Continuing thoughts from Blog 86 שמר and Complacency
- Please remember to look back to the reference points that are marked in this entry, from the last entry.
◈ parallels קוה and יחל and שמר from the context of:
🅖 Psalms 130:5-6
5 I wait (h6960. קָוָה qâwâ) for the LORD, my soul waits (h6960. קָוָה qâwâ),
And in His word I do hope (h3176. יָחַל yâḥal).
6 My soul (waits) for the Lord
More than those who watch (h8104. שָׁמַר šâmar) for the morning—
(Yes, more than) those who watch (h8104. שָׁמַר šâmar) for the morning.
Stay “en garde.” Do not be complacent. We need to mature, but we also must expect progress. There must be the older, more mature, balancing the younger, more progressive. God’s design. Seedtime and harvest. Summer and winter. Gn8:22. There is “control” built into Creation, and if we watch, remain observant, we see that oftentimes it is only pausing, waiting, resting that is needed in order for the good to come about. This is the essence of curtailing activity before completion, שבת. Indeed שבת was made for man, not man for שבת. Allowing God to do the completion, שבע, submit to God; complete.
▣ of gatekeepers (h7778. שׁוֹעֵר šô‘êr) and gates (h8179. שַׁעַר ša‘ar). First, notice that שמר and שער have in common the letters ש and ר.
The שר family:
GV p.271 שרר concentrate [strength]; p.271 שרה loosen; p.258 שור see [view]; p.261 שיר sing [out; express thoughts in poetic form]; p.112 ישר strengthen [straighten]; p.164 נשר protect by distancing
DV אשר – p.271 שרר compress [concentrate strength]; p.271 שׁרה loosen; p.258 שׁורview [see] > p.18 אשר progress; move forward see Pr29:18
p.253 שאר complete; complement
DV שאר – p.271 שרר compress [concentrate strength] > p.253 שאר complete [complement] No other DVs
- //GV p.281 שׂרר rule [by exerting exorbitant pressure]; p.275 שׂור rule [regulate]; p.280 שׂרה rule [exert power]; p.273 שׂאר ferment [cause agitation]; p.164 נשׂרseparate [saw off]// (these are the שׂר roots – Sin)
CM שרר and שׂרר apply/withhold pressure (E34); שרה and שׂרה project outward (E30); שור and 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); אשרlimit and hold together (A28)
Note that שאר and שער are cognates. And recall the Derivational Variant form Hirsch calls “individualizing or targeting the new action.”
See as –ש plus אר – see אר family below ◉
See as –ש plus ער – see ער family below ◆ and note ע is a “motion” indicator.
And מ is another “motion letter,” motion “from.”
See as –ש plus מר – see מר family below ☸︎
◉ אר family
GV p.17 ארר isolate [and bring ruin; weaken internally]; p.16 ארה contain [take and hold]; p.6 אור light [illuminate]; p.99 יאר collect [water]; p.146 נאר cast off contemptuously
Note the word אאר occurs once only in Genesis 12:3 ¿ possibly a DV for this family ? It is translated by BDB as ארר. If it were a root, it would be a phonetic cognate with p.8 אחר delay; lag behind (no listed cognates), CM could be something likeweakening/delaying
CM ארר isolate (A54); ארה absorb/expel (A51); אור expose/conceal (A8); יארextend/contain (C16); נאר discharge smoothly/violently (D61)
Genesis 12:3
3 וַאֲבָֽרֲכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה׃
What does this really indicate? The first two words are וַאֲבָֽרֲכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ, both from:
NKJV says I will bless those who bless you. The first “bless” is:
▸ BDB ברך
GLOSS qal: blessed; praised; niphal: be blessed; piel: bless; praise; pual: be blessed; be praised; hithpael: be blessed
PARSING Hebrew, verb, piel, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular, cohortative in both form and meaning
- Two very brief snippets from a Google search to give a sense of “cohortative.”
The second “bless” מברכיך is another of those piel participles – “I bless/will bless what was blessed of you.”
