ABORTION IN THE BIBLE

by J.B. Hare

August, 2008

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As far as I can tell there is no use of the term 'abort' in the sense of a medical procedure in the Old or New Testament of the Bible. There are 26 Verses total in the OT and NT with one of the three Greek or Hebrew words in Strong's Lexicon potentially meaning 'abortion.' However, as will be demonstrated, in context, none of the uses in the Bible text has any bearing on the medical procedure of abortion.

In other words, there is no Bible verse that can be cited which specifically says 'thou shalt not abort.'

The data is presented below. The following is a list of each Greek and Hebrew words in the Bible, which have, as one possible meaning, 'abort,' collated with each instance in the Bible. The numbers in the KJV text below are the 'Strongs' numbers for Greek or Hebrew words. Greek entries are prefixed by 'G' and Hebrew entries by 'H'. Numbers in specific verses are distinguished by context.

The Strong's numbers can be found in the Polyglot Bible if you want to check these results.

Note that the following contains Unicode content, so refer to the Unicode walkthrough if needed.

1. ektroma (G1626)

G1626
ἔκτρωμα
ektrōma
ek‘-tro-mah

From a compound of 1537 and τιτρώσκω titrōskō (to wound); a miscarriage (abortion), that is, (by analogy) untimely birth:—born out of due time.

found in:

(Miscarriage) co1 15:8

8  And 1161 last 2078 of all 3956 he was seen 3700 of me also, 2504 as 5619 of one born out of due time. 1626

2. nephel (H5309)

H5309
נפל נפל
נֶפֶל נֵפֶל ‎ nephel nêphel
neh‘-fel, nay‘-fel
From 5307 something fallen, that is, an abortion:—untimely birth.

found in:

(Premature Birth) ecc 6:3

3  If 518 a man 376 beget 3205 a hundred 3967 children, and live 2421 many 7227 years, 8141 so that the days 3117 of his years 8141 be 7945 1961 many, 7227 and his soul 5315 be not 3808 filled 7646 with 4480 good, 2896 and also 1571 that he have 1961 no 3808 burial; 6900 I say, 559 that an untimely birth 5309 is better 2896 than 4480 he.

(Premature Birth) job 3:16

16  Or 176 as a hidden 2934 untimely birth 5309 I had not 3808 been; 1961 as infants 5768 which never 3808 saw 7200 light. 216

(Premature Birth) psa 58:8

8  As 3644 a snail 642 which melteth, 8557 let every one of them pass away: 1980 like the untimely birth 5309 of a woman, 802 that they may not 1077 see 2372 the sun. 8121

3. shakol (H7921)

H7921
שׁכל
שָׁכוֹל ‎ shâkôl
shaw-kole‘
A primitive root; properly to miscarry, that is, suffer abortion; by analogy to bereave (literally or figuratively):—bereave (of children), barren, cast calf (fruit, young), be (make) childless, deprive, destroy, X expect, lose children, miscarry, rob of children, spoil.

found in:

(Destroy) deu 32:25

25 The sword 2719 without, 4480 2351 and terror 367 within, 4480 2315 shall destroy 7921 both 1571 the young man 970 and 1571 the virgin, 1330 the suckling 3243 also with 5973 the man 376 of gray hairs. 7872

(Cast Livestock) exo 23:26

26  There shall nothing 3808 cast their young, 1961 7921 nor be barren, 6135 in thy land: 776 853 the number 4557 of thy days 3117 I will fulfill. 4390

(Bereave) eze 5:17

17  So will I send 7971 upon 5921 you famine 7458 and evil 7451 beasts, 2416 and they shall bereave 7921 thee; and pestilence 1698 and blood 1818 shall pass 5674 through thee; and I will bring 935 the sword 2719 upon 5921 thee. I 589 the LORD 3068 have spoken 1696 it.

(Spoil) eze 14:15

15  If 3863 I cause noisome 7451 beasts 2416 to pass 5674 through the land, 776 and they spoil 7921 it, so that it be 1961 desolate, 8077 that no man 4480 1097 may pass through 5674 because 4480 6440 of the beasts: 2416

(Bereave) eze 36:12-14

12  Yea, I will cause men 120 to walk 1980 upon 5921 you, even 853 my people 5971 Israel; 3478 and they shall possess 3423 thee, and thou shalt be 1961 their inheritance, 5159 and thou shalt no 3808 more 3254 henceforth 5750 bereave 7921 them of men.

