REVENGE vs. AVENGE

AVENGE – To take satisfaction for an injury by punishing the injuring party to vindicate by inflicting pain or evil on the wrong doer. In this examples, avenge implies that the evil inflicted on the injuring party is a satisfaction or justice done to the injured, and the party vindicated is the object of the verb.

To avenge and revenge, radically, are tantamount. But modern usage implies to make a valuable distinction in the use of these words, restricting avenge to the taking of just punishment, and revenge to the infliction of pain or evil, maliciously, in an illegal manner.

In the passive form this verb signifies to have or receive just satisfaction, by the punishment of the offender. Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

When we just pray for our enemies, God will avenge His own elect. Below we find many examples of God’s retribution. Although many in this world will reward you evil for the good you have done. Pray, and watch God deliver you from the hand of the wicked. We need not seek revenge, only to pray for our adversaries, be still and watch God!  

Leviticus 19:18 

18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.

Leviticus 26:25 

25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

Numbers 31:2 

Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.

Numbers 31:3

And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian.

Deuteronomy 32:43 

43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.

1 Samuel 24:12 

12 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

2 Kings 9:7 

And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel.

Isaiah 1:24 

24 Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: