glory

Concise Bible Dictionary:

There are eight different words in the Hebrew translated “glory,” but some occur only once. The principal of them are

1. hod, “renown, glory,” anything for which a being is admired. It is applied to God (Psa. 148:13¹³Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. (Psalm 148:13); and to the horse (Job 39:20²⁰Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible. (Job 39:20)).

2. tipharah, tiphereth, “splendor, beauty, glory.” It is applied to God (Isa. 60:19¹⁹The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. (Isaiah 60:19)); to Israel (Isa. 46:13¹³I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory. (Isaiah 46:13)); the crown that wisdom gives (Prov. 4:9⁹She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. (Proverbs 4:9)); the hoary head (Prov. 16:31³¹The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. (Proverbs 16:31), etc).

3. kabod, “weight, honor, glory” (the word commonly used). It is frequently applied to God, as in “the God of glory” (Psa. 29:3³The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters. (Psalm 29:3)); to Jehovah as “the King of glory” (Psa. 24:7-9⁷Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. ⁸Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. ⁹Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. (Psalm 24:7‑9)); “the glory of Jehovah” that appeared on Mount Sinai, and that filled the tabernacle (Ex. 24:16-17¹⁶And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. ¹⁷And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. (Exodus 24:16‑17); Ex. 40:34-35³⁴Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. (Exodus 40:34‑35)), and will fill the future temple (Ezek. 43:2-5²And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. ³And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. ⁴And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. ⁵So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. (Ezekiel 43:2‑5)); also the glory pertaining to Israel, and to the Gentiles in the past and the future (1 Sam. 4:21-22²¹And she named the child I-chabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. ²²And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken. (1 Samuel 4:21‑22); Isa. 66:12¹²For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. (Isaiah 66:12)).

In the New Testament the word is δόξα, “esteem, honor, excellency of mind, body.” It is applied to created things, as the sun, moon, and stars (1 Cor. 15:41⁴¹There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. (1 Corinthians 15:41)); also to man as “the glory of God” (1 Cor. 11:7⁷For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. (1 Corinthians 11:7)). The moral glory of the Lord Jesus Christ shone out in all His pathway on earth (John 1:14¹⁴And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14); John 11:40⁴⁰Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? (John 11:40)). He speaks of the glory He had from eternity with the Father, and His acquired glory which He will graciously share with His joint heirs (John 17:5,22,24⁵And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (John 17:5)
²²And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: (John 17:22)
²⁴Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)). Every tongue shall confess His lordship to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:11¹¹And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:11)). His glory will be revealed on earth, and He will be hailed “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Matt. 25:31³¹When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: (Matthew 25:31); 1 Pet. 4:13¹³But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:13); Rev. 17:14¹⁴These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14); Rev. 19:16¹⁶And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)). He is “the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2:8⁸Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:8)).

Glory belongs to God: He is the God of glory (Acts 7:2²And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, (Acts 7:2); 2 Cor. 4:6,15⁶For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
¹⁵For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 4:15)). In Him all the divine attributes shine in infinite perfection. Christians in acknowledging this, and owning that from Him come all their blessings, joyfully ascribe unto Him “Praise and honor, glory and power, forever and ever” (Rom. 11:36³⁶For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Romans 11:36); Gal. 1:5⁵To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Galatians 1:5); 1 Tim. 1:17¹⁷Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17); 2 Tim. 4:18¹⁸And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:18)). The same is ascribed to the Lord Jesus by the saints, and will be by every creature (Rev. 5).

Glory is often used as expressive of the proper distinction of a person, or of a company: as the glory of the Father (Rom. 6:4⁴Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)); of the Word (John 1:14¹⁴And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)); of the children of God (Rom. 8:21²¹Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)); and even of inanimate bodies heavenly and earthly (1 Cor. 15:40-41⁴⁰There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. ⁴¹There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. (1 Corinthians 15:40‑41)). Each has its own glory, and such glory is evidently not transferable; for if it could be transferred or communicated, it would lose its specially distinctive force. But glory may be in the nature of distinction conferred, as upon a creature by a superior, and even upon the Lord Himself, viewed as in the place of Man; as on the mount of transfiguration, and at the right hand of God (2 Pet. 1:17¹⁷For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (2 Peter 1:17); 1 Pet. 1:21²¹Who 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. (1 Peter 1:21)). And this is distinction in which others may in measure be permitted to share (John 17:22²²And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: (John 17:22)).

Glory may properly attach to a person even under an exterior by which it is not expressed. This was evidently the case with Christ when on earth: the flesh which He assumed in becoming Man served to veil His glory. In the same way the glory of the children of God is not yet manifest, and until it is manifest the glory is the exultation of the heart. This idea is not unfrequently found in the Psalms.

And further, this thought of glory hidden brings us to the glory of God, which, in its full expression, is the effulgence or display of Himself in the accomplishment of His counsels, in hope of which Christians rejoice. These counsels hid in God constitute, as one may say, His glory; and in their result they fully display His wisdom, love, and power. Meanwhile they have come to light through Christ being at the right hand of God, and the Holy Ghost given. We have now the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The visible manifestation of glory seems connected with light: it was so on the mount of transfiguration (Matt. 17:2²And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. (Matthew 17:2)). God dwells in “light which no man can approach unto” (1 Tim. 6:16¹⁶Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:16)). In the new Jerusalem the glory of God lightens it, “and the Lamb is the light thereof” (Rev. 21:23²³And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. (Revelation 21:23)). When the Lord Jesus was revealed to Saul at his conversion, he was blinded by “the glory of that light” (Acts 22:11¹¹And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. (Acts 22:11)), but only that divine light might shine into his soul.

Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:

Number:

2811 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Greek:

κλέος

Transliteration:

kleos

Phonic:

kleh’-os

Meaning:

from a shorter form of 2564; renown (as if being called)

KJV Usage:

glory