DESPITE; DESPITEFUL

de-spit', de-spit'-fool: "Despite" is from Latin despectus, "a looking down upon." As a noun (= "contempt") it is now generally used in its shortened form, "spite," while the longer form is used as a preposition (= "in spite of"). In English Versions of the Bible it is always a noun. In the Old Testament it translates Hebrew she'aT, in Ezekiel 25:6, and in the Revised Version (British and American) Ezekiel 25:15; Ezekiel 36:5 ("with despite of soul"). In Hebrews 10:29 ("hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace") it stands for Greek enubrizo, "to treat with contempt."

The adjective "despiteful" occurs in the King James Version Ezekiel 25:15; Ezekiel 36:5; Sirach 31:31 ("despiteful words," the Revised Version (British and American) "a word of reproach"); Romans 1:30 (the Revised Version (British and American) "insolent" = Greek hubristes, from huper, "above"; compare English "uppish").

D. Miall Edwards