So...What? Get to Know the English of the Bible

And so I was reading through my Bible one day when I came across this verse:

So let me remind you of the Eternal’s enduring love, and why we should praise Him.

Let me tell you again how the Eternal gives and gives and gives.

All God’s wonders and goodness are done for Israel’s benefit

according to His great mercy and compassion.

(Isaiah 63:7, Voice)

Then I remembered my email from Dictionary.com:

Subsequently, the word “so” just got so interesting.

Here's a summary (for my quick reference):

How is 'so' being used?

1. as a filled pause, much in the way that “well,” “um,” and “like” are used in conversation

2. To begin with ‘so,’…is to signal that one’s coming words are chosen for their relevance to the listener.”

Speaker 1: So, how do you know Myra?

Speaker 2: College.

Speaker 1: So, I met Myra rock climbing at Yosemite…

In this example, the sentence-initial so is being used in two different ways. So works as a conversational prompt in the first line, and in the third line, so is used to carry on the conversation. In this way, so is a tool that helps ensure the conversation keeps up its pace by allowing a quick transition from one topic to another. Additionally so is sometimes used to change the subject altogether; a person might start a non-sequitur with the word so. It’s a way for a savvy conversationalist to avoid awkward silences.

Speaker 1: I went to the grocery store this afternoon.

Speaker 2: Which one did you go to? I love the one on Lawrence and Rockwell. They have excellent produce.

Speaker 1: That’s where I always go. So I was buying avocados…

Speaker 2 took the conversation on a tangent, and Speaker 1 brought it back to the topic she wanted to discuss; in this way Speaker 1 is able to return to the original narrative.

Soon afterwards, I checked Wordweb, and I wanted to fill in the corresponding sentence examples with Bible verses. (It’s partially complete, so please help me out!)

www.WordwebOnline.com entries for so:

Adverb: so

1. To a very great extent or degree

May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD promised him on oath. (2 Samuel 3:9 NIV)

2. In a manner that facilitates

"he observed the snakes so he could describe their behaviour"; "he stooped down so he could pick up his hat"

3. In such a condition or manner, especially as expressed or implied

So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. (2 Corinthians 8:6 NIV)

4. To a certain unspecified extent or degree

"I can only go so far with this student"; "can do only so much in a day"

5. In the same way; also

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. (2 Corinthians 11:22 NIV)

6. In the way indicated

Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand, just as the LORD commanded Moses. (Numbers 8:3 NIV)

7. (usually followed by 'that') to an extent or degree as expressed

"he was so tired he could hardly stand"; "so dirty that it smells"

8. Subsequently or soon afterwards (often used as a sentence connector)

"and so home and to bed"

9. (used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact, reason or as a result

"the witness is biased and so cannot be trusted"

10. In truth (often tends to intensify)

"he did so do it!"

Conjunction: so

1. And for this reason

So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. (1 Samuel 3:9 NIV)

2. In order that

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. (Revelation 3:18 NIV)

3. With the result that

"it is sunny, so it will be hot"

So there’s my little encounter with ‘so.’

Expanding my grammar helps me study the bible. Even then, this is not so much effort to steer clear from being a so-and-so - but it's a start. Knowing my Bible is one thing, but living it is another, so to speak.

Ending this article may be so soon, but I still need to work on “so that.”

So be it!

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