03. Hebrew Thought

The reader will recall previous references to three important background topics before delving into more depth.  The first was leaving Scripture intact, the second, Multiple Witnesses.  We are now ready to touch on some of the third topic, “reliance upon an understanding that the Scriptures were written in a context of life very different from today’s.”  It does not at all mean that it is not relevant for today, indeed, Scripture is Truth, Truth that applies to all times.  We simply need to learn how to read and understand this “Revelation of Life.”  Intentionally, our Father designed it so that it would take time and effort in order to understand.  The effort is more than worth it.

Let’s begin by saying that most likely if you have lived in the West [America or Europe] for any period of time, you are a Greek thinker. For the most part western thinking has developed from the Greeks. It is totally imbedded in our thinking, the Scientific Method, the Industrial Revolution, the “Enlightenment,” the list goes on and on.  We are very enculturated in Greek thinking.  It will become more clear as we point out contrasts with Hebrew thought.

The Holy Bible was written by Hebrew thinkers, which in many ways reflect oriental thinking. We will share a few insights into differences between Hebrew and Greek thinking, to serve as a background for your interpretation of Scripture. There are undoubtedly more differences than will be discussed here. The important aspects for purposes here will be:

1. development of the language in culture
2. abstract vs. concrete thought
3. description by appearance vs. function
4. static and dynamic usage
5. linear vs. cyclical perspective
6. spatial and time orientation
7. analytic vs. synthetic perception of life

Some references are listed, but this is not intended to be a complete duplicate of the dissertation.  Those who want more information can dig further.

• Development of the Language in Culture

The Hebrew alphabet developed over three time periods, denoted early, middle, and late script, reflecting their language. The earliest forms of the letters were pictographs, shapes of objects in the nomadic life of the people. What is now the aleph, the first letter, was an ox head; what is now the beyt, the second letter, was the floor plan of a tent; the dalet was a tent door; the ayin was an eye. Each letter had a meaning, which made logical sense based upon what it was depicting. For example, the א now-aleph, was an ox head, meaning “strength and power,” also “leader or chief.” The ב now-beyt, was a floorplan of a tent and meant “house, tent, family,” and also “in, with, inside, within.” When words were formed by putting letters together, the meaning of the two letters was combined to make a word, אב aleph and beyt together make the “leader of the family,” “leader of the household,” or “father.” Hebrew is a very ancient Semitic language, coming from the name of one of Noah’s sons, Shem. As the language and its letter forms developed into more abstract shapes in the middle script, reflecting the older pictographs, these writings were seen in Canaan, where eventually the Hebrew people settled.

    This is the word “father”, אב from the ancient writing.

The Phoenicians developed their alphabet from the middle script. It was from this Phoenician script [Semitic origin] that travelers passed an alphabet on to ancient Greece. It was from the Phoenician alphabet that the Greek alphabet and language developed. Over time, the Greek language evolved, reflecting more of “city life,” as the Greeks became more settled in cities; the Greeks developed more in the way of philosophy and conceptual thinking. The Hebrew language continued to reflect more of “country life,” more agrarian, more nomadic, more concrete. Semitic languages were written from right to left, which is what the Greeks inherited. Over time, the Greeks switched to writing left-to-right, whereas Hebrew remains right-to-left.

• Abstract vs. Concrete Thought

thought tends to view everything through the “eye” of the mind, whereas Hebrew thought tends to reflect more concretely, of objects that are observed through the senses. It does not mean that the Hebrew people did not have very abstract ideas. It means that their abstract thoughts were conveyed through their language, their writing, in more concrete objects that could be sensed with one of the five senses. The reader is then challenged to think in a different manner when trying to understand the concept underlying the concrete picture. A great example is reflected in these three snapshots of Scripture:

• Deuteronomy 25:4 ESV 4 “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.

• 1 Corinthians 9:9-10 ESV It Is Written  19 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.

• 1 Timothy 5:17-19 ESV 17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” 19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. Once again exemplifying the benefit of multiple witnesses, the reader may be better able to understand the meanings.

 Paul refers to Dt. 25:4 in 1Co. 9 and 1Ti 5 in discussion about how we treat our fellow man, clearly indicating the metaphorical or abstract meaning of the very concrete example.

(image Grassroots Church)

• Description by Appearance vs. Function

One of Benner’s great examples of the Hebrew way of viewing objects by their function versus the Greek by appearance is his explanation of how the two might describe a common pencil. The Greek thinker would tend to describe a pencil as long, thin, pointy at the end, and yellow. The Hebrew thinker would describe a pencil as something with which one writes. Appearance vs. function. And functional thinking is reflected in Hebrew language overall. How something functions is how it is understood.

image Beatrice Curnew.com

image General Pencil.com

Not to confuse matters too much here, but there are multiple Greek and Hebrew words that mean “truth.” Definitions of two of those words are shared here from the CWSBD, which seem to reflect what Benner has described above.

• Greek – g0225.  λήθεια alḗtheia; gen. alētheías, fem. noun from alēthḗs (G0227), true. Truth, reality; the unveiled reality lying at the basis of and agreeing with an appearance; the manifested, the veritable essence of matter. [writer’s emphasis]

• Hebrew – h0530. אֱמוּנָה ’emûnāh: A noun meaning truth, faithfulness. It is used to describe God’s character and His actions in Deuteronomy 32:4.

• Static and dDynamic Usage

The static and dynamic ideas somewhat reflect what was just described as “appearance” and “functional,” but gives a real visual picture of what is taking place. Benner gives an example similar to this one:

•Exodus 11:8 NKJV 8 And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will go out.” Then he went out from Pharaoh in great anger.

The Hebrew for the phrase “in great anger” in the NKJV is בָּחֳרִי־אָֽף . Its literal meaning is “with a burning nose.” Sometimes we see this phrase with people, such as here with Moses [Moshe], and sometimes we see it with the ‘wrath’ of God. It reflects concretely the very dynamic sense of Moses’s reddened face with flaring nostrils. The reader gets a perfect visual image of what is actually happening, and understands as well the idea of anger in this situation. It is an interpretation of “body language” in this circumstance.

Another example is the word *h2706. חקֹ ḥôq, which is most commonly translated as “statute,” meaning an ordinance or a law. It is derived from the primitive root h2710. חָקַק ḥâqaq; meaning properly, to hack, or to engrave. So a statute is something “engraved in stone,” or “cut in stone,” which is an idiom used in America for something enduring.

• Linear vs. Cyclical Thought

Our Western thinking, like Greek/Roman thinking tends to be very linear. We see a beginning and an end. We see elements that take place, one after another, along that line between beginning and end. We may look back on the time that our daughter lived with us at home as a series of milestones from her birth to her moving away to college, and events in between, like beginning to walk, starting school, first date, learning to drive. We visualize it plotted on a line.

In Hebrew thought, however, there is no beginning and no end, only repetitive cycles. Think of approaching a closed circle to search for an entry point. There truly is no beginning and no end.” This is such an important concept in understanding the Bible, as we try to put ourselves into the mode of thinking of the Hebrew people. It is apparent from the description of Creation:

• Genesis 1:5 “…And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”

• Genesis 1:8 “…And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.”

• Genesis 1:13 “And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.” These cycles are seen, even before the creation of the sun and moon, but when they are created on day four, they are given a purpose, a cyclical purpose:

• Genesis 1:14-16 ESV 14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.

 beneimikra.wordpress.com

We see the cycles in the Hebrew calendar, which is a lunar-based calendar rather than the Roman solar calendar. We notice, in the feasts that occur in the spring and the fall of each year, the relationship to harvest times. Spangler and Tverberg have a very nice graphic reflecting the cycle of feasts in an appendix. It is a circle, a cycle. We see it reflected in the wording of Scripture, in such ways as the rains, often being both literal and metaphorical:

• Deuteronomy 11:14 ESV 14 he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil.

• Joel 2:23 ESV 23 “Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in YHWH your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.

 There are many renditions of the Biblical Feasts online. This is one version, from http://www.wilrens.org/2015/12/cals20/ [Create a Learning Site]

God is the designer and maintainer of the cycles, communicating to us by way of these cycles:

• Isaiah 46:9-10 ESV

9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

•Psalm 19:1-4 NLT For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. 2 Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. 3 They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. 4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. •Genesis 8:22 NASB 22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease.”

One of the best-known discussions on “cycles” is in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, which begins:

• Ecclesiastes 3:1 ESV 1 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

In his discussion of “cycles,” which is brief, von Rad struggles with how “the Preacher” [Solomon, Shlomo] fits into this picture. He sees King Solomon as a nihilist. This writer, rather sees this king in a different light. Solomon wrote most of the book of Proverbs, plus all of the book the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes. This writer sees the necessity of reading all of his writings together as one, where verses can easily be seen to tie them together, a cycle, if one looks. It appears to this writer that Ecclesiastes is the writing of an old man who recognizes choices in his life that have resulted in undesirable consequences, for which he now feels a deep remorse. His heart is now changed. And his conclusion is:

• Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 ESV 13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

The idea of cycles is not entirely foreign to moderns, with church calendars and seasons (e.g. Advent, Lent), but these cycles are more of an add-on to our society’s linear thinking. The cycles were the entire basis of the Hebrew society. This we must keep in mind as we explore Scripture.

• Spatial and Time Orientation (this section is a good bit more detailed, requiring more word definitions and consideration of true “paradigm shifts.” [Though very necessary background information.] If you a more advanced reader, proceed here. If you are more of a beginner, drop down near the end of this post for a brief SUMMARY of the information.)

As we approach the ideas of spatial and time orientation, we must entirely throw out our usual concepts when reading and understanding Scripture. The two are linked, and thus discussed together. That is the first difference to be aware of, the connection between space and time in the Hebrew mind. All is interconnected. A wonderful book to help understand some of this interconnection is The Sabbath, by Abraham Joshua Heschel.

Hebrew orientation is toward the east, toward the rising sun, whereas all our maps and our orientation are set toward North, based upon our “analytical observation” that the North Star was a fairly fixed object that we could point an instrument toward. You begin to see that our listing of seven different aspects of the Hebrew way of thinking are a result of our “analytic” Greek minds. All of these concepts flow together. There are not seven individual ideas, but one way of looking at all of Creation.

Step back a moment to consider. The North Star is a far-off point. If one watches it for an entire year, seeing its “fixed position” as the constellations seem to move all around it, one gets the idea of this “distant focus” as a guiding light. We have man’s ‘creation,’ the sextant, pointing it to this far-off, distant object, as our guiding light. It does work, in a worldly sort of way. Also, one can use the same analogy with “magnetic north” and the compass. An object or tool agrees with the Greek idea of “truth,” g0225. λήθεια alḗtheia, “the unveiled reality lying at the basis of and agreeing with an appearance.”

The Hebraic “compass” is different. It is based upon the Word received from God. Hebrew “orientation” is of a man facing east, toward the rising sun. In Biblical Hebrew, time and space are both described relative to that orientation. The Hebrew people have their orientation, their “Worldview,” the concept of all of Creation, based upon knowing that every day the sun arises in one general direction. It is a daily cycle. It also arises at a slightly different direction that changes throughout the year, and at a slightly different time throughout the year. All are cycles, repeating over and over. Changing but not changing. Recall the Hebrew word we shared for Truth, h0530. אֱמוּנָה ’emûnāh: “a noun meaning truth, faithfulness.” The Hebrew knew that faithfully, the sun would rise every day. It was a Word from God:

• Genesis 1:14 “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.”

He was faithful, he was True, one could count on him if one simply kept his eye on the rising sun, “today.” This is the basis for one of Yeshua’s [Jesus’s] most famous discourses in the Sermon on the Mount, ending in “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.” (Mt 6:25-34) Focusing on today, fully trusting in the knowledge that the Father provides for this day, being grateful for today’s provision, not fretting about tomorrow, knowing that faithfully the sun will rise, faithfully the God of Truth will be there, is the message. Doing this, one will not have fretted away the only time that anyone has, this moment, by being concerned about another “time.”

http://www.summitpost.org/watching-the-sun-rise-from/147119

•Psalms 148:3-6 ESV 3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! 4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! 5 Let them praise the name of YHWH! For he commanded and they were created. 6 And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.