(And for the second “bless,” maybe thinking in מברכיך of –מ as “from,” ¿ blessings from blessings ?) The primary point here is this is a repetition of the same word, in Hebrew and in English.
But the next two words, ומקללך אאר are not the same in Hebrew, but tend to be translated the same in English. You will recall from early in the website, as part of the dissertation writing, a reference used called “The Problem of Curse,” by Brichto (Post 17 Testing), the author points out the confusion brought on by using the English word “curse” for multiple Hebrew words. First, here we will look at קלל. Then we will look at אאר and recall it is an imperfect (not yet complete action) marked by the א, followed by the two-letter word אר, which (though BDB and Strongs indicate as coming from ארר) could hold nuances from any of the אר family. Particularly interesting is to ponder 🤔 how “illumination” might come into play.
- This led to another entire investigation on the אר family, which I will publish separately – bring it back here ▼ ▲ ▼ when you read••• ◉ אר family. For now, note connections in the family casting off/isolation ↔︎ collecting water (teaching) ↔︎ illumination (enlightenment)
▸ BDB קלל
GLOSS qal: be light; be slight; be swift; niphal: be esteemed lightly; appear swift, trifling; piel: curse; pual: be cursed; hiphil: make light; pilpel: shake back and forth; hithpalpel: shake oneself
PARSING Hebrew, verb, piel, participle, masculine, singular, construct, pronomial suffix: 2nd person, masculine, singular
❶ cursing; reducing material attributes
Genesis 8:21-22
21 And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse (h7043. קָלַל qâlal) the ground (h0127. אֲדָמָה ’ăḏâmâ) for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
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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Genesis 12:3 This is our index verse
3 I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse (h0779. אָרַר ’ârar [אאר]) him who curses (h7043. קָלַל qâlal) you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
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Leviticus 20:2
2 “Again, you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘Whoever of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who gives any of his descendants to Molech(h4432. מֹלֶךְ môleḵ), he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.
Leviticus 20:2
2 וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ תֹּאמַר֒ אִ֣ישׁ אִישׁ֩ מִבְּנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וּמִן־הַגֵּ֣ר ׀ הַגָּ֣ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֧ן מִזַּרְעֹ֛ו לַמֹּ֖לֶךְ
מֹ֣ותיוּמָ֑ת עַ֥ם הָאָ֖רֶץ יִרְגְּמֻ֥הוּ בָאָֽבֶן׃
❷ abating
Genesis 8:11
11 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded (h7043. קָלַל qâlal) from the earth.
❸ shaking
Jeremiah 4:24
24 I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled,
And all the hills moved back and forth (h7043. קָלַל qâlal).
- (Briefly, there is a connection here with הלך in the hithpael, walking to and fro, of Satan in Job 1:7 and 2:2 – קל and לך, just as with Molech in Lv20:2.) Just a question that this entire קלל entry raises to me – is this why it is said that the earth as it currently is, now “belongs to” Satan? Is the “to-and-fro” of the cycles due to his influence, God allowing him some measure of authority? See Luke 4:6 and Matthew 4:9. 🤔
⦁ Zechariah 1:10-11
10 And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These (are the ones) whom the LORD has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth.”
11 So they answered the Angel of the LORD, who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, “We have walked to and fro throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth is resting quietly.”
- Must read all of Zechariah chapter 1
⦁ Zechariah 1:10-11
10 וַיַּ֗עַן הָאִ֛ישׁ הָעֹמֵ֥ד בֵּין־הַהֲדַסִּ֖ים וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֵ֚לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁלַ֣ח יְהוָ֔ה לְהִתְהַלֵּ֖ךְ בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
11 וַֽיַּעֲנ֞וּ אֶת־מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֗ה הָֽעֹמֵד֙ בֵּ֣ין הַהֲדַסִּ֔ים וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ הִתְהַלַּ֣כְנוּ בָאָ֑רֶץ וְהִנֵּ֥ה כָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ יֹשֶׁ֥בֶת וְשֹׁקָֽטֶת׃
לְהִתְהַלֵּ֖ךְ verse 10
▸ BDB All Results: הלך לְ
לְ
GLOSS to, toward; for; in regard to; of, about
PARSING Hebrew, particle, preposition
הלך
GLOSS qal: go, come; walk; behave; niphal: vanish; piel: go; walk; hithpael: walk to and fro; hiphil: bring; lead
PARSING Hebrew, verb, hitpael, infinitive construct
הִתְהַלַּ֣כְנוּ verse 11
▸ BDB הלך
GLOSS qal: go, come; walk; behave; niphal: vanish; piel: go; walk; hithpael: walk to and fro; hiphil: bring; lead
PARSING Hebrew, verb, hitpael, perfect, 1st person, common, plural
••••••••••••••••••••••••
⦁ Zechariah 6:1-7 – (NKJV Vision of the Four Chariots)
1 Then I turned and raised my eyes and looked, and behold, four chariots (were) coming from between two mountains, and the mountains (were) mountains of bronze. 2 With the first chariot (were) red horses, with the second chariot black horses, 3 with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses—strong (steeds). 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What (are) these, my lord?”
5 And the angel answered and said to me, “These (are) four spirits of heaven, who go out from (their) station before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The one with the black horses is going to the north country, the white are going after them, and the dappled are going toward the south country.” 7 Then the strong (steeds) went out, eager to go, that they might walk to and fro throughout the earth. And He said, “Go, walk to and fro throughout the earth.” So they walked to and fro throughout the earth.
⦁ Zechariah 6:7
7 וְהָאֲמֻצִּ֣ים יָצְא֗וּ וַיְבַקְשׁוּ֙ לָלֶ֨כֶת֙ לְהִתְהַלֵּ֣ך בָּאָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לְכ֖וּ הִתְהַלְּכ֣וּ בָאָ֑רֶץ וַתִּתְהַלַּ֖כְנָה בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
The first הלך hitpael in this verse is the one from the screenshot that led us to this verse. When we look for others “in this form,” we get all those same verse references.
The second hitpael in this verse is:
▸ BDB הלך
GLOSS qal: go, come; walk; behave; niphal: vanish; piel: go; walk; hithpael: walk to and fro; hiphil: bring; lead
PARSING Hebrew, verb, hitpael, imperative, masculine, plural
When we look for others “in this form,” we get one other:
Joshua 18:8
8 וַיָּקֻ֥מוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ וַיְצַ֣ו יְהוֹשֻׁ֡עַ אֶת־הַהֹלְכִים֩ לִכְתֹּ֨ב אֶת־הָאָ֜רֶץ לֵאמֹ֗ר לְ֠כוּ וְהִתְהַלְּכ֨וּ
בָאָ֜רֶץ וְכִתְב֤וּאוֹתָהּ֙ וְשׁ֣וּבוּ אֵלַ֔י וּ֠פֹה אַשְׁלִ֨יךְ לָכֶ֥ם גּוֹרָ֛ל לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה בְּשִׁלֹֽה׃
⦁ Joshua 18:1-10
1 Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them. 2 But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance.
3 Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you? 4 Pick out from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them; they shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and come back to me. 5 And they shall divide it into seven parts. Judah shall remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory on the north. 6 You shall therefore survey the land in seven parts and bring the survey here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God. 7 But the Levites have no part among you, for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.”
8 Then the men arose to go away; and Joshua charged those who went to survey the land, saying, “Go, walk וְהִתְהַלְּכ֨וּ through the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh.” 9 So the men went, passed through the land, and wrote the survey in a book in seven parts by cities; and they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. 10 Then Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
The third hitpael:
וַתִּתְהַלַּ֖כְנָה
▸ BDB All Results: הלך וְ
וְ
GLOSS and; also; but; so; then
PARSING Hebrew, particle, conjunction
הלך
GLOSS qal: go, come; walk; behave; niphal: vanish; piel: go; walk; hithpael: walk to and fro; hiphil: bring; lead
PARSING Hebrew, verb, hitpael, wayyiqtol form, 3rd person, feminine, plural
- This is the only occurrence in this form.
⦁ Psalms 56 – (NKJV – Prayer for Relief from Tormentors)
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.
1 Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;
Fighting all day he oppresses me.
2 My enemies would hound (me) all day,
For (there are) many who fight against me, O Most High.
3 Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
4 In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?
5 All day they twist my words;
All their thoughts (are) against me for evil.
6 They gather together,
They hide, they mark my steps,
When they lie in wait for my life.
7 Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, O God!
8 You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
(Are they) not in Your book?
9 When I cry out (to You),
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God (is) for me.
10 In God (I will praise (His) word),
In the LORD (I will praise (His) word),
11 In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 Vows (made) to You (are binding) upon me, O God;
I will render praises to You,
13 For You have delivered my soul from death.
(Have You) not (kept) my feet from falling,
That I may walk (to and fro) before God
In the light of the living?
⦁ Psalms 56:14
14 כִּ֤י הִצַּ֪לְתָּ נַפְשִׁ֡י מִמָּוֶת֮ הֲלֹ֥א רַגְלַ֗י מִ֫דֶּ֥חִי לְ֭הִֽתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּ֝אֹ֗ור הַֽחַיִּֽים׃
- See Mt10:28 and Lk12:5
⦁ 1 Samuel 25:14-17
14 Now one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master; and he reviled them. 15 But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the fields. 16 They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore, know and consider what you will do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that one cannot speak to him.”
1 Samuel 25:15
15 וְהָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים טֹבִ֥ים לָ֖נוּ מְאֹ֑ד וְלֹ֤א הָכְלַ֨מְנוּ֙ וְלֹֽא־פָקַ֣דְנוּ מְא֔וּמָה כָּל־יְמֵי֙ הִתְהַלַּ֣כְנוּ אִתָּ֔ם בִּֽהְיוֹתֵ֖נוּ בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃
הִתְהַלַּ֣כְנוּ
▸ BDB הלך
GLOSS qal: go, come; walk; behave; niphal: vanish; piel: go; walk; hithpael: walk to and fro; hiphil: bring; lead
PARSING Hebrew, verb, hitpael, perfect, 1st person, common, plural
אִתָּ֔ם
▸ BDB אֵת
GLOSS with; beside
PARSING Hebrew, particle, preposition, pronomial suffix: 3rd person, masculine, plural
- Another I “just happened to stumble upon:
⦁ Genesis 6:9
9 אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃
▸ BDB הלך
GLOSS qal: go, come; walk; behave; niphal: vanish; piel: go; walk; hithpael: walk to and fro; hiphil: bring; lead
PARSING Hebrew, verb, hitpael, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular
CODE@vtp3ms
SEARCH & LOOKUP Search הלך in this form
⦁ 1 Samuel 30:26-31
26 Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD”— 27 to those who were in Bethel, those who were in Ramoth of the South, those who were in Jattir, 28 those who were in Aroer, those who were in Siphmoth, those who were in Eshtemoa, 29 those who were in Rachal, those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, those who were in the cities of the Kenites, 30 those who were in Hormah, those who were in Chorashan, those who were in Athach, 31 those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to rove.
1 Samuel 30:31
31 וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּחֶבְרֹ֑ון וּֽלְכָל־הַמְּקֹמֹ֛ות אֲשֶֽׁר־הִתְהַלֶּךְ־שָׁ֥ם דָּוִ֖ד ה֥וּא וַאֲנָשָֽׁיו׃ פ
- See this footnote in NKJV to “rove.”
- h6191. עָרַם ‘âram is as of the serpent and Adam and Eve in the garden. Remember the caution given in Matthew 10:16.
Strongs h6191. עָרַם ‘âram; a primitive root; properly, to be (or make) bare; but used only in the derivative sense (through the idea perhaps of smoothness) to be cunning (usually in a bad sense): — x very, beware, take crafty (counsel), be prudent, deal subtilly.
