Vain

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Bible Encyclopedia and dictionary

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Vain: The adjective of "vanity," and representing the same Hebrew and Greek words as does the latter, with a few additions (chiefly kenos, "empty," and its compounds in the New Testament). And "vain" can always be replaced by its synonym "empty," often with advantage in modern English ([Job 15:2]; [1 Corinthians 15:14], etc.). The exception is the phrase "in vain," and even there the interchange can be made if some (understood) noun such as "ways" be added. So "to take God's name in vain" (Exodus_20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11) means simply to take it for an "empty" ("not good") purpose.

The word we see in Job 30:3 "For want and famine [they were] solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate <07722>[1] and waste[2]." It is spelled ShinVavAlef but also ShinVavHey but defined ravage or ruin

Leviticus 26:20 "And your strength shall be spent in vain <07385>[3] : for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits."

This form is also seen in Job 39:16 "She is hardened against her young ones, as though [they were] not hers: her labour is in vain <07385>[3] without fear;"

The word riyq (רִיק‎) <07385> which is ReishYodKuf also said to mean empty or idle.

Another word said to mean empty is (רֵיק)‎ reyq in Genesis 37:24 "And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit [was] empty <07386>>[4], [there was] no water in it."


Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines vain as follows;

VAIN, adjective [Latin vanus; Eng. wan, wane, want.]
1. Empty; worthless; having no substance, value or importance. 1 Peter 1:18.
1 Peter 1:17-21 KJV - And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
To your vain answer will you have recourse.
Every man walketh in a vain show. Psalms 39:6.
Psalms 39:6 KJV - Surely every man walketh in a vain[5] shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up [riches], and knoweth not who shall gather them..
Why do the people imagine a vain thing? Psalms 2:1.
Psalms 2:1 KJV - Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain[3] thing?.
2. Fruitless; ineffectual. All attempts, all efforts were vain
VAIN is the force of man.
3. Proud of petty things, or of trifling attainments; elated with a high opinion of one's own accomplishments, or with things more showy than valuable; conceited.
The minstrels play'd on every side, vain of their art -
4. Empty; unreal; as a vain chimers.
5. Showy; ostentatious.
Load some vain church with old theatric state.
6. Light; inconstant; worthless. Proverbs 12:11.
Proverbs 12:11 KJV - He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain[4] [persons is] void of understanding.
7. Empty; unsatisfying. The pleasures of life are vain
8. False; deceitful; not genuine; spurious. James 1:26.
James 1:26-27 KJV - If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion [is] vain.[6] Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.
9. Not effectual; having no efficacy
Bring no more vain oblations. Isaiah 1:13.
Isaiah 1:13 KJV - Bring no more vain[7] oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; [it is] iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
In vain to no purpose; without effect; ineffectual.
In vain they do worship me. Matthew 15:9.
Matthew 15:3-9 KJV - But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to [his] father or [his] mother, [It is] a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, [he shall be free]. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. [Ye] hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.
(We see in Mark 7:11 "But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, [It is] Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; [he shall be free]." that the tradition was their Corban which had been set up by Herod and the Pharisees to provide a social safety net which by God's command could only be by freewill offering and charity.)
To take the name of God in vain to use the name of God with levity or profaneness.
  1. ↑ 07722 שׁוֹא‎ show’ [sho] or (fem.) שׁואה‎ show’ah [sho-aw’] or שׁאה‎ sho’ah [sho-aw’] from an unused root meaning to rush over; n m/n f; [BDB-996a] [{See TWOT on 2339 }] [{See TWOT on 2339 @@ "2339a" }] AV-desolation 5, destruction 3, desolate 2, destroy 1, storm 1, wasteness 1; 13
    n m
    1) ravage
    n f
    2) devastation, ruin, waste
    2a) devastation, ruin
    2b) ruin, waste (of land)
  2. ↑ 04875 מְשׁוֹאָה‎ mëshow’ah [meh-o-aw’] or משׁאה‎ mësho’ah [mesh-o-aw’] from the same as 07722 שׁוֹא‎ show’ ravage; n f; [BDB-996b] [{See TWOT on 2339 @@ "2339b" }] AV-waste 2, desolation 1; 3
    1) desolation, ruin
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 07385 רִיק‎ riyq [reek] ReishYodKuf from 07324; n m; [BDB-938a] [{See TWOT on 2161 @@ "2161b" }] AV-vain 7, vanity 2, no purpose 1, empty 1, vain thing 1; 12
    1) emptiness, vanity, empty, idle, vain
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 07386 רֵיק‎ reyq [rake] or (shorter) רק‎ req [rake] from 07324, Greek 4469 ρακα; adj; [BDB-938a] [{See TWOT on 2161 @@ "2161a" }] AV-empty 6, vain 5, emptied 1, vain men 1, vain fellows 1; 14
    1) empty, vain
    1a) empty (of vessels)
    1b) empty, idle, worthless (ethically)
  5. ↑ 01892 הֶבֶל‎ hebel [heh’bel] or (rarely in the abs.) הבל‎ habel [hab-ale’] from 01891 to act emptily; n m/adv; [BDB-210b] [{See TWOT on 463 @@ "463a" }] AV-vanity 61, vain 11, altogether 1; 73
    n m
    1) vapour, breath
    1a) breath, vapour
    1b) vanity (fig.)
    adv
    2) vainly
    • Same as the name Abel 01893 meaning breath
  6. ↑ 3152 μάταιος mataios [mat’-ah-yos] from the base of 3155 maten in vain, fruitlessly; adj; TDNT-4:519,571; [{See TDNT 471 }] AV-vain 5, vanities 1; 6
    1) devoid of force, truth, success, result
    2) useless, of no purpose
  7. ↑ 07723 שָׁוְא‎ shav’ [shawv] or שׁו‎ shav [shav]from the same as 07722 שׁוֹא‎ show’ ravage in the sense of desolating; n m; [BDB-996a] [{See TWOT on 2338 @@ "2338a" }] AV-vain 22, vanity 22, false 5, lying 2, falsely 1, lies 1; 53
    1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood
    1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity
    1b) emptiness of speech, lying
    1c) worthlessness (of conduct)
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