Bible Dictionary
Explore biblical people, places, events, objects, ideas, and other terms. Search the dictionary directly, browse alphabetically, or narrow the list by category or Testament.
FAMILIAR
Angels & Spiritual Beings - Old Testament
A familiar spirit refers to a spirit consulted through forbidden divination, a practice condemned by the Mosaic law. “Familiar” can also mean an intimate friend or close acquaintance.
Familiar spirit
Angels & Spiritual Beings - Old Testament
A familiar spirit refers to a spirit associated with a sorcerer or necromancer who claimed to communicate with the dead. Scripture condemns consulting such spirits and forbids divination and necromancy.
FAMILY
Jewish Life & Customs - Both
The family is the household founded on marriage and ordered relationships between husband, wife, children, and wider kin. Scripture emphasizes its permanence, moral responsibilities, mutual honor, and place in society.
Famine
Sin & Judgment - Both
Famine is a severe shortage of food caused by drought, crop failure, insects, war, siege, or other calamity. Scripture records famines as occasions of suffering and sometimes as judgments, while also using the image of famine for the absence of God’s word.
FAMISH
Agriculture & Daily Life - Both
To famish means to suffer or cause severe hunger, or to become lean and deprived. Scripture uses the word literally of people and figuratively of the weakening or deprivation of powers.
Fan
Agriculture & Daily Life - Both
A fan was a winnowing shovel or fork used to toss grain into the wind so that chaff and straw separated from the useful grain. Scripture also uses this agricultural image for judgment and purification.
FAN, FANNER
Agriculture & Daily Life - Both
A fan or winnowing fork was used to separate grain from chaff by tossing it into the wind. John the Baptist uses this agricultural image to describe the Messiah’s separating judgment.
FAR HOUSE
Places & Geography - Old Testament
Far house is the marginal rendering of Beth-merhak, meaning “house of distance,” a place mentioned in David’s flight from Jerusalem.
FAREWELL
Other - New Testament
Farewell is a parting expression meaning “be strong,” “rejoice,” or “take one’s leave.” In Scripture it appears in letters and in accounts of people departing from one another.
Farm
Agriculture & Daily Life - Old Testament
A farm was cultivated land, though in ancient Palestine people generally lived in villages and went out to their fields. The land was understood as belonging ultimately to God, with Israelites holding and working their allotted portions.
Farthing
Measures & Money - New Testament
“Farthing” represents two small Roman coins mentioned in the New Testament: the assarion, a small coin, and the quadrans, one-fourth of an ass. The quadrans was the smaller of the two.
FASHION
Other - Both
Fashion can mean the shape, pattern, arrangement, appearance, or manner of something. The New Testament also uses it for the temporary outward form of the present world, in contrast with inward transformation.
Fast
Worship & Prayer - Both
Fasting is abstaining from food for religious purposes, commonly as an expression of repentance, prayer, grief, or dependence upon God. Scripture records required, public, local, and private fasts, while warning against hypocritical fasting.
Fasts
Worship & Prayer - Both
Fasts are appointed or voluntary periods of abstaining from food for religious purposes, often associated with prayer, repentance, mourning, or seeking God’s favor.
Fat
Law & Covenant - Old Testament
Fat can mean the richest part of an animal or the best portion of a product. Under the Mosaic law, certain animal fat was offered to God and forbidden as food; figuratively, “fat” may describe abundance or spiritual dullness.
Father
God - Both
A father is an immediate male parent, ancestor, family head, or respected elder. Scripture also uses the term figuratively for a source, founder, teacher, ruler, or one whose character or influence is imparted to others; God is called Father in relation to His people.
FATHER, GOD THE
God - Both
God the Father is the first Person of the Trinity, eternally related to the Son and the Holy Spirit. He is Creator and moral Judge, and receives believers as His children through grace and redemption.
FATHER'S HOUSE, FATHERS' HOUSE
Jewish Life & Customs - Both
A father’s house could mean a dwelling, household, clan, or tribe in Israel. In the New Testament, Jesus also calls the temple and heaven His Father’s house.
Fathom
Measures & Money - New Testament
A fathom is a measure of length equal to about six feet, traditionally understood as the distance between the outstretched hands. It is mentioned in Acts in measuring the depth of water.
Fatling
Agriculture & Daily Life - Both
A fatling is a fattened animal prepared for slaughter, especially a sheep or other animal selected for its richness and quality.
Select Pages
© 2026 AVisitWithJesus
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