AV (5) – subtilty 1, crafty 1, prudent 1, beware 1, very 1;
to be subtle, be shrewd, be crafty, beware, take crafty counsel, be prudent
(Qal) to be crafty, be subtle
(Hiphil) to be crafty, be or become shrewd
🤔 Matthew 5:17-48 – fulfill – put into action g4137. πληρόω plēroō
I have done a study on g4137. πληρόω plēroō, but it is not quite ready for sharing.
Genesis 6:9
9 אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃
⦁ Genesis 6:9-10
9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
*
I never want to mislead in my teaching. The hitpael of הלך, walking to and fro, is used of the LORD (יהוה), as well, thus my interpretation that it is not necessarily evil, but means being very cunning, watchful.
⦁ Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place,
Keeping watch on the evil and the good.
And thus we are told to be so. I will post a separate blog on the hitpael to help explain how I arrived at this conclusion. As always, accept or reject as you see fit.
*
••••••••••••••••••••••••
- So, moving forward with קלל now. And hopefully you begin to get a sense of that common saying that God can use even what we see as tragedy for good. Let’s move on.
❹ running swiftly
⦁ Jeremiah 4:11-13
11 At that time it will be said
To this people and to Jerusalem,
“A dry wind of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness
Toward the daughter of My people—
Not to fan or to cleanse—
12 A wind too strong for these will come for Me;
Now I will also speak judgment against them.”
13 “Behold, he shall come up like clouds,
And his chariots like a whirlwind.
His horses are swifter (h7043. קָלַל qâlal) than eagles.
Woe to us, for we are plundered!”
❺ polishing
⦁ Ecclesiastes 10:10
10 If the ax is dull,
And one does not sharpen (h7043. קָלַל qâlal) the edge,
Then he must use more strength;
But wisdom brings success.
❻ light in weight
⦁ Numbers 21:5
5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless (h7052. קְלֹקֵל qelôqêl) bread.”
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⦁ Genesis 39:5
5 So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed (h1288. בָּרַךְ ḇâraḵ) the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake (h1558. גָּלָל g̱âlâl); and the blessing (h1293. בְּרָכָה ḇerâḵâ) of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field.
- (Among many other things, גלל is also the root for Galilee. See John 7:52)
- Recall Genesis 12:3 and the thoughts of blessing and cursing.
❼ stick; rod
⦁ Genesis 30:38 (Read context if you don’t know it, to understand Jacob before.)
38 And the rods (h4731. מַקֵּל maqêl) which he had peeled, he set before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, so that they should conceive when they came to drink.
❽ curse
⦁ Psalms 109:16-17 Of the wicked man
16 Because he did not remember to show mercy,
But persecuted the poor and needy man,
That he might even slay the broken in heart.
17 As he loved cursing (h7045. קְלָלָה qelâlâ), so let it come to him;
As he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.
- We will not show all of the referenced verses of the next families, but share the entries in EDBH. A few verses that seem pertinent may be shown, but please look up anything that piques your interest, as God may be speaking directly to you.
◆ ער family
GV p.193 ערר isolate; p.192 ערה bare [make sensitive; absorb impressions]; p.182 עורawaken [absorb external impulse]; p.107 יער collect [liquids; drench]; p.159 נער shake off [discard] No DVs
CM ערר isolate (A54); ערה absorb/expel (A51); עור expose/conceal (A8); יערextend/contain (C16); נער discharge smoothly/violently (D61)
In 1 Samuel 30:31 above, we pointed out again, ערום from ערם, in Gn2:25 and 3:1, which is translated as nakedness and as cunning. ערם and ערה and עור are both used repeatedly in this fashion/nakedness. (Perhaps helps to think of ערם as –מ“from” + ער.)
Recall, repeatedly we have spoken of the root with a Yod beginning having similar meaning to the root with the Vav in the center position of the root; thus consider how עור and יער may be saying pretty much the same thing.
And as always, liquids, water, rain, flow tend to be related to teaching.
