Solemn, Solemnity
Solemn, Solemnity
SOLEMN, SOLEMNITY.The adj. solemn frequently occurs in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] , always with assembly or meeting or some such word, and always in its early sense of regular or public Thus a solemn feast means simply a stated feast; there is no corresponding word in the Hebrew. In the same way solemnity means public occasion. How much this word, as used in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] , differs from its modern meaning, may be seen from Shaks., Midsummer Nights Dream, v. i. 376:
A fortnight hold we this solemnity,
In nightly revels and new jollity.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Solemn, Solemnity
solem, so-lemni-ti: The word solemn had (1) at first the meaning once in the year, through its derivation from Latin sollus, whole, annus, year. As, however, a regular annual occurrence is usually one of particular importance, the word took on (2) the meaning ceremonious. From this is derived (3) the usual modern force of grave in opposition to joyous. This last meaning is not in Biblical English, and the meanings of solemn in English Versions of the Bible are either (1) or (2). Nor is there any certain case of (1), for the word is always a gloss in English Versions of the Bible and, although frequently introduced in references to annual events (Lev 23:36, etc.), it is even more often used where annual is foreign to the passage (2Ki 10:20; Psa 92:3, etc.). The use of the word in the King James Version is unsystematic. It is always (except in Jer 9:2) found in conjunction with assembly when (10 times) the latter word represents acarah (acereth) (Lev 23:36, etc.) (retained by the Revised Version (British and American) with margin closing festival, Lev 23:36; 2Ch 7:9; Neh 8:18). the King James Version uses solemnity or solemn day, feast, etc., 17 times for the very common word moedh (appointed time, etc.). See FEAST.
RV’s treatment of these passages defies analysis. Solemnity is kept in Isa 33:20; Eze 46:11, and solemn in Lamentations (4 times); Hosea (3 times); Zep 3:18. In Eze 36:38; Eze 45:17; Eze 46:9 it is replaced by appointed, elsewhere (and for moadhoth, 2Ch 8:13) by set. The margins further complicate the renderings. the King James Version also uses solemn with hagh, feast, 4 times, and with haghagh, keep a feast, in Deu 16:15. The word is dropped by the Revised Version (British and American), except the English Revised Version in Psa 81:3. Finally, the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) have solemn sound for higgayon, in Psa 92:3. The context, however, demands resounding melody. And 11 times the Revised Version (British and American) has introduced solemn to represent the intensive in the form shabbath shabbathon (Exo 16:23, etc.), where the King James Version has simply sabbath or sabbath of rest. the Revised Version (British and American) here has imitated the adverbial solemnly in the similar intensified expressions in Gen 43:3; 1Sa 8:9.
The Revised Version (British and American) Apocrypha translates en hemerais kairou, in the days of the season (Baruch 1:14), by on the days of the solemn assembly (the King James Version solemn days), and both the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) have solemn feast days for dies festos (2 Esdras 1:31). Otherwise the King James Version’s use of solemn is dropped by the Revised Version (British and American).