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G0138 – Chose

choice of personal commitment

Strong’s Number

G0138

αἱρέωhaireō

Blue Letter Bible Lexicon

to take for oneself, to choose, prefer

The following is a list of verses that contain G0138 in both the New Testament and the Greek Old Testament (LXX). It is intended to be a complete list.

1. Moses was recounting the commitment that Israel made toward God, and that God made toward Israel. 

“Today you have proclaimed (chosen, LXX) the LORD to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice. Deuteronomy 26:17 
“Also today the LORD has proclaimed (chosen, LXX) you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments, Deuteronomy 26:18

2. The Hebrew says that Jonathon delighted greatly in David. The person who translated the Hebrew passage to Greek used G0138, which indicates there was, in some contexts, a concept of endearment for the Greek word.

Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly (was taken, LXX) in David. 1 Samuel 19:1 

3. Absalom was coming towards Jerusalem with an army. David’s servants were asking what the king wanted to do, indicating they were ready to do whatever the king chose, that is, whatever path he committed himself to. It would be either fight Absalom or flee Jerusalem. Once he made the choice, there would be no turning back.

And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands (chooses, LXX).” 2 Samuel 15:15 

4. The prophet was to bring David a message, calling on him to choose his punishment. The choices were not good and called for a difficult personal commitment from David.

“Go and tell David, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.” ’ ” 1 Chronicles 21:10 

5. Elihu urged Job’s counselors to embrace justice instead of windy words.

Let us choose justice for ourselves; Let us know among ourselves what is good. Job 34:4 

6. Hezekiah said his deliverance from untimely death was God lovingly taking up his soul from the pit.

Indeed it was for my own peace that I had great bitterness; but You have lovingly delivered (chosen, LXX) my soul from the pit of corruption, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. Isaiah 38:17 

7. The evil chose death instead of life, I guess because they refused to harken to the voice of the Lord and repent. By repeatedly refusing God’s warnings, they committed themselves to death.

“Then death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of those who remain of this evil family, who remain in all the places where I have driven them,” says the LORD of hosts. Jeremiah 8:3 

8. This is the famous passage where Paul debated between choosing earthly life and departing to be with Christ.

But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. Philippians 1:22 

9, 10. These last two verses are discussed in the article on 2 Thessalonians 2:13. 

But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13
choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. Hebrews 11:25