① shaking off
⦁ Exodus 14:27
27 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the LORD overthrew (h5287. נָעַר nâ‘ar) the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
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⦁ Genesis 19:4-5
4 Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young (h5288. נַעַר na‘ar), all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. 5 And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them (carnally).”
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⦁ Psalms 89:38-45
38 But You have cast off and abhorred,
You have been furious with Your anointed (h4899. מָשִׁיחַ mâšiyaḥ).
39(40H) You have renounced (h5010. נָאַר nâ’ar) the covenant of Your servant;
You have profaned his crown (by casting it) to the ground.
40 You have broken down all his hedges;
You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
41 All who pass by the way plunder him;
He is a reproach to his neighbors.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
You have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
And have not sustained him in the battle.
44 You have made his glory cease,
And cast his throne down to the ground.
45 The days of his youth (h5934. עָלוּן ‘âlûn) You have shortened;
You have covered him with shame.
Selah
▸ h5010. נָאַר nâ’ar; a primitive root; to reject: — abhor, make void.
AV (2) – made void 1, abhorred 1;
(Piel) to abhor, spurn
② being youthful
⦁ Genesis 8:21-22
21 And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth (h5271. נָעוּר nâ‘ûr); nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
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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⦁ Genesis 24:1
1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
Genesis 24:1
1 וְאַבְרָהָ֣ם זָקֵ֔ן בָּ֖א בַּיָּמִ֑ים וַֽיהוָ֛ה בֵּרַ֥ךְ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם בַּכֹּֽל׃
I see no word connection here; I can only assume EDBH is contrasting youth with “old, well advanced in age?” ((And if so, a parallel in opposite direction, pointing also to blessing (h1288. בָּרַךְ ḇâraḵ) as opposite of destroy (h5221. נָכָה nâḵâ). If this is the case, then נכה would in a way be paralleling the “curse” word in Gn12:3, אאר, where we began this journey.))
Putting all these pieces together does help us start to understand, not that we will ever fully understand. So-called “curses” can be the cause that will bring about more enlightenment. The entry on the אר family which should follow this one will help fill in some of the blanks from my very brief synopsis above. We do not like it when we are stricken, devastated, destroyed, but often our greatest growth comes at those times.
① bargaining
⦁ Proverbs 23:6-7
6 Do not eat the bread of a miser,
Nor desire his delicacies;
7 For as he thinks (h8176. שָׁעַר šâ‘ar) in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
▸ h8176. שָׁעַר šâ‘ar; a primitive root; to split or open, i.e. (literally, but only as denominative from 8179) to act as gate-keeper (see 7778): (figuratively) to estimate: — think.
AV (1) – think 1;
to split open, reason out, calculate, reckon, estimate
(Qal) to calculate Pr 23:7
② being unsaleable
⦁ Jeremiah 29:15-17
15 Because you have said, “The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon”— 16 therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, concerning all the people who dwell in this city, and concerning your brethren who have not gone out with you into captivity— 17 thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like rotten (h8182. שֹׁעָר šô‘âr) figs that cannot be eaten, they are so bad.
③ public entry
Genesis 19:1-3
1 Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate(h8179. שַׁעַר ša‘ar בְּשַֽׁעַר) of Sodom. When Lot saw (them), he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. 2 And he said, “Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.”
And they said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.”
3 But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
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Genesis 14:10-12
10 Now the Valley of Siddim (h7708. שִׂדִּים śiḏiym) (was full of) asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; (some) fell there, and the remainder (h7604. שָׁאַרšâ’ar) fled to the mountains. 11 Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
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Psalms 24:7-10
7 Lift up your heads, O you gates (h8179. שַׁעַר ša‘ar)!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who (is) this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates (h8179. שַׁעַר ša‘ar)!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory.
Selah
④ center for legal and business proceedings
Deuteronomy 25:7
7 But if the man does not want to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate (h8179. שַׁעַר ša‘ar) to the elders, and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to raise up a name to his brother in Israel; he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.’
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Genesis 26:12-14
12 Then Isaac sowed (h2232. זָרַע zâra‘) in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. 13 The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; 14 for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.
