ISBE
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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia · 1915

Garnish

gar'-nish (tsippah, shiphrah; kosmeo):

The word is used twice in the Old Testament. In 2 Chronicles 3:6, tsippah means "to overlay," or "to plate." Thus, he "garnished" the house or "overlaid" it, "studded" it, with precious stones, and thus adorned and beautified it. In Job 26:13, shiphrah is a feminine noun meaning "fairness," "beauty," "brilliancy." "By his Spirit the heavens are garnished," i.e. the clouds are driven off by the wind or breath of Yahweh, and the sky made bright and clear.

In the New Testament (Matthew 12:44; 23:29) the word kosmeo means "set in order," "make ready," "adorn," etc. In Matthew 25:7 it is translated "trimmed," and in Revelation 21:19 "adorned."

J. J. Reeve

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr, general editor (Chicago: Howard-Severance, 1915). Public domain. Text as published by biblestudytools.com. From the Encyclosphere, the open network of encyclopedias run by the Knowledge Standards Foundation. Changed for Deep Dive Bible: links to 1, 2, and 3 John that our source pointed at the Gospel of John corrected; our source’s section marks set as headings.