Bible Dictionary
GUIDE
A guide is a companion, leader, counselor, or one who shows the way. Scripture warns against blind spiritual guides while presenting God as the true leader of His people and the Spirit as the guide into truth.
Definition
A guide is a companion, leader, counselor, commander, or one who shows the way. To guide means to lead, counsel, sustain, or direct someone or something.
Biblical Usage
Scripture warns against blind guides and describes God as leading His people. The Spirit is said to guide into all truth. The term can also refer to a companion, a military leader, a household ruler, or someone who gives counsel.
Historical Background
The biblical languages use several terms with related senses, including intimate companion, judge, military commander, leader, and way-shower.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>gid ('alluph, nachal, nachah; hodegos, hodegeo): "Guide" (noun) is the translation of 'alluph, "an intimate," "a friend," the leader of a family or tribe: Ps 55:13, "a man mine equal, my guide," the Revised Version (British and American) "my companion"; Pr 2:17, "the guide of her youth," the Revised Version (British and American) "friend," margin "or guide"; Jer 3:4, "My father, thou (art) the guide of my youth," the Revised Version, margin "companion"; Mic 7:5, "Put ye not confidence in a guide," the American Standard Revised Version "in a friend," margin "confidant" (which the context shows to be the meaning), the English Revised Version "guide," margin "familiar friend"; once of katsin, "a judge," "a military leader or commander" (compare Jos 10:24; Da 11:18); Pr 6:7, the Revised Version (British and American) "chief," margin "judge"; once nahagh, "to lead," is translated "guide" (Ps 48:14). In the New Testament hodegos, "a way-leader," is translated "guide" (Mt 23:16, "ye blind guides"; Mt 23:24; Ac 1:16; Ro 2:19); "to guide" is the translation of nachah, "to lead forth" (Job 38:32; Ps 73:24); once of 'ashar, Piel, "to guide" or "lead straight (Pr 23:19); of ya`ats, "to command," "to give counsel" ("I will guide thee with mine eye," the Revised Version (British and American) "I will counsel thee with mine eye upon thee," Ps 32:8); of kul, "to contain," "to sustain" (Ps 112:5, "He will guide his affairs with discretion," the Revised Version (British and American) "He shall maintain his cause in judgment"); of nahagh, "to drive," "to lead" (Ps 78:52); of hodegeo, "to show the way," "guide" (Joh 16:13, "He shall guide you into all truth," the Revised Version (British and American) "the truth"; Ac 8:31); oikodespoteo is translated "to guide the house" the Revised Version (British and American) "rule the household" (1Ti 5:14); the word means literally, to be a house-master (the head of the house).</p><p>The Revised Version (British and American) has "guide" for "lead" (Ps 25:5; Mt 15:14; Lu 6:39; Re 7:17); "a guide to" for "more excellent than" (Pr 12:26); "guided" for "brought in" (Ps 78:26); "guideth" for "maketh" (2Sa 22:33), for "leadeth" (Ps 23:3); "my heart yet guiding me," margin "holding its course," for "yet acquainting mine heart" (Ec 2:3).</p><p>"Guide-posts" is substituted for "high heaps" (Jer 31:21).</p><p>W. L. Walker</p>