me·ther·me·neuʹo results, a word that also occurs several times in the Bible. It means to change or translate from one language to another, and is always in the passive voice, as “when translated.”—Matt. 1:23.

INTERPRETATION OF PROPHECY

A strengthened and intensified form of her·me·neuʹo is di·er·me·neuʹo, signifying to explain fully, to interpret fully, and is used either in reference to translating languages or interpreting prophecy, but in either sense it means to do so fully.

Di·er·me·neuʹo was therefore the word Luke used in relating how Jesus on the road to Emmaus with two of his disciples commenced with the writings of Moses and the prophets and “interpreted to them things pertaining to himself in all the Scriptures.” The two disciples were later telling others of the experience, how Jesus was “fully opening up the Scriptures” to them.—Luke 24:13-15, 25-32.

Du·ser·meʹneu·tos has an opposite meaning. It was used by Paul and is found only at Hebrews 5:11, meaning “hard to interpret,” that is, “hard to be explained.”—See Kingdom Interlinear Translation.

Another Greek word rendered interpretation is e·piʹly·sis, from the verb meaning “to loosen up or release,” hence to explain or solve. True prophecy does not find its source in the expressed opinions or interpretations of men, but, rather, originates with God. Hence Peter writes: “No prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation [e·pi·lyʹse·os] . . . but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit.” (2 Pet. 1:20, 21) Thus, the Bible prophecies were never the product of astute deductions and predictions by men based on their personal analysis of human events or trends.

The meaning of some prophecies was obvious, hence requiring no interpretation, as when the prophet was used to foretell that the Judeans would ‘go into captivity to the king of Babylon for seventy years’ or that Babylon would become ‘a desolate waste.’ The time of the fulfillment, of course, was not always known, though in some cases this, too, was explicitly stated. Many prophecies, or particular features of the prophecies, however, were only partially understood at the time of their being given, the full understanding or interpretation awaiting God’s due time for their being made clear. This was true with some of the prophecies of Daniel, and with regard to the Messiah and the “sacred secret” involving him.—Dan. 12:4, 8-10; 1 Pet. 1:10-12.

All of Egypt’s magic-practicing priests and wise men were helpless when it came to interpreting Pharaoh’s God-sent dreams. “There was no interpreter of them for Pharaoh.” (Gen. 41:1-8) It was then brought to Pharaoh’s attention that Joseph had successfully interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and chief baker. (Gen. 40:5-22; 41:9-13) However, in that connection Joseph had taken no credit to himself but had called their attention to Jehovah as the Interpreter of dreams, saying, “Do not interpretations belong to God?” (Gen. 40:8) So when called before Pharaoh to interpret the king’s dream, Joseph declared: “I need not be considered! God will announce welfare to Pharaoh.” (Gen. 41:14-16) After hearing the interpretation even Pharaoh acknowledged Joseph to be “one in whom the spirit of God” was found, for “God has caused you [Joseph] to know all this.”—Gen. 41:38, 39.

Similarly, Daniel was used by God to make known the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams. After first praying to God for understanding of the secret and getting the answer in a night vision, Daniel was brought before the king both to recall the forgotten dream and then to give the interpretation. (Dan. 2:14-26) By way of an introduction Daniel reminded the king that all his wise men, conjurers, magic-practicing priests and astrologers were unable to interpret the dream. “However,” Daniel continued, “there exists a God in the heavens who is a Revealer of secrets, . . . as for me, it is not through any wisdom that exists in me more than in any others alive that this secret is revealed to me, except to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king.”—Dan. 2:27-30.

On a second occasion, when all the magic-practicing priests, conjurers, Chaldeans and astrologers were unable to interpret the king’s dream concerning the great tree that was cut down, Daniel was again called in, and again the divine origin of the prophecy was emphasized. In virtual acknowledgment of this fact, the king said to Daniel: “I myself well know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you,” and “you are competent, because the spirit of holy gods is in you.”—Dan. 4:4-18, 24.

Years later, on the very night in which Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians, this aging servant of Jehovah, Daniel, was once again called upon to interpret a divine message for a king. This time a mysterious hand had written MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN on the palace wall during Belshazzar’s feast. All the wise men of Babylon proved helpless to interpret the cryptic writing. The queen mother then recalled that Daniel was still available, the one “in whom there is the spirit of holy gods,” as well as “illumination and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of gods.” In interpreting the writing, which was really a prophecy in itself, Daniel once again magnified Jehovah as the God of true prophecy.—Dan. 5:1, 5-28.

INTERPRETER

See INTERPRETATION.

INTESTINES

See BOWELS.

INTOXICATION

See DRUNKENNESS.

IOB

Third-named son of Issachar. (Gen. 46:13) At Numbers 26:24 and 1 Chronicles 7:1, the name appears as Jashub.—See JASHUB No. 1.

IOTA

[Ι, ι].

The ninth letter of the Greek alphabet, from which the English “i” is derived.

In the common system of arithmetic among the Greeks, i·oʹta has the value of ten (ι΄), and, with the subscript (,ι), 10,000.

IPHDEIAH

(Iph·deʹiah) [Jehovah redeems].

Son of Shashak; a headman of the tribe of Benjamin.—1 Chron. 8:1, 25, 28.

IPHTAH

(Iphʹtah) [he (God) opens].

A city of Judah in the Shephelah. (Josh. 15:20, 33, 43) Tarquimiya, about six miles (c. 10 kilometers) W-NW of Hebron, has been suggested as a possible location.

IPHTAHEL

(Iphʹtah·el) [God opens].

A valley on the boundary between the tribes of Zebulun and Asher. (Josh. 19:10, 14, 24, 27) Iphtahel is commonly identified with steep-sided, narrow Wadi el-Melek, NW of Nazareth. Various other suggestions have also been made, including Sahl el-Battof, a valley plain N of Nazareth.

IR

[possibly, watchful, or, my watchman].

‘Father’ of Shuppim and Huppim (1 Chron. 7:12); probably the same as the Benjamite Iri.—1 Chron. 7:7.

IRA

(Iʹra) [possibly, watchful].

1. A Jairite listed among King David’s leading officers as “a priest of David.” (2 Sam. 20:26) Ira perhaps was a descendant of the Jair mentioned at Numbers 32:41 and, therefore, in this case the designation “priest” may signify “chief minister,” “prince.” There is no Biblical evidence that the Jairites were Levites. However, if the reading of the Syriac Peshitta Version is correct, Ira may have been a priest from the Levite city of Jattir (Jathir).—Compare 2 Samuel 8:18; 1 Chronicles 6:57; 18:17.

2. Son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; one of the mighty