● Moses asked the LORD to show him his glory Ex33:18. Moses was told that he could not see the face of the LORD, but revealed his character to Moses:
Exodus 34:6-7
6 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing (h5352. נָקָהnâqâ) (the guilty), visiting (h6485. פָּקַד p̱âqaḏ) the iniquity (h5771. עָוֹן ‘âôn) of the fathers (h0001. אָב ’âḇ) upon the children (h1121. בֵּן ḇên) and the children’s children, upon threes and upon fours.”
I have given you a literal translation of the last part. Most translations will say something like:
“••• children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”
A few things here require explanation; deciding in which order is the challenge, as they are so intertwined; first, five words from v.7:
h5352. נָקָה nâqâ
p.161 נקה cleanse; protect through effort;; CM נקה affect physically (D69)
h6485. פָּקַד p̱âqaḏ
p.205 פקד invest with purpose or responsibility;; CM פקד protect/endanger (B3)
h5771. עָוֹן ‘âôn
p.181 עון time to advantage; benefit for specific time periods;; CM עון form (A6)
h0001. אָב ’âḇ
p.1 אבה submit to existing demand;; CM אבה hide/reveal (A3)
h1121. בֵּן ḇên
p.28 בנה build; form;; CM בנה join elements (B32) – recall this was a word in our discussion of the word “Understanding,” in our WKU investigation.
Hold those thoughts••• we will be right back to them. The second point is a brief synopsis of how the scriptural interpretation is framed in terms of something we can relate to in our lives. God is explaining his nature as a parent, and saying that nature is a very forgiving nature, but is not an overprotective nature, allowing children to suffer consequences of their actions because those consequences are often the best teacher. Children learn from observing their parents in action and can make choices on their own whether they want to behave as the parent did/does or in another (opposite) direction.
Let’s say a person is faced with a life challenge and responds with a certain action, which was based upon their choice. Those around him are influenced by his action and have a learning opportunity to make similar choices in similar circumstances in their own lives, or (based on their perception) choosing not to make the same choice the first person did. The clearest example obviously would be a child. If I say my parent was an alcohol abuser, I could look at my parent’s life in one of two ways, one would be to fall into the same pattern, as it is what was modeled for me. The other would be to say I will never have anything to do with alcohol in my life! Recall that the one we are observing (parent or other influential person) is “forming” us. The parent אב is faced with an existing demand and is put in a position to make a choice. The choice made leads to consequences. The choosing and the consequences are teachers to the child/son/follower בן, the one being built/formed. The parent makes the choice because it is a benefit for a specific time period עון. But hopefully the parent אב is also keeping in mind the the child/son/follower בן is watching and learning and therefore includes what is a benefit to those after him/her in the decision-making process. Either way the one-who-comes-after learns. How does the parent expect to have more positive influence on the child/follower? By giving good examples and having high expectations. Our iniquities עון are choices we make that are visited upon our children/followers. God describes his nature as not protecting נקה from consequences but rather investing those choices with the responsibility of forming others around us.
The third point that must be made is that microcosm ↔︎ macrocosm. When you look through a microscope you see the same patterns as when you look through the telescope, and those patterns are all around us in nature. See Post #14 Synthetic Grasp of Life, especially toward the end of that Post (which hopefully will get you interested enough to read the entire Post), the discussion of fractals and “strange attractors.” Exodus 34:6-7 is a passage that Judaism calls the Thirteen Attributes of God. It is where God reveals his nature to Moses/Moshe.
The nature of God, who is beyond the universe yet in every minute detail within the universe, is seen in a fern leaf, a cauliflower floret, and in God’s language, God’s written means of communication to us (also of course communicating through the world around us – the two witnesses, Heaven and Earth). So God’s decisions (THE macrocosm – the decisions being expressed in Creation) have impact upon our lives on earth, and the consequences are invested with responsibility in our lives (this is the concept we call “grace,” חנן in Hebrew (p.84 bestow traits) God bestowing his traits upon us.
Genesis 18:19
19 For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”
This is the pattern. There is a “parent” that influences those in his or her circle of influence (tent – אהל), and though the individuals remain individuals they are transformed to some extent by the interactions.
Now I need for you to take a further step with me into the microcosm ↔︎ macrocosm spectrum. Take this back to our discussion of how the Hebrew language works. And remember the concept under which we all live: Free Will. Each aspect of life is presented to us as beings, whether under the microscope, in walking around our community, traveling to a foreign land, or through the telescope, and we have choices in how we deal with those aspects. We can deal with them selfishly, looking out for “I, me, my,” or looking out for others. We return to the lesson of Abram and Lot in Gn13:9••• and to Cain and Abel, and to Adam and Eve. It is about choices. And how our choices affect others around us. Let that sink in for a moment, and then we will apply to the Hebrew language and how God is communicating to us•••
Note the word we shared, פעל, “verb,” and its EDBH listing:
p.204 פעל work hard toward a goal;; CM פעל have/lack control (B11)
In the Hebrew Verbal Systems Overview graphic in the first entry of this Hebrew / Life Lesson, Blog 44, we discussed what a great graphic the tree was for helping to understand. We are going to expand on that some, and part of that expansion is what the most recent entry was about. But first let’s look at a couple of other words and tree parts. Under the graphic, the note is made that a branch/stem/structure is called a binyan: בניין or בִּנְיָן – h1146. בִּנְיָן ḇinyân; from h1129. בָּנָה ḇânâ. The plural is binyanim בניינים. ((for your quiet-time pondering, sounds like Benyamin, Jacob/Ya’akov’s youngest son, the son of the right hand, yamin, all about making choices.))
Again, this root we thoroughly studied in the “Understanding” investigation.
GV p.28 בנן understand; p.28 בנה build [form); p.23 בון mediate [be in between]; p.25 ביןunderstand [penetrate to core]
DV p.2 אבן – p.28 בנן understand; p.28 בנה build [form]; p.23 בון mediate [be in between]; p.25 בין understand [penetrate to core] > p.2 אבן create by using special tool
DV בהן – p.28 בנן instruct [understand]; p.28 בנה build [form]; p.23 בון mediate [be in between] > p.22 בהן direct; enable
DV הבן – p.28 בנן understand; p.28 בנה build [form] > p.55 הבן build out of wood
CM בנן grasp (B33); בנה join elements (B32); בון direct attention (B19); (בין no cognates); אבן form (A6); בהן be certain (B13); הבן form (A6)
From it comes בן, son, or children, or “ones who are influenced by us.” h1121. בֵּן ḇên – a “building” of who a person is, comes from all the influences on that person, positive and negative. We don’t need to get into the “nature vs. nurture” discussion: it’s obviously both. DNA is very important, but so is how we treat one another. What kind of “messengers” are we? And just so no one gets the wrong impression, I am old and have made more than my share of mistakes in life, mostly by focusing on “I, me, my.” I am trying to learn from those. But the tree diagram is taking about the “building” of words, using the elements of the consonants and their influence upon one another. Once again, we see reflected microcosm ↔︎ macrocosm.
Let’s look at leaves as parts of trees/plants. As I began to look at the topic, I discovered it will have to be an entire study unto itself. So let’s just do the short version. Leaf is עלה:
As you look through these “explanations,” and at the cognate meaning, just get the sense that it can be both positive and negative, as so many Hebrew roots. It is generally negative when carried to extremes. So, you see here developing and regrowing, but also pride. At some point we can flesh out the leaf discussion around Adam and Eve and the fig leaves which will give more depth.
I’m going to propose that we think of the leaves of the tree in the graphic (and trees in general) as the consonants we have been working with. I’ve not read this anywhere, so feel free to reject my proposal or come up with one on your own. I will share with you my line of reasoning. And, as I asked you to hold you to, I will give witness from two directions.
Unfortunately there is no word “consonant” in Scripture, so I went to modern Hebrew to look for a hint. The modern Hebrew for consonant is עיצור. So, I then went to the most likely three-letter root: עצר.
p.190 עצר restrain; limit forcibly;; CM עצר limit and hold together (A28)
A few points: first, there are positive and negative aspects (limiting and holding together). If we are thinking organically of the tree/plant, there is the concentration/collection of energy from the heavens/sky/sun (שמש/שמים – both reflective of השם, “The Name,” HaShem, which Judaism calls Yehovah Elohim, the LORD God). The growth of the tree is partly regulated by the water and nutrients via the roots and partly by the time of photosynthesis occurring. Growth is forcibly limited at times, like winter when the leaves fall away. Growth rings mark the times of more and less growth. God’s authority is exercised by having created these cycles. (See Gn1:14 and 8:22) So, the cyclical regulation of growth depends a great deal on the leaves, as the roots, the ground, are more constant. And I am no tree expert, but my understanding is that the more rapidly growing trees have the softer wood and slower-growing are hardwood, each having its own place, but the hardwood being stronger.
The second witness is two words that take the consonants and put them together to form words/roots. The first is the word for the spoken word, דבר,
p.46 דבר combine separate items into one;; CM combine single objects (D8), and for the written word, ספר,
p.175 ספר combine separate items; tally sums;; CM unify/separate (E14). Perhaps the only real growth can come from putting together the little bit of energy/power from one individual leaf with that of other leaves. We will get to how the leaves feed the roots and the roots feed the leaves. But the growth comes in all working together. And there are naturally times of more growth and less.
And finally, you can see the Hebrew word “tree” עץ in the word for consonant עצר. Hmmm. עץ is from this family (Strong’s says from עצה):
GV p.190 עצה concentrate [energy to a goal]; p.182 עוץ force up [concentrate effort to develop]; p.107 יעץ deliberate [advise]; p.158 נעץ penetrate
CM עצה limit/expand activity (A24); עוץ expedite/limit support (A7); יעץ express emotion (C37); נעץ move quickly (D59)
I’m hoping through this exercise you will better see what we have spoken of many times, the Synthetic Grasp of Life, and how all things are reflective of one another and of the nature of God, microcosm ↔︎ macrocosm. I have learned a great deal in this exercise. (And there is much more to reflect upon about trees in Scripture, for another time.)
All right, then, let us move to one other part of the tree, the trunk. A tree trunk is not thus translated in the Bible versions I use, but we looked yesterday in detail at the word that depicts the trunk. It is most apparent here. The tree trunk that becomes a log that becomes a beam, providing shelter by supporting the roof. Here Elisha is the prophet, and his “sons” are his disciples, ones being built by his teaching, his example, his influence. The “sons” are telling him they need more of what he has to offer. He is very strong in the LORD. Interesting that they recognize the need for humbling (recall the Jordan is the “descender,” the sign of humbling or humiliation).
I’ll just briefly mention iron here. Again, it’s another large study. Iron is ברזל, a conjoined word בר + זל. You can get a feel for it by reading about a man named Barzilli in 2 Samuel 19:31-37.
GV p.32 ברר cleanse [eliminate unfit material]; p.31 ברה rejuvenate [restore physical health]; p.31 ברא open [actualize]; p.23 בור dig [clear pit]; p.26 ביר isolate [tall structure]
DV p.20 באר – p.32 ברר cleanse [eliminate unfit material]; p.31 ברה rejuvenate [restore physical health]; p.31 ברא open [actualize]; p.23 בור dig [clear pit] > p.20 באר clarify; go from dark to light
DV p.2 אבר – p.32 ברר cleanse [eliminate unfit material]; p.31 ברא open [actualize]; p.23 בורdig [clear pit]; p.26 ביר isolate [tall structure] > p.2 אבר soar above protectively
CM ברר separate out (B42); ברה and ברא emerge from constraints (B37); בור undermine (B20); ביר free from control (B27); באר highlight/expose (B1); אבר expose/conceal (A8)
+
GV p.67 זלל lower [debase]; p.65 זול degenerate [diminish]; p.153 נזל flow [move liquids]
DV p.6 אזל – p.67 זלל lower [debase]; p.65 זול degenerate [diminish] > p.6 אזל disappear; go away
CM זלל raise/lower (E20); זול descend (E6); נזל release (D82)
Notice that Scripture has many many references to up and down, and is continually warning us against hubris and complacency.
Now hopefully we will wrap up this teaching. Think about the ups and downs.
The word “xylem” is derived from the Greek word ξύλον (xylon), meaning “wood”
Genesis 1:11-12 LXX
11 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός Βλαστησάτω ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου, σπεῖρον σπέρμα κατὰ γένος καὶκαθʼ ὁμοιότητα, καὶ ξύλον κάρπιμον ποιοῦν καρπόν, οὗ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ κατὰγένος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως. † 12 καὶ ἐξήνεγκεν ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου, σπεῖρον σπέρμα κατὰ γένος καὶ καθʼ ὁμοιότητα, καὶ ξύλον κάρπιμον ποιοῦν καρπόν, οὗ τὸσπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ κατὰ γένος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. καὶ εἶδεν ὁ θεὸς ὅτι καλόν.
Genesis 1:11-12 NETS
11 And God said, “Let the earth put forth herbaceous vegetation, seeding seed according to kind and according to likeness, and a fruit-bearing tree producing fruit of which its seed is in it according to kind, on the earth.” And it became so. 12 And the earth brought forth herbaceous vegetation, seeding seed according to kind and according to likeness, and a fruit-bearing tree producing fruit of which its seed is in it according to kind, on the earth. And God saw that it was good.
Strong’s h6086. עֵץ ‘êṣ; from h6095. עָצָה ‘âṣâ
Phloem (/ˈfloʊ.əm/, FLOH-əm) is the living tissue in vascular plants that transports the soluble organic compounds made during photosynthesis and known as photosynthates, in particular the sugar sucrose,[1] to parts of the plant where needed. This transport process is called translocation.[2] In trees, the phloem is the innermost layer of the bark, hence the name, derived from the Greek word φλοιός (phloios) meaning “bark”. The term was introduced by Carl Nägeli in 1858.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phloem
The word φλοιὸν occurs only once in Septuagint, in the Apocrypha, for which I do not have a Hebrew version. But the context is clear that the bark, the phloem, no longer is useful. Once the tree is dead, no further sustenance from the leaves. What remains is the xylem, that which gives the tree its strength, that which grew up from the roots, concentrated energy to a goal, but••• as in קרה, limiting activity. The proper amount of growth, the proper timing, the ebb and flow, the cycles. The heart of the wood forms a useful vessel that serves life’s needs.
Wisdom of Solomon 13:11
11 εἰ δὲ καί τις ὑλοτόμος τέκτων εὐκίνητον φυτὸν ἐκπρίσας
περιέξυσεν εὐμαθῶς πάντα τὸν φλοιὸν αὐτοῦ
καὶ τεχνησάμενος εὐπρεπῶς
κατεσκεύασεν χρήσιμον σκεῦος εἰς ὑπηρεσίαν ζωῆς,
Wisdom of Solomon 13:11 NETS
11 If some carpenter saws down a tree that is easy to handle,
skillfully strips off all its bark
and, working it in an attractive way,
forms a useful vessel that serves life’s needs.
One more helpful word that you may a parallel, another instance of microcosm ↔︎macrocosm and the “oneness of God.” The word in Hebrew for bone is עצם, in which, once again, you can see עץ.
p.190 עצם store power;; CM עצם hold back (A48)
In growing children, it is the growth of the bone that determines muscle length, room in the torso for organs, etc. The growth is held back to allow the other tissues to accommodate, to catch up. It is a universal principle of growth. The rate of change must be measured.
We all want to see change in our society, in life. The principal that works is growth, but with restraint. As I was preparing for this discussion, and others yet to come, I was praying about how much to share and how quickly. I am being fed as with a fire hose, far more than can be shared at any one time. Hearts, including mine, have to be prepared. I have to live the wilderness to understand the teaching. Two points related to my prayer. First answer was I was led to look up the meanings of the names of the two authors of the Etymological Dictionary, Samson Raphael Hirsch and Matityahu Clark (actually Clark based upon Hirsch’s work). Both names indicate that they are part of a process to reveal slowly (with restraint) the Truth of Scripture. Where do I fit in the process? My answer is to follow God’s lead, a little at a time. The second point is in Scripture, for you to read and pray over. Read the entire chapter of Matthew 13, slowly and thoughtfully. In addition, read the Isaiah passage referred to in Matthew 13, Isaiah 6:8-13. Hearts must be prepared in order to understand and bring growth. Only God can change hearts and prepare the soil. The cognate meaning of ארץ is “focus decisively.” A rearrangement of the letters of ארץ is the root:
p.15 אצר collect; hoard;; CM אצר limit and hold together (A28),
one of its cognates is עצר, the root we used above for “consonant.” And אצר is listed as a derivational variant:
GV p.222 צרר compress [combine]; p.222 צרה squeeze; p.215 צור compress [press from all sides]; p.216 ציר connect; p.108 יצר [compress] form; p.160 נצר protect [preserve; save]
DV צהר – p.222 צרר compress [combine]; p.222 צרה squeeze; p.215 צור compress [press from all sides] > p.213 צהר illuminate; create a circle of light
DV אצר – p.222 צרר compress [combine]; p.222 צרה squeeze; p.215 צור compress [press from all sides] > p.15 אצר collect; hoard
CM צרר apply/withhold pressure (E34); צרה project outward (E30); צור unify/separate (E14); ציר engage in/block movement (E18); יצר expand/limit (C22); נצר preserve/separate (D85); צהר limit/complete (E10) אצר limit and hold together (A28)
Some words that come from this family include:
• צַר-adversary, afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe, narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.
• צֵר-Zer.
• צֹר-flint, sharp stone.
• צֹר-Tyre, Tyrus.
h6696. צוּר ṣûr; a primitive root; to cramp, i.e. confine
h6697. צוּר ṣûr; or צֻר tsur; from 6696; properly, a cliff (or sharp rock, as compressed)
h6698. צוּר ṣûr; the same as 6697; rock; Tsur, a name
h6699. צוּרָה ṣûrâ; feminine of 6697; a rock (Job 28:10); also a form (as if pressed out): — form, rock
Zarephath – Zarephath [h6886][צרפת]
Mitzraim = Egypt [h4714][מצרימ]
The hard times of life are necessary to strengthen us. Winter is necessary before Spring. Do you yet believe the Word of God is, The Revelation of Life in Scripture?
Genesis 8:22
22 “While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease.”
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