Sharing now one of the roots that was part of the של cognate permutations investigation, as it brings out much that is important. Before we begin on לוץ, I just want to point out one of its cognates in the change form (D50) group, which is לוזp.129 transpose. It is important to recognize that Bethel, the “house of God” was previously Luz לוז. (See Genesis 28:10-22). Often it is necessary to be a scoundrel as was Jacob before one begins to see the messengers (angels מלאך) ascending and descending, and to be “transposed” into the house of God. Now, we move to לוץ. Joseph, when younger, was also a scoundrel (haven’t many of us been?).
① interpreting
⦁ Genesis 42:22-24
22 And Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us.” 23 But they did not know that Joseph understood (them), for he spoke to them through an interpreter. 24 And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.
⦁ Genesis 42:23-25
23 וְהֵם֙ לֹ֣א יָֽדְע֔וּ כִּ֥י שֹׁמֵ֖עַ יוֹסֵ֑ף כִּ֥י הַמֵּלִ֖יץ בֵּינֹתָֽם׃
24 וַיִּסֹּ֥ב מֵֽעֲלֵיהֶ֖ם וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ וַיָּ֤שָׁב אֲלֵהֶם֙ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם וַיִּקַּ֤ח מֵֽאִתָּם֙ אֶת־שִׁמְעֹ֔ון וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥ר אֹתֹ֖ו לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃
25 וַיְצַ֣ו יוֹסֵ֗ף וַיְמַלְא֣וּ אֶת־כְּלֵיהֶם֮ בָּר֒ וּלְהָשִׁ֤יב כַּסְפֵּיהֶם֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־שַׂקֹּ֔ו וְלָתֵ֥ת לָהֶ֛ם צֵדָ֖ה לַדָּ֑רֶךְ וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם כֵּֽן׃
▸ MED (Mounce’s Expository Dictionary) – (Strongs uses h3887 ליץ “scorner”)
[4885] מֵלִיץ mēlîṣ 5x intercessor, mediator (in various capacities); this can refer both to human and heavenly beings [3887* & 3945*]
② using words poetically
Proverbs 1:6 NKJV
6 To understand a proverb and an enigma (h4426. מְלִיצָה melîyṣâ),
The words of the wise and their riddles.
- (Just notice all the parallels. We have enough here without going into those.)
||
Genesis 10:2-5
2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.
יפת p.107 wonder; be open and receptive;; be open and receptive (C17)
לוץ p.130 interpret; manipulate speech;; change form (D50)
- Remember previous blogs about Japheth. More below.
③ interceding
⦁ Proverbs 14:7-9 NKJV
7 Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit.
9 Fools mock (h3887. לִיץ lîyṣ; or לוּץ lûṣ) at sin,
But among the upright there is favor.
- We have already shared the investigation of כסל “foolish,” which may not always be what we think.
- I’m working hard at understanding the EDBH definition of “interceding.”
- BDB ליץ
- GLOSS qal: scorn; hiphil: deride; polel: scorn, scoff; hithpolel: act as a mocker
- PARSING Hebrew, verb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular
- Furthermore there is a bit of a quandary – the noun is plural but the verb singular. It is as addressing “the foolish” as a group.
- BDB אֱוִיל
- GLOSS foolish; fool
- PARSING Hebrew, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute
- And where NKJV uses “sin,” I have used the BDB definition for אשם , which again is one of those four offenses that can mean the offense or the results of the offense:
- BDB אָשָׁם
- GLOSS guilt, trespass; guilt offering
- PARSING Hebrew, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute
If EDBH is defining this verse as “interceding,” it seems that they are considering אשםhere is “guilt” – not interceding if a person is feeling guilty. Here is the translation in my TaNaKH for verse 9:
- “Fools discuss sinfulness; upright men, goodwill.”
This is a very simple and straightforward translation, understandable, but does not capture the essence of what BDB lists. Will look at some other uses… Mostly they are as scorn or mock. The most interesting is the passage in Job 16:11-22, where it is as “friends” who scorn. The LORD, at the end of Job, chastises these “friends,” requiring repentance. (These twelve verses are reflected at the end of the Teacher’s life/ministry. Then one may make sense of it all if one recalls the Parable of the Two Sons, also commonly known as the Prodigal Son – the older son representing Judaism and the younger son the Way [nowadays mostly known as Christianity].) See the parable of the two sons Luke15:11- 32.
