Sure, Surely
Sure, Surely
shoor, shoorli: In modern English is used chiefly in the phrases to be sure or to make sure, and as a simple adjective it is usually either archaic or exceedingly colloquial. The adjectival use, however, is common (chiefly for , ‘aman, to confirm, and its derivatives) in English Versions of the Bible, where modern English would prefer secure or certain (1Sa 2:35; Sirach 40:25; Act 13:34, etc.). To be sure that is also fairly common in the King James Version, and occasionally (as in Deu 12:23, Be sure that thou eat not the blood, for , hazak, to be firm) it has rather more emphasis than in modern English. But usually the phrase is a mere periphrasis for some word meaning to know (compare the Revised Version (British and American) Exo 3:19; Luk 10:11; Rom 2:2, etc.). In Pro 6:3, the King James Version has Make sure thy friend for , rahabh, be boisterous beset the Revised Version (British and American) importune. The sense is Force him to pay his debt.
Surely in English Versions of the Bible is used almost always to qualify an entire phrase, as in Gen 28:16, Surely Yahweh is in this place. In modern English surely used in this way suggests that the statement is being argued and is therefore slightly doubtful, but in Elizabethan English the purpose is to exclude all doubt (beyond question). With this force the King James Version uses surely to translate almost any emphatic form, and the Revised Version (British and American) has conformed to AV’s use, and such changes as have been made by the Revised Version (British and American) (Mat 26:73; Luk 4:23; Rev 22:20, etc.) are merely to preserve uniformity of rendition. The most common use of surely in this sense is to translate a verb when emphasized by its own part. (absolute inf. in Hebrew), as Thou shalt, surely die (Gen 2:17) for dying thou shalt die (compare Gen 22:17 for the Hebrew construction). In this sense surely is sometimes varied by of a surety (Gen 15:13, etc.) without the slightest difference in meaning (compare Gen 9:5 and Gen 26:9). In addition surely is used occasionally as a simple adverb where modern English would prefer securely or certainly (compare Pro 10:9 and the King James Version Luk 1:1, surely believed, the Revised Version (British and American) fulfilled, the Revised Version margin fully established).
Surety, besides its use in of a surety appears, in the Old Testament to translate , arabh, to be surety, and in Heb 7:22 for , egguos, guarantor, giver of security. Modern English prefers security, as does even the King James Version in Act 17:9. Suretiship (the American Standard Revised Version suretyship) in Pro 11:15 for , taka, to strike (hands). See STRIKE; SURETY.