As we look at this “toward the rising sun” orientation, and look at different Hebrew words for directions and times, we can see this picture. The origin of our word “orientation” is from Latin, oriens meaning rising, the rising sun, east, morning. Thus, we can see a “hold-over” in our language from this ancient concept. This writer’s interpretation is that the orientation words fall into three categories [typical “Greek” analyzing mind trying to understand Hebrew thoughts]. The first category will be called “geographic landmarks,” the second “body position,” and the third, relative to light or light quality.

First, think about geographical landmarks. This is a concept we use. If we live on one side of a mountain range, we might give someone directions by saying, just keep the mountains in front of you. A meteorologist might give a forecast rather than to the north or south, saying “along the interstate corridor,” or “toward the Gulf.” In Hebrew, we note four Hebrew direction words:

• h4217. מִזְרָח mizrāḥ:  the place of the sunrise, east, eastward [CWSBD],

• h5045. נֶגֶב neg̱eḇ:  the South, south. … refers in general to the dry desert area in the south of Israel [CWSBD], Negev or Negeb Desert

• h3220. יָם yām:  the sea, west [CWSBD]. (The largest body of water for the Hebrew people was the Mediterranean, which was to their west, thus our Bible versions frequently translate as “to the west” rather than “to the sea.”)

• For the north, TWOT says, h6828. “ צָפוֹן . ṣapân North. In Canaanite mythology the north was considered to be the place for the meeting of the assembly of the gods. The gods assembled on Mount ṣapân; ṣapân may be taken as a proper name.”

We began this discussion with orientation defined by facing the rising sun. The “body position words” relate to that orientation.

• To the east is h6924. קֶדֶם qeḏem:  the east, earlier, formerly, long ago. … A few times the word means front or in front [CWSBD].

• To the south are h8486. תֵּימָן ṯêymân, h3233. ימְָנִי yemâniy, and h3225. ימִָין yâmîyn, all of which come from “h3231. יָמַן yāman: a verb indicating to go to the right, to use the right hand. It is used to indicate direction, in the direction of the right side or hand” [CWSBD].

• To the north “h8042. שְׂמָאלִי śemâ’lîy; from h8040. שְׂמאֹול śemô’wl; situated on the left side: — left. h8040. שְׂמאֹול śemō’wl, שְׂמאֹל śemō’l: left hand, left side, north. It indicates directions to the left. … It indicates northward in some contexts.”

• And to the west, is “h0310. אַחַר ’aḥar, a preposition meaning behind, after, afterwards. Its root is h0309. אָחַר ’āḥar: A verb meaning to delay or hold back; delay or remain.” [CWSBD]

Regarding light quality:

• The word h4217. מִזְרָח mizrāḥ, mentioned earlier for east is derived from the verb h2224. זָרַח zāraḥ, a verb meaning to rise up, to dawn, to shine forth; to break out. It refers to the rising or shining of the sun” [CWSBD]; ESD adds “to shoot out rays.”

• Regarding the north, two words, one mentioned before h8040. שְׂמאֹול śemô’wl; or שְׂמאֹל smoal; ESD adds, “a primitive word (rather perhaps from the same as h8071 שִׂמְלָה śimlāh (by insertion of the aleph) through the idea of wrapping up); properly, dark (as enveloped).” The other “north” word, ESD says, “h6828. צָפוֹן ṣâp̱ôn; or צפָןֹ tsaphon; from 6845; properly, hidden, i.e. dark; used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and unknown): — north(-ern, side, -ward, wind) from h6845. צָפַן ṣâp̱an; a primitive root; to hide.” This we saw above from the TWOT referring to Mount Sapon. CWSBD adds “The north became a source of violence, evil.” There is much association between darkness and evil in Scripture.

• There is nothing specific for the south regarding light quality, though one could consider drought and desert in regard to ‘brightness’ from h5045. נֶגֶב neg̱eḇ.

• For the west, CWSBD lists “h4628. מַעֲרָב ma’arāḇ, a masculine noun signifying west, westward. It is used of the area and direction west.” ESD lists derivation of “h4628. מַעֲרָב ma‘arāḇ from h6150. עָרַב ‘âraḇ; a primitive root  (idea of covering with a texture); to grow dusky at sundown: — be darkened, (toward) evening.” Familiar concepts to us are words such as dusk and twilight. This is toward the setting sun.

