Here is another entry in the investigation of the של doublet cognate permutations, clearly a permutation of the root כסל we looked at in Blog 132. Once again, we may be looking at different viewpoints.
being foolish
Genesis 31:26-30 NKJV
26 And Laban said to Jacob: “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword? 27 Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp? 28 And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing. 29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’ 30 And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”
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Genesis 3:6-7 NKJV
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
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Genesis 45:16-20 NKJV
16 Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well. 17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan. 18 Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land. 19 Now you are commanded—do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come. 20 Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”
The words highlighted in a different color מצריםעגלות still fit the cognate permutation group, but are marked differently to focus attention and open this discussion. 🤨 Curious that I did this passage when investigating כסל a few days ago and did not “catch on” to this significance, but today, having just had another witness (life incident) that had the word עגל in my mind, I become aware of this. Another moment of awareness that the LORD, who is involved in my life on a daily basis, is telling me something. The translation using simply “carts” hides something that might otherwise have been more easily noticed. (Some translations call the carts “oxcarts,” somewhat more apparent.)
- [[[Definitely only an aside, but see the son born to David:
- h3507. יִתְרְעָם iyṯre‘âm; from יֶתֶר and עַם; the sixth son of David: — Ithream.
- BDB יֶתֶר
- GLOSS rest; remainder
- BDB עַם
- GLOSS people; nation – just notice Ithream is “the rest of the people.” Consider the number 6. Where is it infamous?]]]
- We will bring another entirely different passage to bear on the discussion as another “witness,” but will proceed first with some comments on “calf” עגל, which is also the golden or molten calf at Sinai, and also as seen above, the heifer, which appears in several places. The connections are many.
- Here in the very yellow yellow-green is מצרים עגלות “Egypt carts,” and its verse highlighted groupings: “Do, take to you, Egypt carts, and to your wives.”
- We went through the process of investigating the “suspicious” wording of the entry for כסל to show the idea of determination vs. foolishness (Blog 132) It is so very important to remember the two perspectives of looking at things, the world’s 🌍/🌎 perspective and God’s perspective. We’ve discussed many times Egypt as symbolizing “the world,” the worldly view of life, in Scripture. (See instruction for the king in Deuteronomy 17:16, which we have discussed previously regarding Solomon’s failure. “Not cause the people to return to Egypt.”)
- See Exodus 32:4.
- The “you” here, in “your God” is singular – speaking to the nation as an entity.
We will definitely have to do a separate blog on the root עגל – it is in the calf, as above. It is in the heifer in Genesis 15:9; Deuteronomy 21:3, 4&6; Judges 14:18; 1 Samuel 16:2; Jeremiah 46:20 & 5:11. It is NOT in the red heifer of Numbers 19:2. It is in the cart in 1 Samuel 6; 2 Samuel 6:3; 1 Chronicles 13:7; Isaiah 5:18, 28:27-28 (having to do with the cummin referred to by the Teacher); and Amos 2:13. Many important connections. And see that עגל is cognate with אכל, meaning (consider;; toward increasing/reducing power;; slow, gradual deliberate). [But there is more, in assessing גל connections; definitely another time. (Think of כל ↔︎ גל measure of striving.) See that עגל and סכל/כסל have in common sharing the גל/כל doublet.]
Completed doublets for עגל:
- אל – impact positively/negatively
- כה – have power
- כל – measure of striving
For סכל, we are currently working on של. From what is gathered so far, it is clear there will be a spectrum including opposites, similar to אל above. One interesting cognate meaning included is “change form (D50)” We saw that כסל changed form depending upon the perspective of God vs. mankind. See ⦿
Completed doublets are:
- קץ – interact; challenge/encourage
- כל – measure of striving
▸ The cognate meaning of סכל, seen above, is “acquire/lose prized item (E37).”
▸ The cognate meaning of עגל is “move directly/circularly (A11).”
עגל and סכל may end up having quite related meanings (Need to consider ע indicates movement/motion (p.299) and ש “establishes facts as to what is or what should be” (p.299).
⦿ God is Truth (Exodus 34:6; Psalm 31:5; Isaiah 65:16). It is God’s perspective that matters in the long run. Mankind’s perspective is changeable and not trustworthy. Witness Pontius Pilate John 18:30, “What is truth?” And again, this points out what was previously stated, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is God’s possession alone.