13  Thus 3541 saith 559 the Lord 136 GOD; 3069 Because 3282 they say 559 unto you, Thou 859 land devourest up 398 men, 120 and hast bereaved 1961 7921 thy nations; 1471

14  Therefore 3651 thou shalt devour 398 men 120 no 3808 more, 5750 neither 3808 bereave 7921 thy nations 1471 any more, 5750 saith 5002 the Lord 136 GOD. 3069

(Deprive) gen 27:45

45  Until 5704 thy brother's 251 anger 639 turn away 7725 from 4480 thee, and he forget 7911 853 that which 834 thou hast done 6213 to him: then I will send, 7971 and fetch 3947 thee from thence: 4480 8033 why 4100 should I be deprived 7921 also 1571 of you both 8147 in one 259 day? 3117

(Cast Livestock) gen 31:38

38  This 2088 twenty 6242 years 8141 have I 595 been with 5973 thee; thy ewes 7353 and thy she goats 5795 have not 3808 cast their young, 7921 and the rams 352 of thy flock 6629 have I not 3808 eaten. 398

(Bereave) gen 42:36

36  And Jacob 3290 their father 1 said 559 unto 413 them, Me have ye bereaved 7921 of my children: Joseph 3130 is not, 369 and Simeon 8095 is not, 369 and ye will take 3947 Benjamin 1144 away: all 3605 these things are 1961 against 5921 me.

(Bereave) gen 43:14

14  And God 410 Almighty 7706 give 5414 you mercy 7356 before 6440 the man, 376 that he may send away 7971  853 your other 312 brother, 251 and Benjamin. 1144 If 834 I 589 be bereaved 7921 of my children, I am bereaved. 7921

(Bereave) hos 9:12, 14

12  Though 3588 518 they bring up 1431 853 their children, 1121 yet will I bereave 7921 them, that there shall not be a man 4480 120 left: yea, 3588 woe 188 also 1571 to them when I depart 5493 from 4480 them!

(Miscarriage) 14  Give 5414 them, O LORD: 3068 what 4100 wilt thou give? 5414 give 5414 them a miscarrying 7921 womb 7358 and dry 6784 breasts. 7699

(Bereave) jer 15:7

7  And I will fan 2219 them with a fan 4214 in the gates 8179 of the land; 776 I will bereave 7921 them of children, I will destroy 6 853 my people, 5971 since they return 7725 not 3808 from their ways. 4480 1870

(Cast Livestock) job 21:10

10  Their bull 7794 engendereth, 5674 and faileth 1602 not; 3808 their cow 6510 calveth, 6403 and casteth not her calf. 7921 3808

(Barren Ground) kg2 2:19, 21

19  And the men 376 of the city 5892 said 559 unto 413 Elisha, 477 Behold, 2009 I pray thee, 4994 the situation 4186 of this city 5892 is pleasant, 2896 as 834 my lord 113 seeth: 7200 but the water 4325 is naught, 7451 and the ground 776 barren. 7921

21  And he went forth 3318 unto 413 the spring 4161 of the waters, 4325 and cast 7993 the salt 4417 in there, 8033 and said, 559 Thus 3541 saith 559 the LORD, 3068 I have healed 7495 these 428 waters; 4325 there shall not 3808 be 1961 from thence 4480 8033 any more 5750 death 4194 or barren 7921 land.

(Bereave) lam 1:20

20  Behold, 7200 O LORD; 3068 for 3588 I am in distress: 6862 my bowels 4578 are troubled; 2560 mine heart 3820 is turned 2015 within 7130 me; for 3588 I have grievously rebelled: 4784 4784 abroad 4480 2351 the sword 2719 bereaveth,7921 at home 1004 there is as death. 4194

(Bereave) lev 26:22

22  I will also send 7971 853 wild 7704 beasts 2416 among you, which shall rob you of your children, 7921 853 and destroy 3772 853 your cattle, 929 and make you few in number; 4591 853 and your high ways 1870 shall be desolate. 8074

(Cast Fruit) mal 3:11

11  And I will rebuke 1605 the devourer 398 for your sakes, and he shall not 3808 destroy 7843 853 the fruits 6529 of your ground; 127 neither 3808 shall your vine 1612 cast her fruit before the time 7921 in the field, 7704 saith 559 the LORD 3068 of hosts. 6635

(Childless Woman) sa1 15:33

33  And Samuel 8050 said, 559 As 834 thy sword 2719 hath made women 802 childless, 7921 so 3651 shall thy mother 517 be childless 7921 among women. 4480 802 And Samuel 8050 hewed Agag in pieces 8158 853 90 before 6440 the LORD 3068 in Gilgal. 1537

In tabluar form:

The following table summarizes the uses:

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