This covers directional words; there is  more in terms of time orientation. The word h6924. קֶדֶם qeḏem; or קֵדְמָה qedmah which was listed above for east, is also used for the past or ancient time. Its derivation is from h6923. קָדַם qâḏam, to precede or go before. The Hebrew word for tomorrow is h4279. מָחָר māḥār, sometimes translated as “later” or “time to come.” h0319. אַחֲרִית ’aḥariyṯ is a feminine noun meaning the end, last time, latter time. Both of these words come from the “root h0309. אָחַר ’āḥar meaning behind, after, afterwards” [CWSBD], most commonly “behind.”

The concept of the past being “before” or in front of a person and the future being “behind” a person are totally opposite from our way of thinking. Again, it relates to the cyclical view of time in life, and has to do with a person being able to see what has gone before, we can face / see what has occurred to us in the past. We cannot see the future, it is not in our face, so to speak, and is therefore behind us. There will be an extensive look at the word h6440. פָּניִם p̱âniym, meaning presence, face and before, in a post to come. We may later be able to see how פָּניִם might relate to such orientation. One more thought tying time and space together in the Hebrew mind may help round out the picture. There is a Hebrew word that is commonly translated variously as ancient, everlasting, eternity, forever. This word is h5769. עוֹלָם ‘ôlâm; or עלָֹם ‘olam, the ESD saying, “properly, concealed, hidden, the vanishing point.” It lists the derivation as from h5956. עָלַם ‘âlam; CWSBD says of this word: “A verb meaning to hide, to conceal, to ignore. It refers to something kept secret, not observed, not taken care of.”

Rather than “vanishing point” that ESD uses, in The Living Words, Benner uses “horizon,” which in one way of looking at it means vanishing point. That point at which one can no longer see the earth. So, h5769. עוֹלָם ‘ôlâm is both a very long distance and a very long time. As we read English translations of this word, we must recall that the Hebrew people are accustomed to a word having multiple meanings, and (as Benner reminds) even meaning more than one thing at the same time. This is how it is so easy for them to have plays on words and how there can be multiple levels of meaning, both of which are explored later.

Benner (2007) gives the example of עוֹלָם ‘ôlâm in Psalm 90:2, which will be expanded upon somewhat, partly to reflect on this “multiple meaning” idea, and partly as a segue into looking at tools for interpreting Scripture. The example he gives for h5769. עוֹלָם ‘ôlâm is:

•Psalm 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth and you formed the land and the world, from horizon (ôlâm) to horizon (ôlâm) you are God.

https://www.jubilantstewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/horizon-009.jpg

From experience in reading Benner’s works in general, he tends to do his own translations, as do many authors. That is a direction to which each of us should strive, so we can really see what was written in ancient time without the filter of many translations [more later]. This writer having personally checked twelve common Bible translations/paraphrases for wording of Psalm 90:2, notes various words used to translate ôlâm, all of them referring to time rather than distance. A typical example is given here from the KJV:

•Psalms 90:1-2 KJV A Prayer of Moses the man of God. אֲדנָֹי 1 ’ăḏônây, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

This is not a challenge to Benner’s translation, but a challenge to the reader to be thoughtful and discerning in Bible study. Does ôlâm mean “horizon” because Moses (Moshe) is speaking of mountains and earth and world, or does it mean “everlasting” because in the context of verse 1, where he says “in all generations,” it is a “time” concept? Benner’s answer to that “either/or” question would likely be “yes.” [both] God is omnipresent, in all space and all time to the Hebrew mind, especially to this man who met God face to face. (Ex 33:11) Benner could also be telling the reader to look back at the basic meaning of the word, returning to roots and letters. Green (1987) refers only to time, “long duration.” Both Benner (2005) and Clark (1999) have as the basic meaning “hide” or “hidden,” which allow consideration in both directions, time and space, as if “far off.” The TWOT notes it is often used in combination with h5703. עַד ‘aḏ, translated most often as “forever and ever.” One might therefore question whether the word without the emphasis of h5703. עַד ‘aḏ is best translated “everlasting.”

