Definition
A Bible concordance is a reference work that lists words occurring in the biblical texts, usually arranged alphabetically, together with citations of the passages in which each word appears. It enables readers to locate and study specific terms, phrases, or concepts across the canonical books of the Bible.
Overview
Concordances are employed in biblical scholarship, theology, and personal study to facilitate word studies, linguistic analysis, and thematic research. Traditional print concordances have been produced for the original languages of the scriptures—Hebrew (for the Old Testament), Aramaic, and Greek (for the New Testament)—as well as for translations such as the King James Version (KJV). In the digital age, electronic and online concordances allow instant searching and often include additional features such as morphological tagging, lexical definitions, and cross‑references to commentaries.
Etymology/Origin
The term “concordance” derives from the Latin concordare, meaning “to agree” or “to be in harmony.” In the context of reference works, it came to denote a systematic agreement of words with their textual locations. Early biblical concordances appeared in the medieval period; the first known Latin concordance was compiled by Hugh of St. Cher in the 12th century. Subsequent notable early works include Erasmus’s Novum Testamentum (1516) and the first comprehensive English concordance for the King James Version, produced by Samuel Bagster in 1815. The most widely used modern concordance, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, was published in 1890 by James Strong and introduced a numbering system for Hebrew and Greek root words.
Characteristics
- Alphabetical Arrangement: Entries are sorted by the first letter of each word, facilitating quick lookup.
- Citation of Passages: For each word, the concordance lists every verse where the word occurs, often with a brief excerpt (a “context” or “snippet”).
- Original‑Language Focus: Many concordances are organized by the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek words, providing transliterations and lexical numbers (e.g., Strong’s numbers).
- Morphological Information: Advanced concordances indicate grammatical forms (e.g., verb tense, noun case) to aid linguistic analysis.
- Cross‑Referencing: Some editions link entries to related words, thematic indexes, or commentarial notes.
- Scope: While most concordances cover the entire canon, specialized concordances may focus on a single book, a particular theological theme, or a specific translation.
- Formats: Available in printed volumes, CD-ROMs, and web‑based or mobile applications; digital formats often allow Boolean searches, filters, and integration with Bible study software.
Related Topics
- Bible dictionary – a reference work providing definitions and explanations of biblical terms, names, places, and customs.
- Lexicon (biblical) – a dictionary of the original biblical languages, offering detailed meanings, etymologies, and usage.
- Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance – a prominent English‑language concordance that assigns unique numbers to each Hebrew and Greek root word.
- Bible software – computer programs (e.g., Logos, Accordance, BibleWorks) that incorporate concordance functionality alongside other study tools.
- Textual criticism – the scholarly discipline that evaluates manuscript variants, often using concordance data to assess word frequencies and patterns.
A Bible concordance remains a fundamental tool for scholarly exegesis and devotional study, providing systematic access to the vocabulary of the biblical text.