The ▸ TaNaKH translates Job 16:20
- “My intermediaries, my deriders – is to God I shed my tears.”
- ▸ And NKJV:
- My friends scorn me;
- My eyes pour out (
tears) to God.
I see now the thought of “intercession,” and in Job 16:20, once again, BDB uses מליץ, envoy; underling, as in the MED definition above. This is not the form in Proverbs 14:9.
Finally now I believe that I begin to “see.” I amaze myself sometimes at how slow I am. Judaism sees its role as the “conscience” for the world and the only way that people will have any chance of not having a continual backsliding of the “standard” for measuring. And that was undoubtedly Hitler’s motivation, to rid the world of its conscience. How very sad, tragic, and how ridiculous, because there will always be a remnant. Elijah’s passages tell us that. 1 Kings 19:9-18. – “I alone have been zealous.” NO “I have reserved seven thousand…” After this, Elijah was given a little more to do, turned his work over to Elisha, and was taken to be with the LORD (יהוה). There likely must always be a “John the baptizer,” a voice of one crying out, “In the wilderness prepare the Way of the LORD.” For it is in the wilderness that we learn. In the wilderness even our “friends” fall asleep and turn away from us, run away as did the disciples, or do a poor job of understanding and comforting, as did Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar. Thankfully the remnant, as Elihu and as Elisha, helps to guide. Times like the recent graduation ceremonies bring real hope that even in the wilderness of our current world confusion that there will be voices crying out; “I have reserved seven thousand – שבעת אלפים – seven thousand as “ע the movement of שבת (Sabbath) curtail activity before completion ב ↔︎ פ in ים the strengthening/weakening of אלGod.” All is not lost, but many may have to fall in the wilderness.
And recall that פ is not only similar to ב, but has its own “meaning:”
פ –
AHLB – speak and blow, the edge of something (lip)
TWHA – The symbol of speech and silence
DeviantArt – A mouth, opening or entrance, to command, speak, open, a beginning, here, present
- And פ is the really active ingredient in יפת. Japheth is to live in the tent of Shem, in his influence, but is able to be the voice crying out. The way of Japheth MUST be through his descendants, who actually are the Canaanites. They must be “prodigals” who have fallen away, but have a moment of enlightenment and return humbly to the Father. They are transposed from Luz to Bethel. When I “heard the call” of the LORD, I was in my early teens. I ran from him for many years. But he is the “Hound of Heaven,” in relentless pursuit – he is persistent, does not give up.
- The doublet לצ/לז – (weaken/strengthen; balanced movement) is expressed in the two interacting with one another. It is another example of how God balances out Creation – it is as cycles – the Teacher instructs that there must be a rebirth, that life must be seen in the wonder of a child’s eyes. There must be the openness within the framework of God’s parameters, his “measures.” (see parables in Luke15:1-10 that lead up to the parable of the two sons)
- I believe that I have “seen,” but will continue to research, that herein lies our raison d’etre, our reason for being, our purpose on this earth. We are here for a measurement, a “testing,” a “proving,” that we may move to a realm of greater proximity to God. We are to be able to perceive, as in Dt28:47, to “serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything (and “everything” is כל – the measure of striving),” thus, “serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of the measure of striving.” It is in the striving toward God, not our own self-aggrandizement, that we receive the joy and gladness of heart, which, in turn helps us to recognize the blessings rather than the curses of life. Toward what is your “all,” your “measure of striving?” The answer is, “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your God with all your heart and with all your souls and with all your might (Dt6:5) (substitute ’measure of striving’ where there is ‘all’) and love your neighbor as yourself. (Lv19:18)
④ distorting speech
⦁ Psalms 1:1-3 NKJV
1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful (לֵ֝צִ֗ים);
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in his law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
Each verse has multiple witnesses for the לצ cognate permutations
- Recall דמים is excess. No single verse has a multiple witness.
