Just looking at the three-letter cognate permutations:
First the roots with the lamed in the פ position (remember terminology is based upon the root פעל, and since Hebrew reads right to last, the פ is first, ע middle, and ל the last position in the terminology).
Please see that all of these beginning with lamed ל should be in the same group, i.e. combine groups D42 and D51.
I will comment on this below as we consider an overall meaning.
This root, the root for “tent,” has no cognates, which means there are no other roots ending (ל position) with lamed ל, that begin with two gutturals.
There are several with the lamed ל in the ע (middle) position:
- The cognate meanings:
retain/lose power (D42)
move slowly/quickly (D51)
radiate in all directions (no cognates)
develop/decline (A33)
The spectrum of retain/lose power and the spectrum of move slowly/quickly are interrelated. What might the connection be?
First, recall a good bit of discussion about progressing slowly in recent investigations.
Next, recall that the purpose in life to to draw closer to God, which is to be formed more in God’s likeness.
Remember that in the LORD’s self-description, which is repeated several other times in Tanakh, one of the primary attributes is longsuffering = patience.
Let’s look at some examples of healing in the Greek Scriptures., where God’s healing power is brought to bear. There is the man with the withered hand seen in all three synoptic gospels. Withering takes place over a long period of time. The man does not seek the healing but is noticed by the one healing. The woman with an issue of blood for twelve years in Luke 8 doesn’t even speak initially, only touching the tzitzit, and is healed. The man at the pool of Siloam in John 9 had been born blind. And the man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5 had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. Their faith in the suffering long, still holding onto hope in spite of much trouble over many years, is what brings their healing. There are others. We have several times spoken of Peter’s impetuous spirit, tending to speak and act quickly. And we hear of Mary who ponders things in her heart. Some of the picture of the spectrum of patience.
Do we see any kind of pattern in the Hebrew Scriptures? It is after some four hundred years that the LORD hears the cry of his people in Egypt, revealing himself to Moses in Exodus 3. You see the life of Mephibosheth woven in and out through 2 Samuel, the one lame in his feet from a fall at age five, who is blessed by the king in later life, not seeking it out for himself, but remembered. After the death of his two sons, Nadab and Abihu, Aaron “held his peace.” (Lev10:3). In Isaiah 53, the one “pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities”••• “opened not his mouth.”
Longsuffering and holding our peace in faith appear to be important messages in Scripture.
And the one who asks us to follow him repeats the same message. If we are to follow we are to know that there is nowhere to lay one’s head, though foxes have dens and birds have nests. We are told to sell everything and give to the poor and then follow. We are told to take up the cross in order to follow.
The Hebrew people עברי, the ones “changing to a different condition,” have shown us through their lifestyle, how to live out faith that God has things firmly in control. It is necessary for us to recognize that the perspective of our Creator is not the same as our perspective but that the Creator’s perspective is what is “real,” ours being very narrow.
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I can “confidently” say that of all the roots listed in EDBH, none include both the חand the ע in the same root (this based upon excellent work by my good rabbi friend and her trusty spreadsheet that did some sorting for me). This correlates with what we shared early in the website (based on Jeff Benner’s published work) about Hebrew roots being based upon motion, combined with the statements in EDBH:
A root indicating within itself both motion and restricted motion might be a conundrum. But of course, we have found many riddles in Scripture, and no doubt someone will find a root with both somewhere to challenge my “confidence.” So, just know, in spite of my having collected “multiple witnesses,” I may be wrong. It’s always good to be reminded that something upon which I base a lot of my thinking just may not be the entire story.
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Which brings us back to the initial reason for doing this study, having to do with “living/dwelling in tents.”
Genesis 9:27
27 May God enlarge Japheth,
And may he dwell in the tents of Shem;
And may Canaan serve in that regard.”
Genesis 9:27
27 יַ֤פְתְּ אֱלֹהִים֙ לְיֶ֔פֶת וְיִשְׁכֹּ֖ן בְּאָֽהֳלֵי־שֵׁ֑ם וִיהִ֥י כְנַ֖עַן עֶ֥בֶד לָֽמוֹ׃
Whether we combine D42 and D51 or not, please notice that this set of cognate meanings are a set of opposites, and we are looking at a spectrum in each, that are “in all directions.” We talked long ago about tents representing “influence.” See that all are related – grasp that in your thinking.
We are going to revisit Japheth soon, having focused on him a good bit in earlier blogs. Just notice in the above verse, the verb “enlarge,” which is:
This root, as you can see above, is in the GV family with יפת, which is Japheth. Noah’s oath is seen in all of life. Opposites influence one another. And openness/receptivity must of necessity be balanced by restraint. And restraint must be balanced by openness/receptivity. We have not yet done the deep dive into the two-letter word שם, but based upon my general knowledge of Torah and the Hebrew roots, and things we have shared here on many occasions, I will speculate that “restraint” will fit in there somewhere. No one likes to be restrained in her or his own will, but that seems to be the Scriptural message. But we need both, both openness and restraint. We will venture more into this later, LORD willing.
In the meantime I’ll just point out another riddle for you to be pondering. 🤔
I bolded the word “servant” in Genesis 9:27 – עבד.
See that root also here, also:
Genesis 25:23
23 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה לָ֗הּ שְׁנֵ֤י גֹייִם֙* בְּבִטְנֵ֔ךְ וּשְׁנֵ֣י לְאֻמִּ֔ים מִמֵּעַ֖יִךְ יִפָּרֵ֑דוּ וּלְאֹם֙ מִלְאֹ֣ם יֶֽאֱמָ֔ץ וְרַ֖ב יַעֲבֹ֥ד צָעִֽיר׃
Which is the verse that I’ve noted is a touchpoint for all time:
Genesis 25:23
23 And the LORD said to her:
“Two nations are in your womb,
Two peoples will be separated from your body;
One people will be stronger than the other,
And the greater will serve the lesser.”
🤔 Canaan is put, by Noah’s oath, into the position of serving “in that regard,” or “toward that end,” the status of having influence upon one another.
כנען עבד למו.
The following is from Post 43. All Those Nations:
If the greater is the one that is serving the lesser, and the one serving is Canaan, and Canaan is defeat/humiliation, then defeat/humiliation is the greater. But most important is this being one’s own self-will, that is choosing humility, or putting one’s own desires behind the desires of the other. And this great example is Abram/Abraham:
Genesis 13:8-9
8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”
The question is whether you are strong enough to submit your will to the will of another. It is not easy. Once again, it is LogAndSpeck.
We will tie many loose ends together soon, I hope.
The final post for 2022.
Ⓒ copyright LogAndSpeck December 2022. Please cite if copying