Bible Dictionary
COMFORT
Comfort means to encourage, strengthen, and cheer someone in distress, not merely to calm sorrow. God comforts His people with grace and hope, and believers are called to bring similar encouragement to others.
Definition
Comfort means to cheer, encourage, and strengthen someone in distress. It has a more positive force than merely consoling, because it conveys the impartation of strength and hope.
Biblical Usage
God’s comfort gives His people hope and incentives to present activity. The New Testament word may also mean exhorting or beseeching, according to context.
Historical Background
The underlying New Testament expression has the sense of calling someone alongside for assistance. The Revised Version distinguishes consolation from the stronger idea of comfort.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>kum'-fert (nacham; parakaleo): The New Testament word is variously translated, as "comfort," "exhort," "beseech," the exact translation to be determined by the context. Etymologically, it is "to call alongside of," i.e. to summon for assistance. To comfort is to cheer and encourage. It has a positive force wanting in its synonym "console," as it indicates the dispelling of grief by the impartation of strength. the Revised Version (British and American) has correctly changed the translation of paramutheomai from the King James Version "comfort," to "consolation." So in the Old Testament, "Comfort ye my people" (Isa 40:1) is much stronger than "console," which affords only the power of calm endurance of affliction, while the brightest hopes of the future and the highest incentives to present activity are the gifts of the Divine grace that is here bestowed.</p><p>H. E. Jacobs</p>