⑤ intermediary
⦁ Daniel 1:11-14
11 So Daniel said to the steward (h4453. מֶלְצַר melṣar) whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” 14 So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days.
- Below are two investigations of this passage NOT DIRECTLY RELATED (and you may see some indirect relationship) to the לוץ investigation, but as this writer was looking at the Hebrew, some patterns were seen, that may be helpful in overall understanding. The first is the doublet שר, the study of which brought a meaning of the “interconnectedness of order/disorder.” How I have come to understand this doublet (and as always, I invite you to do your own investigations and draw your own conclusions – what we are about here is trying to better understand God’s Word – no better way than to dive in for yourself) is, once again that some things are beyond the understanding of the human mind, that God sees the big picture and perceives the direction of the path, while we only think we see it. It brought to mind the 🦬 parable we just shared. Our having “domesticated” the cattle has brought about more “order,” meaning they are easier for us to deal with. But the bison, being more in “disorder,” i.e. more “wild,” with less of mankind’s influence, somehow instinctually “knows” a better way. They, like so many indigenous peoples, have learned to live “in harmony” with Creation, rather than trying to “conquer it.” I will come back to this thought, but let’s look at these two ways of looking at the Daniel 1:11-14 passage. The first is the שר perspective, the interconnectedness of order and disorder:
A way to think of this is that it would appear totally random (but is in God’s control, just not ours) that Daniel would approach this particular person to do this “test.” Daniel suggests ten (the Godly important number, עשׂר, the root meaning “to tithe”), bringing some “order” into the equation, and leaves the results in the hands of the steward, who is where he is under God’s direction, therefore putting it into God’s hands (not even to mention the faith that Daniel has in proposing such a test). Daniel’s participation is to share his knowledge of God’s way and then step back and allow God to act.
The next way of looking at this passage is from the דמים perspective. I have been doing a lot more background work on this word, which I have shared several times, but most recently in Blogs 123 and 124, from the perspective of “measuring דם,” with דמים, the plural suggesting “an excess,” or going beyond determined limits. The דמ doublet meaning we arrived at was (measure; determine limits), the ים doublet (strengthen/weaken). (Please see that when we know the מ ↔︎ נ precept that דן, which means “judge,” fits with the arrived-at definition for דמ. Thus דמים we saw was a criterion for judgment.)
It has only been mentioned briefly here, but will reinforce now, the “multiple witness” concept in individual verses, which again has come about simply by spending much time doing these exercises – not from a teaching I received (accept or reject as you may) – my own research. It goes back to the microcosm/macrocosm concept first shared in Post 14. Synthetic Grasp of Life. What you see under the microscope you see in the world around you and through the telescope. Patterns, patterns everywhere in Creation, as well as in Scripture. Multiple occurrences of these words (the “hidden” and the not hidden) in a verse reinforces that particular concept in the verse. See in verse 11, there are five occurrences of דמים cognate permutations. Because I have seen this often, I have begun to “see” a pattern (which, again, accept or reject) that seems to suggest it has to do with another topic we have covered a good bit recently, which is the different perspectives of God and man. So, see the discussion above about Daniel and his approach. My interpretation (accept or not) is that when we are doing something in the Way of the LORD (יהוה) going beyond a certain determined measure brings glory to God and is “good in his eyes.” When we go beyond a certain measure in our own desires, though it may seem “good” in our eyes, it may be evil in the LORD’s eyes. It is in this way we see the playing out of the “strengthen/weaken” spectrum. Thus דמים’s “excess” may be “good” or “evil,” depending on in whose direction the excess is targeted – to God or to self (Tower of Babel).
There is much more I hope to say. I hope to get it all in. (Like trying to drink from a firehose – it comes faster than my brain can process.) So, let’s begin there. My brain. I’ve shared before that I’m not a smart person, just one who is willing to work hard at something to get it accomplished (I think that’s the “measure of striving” concept I’ve been driving you crazy with.). I’ve shared before that I stick with reading Scripture rather than commentaries. There are two main reasons. The first, and probably most important, is that I am trying to be an “unbiased witness,” as much as that is possible. I’m trying to do what Francis Chan said in his little video clip – just share what I see, not sell a particular point of view. I want to see if what I come up with will be in agreement with other investigators.
