Bible Dictionary
VEHEMENT, VEHEMENTLY
Vehement means intense, forceful, or passionate. In older Bible translations it describes a powerful flame, a hot wind, earnest longing, or speech expressed with exceptional intensity.
Definition
Vehement means carried away by force of passion or expressed with exceptional intensity. Depending on context, it can describe a powerful flame, sultry heat, earnest longing, or speech and action marked by great force.
Biblical Usage
The word describes a very intense flame or jealousy, a sultry east wind, and earnest desire. Vehemently is used of greatly or exceedingly forceful speech, questioning, feeling, or impact.
Historical Background
The English term derives from Latin expressions connected with being carried by the mind or force of passion. Revised translations often use terms such as very, sultry, longing, exceedingly, or intensely.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>ve'-he-ment, ve'-he-ment-li (charishi; epipothesis): "Vehement" (from Latin vehere, "to carry," or ve, "out of," and mens, "mind"), carried away by the mind or force of passion, occurs twice in the Old Testament (So 8:6, the King James Version "a most vehement flame" (jealousy)) as the translation of shalhebheth-yah, "the flame of Yah," which perhaps means lightning (the Revised Version (British and American) "a very flame of Yahweh," margin "a most vehement flame, Hebrew: Yah"); and as the translation of the King James Version charishi, "silent," "still," hence "sultry" (Jon 4:8, the King James Version "a vehement east wind," the Revised Version (British and American) "sultry"). In the New Testament, "vehement desire" is (the King James Version) the translation of epipothesis, "earnest desire" (2Co 7:11, the Revised Version (British and American) "longing").</p><p>"Vehemently" is the translation of deinos, "greatly" (Lu 11:53); of ek perissou or ekperissos, "beyond measure" (Mr 14:31, "He spake exceeding vehemently"); of eutonos, "intensely" (Lu 23:10); and in the King James Version of prosrhegnumi, "to break" or "dash upon" (Lu 6:48,49, the Revised Version (British and American) "break").</p><p>W. L. Walker</p>