Reference: Vanity
American
Does not usually denote, in Scripture, self-conceit or personal pride, 2Pe 2:18, but sometimes emptiness and fruitlessness, Job 7:3; Ps 144:4; Ec 1. It often denotes wickedness, particularly falsehood, De 32:21; Ps 4:2; 24:4; 119:37, and sometimes idols and idol-worship, 2Ki 17:15; Jer 2:5; 18:15; Jon 2:8. Compare Paul's expression, "they turned the truth of God into a lie," Ro 1:25. "In vain," in the second commandment, Ex 20:7, is unnecessarily and irreverently. "Vain men," 2Sa 6:20; 2Ch 13:7, are dissolute and worthless fellows.
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"You are not to misuse the name of the LORD your God, because the LORD will not leave unpunished the one who misuses his name.
They provoked me to jealousy over non-gods, and to be angry over their vanity. Now I'll provoke them to jealousy over a non-people; and over a foolish nation I'll provoke them to anger.
When David returned to bless his household, Saul's daughter Michal came out to meet him and called out, "How the king of Israel honored himself today by undressing himself right in front of his women staff members, just like any pervert would dare to expose himself!"
They rejected the LORD's statutes, the covenant that he had made with their ancestors, and his warnings that he gave them. They pursued meaninglessness and became meaningless themselves as they followed the lifestyles of the nations that surrounded them, a practice that the LORD had warned them not to do.
Truly I've been allotted months of emptiness; nights of trouble have been appointed for me.
You people, how long will you malign my reputation? How long will you love what is vain and what is false? Interlude
The one who has innocent hands and a pure heart; the person who does not delight in what is false and does not swear an oath deceitfully.
Turn my eyes away from gazing at worthless things, and revive me by your ways.
The human person is a mere empty breath; his days are like a fading shadow.
This is what the LORD says: "What did your ancestors find wrong with me that they left me, and pursued worthless things, and so they became worthless?
Yet my people have forgotten me, and they burn incense to worthless idols that make them stumble in their journey on the ancient paths. They walk on trails, on a way that is not built up.
Those who cling to vain idols leave behind the gracious love that could have been theirs.
They exchanged God's truth for a lie and worshipped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
By talking high-sounding nonsense and using sinful cravings of the flesh, they entice people who have just escaped from those who live in error.
Hastings
The root-idea of the word is 'emptiness.' Skeat suggests that the Lat. vanus (perhaps for vac-nus) is allied to vacuus 'empty.' In English literature 'vanity' signifies (1) emptiness, (2) falsity, (3) vainglory. The modern tendency is to confine its use to the last meaning. But 'vanity' in the sense of 'empty conceit' is not found in the English Bible.
1. In the OT.
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For they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity; their womb is pregnant with deception."
You people, how long will you malign my reputation? How long will you love what is vain and what is false? Interlude
Their mouth is full of curses, lies, and oppression, their tongues spread trouble and iniquity.
Everyone speaks lies to his neighbor; they speak with flattering lips and hidden motives.
The one who comes to visit me speaks lies; in his heart he thinks slanderous things about me and goes around spreading them.
The human person is a mere empty breath; his days are like a fading shadow.
Their mouths speak lies, and their right hand deceives,
Keep deception and lies far away from me, and give me neither poverty nor wealth. Feed me with food that I need for today,
"Utterly pointless," says the Teacher. "Absolutely pointless; everything is pointless."
"Utterly pointless," says the Teacher. "Everything is pointless."
All the nations are as nothing before him they are reckoned by him as nothing and chaos.
See, none of them exist, and their deeds are nothing. Their metal images are only wind and confusion.'"
Now, all the forming of images means nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their own witnesses cannot see, and they know nothing. So they will be put to shame.
When you cry out, let your collection deliver you! The wind will carry them all off, and a mere breath will sweep them all away." "But whoever takes refuge in me will possess the land, and will inherit my holy mountain.
Then you'll call, and the LORD will answer; you'll cry for help, and he'll respond, "Here I am.' "If you do away with the yoke among you, and pointing fingers and malicious talk;
No one brings a lawsuit fairly, and no one goes to law honestly; they have relied on empty arguments and they tell lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.
They're worthless, a work of mockery, and when the time of punishment comes, they'll perish.
LORD, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in a time of difficulty, to you the nations will come, and from the ends of the earth they'll say, "Surely our ancestors inherited deception, things that are worthless, and in which there is no profit."
""Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says, "Because you've spoken falsehood and deceptions, I am therefore opposing you," declares the Lord GOD.
""Her prophets whitewashed all of these things through false visions and lying divinations. They kept on saying, "This is what the Lord GOD says"", when the LORD has not spoken.
Is it not because of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies that people grow tired putting out fires, and nations weary themselves over nothing?
Truly the family idols talk nonsense and the diviners discern lies, describing delusional dreams. Since their comfort is vacuous, they wander off on their own like sheep, because there is no shepherd.
Their worship of me is empty, because they teach human rules as doctrines.'"
Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.'
because the creation has become subject to futility, though not by anything it did. The one who subjected it did so in the certainty
because the creation has become subject to futility, though not by anything it did. The one who subjected it did so in the certainty
and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless."
But by God's grace I am what I am, and his grace shown to me was not wasted. Instead, I worked harder than all the others not I, of course, but God's grace that was with me.
and if the Messiah has not been raised, then our message means nothing and your faith means nothing.
and if the Messiah has not been raised, then our message means nothing and your faith means nothing.
and if the Messiah has not been raised, your faith is worthless and you are still imprisoned by your sins.
and if the Messiah has not been raised, your faith is worthless and you are still imprisoned by your sins.
Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that the work that you do for the Lord isn't wasted.
Therefore, I tell you and insist on in the Lord not to live any longer like the gentiles live, thinking worthless thoughts.
Therefore, I tell you and insist on in the Lord not to live any longer like the gentiles live, thinking worthless thoughts. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart.
But avoid foolish controversies, arguments about genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the Law. These things are useless and worthless.
If anyone thinks that he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but instead deceives himself, his religion is worthless.
Do you want proof, you foolish person, that faith without actions is worthless?
By talking high-sounding nonsense and using sinful cravings of the flesh, they entice people who have just escaped from those who live in error. Promising them freedom, they themselves are slaves to depravity, for a person is a slave to whatever conquers him.