The second reason (back to my brain again) is that I read a lot of things and I recall items that I read, but I often do not recall where I read them, that is, their source. And I do not want to confuse what a Sage says about a passage with what Scripture itself says. Let Scripture interpret Scripture (Analogy of Faith) – see Post 04. Interpretation Overview.
Simple brain – just hold onto the one source. A case in point, I recently read in some book or article I was reading that the LORD took a real risk in forming mankind “in our image and likeness,” because we are so close to the borderline of crossing over to self-worship. That reference called it “dangerously close.” But, I have been trying to find where I read it so I could share it with you, and am unable to. But I do think this work we are sharing together on LogAndSpeck corroborates that statement. That is the kind of God we serve, who is willing to stick out his proverbial neck with the children that he loves. Giving us “free will” was a brave move, indeed. And he gives us repeated warnings against turning away from him to focus on other “gods/idols,” which most often is ourselves.
Next we will go to the original verse about “in our image and likeness,” and then some other findings of interest.
⦁ Genesis 1:26 NKJV
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
- More literally based on the written Hebrew:
- Notice here three occurrences of דמים cognate permutations in this one verse.
- And, may I share a passage including multiple witnesses, as well as returning to our current thread:
⦁ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
- This is the דמים look at the passage:
Here are highlighted permutations indicating strength:
Here are some highlights re: challenges:
And looking at the של doublet, (weaken/strengthen; balanced movement):
- This is a witness, a very brief clip (not long enough, but all that was available) from a great 1965 movie The Great Race, where Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood play characters who are opponents in the race, but at one point, crossing the Bering Strait, Curtis explains what Solomon says, one alone freezes, but two Kwakiutl Indians in the same blanket survive, stay warm. (As stated here before, many great movies include parable language from Scripture).
I truly hope that you are able to see the levels of meaning in this passage – it seems to be one of the most clear. Solomon, of course, is the wisest man ever, and is obviously a master in the use of the Hebrew language (most certainly God-inspired). There is no way, to my way of thinking, that a man without Godly inspiration, could write such letter combinations that communicate on so many levels, a number of messages.
- Here please see the level of instruction in how to read and understand the messages in Scripture. Do you see that Solomon is saying that multiple witnesses establish the truth; that one may fall; that two are stronger; and that three saying the same thing leave no argument with the truth that is established? (As noted before, obviously they cannot be false witnesses.) I believe this is one of the most convincing examples, showing the text itself with numerous “multiple witnesses.”
- I personally just hope that anyone seeing the amazing complexity of this document, known as the Hebrew Bible, would recognize that there must be an amazing Creator behind it, that its language speaks on so many levels, including within it instructions on how to use/interpret it. Not to mention instructions for life. But, then again, if one doesn’t perceive it in the natural world around us, perhaps even the written Word does not convince. (I believe the same is likely true of the Testament that we now have in Greek, but was most likely written in Hebrew, but hidden away.)
So, we return to the “likeness” discussion, which word is h1823. דְּמוּת ḏemûṯ; from h1819. דָּמָה ḏâmâ (obviously, both are “דם measure” words, as is the word for mankind אדם). In Genesis 1:26, כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ, “according to our likeness,” is דמות “likeness” with the “our נו” suffix, and the prepositional prefix כ, here translated as “according to.” See that, because כ and י are homorganic consonants, and the נו suffix, together with דמות, give all the ingredients for a דמים word.
- See there is a word appearing three times, דמית, another form of דמה. It has all ingredients for a דמים word except another מ or a נ. In the two Ezekiel verses, immediately adjacent is “מי, who?” In the Psalms verse, one must go to כמוך, another “like you” word. Play with those verses to “see.”
- So, not only am I trying to discover and share things from Scripture as a separate witness from the Sages, but I am trying to be a separate type of witness from Solomon. He was the wisest man ever. I have a simple mind, but by way of guidance from the LORD and persistence and tedious study I am able to be a separate witness. Not that Solomon did not do persistent study (he did – as recorded in Scripture – 1K4:29-34), but he was given much wisdom (1K3:7-15). As shared before, a blessing I received (sometimes seen as a curse) from the family in which I was raised was to be able to better recognize non-verbal communication. I think it helps in listening to what the LORD (יהוה) is saying (in addition to my total abstinence from media, which is so ubiquitous and drowning out his communication – see 1K19:12 – the “still, small voice” of the LORD).