⑤ cheap; undesirable
Hosea 6:10
10 I have seen a horrible thing (h8186. שַׁעֲרוּר šaʽᵃrûr) in the house of Israel:
There (is) the harlotry (h2184. זְנוּת zenûṯ) of Ephraim;
Israel is defiled (h2930. טָמֵא ṭâmê’).
- Parallels here are h2930. טָמֵא ṭâmê’ and h2184. זְנוּת zenûṯ. We already did a study on h2930. טָמֵא ṭâmê’ in Blog 72. Scattered Bones. h2930. טָמֵא ṭâmê’ fits well with the current discussion. Remember the concept of “setting aside for a time.”
- For h2184. זְנוּת zenûṯ, Strongs lists derived from זנה, but it might be worth considering the זן family:
GV p.65/68 זנן be faithless (only in GV, not separate listing); p.68 זנה defect [be unfaithful]; p.65 זון sustain [satisfy needs]; p.102 יזן feed [sustain]
DV אזן – p.65 זון sustain [satisfy needs] > p.7 אזן ponder; absorb and weigh impressions No other DVs
CM (זנן no cognates listed – would be focus directly (E48)); זנה distance (E26); זוןhide/reveal (E12); יזן strengthen/weaken (C50); אזן absorb and store (A26)
- E48 has סנן protrude; צנן pierce; שנן sharpen
The sense of the family is probably more one of focusing on sustaining one’s own needs. If one’s needs are not being met (in one’s own eyes) by the one who is supposedly one’s sustainer/provider (in whatever sense), then seeking to find that sustenance elsewhere. This is often describing how God feels when mankind turns from the LORD (יהוה) to any other (i.e. the mammon discussion).
▶︎ Please draw your own conclusions about the general sense of שער from the examples given here. I see status and prosperity tied together with rottenness, maybe “spoiled rotten.” I see it fitting with our discussion on complacency. I see it targeting concerns about leaders losing touch with the people, as the prophets so often pointed out. I see שער as clearly related to Jeshurun ישרון. See for example:
⦁ Deuteronomy 32:15-22
15 “But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked;
You grew fat, you grew thick,
You are obese!
Then he forsook God who made him,
And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
16 They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods;
With abominations they provoked Him to anger.
17 They sacrificed to demons, not to God,
To gods they did not know,
To new gods, new arrivals
That your fathers did not fear.
18 Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful,
And have forgotten the God who fathered you.
19 “And when the LORD saw it, He spurned them,
Because of the provocation of His sons and His daughters.
20 And He said: ‘I will hide My face from them,
I will see what their end will be,
For they are a perverse generation,
Children in whom is no faith.
21 They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God;
They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols.
But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation;
I will move them to anger by a foolish nation.
22 For a fire is kindled in My anger,
And shall burn to the lowest hell;
It shall consume the earth with her increase,
And set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
▸ h3484. יְשֻׁרוּן yešurûn; from 3474; upright; Jeshurun, a symbol. name for Israel: — Jeshurun.
AV (4) – Jeshurun 3, Jesurun 1; Jeshurun = “upright one”
a symbolic name for Israel describing her ideal character
- It is an all-too-common message in Scripture. We must not think ourselves so “upright” (Pharisaical from h6567. פָּרַשׁ p̱âraš) that we are better than others. A common problem with power and prestige. Humility is the key.
Please remember as you read through this we are tying back to the previous entry and the shared שר of שמר and שער, in addition to looking at –ש (which is; it is; exists) plus ער and מר.
☸︎ מר family
GV p.144 מרר arouse [bitterness]; p.143 מרה oppose; p.143 מרא expand [enlarge]; p.137 מור exchange; p.105 ימר exchange; ¿ p.157 נמר spotting?
