See 2 Kings 5 Naaman for a “thematic connection.”
See v.4, another ambiguous “he.” v.6 Naaman servant (h5650. עֶבֶד ‘eḇeḏ) to king of Syria. v.13 listens to his servants (h5650. עֶבֶד ‘eḇeḏ)
We are trying to get a better understanding of what שרת means by comparing it with other “servant” words, in particular, h5650. עֶבֶד ‘eḇeḏ and h8278. שְׂרָד śerâḏ which we saw above as a phonetic cognate.
● h5650 + h8334 six occurrences ①②③④⑤⑥
h5650. עֶבֶד ‘eḇeḏ; from h5647. עָבַד ‘âḇaḏ
h8334. שָׁרַת šâraṯ
① Joshua 1:1-3 – (God’s Commission to Joshua)
1 After the death of Moses the servant (h5650. עֶבֶד ‘eḇeḏ) of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant (h8334. שָׁרַת šâraṯ), saying: 2 “Moses My servant (h5650. עֶבֶד ‘eḇeḏ) is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.
② 1 Kings 10:4-6
4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his servants (h5650. עֶבֶד ‘eḇeḏ), the service (h4612. מַעֲמָד ma‘ămâḏ) of his waiters (h8334. שָׁרַת šâraṯ) and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her. 6 Then she said to the king: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.
h4612. מַעֲמָד ma‘ămâḏ; from h5975. עָמַד ‘âmaḏ
p.187 עמד stand in preparation to act
CM עמד determine degree of motion (A64)
Exodus 33:9
9 וְהָיָ֗ה כְּבֹ֤א מֹשֶׁה֙ הָאֹ֔הֱלָה יֵרֵד֙ עַמּ֣וּד הֶֽעָנָ֔ן וְעָמַ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְדִבֶּ֖ר עִם־מֹשֶֽׁה׃
Exodus 33:9
9 And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar (h5982. עַמּוּד ‘ammûḏ) of cloud (h6051. עָנָן ‘ânân) descended and stood (h5975. עָמַד ‘âmaḏ) at the door of the tabernacle, and (the LORD) talked with Moses.
h5982. עַמּוּד ‘ammûḏ; or עַמֻּד ‘ammud; from h5975. עָמַד ‘âmaḏ
h6051. עָנָן ‘ânân ◉ see below ◉
③ 2 Chronicles 9:3-4
3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 4 the food on his table, the seating of his servants (h5650. עֶבֶד ‘eḇeḏ), the service (h4612. מַעֲמָד ma‘ămâḏ) of his waiters (h8334. שָׁרַת šâraṯ) and their apparel, his cupbearers and their apparel, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.
④ Isaiah 56:1-7
1 Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, and do righteousness,
For My salvation is about to come,
And My righteousness to be revealed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this,
And the son of man who lays hold on it;
Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3 Do not let the son of the foreigner
Who has joined himself to the LORD
Speak, saying,
“The LORD has utterly separated me from His people”;
Nor let the eunuch say,
“Here I am, a dry tree.”
4 For thus says the LORD:
“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold fast My covenant,
5 Even to them I will give in My house
And within My walls a place and a name
Better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
That shall not be cut off.
6 “Also the sons of the foreigner
Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve (h8334. שָׁרַת šâraṯ) Him,
And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants (h5650. עֶבֶד ‘eḇeḏ)—
Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And holds fast My covenant—
7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain,
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
Will be accepted on My altar;
For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
⑤ & ⑥ Jeremiah 33:20-22
20 “Thus says the LORD: ‘If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, 21 then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant (h5650. עֶבֶד ‘eḇeḏ), so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers (h8334. שָׁרַת šâraṯ). 22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants of David My servant (h5650. עֶבֶד ‘eḇeḏ) and the Levites who minister (h8334. שָׁרַת šâraṯ) to Me.’ ”
••••••••••••••
h5650 + h8278 – none
h5647 + h8334 – two occurrences
① Numbers 8:23-26
23 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “This is what pertains to the Levites: From twenty-five years old and above one may enter to perform service in the work of the tabernacle of meeting; 25 and at the age of fifty years they must cease performing this work, and shall work no more. 26 They may minister (h8334. שָׁרַת šâraṯ) with their brethren in the tabernacle of meeting, to attend to needs, but they themselves shall do (h5647. עָבַד ‘âḇaḏ) no work (h5656. עֲבֹדָה ‘ăḇôḏâ). Thus you shall do to the Levites regarding their duties.”
② Numbers 16:8-9
8 Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: 9 Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do (h5647. עָבַד ‘âḇaḏ) the work (h5656. עֲבֹדָה ‘ăḇôḏâ) of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to serve (h8334. שָׁרַת šâraṯ) them; (literally work the work or serve the service) – any time, read the context about Koran’s uprising – another commentary on hubris/haughtiness.
h5647 + h8278 – none
Your interpretation is important. Give it a try••• The “sense” that I get from these comparisons is that h8334. שָׁרַת šâraṯ (how Joshua is described) is more of a spiritual nurturing and h5647. עָבַד ‘âḇaḏ/h5650. עֶבֶד ‘eḇeḏ is more physical service. Of course there is likely overlap.
◉ It is very important here to see both what Strong’s and EDBH have to say about a translation of the root ענן “cloud.” ◉
h6051. עָנָן ‘ânân; from 6049; a cloud
h6049. עָנַן ‘ânan; a primitive root; to cover; AV (11) – observer of times 5, soothsayer 2, bring 1, sorceress 1, enchanter 1
Don’t focus here on soothsayer, but upon “observer of times” – is there something about the ability of God to see what lies ahead (● see in Part II) that can be a “spiritual gift,” as it were, in one who “ministers.” Is it something that allows one to “observe” what transpires, and can share wisdom, based upon those observations? Being careful, obviously, not to be a soothsayer/sorcerer/enchanter? Is this related to Paul’s discussion in 1 Corinthians 12?
p.189 ענן fructify through rain clouds
GV p.188 ענן fructify [through rain clouds]; p.189 ענה respond [make dependent]; p.181 עון time [to advantage; benefit for specific time periods]; p.184 עין appear [emerge]
CM ענן grant/withdraw (A46); ענה bring about (A44); עון form (A6); עין contain (A13)
For new readers, the “also” verses (with context, always) help explain the “sense” of the first listed verse. Sometimes they include the word being defined, sometimes a phonetic cognate, and sometimes none – they are “thematic connections,” and are shown with || to indicate “parallel thought.” To me they are most enlightening.
① over-clouding
Genesis 9:13-14
13 I set My rainbow in the cloud (h6051. עָנָן ‘ânân), and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud (h6051. עָנָן ‘ânân) over the earth, that the rainbow (h7198. קֶשֶׁת qešeṯ) shall be seen in the cloud (h6051. עָנָן ‘ânân);
h7198. קֶשֶׁת qešeṯ; Strong’s says from h7185. קָשָׁה qâšâ
EDBH indicates קשת is a root, and in particular refers to this verse:
p.236 קשת prepare a bow
CM קשת prepare and strengthen
You can see the connection in the two approaches, if one includes both the שׁ and שׂ. It is both a hardening/strengthening and a support. This••• this is the teaching, the fructify-ing (bringing forth fruit) from the rain cloud.
GV p.235 קשׁשׁ collect [available items by hand]; p.234 קשׁה harden; p.234 קשׁא harden; p.227 קושׁ ensnare; p.109 יקשׁ ensnare; p.162 נקשׁ ensnare [be drawn to an object]
GV p.235 קשׂשׂ scale off [shed outer layer]; p.235 קשׂה support
CM קשׁשׁ and קשׂשׂ separate/collect (C19); קשׁה and קשׂה and קשׁא emerge and separate (C18); קושׁ compress/release (C8); נקשׁ act in physical proximity (D70); יקשׁ hold/release (C59)
||
Genesis 6:8
8 But Noah found grace (h2580. חֵן ḥên) in the eyes (h5869. עַיִן ‘aiyn) of the LORD. h2580. חֵן ḥên; from h2603. חָנַן ḥânan ; and notice עין is in the Variant family of ענן.
||
Numbers 6:23-27
23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
24 “The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious (h2603. חָנַן ḥânan) to you;
26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ’
27 “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”
② water-enclosed cloud
Deuteronomy 4:11
11 “Then you {came near} (h7126. קָרַב qâraḇ) and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst (h3820. לֵב lêḇ – most often ‘heart’) of heaven, with darkness, cloud (h6051. עָנָן ‘ânân), and {thick darkness} (h6205. עֲרָפֶל ‘ărâp̱el).
h3820. לֵב lêḇ
GV p.127 לבב conjoin [in central core]; p.128 לבה enthuse; p.127 לבא arouse; p.129 לוב center
DV לאב – p.127 לבב conjoin [in central core]; p.128 לבה enthuse; p.127 לבא arouse > p.127 לאב scorn; mock
DV להב – p.127 לבב conjoin [in central core]; p.128 לבה enthuse; p.127 לבא arouse > p.128 להב flame
CM לבב and לוב encompass (D47); לבה and לבא ignite emotions/interest (D46); לאב and להב impact negatively (D41)
Strong’s h6205. עֲרָפֶל ‘ărâp̱el; probably from h6201. עָרַף ‘ârap̱
p.103 ערף loosen; partition
CM facilitate/restrain penetration (A49)
[EDBH does list Dt49:11 under this root, with explanation “intense darkness before rain”]
AND/OR
ער
GV p.193 ערר isolate; p.192 ערה bare [make sensitive; absorb impressions]; p.182 עור awaken [absorb external impulse]; p.107 יער collect [liquids; drench]; p.159 נער shake off [discard]
CM ערר isolate (A54); ערה absorb/expel (A51); עור expose/conceal (A8); יער extend/contain (C16); נער discharge smoothly/violently (D61)
+
פל
GV p.202 פלל mediate [bring together]; p.201 פלה separate [distinguish]; p.201 פלא diverge [from the norm]; p.198 פול split; p.159 נפל fall [drop down]
DV אפל – p.202 פלל mediate [bring together]; p.201 פלה separate [distinguish]; p.198 פול split > p.14 אפל darken; prevent light from entering
CM פלל integrate disparate elements (B30); פלה & פלא separate out completely (B28); פול combine/separate (B17); נפל weaken/lose essence (D66); אפל restrain (A5)
Recall that rain is teaching on the spiritual level. Don’t we learn the most under times of greatest trial? Our eyes seem to be opened at those times. This is when we draw near to God and we can see God’s heart exposed, the intense love that even scares us because it burns with fire. Is this the true Grace? That God loves us enough to give “tough love,” that we may truly learn. Is not this the easier burden than what we might bring upon ourselves? If there is one that can “observe the times” and share it, as the word of God, is this not a true minister?
We must recall that Moses’s first encounter with God was at the burning bush, the bush that burned but was not consumed (h0398. אָכַל ’âḵal). Please read Exodus 3:1-17. (And please note that Mount Horeb and Mount Sinai are the same mountain.) You may be a little confused because at one moment it is the Angel of the LORD in the bush and the next it is the LORD (יהוה). That fits in this entire picture.
Let’s go back then to one passage.
Exodus 33:7-11
7 Moses took the tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought the LORD went out to the tabernacle of meeting which was outside the camp. 8 So it was, whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle.
9 And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar (h5982. עַמּוּד ‘ammûḏ) of cloud (h6051. עָנָן ‘ânân) descended (h3381. יָרַד yâraḏ) and stood (h5975. עָמַד ‘âmaḏ) at the door of the tabernacle, and talked with Moses. 10 All the people saw the pillar (h5982. עַמּוּד ‘ammûḏ) of cloud (h6051. עָנָן ‘ânân) standing (h5975. עָמַד ‘âmaḏ) at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door. 11 So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp (h4264. מַחֲנֶה maḥăneh), but his servant (h8334. שָׁרַת šâraṯ) Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart (h4185. מוּשׁ mûš) from the tabernacle.
Most of these words we covered earlier. h3381. יָרַד yâraḏ we have covered previously, “descending,” most often representing a “humbling” as in crossing the Jordan River.
Camp – h4264. מַחֲנֶה maḥăneh
This time it is אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה
אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה look at אל + המ + חנה
אל
GV p.10 אלל deny [obstruct development]; p.10 אלה master [combine elements for control]; p.5 אול vacillate [lack clarity of purpose]; p.99 יאל decide [initiate action; begin a process]; p.9 איל strengthen
CM אלל encourage/deny growth (A34); אלה develop/decline (A33); אול restrain (A5); איל move directly/circularly (A11); יאל activate/deactivate (C2)
+
המ
GV p.60 המם ferment [move in confused manner]; p.59 המה agitate [make noise]; p.58 הום billow [be in agitated motion]; p.58 הים agitate [creating confusion]; p.150 נהם complain [agitate]
CM המם develop by agitation (A40); המה protect/disturb (A38); הום limit (A22); הים absorb physically/emotionally (A12); נהם express restrained feeling (D58)
+
חנה – (this is the root for “grace,” that being when God bestows godly traits on us)
GV p.84 חנן bestow [traits]; p.76 חון forgive [pardon] [p.84 receive forgiveness]; p.83 חנה rest [temporarily from directed movement]
CM חנן grant/withdraw (A46); חנה bring about (A44); חון form (A6)
h4185. מוּשׁ mûš
p.137 מוש move away; move slowly
GV p.145 משש probe; p.144 משה draw out [of water]/Moshe; p.137 מוש move [away; move slowly]
DV אמש – p.145 משש probe; p.144 משה draw out [of water]; p.137 מוש move [away; move slowly] > p.12 אמש pass; change
CM משש move slowly (B68); משה separate (B61); מוש forsake (B59); אמש effect gradual change (A41)
I have given you much, much, much to ponder. 🤔 🧐 The purpose is to get you to search the spirit within you for truth. I can give you a few possible interpretations, based upon this exercise. I have no doubt that there are tons of commentaries out there on this subject. Again, I have purposely not read them, but am just trying to do exegesis, “lift out” the meaning. See Post #2: Multiple Witnesses, and the Francis Chan YouTube video. Do your own Midrash (from the Drash of PaRDeS).
On a more basic, simpler level, one might say that Moses was caught up in all the responsibility of managing a million people or more, and as he finished his consulting with the LORD (יהוה), he returned to his duties, the “ferment” in the camp (with perhaps some element of hubris on his part, or at a minimum, the people elevating him). On the other hand, Joshua, in a more humble position, a ministering position, was able to stay in the “influence,” אהל, not departing from it. Rather like Paul saying in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray without ceasing.” Or, like saying Joshua didn’t get caught up in all of the concern about what a leader needed to be like in the “ferment” of the people in the camp. Perhaps something to do with “image.”
On one more secret/hidden level (Sohd/Sod of PaRDeS), some might easily say that Joshua is the Angel, and some might even say he is the Yeshua figure in these early writings.
[Many “traditions” have developed over the years, many interpretations of exactly what God’s word means. Perhaps the most amazing thing is that it can speak to so many people in their own lives, given the chance. There is a knocking at the door.]
This much I think we can say for sure. The LORD wanted Joshua involved/included early on. No doubt the LORD (יהוה) saw something in Joshua’s heart as he did in David, the shepherd boy’s heart. A contrite heart in a person of action can be a very powerful wielder of the Word of God, the two-edged sword. [[also referred-to in Part II]]
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