Bible website provides a Strong's concordance number for bible words as well as its etymology.
While the above bible resources can be found in book form, they are also available online through several bible websites including www.blueletterbible.com, www.biblestudytools.com; and www.e-sword.net. Most of the website resources are free for public use; however, e-sword charges a fee for use of Zodhiate Word Study books and dictionaries.
Digging into bible words has strengthened my understanding of scripture to the point where I can't imagine reading a verse and not considering how precise the translation might be from the Hebrew or Greek language to English. Considering the word "love", and its use in the New Testament, until I really began studying words in scripture, I had no idea how many definitions there were of this little English word. I'm excited to know now the difference between "phileo" (John 12:25) and "agape" (1 Corinithians 13) love.
One of my primary goals in life is to develop a deeper understanding of God's word. My study of the words in red*, strengthens my relationship with Jesus Christ as His lessons become more clear to me. My word studies take me closer to a better understanding of what God's word means in context, and how it should be applied in my daily life to give Him honor and glory. Making time during each bible study to look into the etymology and meaning of words can help me reach my stated goal. Each word search has the potential for me to unearth a little treasure. I hope today you'll begin a word search from your bible study and unearth your own little treasures.