- I had one more witness, just this day, that tied directly to this conversation. I visited a school that is focused on raising up children in Biblical principles. Two little girls, around five to six years of age, stood before us and shared the declaration that the students recite every morning. It is not short, and that they have memorized it was quite remarkable, but even more striking were the words. The ones that particularly spoke to me were “to do things the first time I am told, not the second or third,” brought back memories of my birth family where I was raised. We knew well that when we were told to do something one time, we had better respond. What a life-changing approach this is to becoming a good citizen of the world!
So, we have one more major topic to discuss in this regard, which ties nicely into the Ecclesiastes passage above: “Threes and fours.” Remember the discussion of multiple witnesses, and especially as we showed above, in referring to interpretation of Scripture itself, as we walk through this.
⦁ Exodus 34:6-7 NKJV
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 (the guilty), visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth (generation).”
- N.B. Though this is worded from NKJV, the strikethrough of “generation” is my addition here. Notice the same wording in the Ten Commandments Ex20:5 & Dt5:9, where NKJV acknowledges the word for generations is not there.
*return to the discussion of the four major words dealing with types of offenses against the LORD in Post 14. Synthetic Grasp of Life. We will address ** below, after the other two cognate permutation investigations of Ex34:6-7. These are very important discussions.
** Now we get to a discussion that may challenge many, particularly because of the wording left above in the colored highlighting investigations of Exodus 34:6-7. I pray that for many this will debunk the idea of “generational curses,” (and hopefully a number of other “curses” many carry) that weighs heavily on many people’s spirit. This is a stepwise discussion, with a number of different witnesses. These are my “arguments.” Feel free to accept or reject, but also recall the LogAndSpeck discussion, all five verses, Matthew 7:1-5. Your belief may possibly be a Log in your eye.
❶ Simplest first. In the investigation above for דמים, the one in red, see the definition of עון from BDB at the *, and if you did not go back to look at the discussion of עון in Post 14. Synthetic Grasp of Life, there is a partial screenshot below. It is important. I left the wording as “iniquity” both times it appears in verse 7, as most current English translations have it, but also see in the listed BDB definition, it may be iniquity; punishment, guilt; sin, and hopefully that is clarified for you in Post 14, the nature of how Creation works. We carry within our Spirit the weight of any of these four offenses against the LORD, if we have any conscience at all. This is why “lie-detector” machines work – we have physiological responses to guilt that we carry, if we have any conscience at all. These are “measurable.” (There are uncommon psychopaths that do not seem to possess a conscience. Those can also be discerned by the polygraph.) So, עון could be any of “iniquity; punishment, guilt; sin.”
❷ Still in the red investigation of Exodus 34:6-7, see the phrases that are in red. The two verses are a self-description by God of who he is (known in Judaism as The Thirteen Attributes of God). See that the phrases in red are the attributes in which he describes himself as “over the top.” Notice carefully what those are. Let those sink deeply into you. For example, he is “over the top” in carrying our עון, whichever of those four English words you use. He is excessively longsuffering. And goodness, which is in two phrases. (“Only One is good” Mt19:17; Mk10:18; Lk18:19)
❸ Next, we will move to Deuteronomy 28, the long list of blessings and curses in Parashah Ki Tavo (When you enter…), but first read the first verse of the Parashah, Deuteronomy 26:1, but put a period at its end, and not a comma, which is the way the structure is set, because the next verse should be translated as “And take the firstfruits…”
- Deuteronomy 26:1
- 1 “And it shall be, when you enter into the land which the LORD your God gives you, an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it.
Entering the land is one of those phrases you must understand is not simply a physical description of some geography. It is agreeing with God that you are in covenant with him, that you will dwell in his Way. It is like all the work that we have done on the Tabernacle. And remember, we are to cover the Acacia wood with gold. The hammered work of the menorah 🕎 is to be our shining light. Our side of the covenant, which will bring us the blessings and not the curses (see in the next step) is to have a positive attitude, to be thankful for all he brings. This, this is the “land” that we enter, a covenantal relationship. He provides and we express our thanks by means of a bright outlook.