• SUMMARY OF SPATIAL AND TIME ORIENTATION

• Space and time orientation are linked to body position standing facing the rising sun (rather than our using a northward orientation on maps, Hebrew orients east)
• Three categories of spatial orientation words in Hebrew: Geographical, Light Quality, Relation to Body Position (as above, facing eastward to the rising sun)
• DIRECTIONAL WORDS:
• Geographical words for direction:

2. h5045. נֶגֶב neg̱eḇ:  the South, south. … refers in general to the dry desert area in the south of Israel
3. h6828. “ צָפוֹן . ṣapân North, Mount Sapan
4. h3220. יָם yām:  the sea (most commonly the Mediterranean), west

• Light quality words for direction:

1. h4217. מִזְרָח mizrāḥ, east, derived from th2224. זָרַח zāraḥ, a verb meaning to rise up, to dawn, to shine forth; to break out. It refers to the rising or shining of the sun,” “to shoot out rays.”
2. h5045. נֶגֶב neg̱eḇ desert, south, bright concept only from desert idea
3. north, two words, 1). h8040. שְׂמאֹול śemô’wl; or שְׂמאֹל smoal;  idea of wrapping up; properly, dark (as enveloped).” 2) “h6828. צָפוֹן ṣâp̱ôn; or צפָןֹ tsaphon; from 6845; properly, hidden, i.e. dark; used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and unknown):  from h6845. צָפַן ṣâp̱an; a primitive root; to hide;” much association between darkness and evil in Scripture.
4. h4628. מַעֲרָב ma’arāḇ, west, westward.  from h6150. עָרַב ‘âraḇ; a primitive root (covering with a texture); to grow dusky at sundown; be darkened, toward evening.” Familiar concepts to us are words such as dusk and twilight, toward setting sun.

• Body orientation words for direction:

1. h6924. קֶדֶם qeḏem:  the east, earlier, formerly, long ago. … sometimes front or in front
2. south: h8486. תֵּימָן ṯêymân, h3233. ימְָנִי yemâniy, and h3225. ימִָין yâmîyn, all of which come from “h3231. יָמַן yāman: a verb indicating to go to the right, to use the right hand. Indicates in the direction of the right side or hand
3. h8042. שְׂמָאלִי śemâ’lîy; from h8040. שְׂמאֹול śemô’wl; situated on the left side, left hand, left side, north
4. west, is “h0310. אַחַר ’aḥar, behind, after, afterwards.; from h0309. אָחַר ’āḥar: A verb meaning to delay or hold back; delay or remain.

• TIME ORIENTATION WORDS, you will notice one of the same words used for time and space, even as seen above:

1. The word h6924. קֶדֶם qeḏem; or קֵדְמָה qedmah which was listed above for east, is also used for the past or ancient time. Its derivation is from h6923. קָדַם qâḏam, to precede or go before.
2. The Hebrew word for tomorrow is h4279. מָחָר māḥār, sometimes translated as “later” or “time to come.” h0319. אַחֲרִית ’aḥariyṯ is a feminine noun meaning the end, last time, latter time; both from h0309. אָחַר ’āḥar meaning behind, after, afterwards,” most commonly “behind.”
3. h5769. עוֹלָם ‘ôlâm; or עלָֹם ‘olam, properly: concealed, hidden, the vanishing point;  from h5956. עָלַם ‘âlam; to hide, to conceal, to ignore. It refers to something kept secret, not observed, not taken care of. Translated most often as “forever.”  Benner also translates in a spatial orientation as “horizon.”

The most important point from this discussion is the two different paradigms from our current orientation:

1. Everything is oriented toward the Truth of the predictable rising sun
2. Things in front of us are in the past; things behind us are in the future
3. Words can have multiple meanings, and the Hebrew people were fine with multiple meanings in one usage – we have to get away from the Greek thinking that “it must mean this:” it can mean both

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

• CONCLUSION

As you ponder the above discussion on space and time orientation, all being related int he Hebrew mind, one example of Scripture that may open up much prayer and meditation for you is the passage below.  Notice in verse 23 the italicized portion.

• Exodus 33:17-23 LITV 17 And Yehovah said to Moses, This thing which you have spoken I will do. For you have found favor in My eyes, and I know you by name. 18 And he said, I pray, let me see Your glory. 19 And He said, I will cause all My goodness to pass before your face. And I will call out the name of Yehovah before your face. And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. 20 And He said, You are not able to see My face; for no man can see Me and live. 21 And Yehovah said, Behold, a place by Me! And you shall stand on a rock. 22 And as My glory is passing it will be that I will put you in a cleft of the rock; and I will cover My hand over you during My passing. 23 And I will remove My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face cannot be seen.

There are so many potential understandings of the passage.  There is much that is metaphorical here; obviously God has no body (Gn. 1:2; Ex. 33:20; Nm. 23:19; Dt. 4:15; Lk. 24:39; John 4:24; Ro. 1:20; 1Ti. 1:17, 6:16) but metaphorically his hands and arms and feet are spoken of commonly. Here we want to focus on what we just discussed, and think what the last half of verse 23 could be saying.  We know that Moses (Moshe) was a prophet (Dt. 18:15, 34:10; Ac. 3:22, 7:37), which means he was given the gift of foresight, inspired revelation. So one way of looking at it in YHWH saying “you shall see my back” is that Moses will be able to “see” what transpires in the future.  On the other hand, no man can see His face.  Could this mean, on one level, that mankind is unable to visualize whatsoever what God is like/was like, before Creation, we have no concept of the distant past, before there was space or time.  [There will be a Post discussing some categories of “levels of meaning in Scripture” later.  Let this serve as an introduction.]

One point is that writers of Scripture are speaking to the reader purposefully on multiple levels. Another is always to look deeper, even to the point of making one’s own attempt at good words to use in the context. [More on word investigation later.] Does the reader read a modern poet or Shakespeare on a literal level? And Scripture is much more intricate than such writings. One other book that is helpful in understanding the Hebraic perspective overall is by David Bivin and Roy Blizzard, Jr. All of the books listed contribute important pieces to understanding some of the things we see as “puzzling.”

• The last of the seven categories this writer listed to consider is “analytic vs. synthetic perception of life.” However, because the discussion of that topic will require some more advanced techniques for a satisfactory explanation, it will be addressed in a later post.

Time for a breather…

*alphanumeric notations such as h2706 above are “Strong’s numbers,” an index of Hebrew and Greek words used in Scripture, and will be discussed in more detail later.

The listings below are included in the Bibliography Page

The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible, Hebrew Letters, Words and Roots Defined Within Their Ancient Cultural Context, Jeff A. Benner, Published 2005 by Virtualbookworm.com Publishing Inc., P.O. Box 9949, College Station, TX 77845, US.  

http://www.ancientgreece.com/s/AncientGreekLanguage/ and http://www.ancientgreece.com/s/ Neolithic/

The Living Words – Volume One, A study of Hebrew words and concepts from the Old and New Testament, Jeff A. Benner, Published 2007 by Virtualbookworm.com Publishing Inc., P.O. Box 9949, College Station, TX 77845, US

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/phoenician.htm

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus, How the Jewishness of Jesus can Transform your Faith, Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg, 2009, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI

Old Testament Theology, The Theology of Israel’s Historical Traditions, Gerhard von Rad, 2005, Prince Press, Peabody, MA

CWSBD – Complete Word Study Bible Dictionary, New Testament (Revised Edition), Spiros Zodhiates, Warren Baker, George Hadjiantoniou, 1993; Old Testament, Warren Baker and Eugene Carpenter, 2003; both: AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN

The Sabbath, Its Meaning for Modern Man, Abraham Joshua Heschel, introduction by Susannah Heschel, 1951, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, NY. copyright renewed 1979, Introduction copyright 2005.

TWOT -Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL, Archer, G.L., Harris, R.L. (2003).

Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus, New Insights From a Hebraic Perspective, Revised Edition, David Bivin and Roy Blizzard, Jr., 1994, Destiny Image Publishers, Shippensburg, PA.

© Jan 2018 logandspeck.com please cite if copying