GIFT (PRESENT, BLESSING). One of the most ancient and most widely prevalent customs is that of bestowing on certain occasions some object of real or imaginary value upon superiors, equals, or infer:ors : as a tolcen of respect or gratitude; as a propitiatory or conciliatory offering ; as a sign of grace and favour ; as a reward or as alms ; as an ex pression of good-will or affection ; or, finally, as a fee, a bribe, and the like. Up to this day, presenting gifts is, next to the salutation, the highest mark of honour throughout the East. The orig,in of the cus tom has, gratuitously it would appear, been traced to the self-imposed taxes proffered to the first kings who were in indigent circumstances, by their sub jects (Cf. Jahn, Bibl. Arch., sec. 202). Consider ing that it was principally surpassing prowess in the hunting and battle-field, both pregmant with spoil, which raised men to the dignity of a chief, it is not easily seen how they should ordinarily have been thrown on the community for support It seems far more natural to trace the custom to the innate propensity for manifesting sentiments of a courteous and kindly nature by the spontaneous offering of some useful or ornamental object to the person who has inspired the sentiment. Accounts of presents, varying accordin, to the relative position of donor and receiver, an7.1 their individual circumstances, as well as to the occasion which called them forth, are very numerous in the Bible, and proportion ately great is the number of different terms em ployed for them in the text. In some few cases these have retained, as will appear in the following list, a special and distinct meaning, indicating not only the respective relation of giver and receiver, but even the spirit in which the gift is offered ; while in others they have, in the course of time, become mere synonyms.
Etymologically nearest to our own word GO' (Luth. Gabe) conic the following four, derived from the root jr:1], to give :— a. pp, Malian ; Gen. xxxiv. 12, together with -mb, Mahar, dowry : — Sichem to the irate brethren of Dinah, Ask ye never so much dowry and gz:ft' Prov. xviii. 16, in the sense of '111.!.',
A man's gift (triN pn) maketh room for nrin, Azallath (I-011p), rewardorfee; Kings xiv. 7, offered by Jeroboam to the man of God for the healing of his hands ; 'a false at,' Prov. xxv. 14; a divine gif t, Eccles. iii. 13, etc., m nnn, Ezek. xlvi. =1, n:nn, Dent. xvi. 17, ac cording to a man's means.' It may be observed here that both Inn and rinn occur frequently as compounds with Jah or Jahu (God) in the sense of Theodorus Mattanjah, lqattithjah, Mattith jahu= Jonathan.
d. ru, 2Vathun ; (Pass. part. Kal of [TN), one who is given ;' used Num. viii. 19. etc., with re spect to the Levites; 'given (A. V. Rifts) to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel,' i.e., specially singled out and consecrated for the holy service. In close connection with this word stands the pinr. tam'. inNyn: or ;TM, the designa tion of the lowest menials of the temple (Josephus: `1e1963ouXoL), mentioned together with the Levites, Ezra ii. 34, etc., who, prisoners of war perhaps, had been presented by David and his successors (in a capacity somewhat similar to that of the Gibeon ites with whom they are often confounded), for the use of the sanctuary (cf. Ezra viii. 2o).
The sense of Oblation is chiefly inherent in those words which are derived from tiin:.".) (cf. Ar. to raise, lift up :— a. Ntrn, Massa ; 2 Chron. xvii. 1, Ion rin:n some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat tresentsand ibute-silver, and the Arabians brought him flocks, etc.' hence more commonly used in the sense of regular tribute or taxes, cf. Hos. viii. to; 2 Chron. xxiv. 27, etc.
nNtln, Alass'eth, honorary Esth. IS, Aliasverus gave gifts according to the state of the king.' The word is further used for the dish of honour' sent to guests during a feast (Gen. xliii. 34) ; for tax, _fixed contribution towards the sanc tuary, 2 xxiv. 6, etc., cf. Exod. xxx. 12, ff., also for _first-fruits, sacrificial offerings, Ezek. xx. 40.