❹ Now, read thoroughly all of chapter 28. There is a clear delineation of things that you “see,” that is, your perception. We have pointed out some of this previously, but see especially verse 2, verse 15, verse 47, and verse 58. Most critical are 47 and 58 for the understanding I am trying to get across here. Remember the word “fear” יראin verse 58 also means “focus attention.” If you focus on the glorious and awesome name, if you serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart for the abundance of everything, you will perceive all the blessings rather than the curses. Every cloud has a silver lining. Look on the bright side, and then your spirit is lifted and you no longer perceive challenges as curses.
❺ re: the phrase נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֹ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה.
From Post 14, a screenshot:
I‘ve highlighted the three types here, listed in Ex34:7:
And, if you go to Appendix 5 – ● Where מ reflects נ ●, you see נשׂא to lift; carry and משׂא a burden, are a pair of מ ↔︎ נ words. From our more recent work we know משׂאand משח (the root for Messiah משיח) are cognates. We also have Matthew 11:28-30 as another witness. So, allow please, a re-wording that fits with the above “Synthetic Grasp” of עון and פשע and חטאת, to see if it helps with the perspective seen in both Judaism and in the Way, and shows how amazing is our God.
❻ Here I’ve included the דמים highlighting with the alternative wording that shows “over the top” character. Make sure you read well the definition of עון as a deliberate twisting or perversion. And you see how it works. If you make a payment (see the word payment also above in Ec4:9), in the form of either having been punished, having made an offering, or if you have true remorse and change direction based upon guilt, God actually carries this. And even with עון, the more egregious, if the father has remorse, that is remembered to the offspring because the offspring see the change in direction of the father.
❼ Read now chapter 18 of Ezekiel in its entirety. The gist, as relates our current topic, is the statement in verses 2-3:
Ezekiel 18:2-3
2 “What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying:
‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3 ”As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.
- To help clarify a little, sour grapes are p.28 בסר cover with protective coating. The word for “flesh” (and also tidings), its cognate, is p.33 בשׂר cover with sensitive coating. What Ezekiel passes along here, what he has been told by the LORD, is that people have been misinterpreting the passages we have covered (Exodus 34:6-7 and 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9). The sons are not punished for the fathers’ having partaken of the flesh. The chapter explains it very thoroughly and carefully. Each person is responsible for his or her own actions, and repentance (turning away from the past offenses) clears the slate. Do you see how amazing is the LORD (יהוה)?
I have one final comment, on which I will continue to research. I am not convinced that the added word “generation” at the end of verse 7 is intended in the Hebrew, nor justified, and thus the phrasing “and upon threes and upon fours.” My personal belief (accept or reject) is that it is referring to the triple and quadruple witnesses that are sometimes see in Scripture, including the “threefold” witness in Exodus 34:7 (and of course, Ecclesiastes 4:12).
A return to the root we are showing here, listed as לוץ interpret; manipulate speech. I have shared, really from the very beginning of the website my concerns about interpretation of Scripture, which is why I have gone back to the original Hebrew. I do not intend to point fingers at any person or group, and the word “manipulate” is not mine but that of EDBH. I say only two things, both of which come out in Chan’s short video, link re-posted here. The first is the ease with which our biases can be overlaid on our interpretation and how we must be very diligent about looking for the Logs in our own eyes; and then just trying to do what he says, just let the Scripture speak for itself. Use the tools shared here and let Scripture and Life speak to you. God IS involved in your life!
If you have chosen to live in covenant with God, you will feel guilt and change direction, or there will be the punishment of consequences. If you turn away from that covenant, God is no longer bound to carry guilt and transgression and sin. Then we are left to our own devices, which may well feel worse than before you were in covenant, because you have been separated from nurturing that you were receiving (that is another huge discussion for another time – the weaning from the breast). It is another repeated pattern/cycle seen in Scripture. May you remain under the shadow of God’s wings.
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