Daysman
Derived from" day" in the sense of a day of trial (1Co 4:3 margin). An arbitrator. Job 9:33; "neither is there any daysman betwixt us that might lay his hand upon us both." The umpire in the East lays his hand on both parties to mark his power to adjudicate between them. An arbitrator could have been found on a level with Job; but none on a level with Jehovah, the other Party with whom Job was at issue.
We know a Mediator on a level with God, and also on a level with us, the God-man Jesus (1Ti 2:5).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Daysman
Daysman daz'-man (yakhach, "to argue, decide, convince," the Revised Version (British and American) UMPIRE): The use of this word appears to have been more common in the 16th century than at the later date of the translation of the King James Version, when its adoption was infrequent. The oldest instance of the term given in the Oxford English Dictionary is Plumpton Corresp. (1489), p. 82: "Sir, the dayesmen cannot agre us." It appears also in the 1551 edition of the Old Testament in 1Sa 2:25, where the English Versions of the Bible "judge" is translated "dayes-man." Tyndale's translation has for Ex 21:22, "He shall paye as the dayesmen appoynte him" (EV as the "judges determine"). See also Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene, ii, c. 8, published in 1590. As used in the King James Version (Job 9:33) the word means an arbitrator, umpire, referee; one who stands in a judicial capacity between two parties, and decides upon the merits of their arguments or case at law. "Neither is there-any daysman (the Revised Version (British and American) "umpire") betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Daysman
In 1 Co 4'> 'man's judgment ' is lit. 'm.-ni's day' (avUponrlyr; T)ixipa)^ and is so tr" in Wydif, Tind., Cov., and Kheinis ; for the word ' day,' or its equivalent, has been used in many languages in the special sense of a d.ay for hearing causes and giving judgment. (See D.\y.) Prom 'd,ay' ill this .seii.se was formed the word 'days- man,' after the exaiiiple of craftsman, hei-dsman, and the like, to signify a judge, umpire, or arbiter. The oldest instance given in Oj/. Eng. Dirt, is ririmptnn Corresp. (1480) p. 82, ' Sir, the dayes- men cannot agre us' ; the next, Coverdale's tr. of .lob O-is ' Nether is there eny dayes man to reprove both the partes, or to l.aye his lioiule betwixte us,' from whom it has been retained in AV and UV. J. H.VSTINGS.
Smith's Bible Dictionary on Daysman
an old English term meaning umpire or arbitrator . (Job 9:33)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia