A bit to tie together some of the pieces from our Hebrew / Life Lesson.
First, it is the h6982. קוֹרָה qôrâ, the trunk, of the tree that brings allows the reaching toward Heaven, שמים. All the parts we have discussed must work together, but the strength in the trunk, the קורה, allows its height without collapsing in storms. It may topple without the roots holding it firmly to earth, and without water. Then it becomes a log, which still “forms a useful vessel that serves life’s needs.” Our “children,” using the term broadly, those that have benefited from the growth in the tree, may still use the strength of the beam, the lumber, to build their own houses, “useful vessels that serve life’s needs.”
It can provide shelter, literally and figuratively. It can also be harmful, as in the discussion of the log and the speck in Matthew 7:1-5, as you reviewed last time in Post 28. Log and Speck Revisited. Let’s take this where it must now go. We have spoken a lot about Assumptive Reasoning. When assumptions that we hold onto from our past training, teaching, are no longer functional, “useful vessels that serve life’s needs,” we have to be able to question our assumptions. When the log that is a beam holding up the roof that has sheltered us for many years, is a log in our own eye that makes us judge others, we must be prepared to “remove the log,” which is one form of repentance.
Let’s look at the Matthew passage again:
Matthew 7:1-5 – (Judging Others)
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
What causes us to be judgmental? Most often it is something that we were taught earlier in life, or a strong experience earlier in life. Is it functional in your life how, or is it dysfunctional? Are you prepared to look at what underlies your reasoning? Judgmentalism and prejudice are one and the same: prejudice ↔︎ “pre-judge.” If you were raised in a culture believing women were inferior or people of a different skin color were inferior, is that functional in your life at this point? Is it a “useful vessel that serves life’s needs?” We have to be open to the possibility that our underlying beliefs may not be “correct.” This is theTree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil revisited. Only God is allowed to partake of that tree. We are to be discerning, yes. We are to listen to instruction from God’s Word and from righteous leaders. But we also must be willing to question some of our assumptions. Are we hanging for dear life onto a tree that no longer serves a purpose? Is that “shelter” appropriate at this time in your life?
By the way, so there is no misinterpretation, I love trees and always do what I can to preserve them. (See Gn1:29, 2:9, 2:16-17; Dt20:19-20) We are speaking here on the figurative level. We are to partake of the trees that bear fruit. Those bearing fruit that yields seed.
Let’s return to that concept: fruit trees that yield seed. Let’s make certain it is clear and how it fits in.
Genesis 1:29
29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.
Bereshit 1:29
29 ויאמר אלהים הנה נתתי לכם את־כל־עשב זרע זרע אשר על־פני כל־הארץ ואת־כל־העץ אשר־בופרי־עץ זרע זרע לכם יהיה לאכלה׃
Yield and seed are both זרע. (Another time we can look at herbs עשב, for they also זרע זרע.) Doubling always emphasizes. זרע זרע also hearkens back to the Parable of the Sower in the gospels (apologies for returning there so often, but Mark puts in an important statement:
Mark 4:13
13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
Fruit is p.206 פרה produce;; CM פרה emerge from constraints (B37)
Yield/seed are p.71 זרע cast from a distance;; CM זרע project outward (E30)
In Matthew there are several parables linked together. The sowing of the tares (weeds) in with the good seed is like this from Deuteronomy:
Deuteronomy 29:17-19
17 And you have seen their detestable things, their idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold, which were among them. 18 Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the LORD our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, 19 one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.’ This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike.
In the explanation about the parable with the tares, Matthew notes:
Matthew 13:43
43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
“Shining forth as the sun,” “shine your light,” “cast seeds,” tents that are “radiating,” Hallelu Yah – Radiate the power. We hear it so many times, in so many ways. We must live our connection to God in order to influence other lives.
Proverbs 11:30
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he who takes hold of souls is wise.
It is connection with the soul that we are to “take hold of” (h3947. לָקַח lâqaḥ).
p.133 לקח receive; take – no variants, no cognates
Next, remember from the entry on קרא קרה קורה
GV p.234 קרר cool; p.233 קרה occur [meet without prior intent]; p.232 קרא summon [cause change in direction]; p.226 קור dig [for source and connection]; p.227 קיר limit [space]; p.109 יקר value; p.162 נקר penetrate
CM קרר encircle (C43); קרה and קרא limit activity (C40); קור cover/uncover (C7); (קיר no cognates); יקר express concern (C48); נקר separate (D72)
קרא is a summons, a call from God, that causes (or should cause) a change in direction, aturning, a repentance. This we must do. We must change our ways from where we were whenwe were acting foolishly and grow. It speaks strongly to people when we take a turn for thebetter. It “stands out” to people
Trees otherwise in Scripture act as touchpoints, as signposts, as a marker of direction. Think of wandering in a desert with no water and seeing trees if the distance. You know there must be water there – the proverbial oasis. ((See Ex16:22-27))
The city of Jericho was the first conquest of the Israelites as they came into the land. You should read about the critical role that the woman Rahab played in the conquest of that town, as its walls came tumbling down, and how Israel treated Rahab and those “in her household” (her influence) after the conquest. You should also note where she appears in the Greek Scriptures.
Deuteronomy 34:1-3
1 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, 2 all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3 the Negeb, and the Plain, that is, the Valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar.
2 Chronicles 28:15
15 And the men who have been mentioned by name rose and took the captives, and with the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them. They clothed them, gave them sandals, provided them with food and drink, and anointed them, and carrying all the feeble among them on donkeys, they brought them to their kinsfolk at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
Jericho from p.110 ירח impact (also moon – having “cyclical impact”)
CM ירח limit activity (C40)
Palm from p.286 תמר rise to heights; no variants, no cognates
The root תמר is also Tamar, a woman who played a critical role in shaping history. It was her influence, her impact, that led to a turn-about for Judah, the father of the tribe from which Judaism came.
Genesis 38:26
26 So Judah acknowledged them and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again.
Tamar (‘palm tree’) was brave. She spoke up at a time when it was not easy for her to do so. This is righteousness. She also is seen in the Greek Scriptures.
One more palm tree example:
Judges 4:4-5
4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
Shoftim 4:4-5
4 ודבורה אשה נביאה אשת לפידות היא שפטה את־ישראל בעת ההיא׃
5 והיא יושבת תחת־תמר דבורה בין הרמה ובין בית־אל בהר אפרים ויעלו אליה בני ישראל למשפט׃
I did an in-depth (or so I thought) study of Deborah while I was in school. I now see, with newfound techniques, that there is much more than what I recognized before. Another large project for another time. Keeping off the rabbit trail currently and focusing on our topic, see the tie-in to our topic. The palm tree is a tall marker for the people to walk toward from a long distance. It shows Deborah “rose high.” As a prophetess, she transmits God’s word:
p.146 נבא prophesy; transmit God’s word
GV p.147 נבב hollow; p.146 נבא prophesy [transmit God’s word]; p.151 נוב flow [forth]
CM נבב move from end to end (D64); נבא move/speak directly (D62); נוב give over (D78)
Two more things from this brief excerpt; you may want to read all of chapters four and five to see Deborah’s “impact.” Chapter four is the narrative and chapter five is the poem/the song that goes more into the emotion/heart connection of her impact (as is usual for songs).
Her palm tree is between Ramah and Bethel. We saw early in Abraham’s transformation from Abram (h0087. אַבְרָם ’aḇrâm) the idolator to Abraham (h0085. אַבְרָהָם ’aḇrâhâm) the father of a multitude of nations, that he pitched his tent between Bethel and Ai. Bethel is the “house of God.” Ai (h5857. עַי ‘ay) is from:
p.181 עוה transgress; deviate from proper way
GV p.181 עוה transgress [deviate from proper way]; p.184 עיה isolate; p.106 יעה remove
CM עוה hide/reveal (A3); עיה isolate (A32); יעה extend (C1)
It was the time of Abram’s walk that he was living between the influences of his former life and his new life. It was the time of “turning.”
Here Deborah’s palm is situated between Bethel, the house of God, and Ramah (h7414. רָמָהrâmâ). Ramah is an important word, occurring 36 times, including once in the Greek Scriptures (which you should read).
p.245 רמה hurl up in a targeted fashion
GV p.245 רמם raise [from low level]; p.245 רמה hurl [up in a targeted fashion]; p.241 רוםelevate [for exalted goal]
DV ארם – p.245 רמם raise [from low level]; p.241 רום elevate [for exalted goal] > p.17 ארםrise
CM (רמם none); רמה cast (E88); (רום none); ארם combine/separate (A53)
Notice two things here about רמה, first that it is again a “casting,” an “influencing” or “radiating.” But is also upward, in a targeted fashion. Upward could mean elevating, and could (interpret for yourself) mean pointing upward toward Heaven.
Abram pitched h5186. נָטָה nâṭâ his אהל
p.155 נטה spread over surface; deviate
GV p.151 נוט totter [shake; shake up]; p.155 נטה spread [over surface; deviate]
CM נוט move/separate (D64); נטה establish/separate (D74)
At this time in his life, Abram’s influence was more spread over the surface, than upward as Deborah’s. And we’ve gotten the sense of deviating between Bethel and Ai.
Deborah sits h3427. יָשַׁב yâšaḇ under (h8478. תַּחַת taḥaṯ) the palm
Sits:
p.111 ישׁב settle down; dwell in peace
GV p.253 שׁבב repeat return; p.253 שׁבה capture [increase by absorbing]; p.256 שׁוב return [move backward]; p.111 ישׁב rest [settle down; dwell in peace]; p.163 נשׁב blow
DV שׁאב – p.253 שׁבב repeat return; p.253 שׁבה capture [increase by absorbing]; p.256 שׁובreturn [move backward] > p.252 שׁאב draw in
CM שׁבב and שׁוב move in/out (E3); שׁבה control movement/action (E5); ישׁב lead forward/astray (C56); נשׁב blow (D88); שׁאב pull in/project out (E1)
Again, we must all take the information we are given and interpret from there. But one could draw a conclusion that at this point in her life she was settled in her walk, perhaps knowing her purpose in life and trying to accomplish it.
Under:
p.285 תחת place below ; no variants, no cognates
Here it would be helpful to have the “sense” of this word, how it tends to be used. Having no variants and no cognates, we will look at the verses.
① being underneath
Genesis 18:8
8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
quite apropos to our discussion
② in place of; instead of
Exodus 21:23-25
23 But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
Exodus 21:23-25
23 וְאִם־אָסֹ֖ון יִהְיֶ֑ה וְנָתַתָּ֥ה נֶ֖פֶשׁ תַּ֥חַת נָֽפֶשׁ׃
24 עַ֚יִן תַּ֣חַת עַ֔יִן שֵׁ֖ן תַּ֣חַת שֵׁ֑ן יָ֚ד תַּ֣חַת יָ֔ד רֶ֖גֶל תַּ֥חַת רָֽגֶל׃
25 כְּוִיָּה֙ תַּ֣חַת כְּוִיָּ֔ה פֶּ֖צַע תַּ֣חַת פָּ֑צַע חַבּוּרָ֕ה תַּ֖חַת חַבּוּרָֽה׃ ס
Is this what Yeshua/Jesus is explaining in Mt5:38-42? Put yourself “under?” Humble yourself?
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Deuteronomy 19:21
21 Your eye shall not pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot forfoot.
Deuteronomy 19:21
21 וְלֹ֥א תָחֹ֖וס עֵינֶ֑ךָ נֶ֣פֶשׁ בְּנֶ֗פֶשׁ עַ֤יִן בְּעַ֨יִן֙ שֵׁ֣ן בְּשֵׁ֔ן יָ֥ד בְּיָ֖ד רֶ֥גֶל בְּרָֽגֶל׃ ס
I want you to pay particular attention to #② here. Notice the parallels between Ex21:23-24 and Dt 19:21. And notice where there is תחת in the Exodus verses, the prefix ב is used in Deuteronomy. We will come back to the ב prefix in a bit.
③ in return for
Psalms 109:4
4 In return for my love they are my accusers,
But I give myself to prayer.
Psalms 109:4
4 תַּֽחַת־אַהֲבָתִ֥י יִשְׂטְנ֗וּנִי וַאֲנִ֥י תְפִלָּֽה׃
④ lower level
Genesis 6:16
16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it (with) lower, second, and third (decks).
Genesis 6:16
16 צֹ֣הַר ׀ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה לַתֵּבָ֗ה וְאֶל־אַמָּה֙ תְּכַלֶ֣נָּה מִלְמַ֔עְלָה וּפֶ֥תַח הַתֵּבָ֖ה בְּצִדָּ֣הּ תָּשִׂ֑ים תַּחְתִּיִּ֛ם שְׁנִיִּ֥ם וּשְׁלִשִׁ֖יםתַּֽעֲשֶֽׂהָ׃
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Psalms 63:9(10H)
9 But those who seek my life, to destroy it,
Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
Psalms 63:10
10 וְהֵ֗מָּה לְ֭שׁוֹאָה יְבַקְשׁ֣וּ נַפְשִׁ֑י יָ֝בֹ֗אוּ בְּֽתַחְתִּיֹּ֥ות הָאָֽרֶץ׃
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Psalms 139:15
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Psalms 139:15
15 לֹא־נִכְחַ֥ד עָצְמִ֗י מִ֫מֶּ֥ךָּ אֲשֶׁר־עֻשֵּׂ֥יתִי בַסֵּ֑תֶר רֻ֝קַּ֗מְתִּי בְּֽתַחְתִּיֹּ֥ות אָֽרֶץ׃
My interpretation (please feel free to draw your own conclusions after reading) is that she was pretty humbly settled in her place of speaking God’s word, not seeking herself to rise to high position. She speaks God’s word; Barak fearing or disbelieving, says he will go only if she goes with him. She complies, but notes the credit for victory will not go to Barak, but to a woman (the woman Jael, not herself). She is the one who spurs on the victory but takes no credit for herself.
This is the vertical connection to Heaven, the connection of Tamar תמר, righteousness. “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
There are many trees in Scripture, and we will not try to cover them all. We will go to one more to see if there is more connection than just the Gn18:8 reference above, the terebinth tree:
If things are not confusing enough already, not everyone calls everything the same.
Mostly of late we have been referencing NKJV Strong’s, and we won’t hit all of these anyway. The focus will really be on Abram/Abraham and on Jacob, and where we see the terebinth/oak in their lives to see if wording helps. I recall most of the incidents when the terebinth shows up, but am exploring the wording along with you. I am simply searching under the English word terebinth, not by any of the Strongs numbers. The first we come to is:
Genesis 12:4-6
4 So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. 6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.
Bereshit 12:6
6 ויעבר אברם בארץ עד מקום שכם עד אלון מורה והכנעני אז בארץ׃
Setting the scene, looking at the last three Hebrew words והכנעני אז בארץ, recall from Post 43. All those Nations, the Canaanites הכנעני are “defeat, humiliation, subduing.”
Next is אז, which is from this family:
p.6 אזה order events, past or future
DV אזה – p.64 זהה identify; p.65 זוה conceal [store] > p.6 אזה order events, past or future
GV p.64 זהה identify; p.65 זוה conceal [store]; p.63 זאה identify; ¿ p.153 נזה move sporadically; p.66 זיו brighten ?
CM זהה continue/curtail (E8); זוה control movement/action (E5); זאה continue/abort energetic movement (E2); נזה move in opposition (D81); אזה limit/expand activity (A24); זיוmove up/down (E16) – ((NOTE E2 and E8 should be combined))
If you have ever done spiritual exercises trying to look back on your life, what the “milestones” were that have shaped you, you may mark times in your memory by different “Kodak moments” as a friend was recently telling me about. Do you remember times when a certain other person was in your life? Or do you mark it by your children, the graduations, marriages, etc.? Or do you say, I remember when a Coke was a dime and a piece of gum was a penny? Or recall what car you were driving at the time? These are touchpoints in time, milestones in our development that stick in our memory. Frequently there are more obvious references in Scripture, like references to famines (Gn 12, 26, & 41), invasions by foreign countries, or especially during reigns of certain kings. Joseph had particularly memorable times, when he was thrown in a pit, and when he was thrown in prison.
בארץ
You will recognize ארץ as “land, earth, country, and ground” in order of frequency. Here it is translated as land, and the ב prefix as “in.” I was led to do a specific search on בארץ, and on the prefix ב, which seems to me have been fruitful. I don’t share with you every “rabbit trail,” as some lead to blind holes, but some are full of discoveries, a veritable Wonderland. To get you there we must here take a short rabbit trail. First, in looking at the derivation of the prefix ב, we found:
And you will find this very consistent with our consonants definitions.
ב – house, tent, family, in, with, inside or within – AHLB
ב – The symbol of blessing and creation; duality and plurality – WHA
AHLB and DeviantArt connections are readily seen. The WHA connection is best seen through the lens of “family.” It may be even more apparent as we discuss the בארץimpression. This brings all things full circle to my way of thinking, but please consider for yourself. This is a copy and paste from the Post 28. Log and Speck Revisited:
“There should, as well, be additional discussion about the word for “Log,” h6982. קוֹרָהqôrâ. The word occurs only five times in TaNaKh, including the occurrence in Genesis 19:8. It is clear that in this occurrence, where Lot says, “Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof (h6982. קוֹרָה qôrâ),” (ESV) that he is speaking of the “threshold covenant,” whereby the person taking guests into his home becomes responsible for the guests (and likewise, the guests agree to abide by the rules of the household).”
Please look up the threshold covenant for yourself. Do not take my word for it, “Google” it:
From this covenant comes the old tradition of the groom carrying the bride over the threshold into the home that becomes “their home.” There are new “house rules:”
Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
No longer is the house/home under the former rules under which
h1692. דָּבַק ḏâḇaq
p.45 דבק cleave closely to an object;; CM דבק press to center (D7)
h1320. בָּשָׂר ḇâśâr
In the Septuagint, the words are given as εὐαγγέλιον; εὐαγγελίζω.
2 Samuel 4:9-10 NETS (A New English Translation of the Septuagint)
9 And David answered Rekcha and his brother Baana sons of Remmon the Berothite and said to them, “The Lord lives, who redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 for the one who told me that Saoul had died–and he was as one bringing good news εὐαγγελίζω before me–and I seized and killed him at Sekelak, to whom I ought to have given a reward for good tidings εὐαγγέλιον.
Shmuel B 4:10
10 כי המגיד לי לאמר הנה־מת שאול והוא־היה כמבשר בעיניו ואחזה בו ואהרגהו בצקלג אשרלתתי־לו בשרה׃
2 Samuel 4:9-10 NKJV
9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all adversity, 10 when someone told me, saying, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ thinking to have brought good news(h1319. בָּשַׂר ḇâśar), I arrested him and had him executed in Ziklag—the one who thought I would give him a reward for (his) news (h1309. בְּשׂרָה bsorah).
h1309. בְּשׂוֹרָה ḇeśôrâ; or (shortened) בְּשׂרָה bsorah; feminine from h1319. בָּשַׂר ḇâśar; glad tidings
Matthew 4:23
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel (g2098. εὐαγγέλιον euaggelion) of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
ESD. g2098. εὐαγγέλιον euaggelion; from the same as 2097; a good message, i.e. the gospel
g2097. εὐαγγελίζω euaggelizō; from g2095. εὖ eu; neuter of a primary εὖς eus (good); (adverbially) well and g0032. ἄγγελος aggelos; to announce good news
g0032. ἄγγελος aggelos; from ἀγγέλλω aggellō (probably derived from 71; compare 34) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an “angel”; by implication, a pastor: — angel, messenger.
AV (186) – angel 179, messenger 7;
a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God
And of course in the Septuagint, g0032. ἄγγελος aggelos; from ἀγγέλλω aggellō becomes h4397. מַלְאָךְ mal’âḵ in the Hebrew, which is both messenger and Angel.
AND consider ב + שׂר
ב
+
GV p.281 שׂרר rule [by exerting exorbitant pressure]; p.275 שׂור rule [regulate]; p.280 שׂרהrule [exert power]; p.273 שׂאר ferment [cause agitation]; p.164 נשׂר separate [saw off]
//Note the division here between sin שׂ above and shin שׁ below, and their joining together in the phonetic cognates.//
GV p.271 שרר concentrate [strength]; p.271 שרה loosen; p.258 שור see [view]; p.261 שירsing [out; express thoughts in poetic form]; p.112 ישר strengthen [straighten]; p.164 נשרprotect by distancing
DV אשר – p.271 שרר compress [concentrate strength]; p.271 שׁרה loosen; p.258 שׁור view [see] > p.18 אשר progress; move forward
p.253 שאר complete; complement
DV שאר – p.271 שרר compress [concentrate strength] > p.253 שאר complete [complement]
CM שרר and שׂרר apply/withhold pressure (E34); שרה and שׂרה project outward (E30); שורand שׂור unify/separate (E14); שאר and שׂאר complete/limit (E10); שיר block/express movement (E18); ישר expand/limit (C22); נשר and נשׂר preserve/separate (D85); אשר limit and hold together (A28)
Is not this the choice in “the house,” whether to rule tyrannically or rule by being a tone-setter? Each person crossing (עבר) the threshold has the capability of “ruling tyrannically” or “being a tone setter.” What is the “tone” in your house? Who sets that tone? There are many kinds of “tone-setters.” Our behaviors are how we set the tone. Are we overly assertive? Are we passive-aggressive, do we “act-out?”
OK, now you see how the idea of ב coming from בית, house, impacts thoughts about שׂר. The letter ב shows what is inside of us and helps to create the world around us. If there is peace in our heart (לבב or לב), it sets the tone. It gives us a central core of teaching and purpose, it binds us. The ל lamed is the shepherd’s crook or staff.
Heart לב and לבב
ל – authority, yoke, tie or bind; as prefix – to, toward – AHLB
ל – The symbol of teaching and purpose – WHA
We have four more steps to go before getting back to the קרה, “trunk” of the tree. The first two have more to do with the ב (in English sometimes bet or beth or beyt), then a quick swing back by the threshold and Passover/Pesach, and then back to the terebinth. (Oh, and in another entry soon, we can swing back to the two words אוש and אשה in Genesis 2:24 above. It is all connected, of course.)
Look for a moment at how the concept of ב, which is a “humbling within,” impacts upon “good,” in that tree from which we were not to eat. God’s Tree. God defines Good as well as Evil. Mankind does not define good and evil.
GV p.94 טוב be good [advance benefit to man]; p.103 יטב [be good]; benefit; please
CM טוב impact positively/negatively (D17); יטב impact positively/negatively (C12)
ט – basket, contain, store and clay. – AHLB
ט – The symbol of goodness – WHA
God looks on the heart (1S16:7; see heart above). God knows if there is humility within.
Goodness is when within, we are humble, not as we would like to see ourselves, but as God sees us. That snake can easily surround us and become our container. The viewpoint from which we look at the world (microcosm ↔︎ macrocosm). We see ourselves as good, but how does God see us? We are so very easily deceived by that cunning serpent, and we easily deceive ourselves. Genesis 2:25 – 3:1
25 And they were both naked (h6174. עָרוֹם ‘ârôm), the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (h0954. בּוּשׁ bûš).
1 Now the serpent was more cunning (h6175. עָרוּם ‘ârûm) than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
h6174. עָרוֹם ‘ârôm; or עָרֹם ‘arom; from h6191. עָרַם ‘âram EDBH ערם collect; combine for future use
Another time we will return to h0954. בּוּשׁ bûš and the effect of ב on ש, but we have somewhat seen it with בשּׂר, gotten a “glimpse.”
Let us then look at בארץ, how the ב interacts with ארץ. Maybe you see where this leads. We are back at Genesis 12:6. Here is Young’s Literal Translation:
Genesis 12:6
6 And Abram passeth over into the land, unto the place Shechem, unto the oak of Moreh; and the Canaanite [is] then in the land.
Most recent translations do not include the ב, which Young’s gives as “into.” (See above in NKJV.)
Bereshit 12:6
6 ויעבר אברם בארץ עד מקום שכם עד אלון מורה והכנעני אז בארץ׃
p.17 ארץ solidify basic needs
GV p.249 רצץ crush; p.248 רצה satisfy [favor]; p.242 רוץ run [move rapidly]
¿ DV ארץ – p.249 רצץ crush; p.248 רזה satisfy [favor] > p.17 ארץ solidify basic needs ?
CM רצץ crush (E90); רצה satisfy/harm (E84); רוץ control (E70); ארץ focus decisively (A52)
Again, most commonly ארץ is “land,” as in the people were going to “the land,” the great desire of Israel, to return to “the land.” What is בארץ? Most commonly it is translated “in the land,” sometimes “on the land” when it fits better in the English. Shechem שכם is to shoulder/carry a burden or responsibility. Moreh h4176. מוֹרֶה môreh can be looked at two ways. Strongs suggests it is מ + ורה, p.299 -מ that which emanates from an object or person, plus p.110 ירה cast; shoot, which is the root for the Torah, teaching. The other is מו + רה
¿ GV p.136 מהה be unknown [doubt]; p.135 מאה multiply ?
¿ DV אמה – p.136 מהה be unknown; doubt > p.11 אמה serve ?
¿ DV המה – p.136 מהה be unknown [doubt] > המה agitate; make noise ?
CM מהה have/lack substance (B55 – ¿ also B49 increase/decrease ?); מאה increase/decrease (B49 ¿ also B55 have/lack substance ?); אמה and המה protect/disturb (A38)
+
GV p.240 רהה fear; p.237 ראה look [see and understand]; p.241 רוה strengthen [through water]; p.110 ירה cast [shoot]; p. 110 ירא fear [call to constant attention].
//| see Job 37:1-13 (esp.13) amazing context! – moisture v.11 h7377. רִי rîy //
¿ DV ארה – p.240 רהה fear; p.237 ראה look [see and understand]; p.241 רוה strengthen [through water]; p.110 ירה cast [shoot]; p. 110 ירא fear [call to constant attention] > p.16 ארהcontain; take and hold ?
CM רהה shatter (E81); ראה satisfy needs (E63); רוה increase/decrease (E66); ירה and יראlimit activity (C40); ארה absorb/expel (A51)
A “sense” might be that Abram has gone out away from his people and a land where he knows “the rules,” the culture, into a place where the responsibility of the fear of the unknown is coloring all his thoughts. He passed over the threshold into unknown territory where he does not know how to “solidify the basic needs” of all those that went with him. They are trusting in him as leader. He is a stranger in a strange land with no guarantee of safety, food, water, for himself and all that he is responsible for. This is all based upon a “call” that he has heard from an “unknown God” to do so. He is being humbled and taught by these circumstances. What is this new “household rule” in this new house/land/culture?
The sense I am trying to get across is that he is in a new and unknown situation with a lot of responsibility. Soon he finds himself in contention with his nephew Lot with too many basic needs to be solidified that the land could handle with both of their flocks and herds and tents together (see Gn13:5-7). The Canaanites and Perizzites (see Post 43. All those Nations) were “in the land” בארץ. The situation/container/house/land that Abram was living in was colored by humiliation and strife. Abram’s response is the humble one, offering Lot first choice. This response wins God’s favor. Read on through verse 18.
The sense I have gotten from the “digging deeper” into בארץ is another situation of microcosm ↔︎ macrocosm. Where we were talking about a house with a man and a woman, now we are talking about a country, a land. But the same idea applies. We live in a culture that colors all of how we think, from how we were raised. When we transition into a new situation (as we find ourselves in today), uncertain about how to solidify our basic needs, we must learn entirely new rules of engagement. We must learn to make the humble choice. Recall we have spoken of ימן, “the right hand” (see Gn13:9), as making choices.
We will take this one step further with a very quick reference to the Passover/Pesach, as another “witness” for the concept, and then circle back to the קרה, tree trunk/log/beam.
We have spoken before of Egypt being the “type” of, or symbolic of “the world,” with pressures of all kinds, or pressures from all sides, including “the cares of the world,” “peer pressure,” as King Saul felt, etc. Egypt is h4714. מִצְרַיִם miṣraiym. “In the land of Egypt, בארץ מצרים,” is a common combination – I’m just showing a few examples below, including some in the discussion about Pesach.
⦁ Shemot 11:9 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיֹּאמֶר י״י אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֹא יִשְׁמַע אֲלֵיכֶם פַּרְעֹה לְמַעַן רְבוֹת מוֹפְתַי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.
⦁ Shemot 12:1 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיֹּאמֶר י״י אֶל מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל אַהֲרֹן בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לֵאמֹר.
⦁ Shemot 12:12 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וְעָבַרְתִּי בְאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה וְהִכֵּיתִי כׇל בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מֵאָדָם וְעַד בְּהֵמָה וּבְכׇל אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִםאֶעֱשֶׂה שְׁפָטִים אֲנִי י״י.
⦁ Shemot 12:13 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וְהָיָה הַדָּם לָכֶם לְאֹת עַל הַבָּתִּים אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם שָׁם וְרָאִיתִי אֶת הַדָּם וּפָסַחְתִּי עֲלֵכֶם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָכֶם נֶגֶףלְמַשְׁחִית בְּהַכֹּתִי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.
⦁ Shemot 12:29 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה וַי״י הִכָּה כׇל בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבְּכֹר פַּרְעֹה הַיֹּשֵׁב עַל כִּסְאוֹ עַד בְּכוֹר הַשְּׁבִי אֲשֶׁרבְּבֵית הַבּוֹר וְכֹל בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה.
⦁ Shemot 13:15 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיְהִי כִּי הִקְשָׁה פַרְעֹה לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ וַיַּהֲרֹג י״י כׇּל בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבְּכֹר אָדָם וְעַד בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה עַל כֵּן אֲנִיזֹבֵחַ לַי״י כׇּל פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם הַזְּכָרִים וְכׇל בְּכוֹר בָּנַי אֶפְדֶּה.
h4714. מִצְרַיִם miṣraiym; double straits; dual of h4693. מָצוֹר mâṣôr; the same as 4692 in the sense of a limit; Egypt (as the border of Palestine): — besieged places, defense, fortified
h4692. מָצוֹר mâṣôr; or מָצוּר matsuwr; from 6696; something hemming in, i.e. (objectively) a mound (of besiegers), (abstractly) a siege, (figuratively) distress
h6696. צוּר ṣûr; a primitive root; to cramp, i.e. confine (in many applications, literally and figuratively, formative or hostile): — adversary, assault, beset, besiege, bind (up), cast, distress
p.215 צור compress; press from all sides
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)
Exodus 12:29 – (The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn)
29 And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock.
We have spoken of firstborn before. The firstborn was the one who, it was intended, would carry on the traditions or culture of the family, which is why the double inheritance went to them. A example;
⦁ Genesis 49:3
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,
My might and the beginning of my strength,
The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
h1060. בְּכוֹר ḇeḵôr; from h1069. בָּכַר ḇâḵar; firstborn; hence, chief: — eldest (son), firstborn(-ling).
p.26 בכר force out; free productive elements;; CM בכר free from control (B27)
This was the warning to Pharaoh:
Exodus 4:22-23
22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.” ’ ”
Read Ex12;21-27 and recognize the symbolism of blood at the threshold and on the door posts and the lintel as the birth canal. See the idea in Pesach of delivering a firstborn of theLORD (יהוה) but also of the death of the firstborn of Egypt. This is supposed to be our rebirth, a birth into a life of the traditions of the LORD AND a death of the traditions/culture/cares of the world. Again, microcosm ↔︎ macrocosm, mothers and babies, houses and families, and nations which have their own cultures and traditions. “The law of the land.” If we are of the nation of the LORD (יהוה), whether firstborn or other brothers and sisters, we are to live our lives according to what we know of what God teaches us. What God teaches us are the two witnesses of Heaven and Earth.
There are so many more connections that keep popping up. I have to cut this off at this point and return another time. We haven’t even gotten to all the Abram/Abraham and Jacob connections to the terebinth. There is also a trail leading to Babel/Babylon, more connections to the Parable of the Sower, to Paul’s thorn in the flesh, etc.
Let’s wrap this one up with some sort of conclusion, with what links together the upper portions of the tree that are in touch with Heaven, the leaves (the consonants)
h5929. עָלֶה ‘âleh; from h5927. עָלָה ‘âlâ;
EDBH p.185 עלה rise up; develop
CM עלה develop/decline (A33)••• obviously a cognate of p.10 אלה master; combine elements for control (which is also the root for terebinth)
with the roots. Each consonant has its own meaning. Each leaf receives light and contributes its part, joined together to form meaning in words.
The leaves have received the light from Heaven, joined together on the stems, which show us the many words and provide the energy for growth. This energy flows down on the phloem, under the bark, the skin of the tree. The roots receive nourishment from the earth. That nourishment flows upward from the Earth (the two witnesses [ones that bring a message of Truth] are Heaven and Earth) in the xylem, which provides the strength and growth in height and diameter. The growth rings mark the cycles of faster and slower growth.
What is it that connects the two sources of nourishment, the leaves and the roots, working together? The trunk, the “log,” the beam that holds up the roof of the house. That is קרא,קרה ,קורה, the “call,” the “summon; cause change in direction” of God. A large part of our issue at present is that so many traditions have put their own self-focused interpretation on the Word of God, that no one can see that Truth really lies within. People are driven away by self-serving teaching. See Hollis Green’s comments in Appendix 4 about King James’s time/container/land בארץ, as only one example.
We now have tools available to be able to see the Truth, and we have numbers of people enough in the world to use those tools, working together, to hear what God is calling us to. BUT we all have our assumptive reasoning that we must be willing to set aside. We all are בארץ “in our own land,” and we are unwilling to take a journey through the birth canal, to go through that period of limping like a foal, on wobbly legs, and go through the wilderness time together in weakness, sustaining one another, and sustained by God. We all want “I, me, mine.” The wilderness will come. We go willingly or kicking and screaming (with weeping and gnashing of teeth). We are on the edge. The connections are numerous enough that we can address every log, every pre-judgment out there. What we need are the people brave enough to face the Truth behind their beliefs. Feel free to disbelieve what I say right now, but as I have been doing these word studies I have seen that many, many (if not all) of the world’s prejudices are based upon questionable interpretations of God’s Word. Bring me your passion (your “firstborn”), and be willing to temper your emotions, and we can likely discover its source. But the discoveries also have the power to cause great damage, hurting the very ones we are to protect. Thus they must be done in dialogue and faith and love.
This writer has one piece to contribute. This is a plea for others to join in. In the meantime, I will work on my piece until I am no longer able. We all (I include myself) have large logs in our eyes that we must be able to set aside before we can “see.” If we get a large enough pile of logs, indeed a grand house we could build. (House is family and where we can be “contained.”)
It is not our place to judge others, but it is our place to be open to judging our own assumptions.
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