Man

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

Adam, ruddy

(Gen. 1:26²⁶And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26)). The human race (Gen. 5:2; 8:21²Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. (Genesis 5:2)
²¹And the Lord smelled a sweet savor; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. (Genesis 8:21)). As distinguished from woman (Deut. 22:5⁵The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God. (Deuteronomy 22:5); 1 Sam. 17:33³³And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. (1 Samuel 17:33)). Mortal (Isa. 13:14¹⁴And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. (Isaiah 13:14)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Various Hebrew words are frequently translated “man.”

1. Adam, “man,” a generic term for man, mankind (Gen. 1:26-27²⁶And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. ²⁷So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:26‑27)).

2. ish, “man,” implying “strength and vigor” of mind and body (1 Sam. 4:2²And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men. (1 Samuel 4:2); 1 Sam. 26:15¹⁵And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. (1 Samuel 26:15)); also signifying “husband” in contra-distinction to “wife” (Gen. 2:23²³And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. (Genesis 2:23); Gen. 3:6⁶And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (Genesis 3:6)).

3. enosh, “subject to corruption, mortal”; not used for man till after the fall (Gen. 6:4⁴There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:4); Gen. 12:20²⁰And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had. (Genesis 12:20); Psa. 103:15¹⁵As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. (Psalm 103:15)).

4. ben, “son,” with words conjoined, “son of valor,” or valiant man; “son of strength,” or strong man (2 Kings 2:16¹⁶And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send. (2 Kings 2:16)).

5. baal, “master, lord” (Gen. 20:3³But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. (Genesis 20:3); Ex. 24:14¹⁴And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them. (Exodus 24:14)).

6. geber, “mighty, war-like” (Ex. 10:11¹¹Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence. (Exodus 10:11); Ex. 12:37³⁷And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. (Exodus 12:37)).

In some passages these different Hebrew words are used in contrast: as in Genesis 6:4⁴There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:4), “The sons of God came in unto the daughters of men,¹ and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men (gibbor) which were of old, men³ of renown.” In Psalm 8:4⁴What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? (Psalm 8:4): “What is man,³ that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man,¹ that thou visitest him?” “God is not a man² that he should lie” (Num. 23:19¹⁹God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (Numbers 23:19)).

Man was God’s crowning work of creation (see Adam), and He set him in dominion over the sphere in which he was placed. It is impossible that man could by evolution have arisen from any of the lower forms of created life. God breathed into Adam’s nostrils the breath of life, and man is responsible to Him as his Creator; and for this reason he will be called to account, which is not the case with any of the animals. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27²⁷And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)). All have descended from Adam and Eve: God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord [or God]” (Acts 17:26-27²⁶And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; ²⁷That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: (Acts 17:26‑27)).

The soul of man being immortal, he still exists after death, and it is revealed in scripture that his body will be raised, and he will either be in eternity away from God in punishment for the sins he has committed; or, by the grace of God, be in an eternity of happiness with the Lord Jesus through His atoning work on the cross.

In the New Testament the principal words are:

1. ἄνθρωπος, man in the sense of “humanity,” irrespective of sex. “Man shall not live by bread alone” (Matt. 4:4⁴But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)). In a few places it is used in a stricter sense in contrast to a woman: as “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?” (Matt. 19:3³The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? (Matthew 19:3)).

2. ἀνήρ, man as distinguished from a woman. “The head of the woman is the man” (1 Cor. 11:3³But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinthians 11:3)). It is thus the common word used for “husband:” a woman’s man is her husband. “Joseph the husband of Mary” (Matt. 1:16, 19¹⁶And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:16)
¹⁹Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. (Matthew 1:19)). The words τις, μηδείς, οὐδείς, are often translated “man,” “no man,” “any man,” which would be more correctly translated “one,” “no one,” “any one.” In “men [and] brethren,” (Acts 1:16¹⁶Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. (Acts 1:16); Acts 2:29²⁹Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. (Acts 2:29), and more), there are not two classes alluded to, but “men who are brethren,” or, in our idiom, simply “brethren.” So in 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) and Acts 22:1¹Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you. (Acts 22:1), not three classes, but two: “men who are brethren, and fathers.” See NEW MAN and OLD MAN.