Enemy

"enemy." ’Oyeb has an Ugaritic cognate. It appears about 282 times in biblical Hebrew and in all periods. In form, the word is an active infinitive (or more precisely, a verbal noun). This word means "enemy," and is used in at least one reference to both individuals and nations: "… in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies" (Gen 22:17, the first occurrence). "Personal foes" may be represented by this word: "If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again" (Exod 23:4). This idea includes "those who show hostility toward me": "But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong; and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied" (Psa 38:19).

One might be an "enemy" of God: "… the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies" (Nah 1:2). God is the "enemy" of all who refuse to submit to His lordship: "But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy …" (Isa 63:10).

"adversary; enemy; foe." This noun occurs 70 times in the Hebrew Old Testament, mainly in the Psalms (26 times) and Lamentations (9 times). The first use of the noun is in Gen 14:20: "And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand." Sar is a general designation for "enemy." The "enemy" may be a nation (2Sam 24:13) or, more rarely, the "opponent" of an individual (cf. Gen 14:20; Psa 3:1). The Lord may also be the "enemy" of His sinful people as His judgment comes upon them (cf. Deut 32:41-43). Hence, the Book of Lamentations describes God as an "adversary" of His people: "He hath bent his bow like an enemy [’oyeb]: he stood with his right hand as an adversary [sar], and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire" (Lam 2:4).

The word sar has several synonyms: ’oyeb, "enemy" (cf. Lam 2:5); sane’, "hater" (Psa 44:7); rodep, "persecutor" (Psa 119:157); ‘arîs, "tyrant; oppressor" (Job 6:23).

In the Septuagint, sar is generally translated by echthros ("enemy"). The kjv gives these translations: "enemy; adversary; foe."

an adjective, primarily denoting "hated" or "hateful" (akin to echthos, "hate;" perhaps associated with ektos, "outside"), hence, in the Active sense, denotes "hating, hostile;" it is used as a noun signifying an "enemy," adversary, and is said (a) of the Devil, Mat 13:39, Luk 10:19; (b) of death, 1Co 15:26; (c) of the professing believer who would be a friend of the world, thus making himself an enemy of God, Jam 4:4; (d) of men who are opposed to Christ, Mat 13:25, Mat 13:28, Mat 22:44, Mar 12:36, Luk 19:27, Luk 20:43, Act 2:35, Rom 11:28, Phi 3:18, Heb 1:13, Heb 10:13; or to His servants, Rev 11:5, Rev 11:12. To the nation of Israel, Luk 1:71, Luk 1:74, Luk 19:43; (e) of one who is opposed to righteousness, Act 13:10; (f) of Israel in its alienation from God, Rom 11:28; (g) of the unregenerate in their attitude toward God, Rom 5:10, Col 1:21; (h) of believers in their former state, 2Th 3:15; (i) of foes, Mat 1:5-44, Mat 10:36, Luk 6:27, Luk 6:35, Rom 12:20, 1Co 15:25; of the Apostle Paul because he told converts "the truth," Gal 4:16. See FOE. Cp. echthra, "enmity."