Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Glossary

sovereign

As noun, a supreme ruler (often a monarch); adj., possessing supreme or ultimate power; acting or done independently or without outside interference. All of these meanings are relevant to the usages of the term in this text.

chaff

The husks of corn or wheat, which must be separated from the grain through winnowing or threshing—used metaphorically to refer to useless, worthless, insubstantial things, as in the idiom "separate the wheat from the chaff"

subdue

Overcome, bring under control, defeat, capture

stubble

In context, the useless nubs of over-grazed grass

rebuke

As verb, the act of expressing sharp disapproval of someone because of their behavior or actions ;or as noun, such an expression of disapproval: "a rebuke"

cumbreth

Archaic, meaning to impede, hinder, or obstruct; related to the more common "encumber"

sodom

A town in ancient Palestine, believed to have been south of the Dead Sea. According to Genesis, it was destroyed by fire from heaven, together with the city of Gomorrah, for the wickedness of its inhabitants; used generally to refer to a wicked or depraved place.

liable

Likely or prone to do something

Whet

To sharpen, from "whetstone," a kind of stone used to sharpen blades

reign

To rule over, hold office or dominion over, or a period of such ruling

enmity

The state or feeling of disliking or being actively hostile or opposed to someone or something

threshing floor

An area in which, through "threshing," the useful parts of wheat or corn was separated from the useless husks, called "chaff"

waxing

In this context, to become larger or stronger

omnipotent

All-powerful

potentate

Monarch or ruler, especially an autocratic one

unregenerate

Somewhat dated, meaning not reforming or not showing repentance for bad deeds

Sabbath

A day of religious observance or abstinence; for most Christians, Sunday

Zion

Most pertinently, in Christian thought, the heavenly city or city of heaven.

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