I went to a passage where there is a clearly stated difference between perspectives of God and man to seek some help:
Genesis 50:19-21 NKJV
19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for (am) I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; (but) God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as (it is) this day, to save many people alive. 21 Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
- It is interesting that within אלהים God/gods is a cognate permutation of עגל. We are aware of cultures that consider cattle as sacred, in modern days in addition to Biblical times. May it have to do with Hebrew language beginnings as the basis of all languages? (Whence the scattering after the Tower?)
And I went for one more “witness,” a verse that is clear about God’s different perspective:
1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV-as usual, strikethrough where NKJV shows added words
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For (the LORD does) not (see) as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
To complete a thread, and why it is SO very difficult for us to even consider discerning good from evil, and why we just do what God tells us to do in his Word:
Step ❶ Abram and God in covenant Genesis 15:9-15. Lots of mixed feelings for Abraham, both “good and evil.” Descendants enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.
Step ❷ Sarah’s motive good or evil sending out Hagar and Ishmael? Genesis 21:9-12. Definitely seemed evil to Abraham. But God says to do what Sarah says.
Step ❸ The irritating spoiled brat attitude of Joseph, see Genesis 37:2-14 (We skipped over Jacob who becomes Israel – there is much apparent evil in him that leads to good.) Notice the importance of dreams.
Step ❹ The brothers scheme against him. Genesis 37:18-28. The pain caused his father. Genesis 37:29-36. Definitely seems evil.
Step ❺ Joseph in Egypt, much that is both good and evil – false accusation by Potiphar’s wife, time in jail, interpretation of dreams (good and evil). Genesis 39-41.
Step ❻ The Israelites do end up in Egypt. Is it the consequence of the “sending out” of Hagar that the descendants go to Egypt (some say so), and thus we think step 2 is clearly evil; although, there is that matter of saving many lives 🤔. Evil? Good? It was foreshadowed by Joseph’s “bratty dream” of the sheaves. And the dream of the moon and stars. Genesis 42-47. Notice Genesis 50:25.
Step ❼ Initially they are given “the good of the land.” But then a new Pharoah comes… Exodus 1:6-10. oppression and slavery, they cry out Exodus 1:11-3:9
Step ❽ God responds to their cries, Moses sent to bring them out. Exodus 3:10 through all the plagues and Pesach/Passover. They are sent out with many possessions…
Step ❾ the jewelry is used to make the calf. Exodus 32:1-10.
Step ❿ the jewelry is also donated for making the Tabernacle, and the elements of the difficulties of life we saw in the Tabernacle, the Acacia/scourging, are covered in gold from this very jewelry. Exodus 25:1-9, 35:20-35. (and all the elements of the Tabernacle in between) How are we to judge good and evil? (The Teacher says in Luke 12:13-14 “Who made me a judge or an arbiter over you?” [also see Exodus 2:14] And he says in Matthew 19:17 only God is good.) And see Isaiah 5:20 and Romans 8:28, as well as the book of Job. God can make good of evil.
How to interpret the elements in the Tabernacle? Life on earth is one of toil and scourging, but the way to deal with it is to enclose it in gold and make it bright and shiny, having a positive attitude. The cherubim are a “hammered work.” Even the menorah, the “light of the tabernacle” is a “hammered work,” made from this very jewelry. We are to shine our light (Matthew 5:16). To me, the most critical verse in all the listing of blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 28 is verse 47 – we are to serve the LORD (יהוה) with joy and gladness of heart for the abundance of everything.
- Which leads us back to the LogAndSpeck passage, and if you permit, I include not only that passage,
Matthew 7:3-5
3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
- but also the two verses leading to it:
Matthew 7:1-2 – (NKJV – Do Not Judge – ref. Luke 6:37–42)
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
Measuring and judging. 🤔 Look on the bright side.
As Forrest Gump’s mother says, “Stupid is as stupid does.”
- Post-Script – each of us has within good and evil. The Good LORD has had his hands full with me, as i have definitely been a scoundrel in my life. In my most thankful self I am grateful for his patience and mercy as he has walked with me step by step. I pray every day that I may someday be who he wants me to be. “Stupid is as stupid does.”
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