DV אמר – p.144 מרר arouse [bitterness]; p.143 מרה oppose; p.137 מור exchange > p.12 אמר organize speech to be heard and understood
DV המר – p.144 מרר arouse [bitterness]; p.143 מרה oppose; p.137 מור exchange > p.60 המר heap
DV מאר – p.144 מרר arouse [bitterness]; p.143 מרה oppose > p.135 מאר perforate; destroy
DV מהר – p.144 מרר arouse [bitterness]; p.143 מרה oppose; p.137 מור exchange > p.136 מהר hasten to act, usually to cement a relationship
CM (מרר none listed); מרה and מרא spread (B69); (מור none listed); ימר effect change (C33); (נמר none listed); אמר and המר bring together (A42); מאר and מהר move in directed manner (B51)
① being bitter
⦁ Exodus 23:20-22
20 “Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke (h4843. מָרַר mârar) Him, for He will not pardon (h5375. נָשָׂא nâśâ’) your transgressions; for My name is in Him. 22 But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy (h0340. אָיַב ’âyaḇ) to your enemies (h0341. אֹיֵב’ôêyḇ) and an adversary (h6696. צוּר ṣûr) to your adversaries (h6887. צָרַר ṣârar).
③ rebelling
⦁ Deuteronomy 21:18
18 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious (h4784. מָרָה mârâ) son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them,
⑤ shaving
Judges 13:5
5 For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor (h4177. מוֹרָה môrâ) shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”
- If you’ve not read the life of Samson in Judges 13-16, you should. He is used by the LORD, for sure, but his personality is as an intolerably spoiled brat.
② well-fed animal
Isaiah 11:6
6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling (h4806. מְרִיא merîy’) together;
And a little child shall lead them.
- I just want to point out here something that ties into the Jeshurun comment above and complacency, and which will tie into a huge topic I have been holding onto until “the right time,” feeling it is about time. Notice it is the tie-in to the ones who have been well-fed, and that no longer have that (are “weaned,” have had it taken away), that are the ones “bitter” (many examples in the Exodus journey – e.g. “we miss the cucumbers and garlic and leeks.” And their first challenge at Marah מרה, where the bitter water was made sweet.)
① exchanging
⦁ Leviticus 27:9-13
9 ‘If (it is) an animal that men may bring as an offering to the LORD, all that (anyone) gives to the LORD shall be holy. 10 He shall not substitute it or exchange (h4171. מוּרmûr) it, good for bad or bad for good; and if he at all exchanges (h4171. מוּר mûr) animal for animal, then both it and the one exchanged (h8545. תְּמוּרָה ṯemûrâ) for it shall be holy. 11 If (it is) an unclean animal which they do not offer as a sacrifice to the LORD, then he shall present the animal before the priest; 12 and the priest shall set a value for it, whether it is good or bad; as you, the priest, value it, so it shall be. 13 But if he (wants) at all to redeem it, then he must add one-fifth to your valuation.
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⦁ Psalms 15:1-4 – (NKJV – The Character of Those Who May Dwell with the LORD) hint – dwell with the LORD (יהוה) – Tabernacle connection
A Psalm of David.
1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle (h0168. אֹהֶל ’ôhel)?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
3 He (who) does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the LORD;
He (who) swears to his own hurt and does not change (h4171. מוּר mûr);
② transforming
⦁ Psalms 46:1-3
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed (h4171. מוּר mûr),
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
Selah
▸ h4171. מוּר mûr; a primitive root; to alter; by implication, to barter, to dispose of: — x at all, (ex-)change, remove.
AV (14) – change 10, at all 2, removed 1, exchange 1;
to change, exchange
(Niphal) to be changed
(Hiphil)
to change, alter
to exchange
③ change of fate
⦁ Psalms 140:9-10
9 “As for the head of those who surround me,
Let the evil of their lips cover them;
10(11H) Let burning coals fall upon them;
Let them be cast into the fire,
Into deep pits (h4113. מַהֲמֹרָה mahămôrâ), that they rise not up again.
- Another example where מור and ימר parallel.
① exchanging
⦁ Isaiah 61:1-6
1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to (those who are) bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
4 And they shall rebuild the old ruins,
They shall raise up the former desolations,
And they shall repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.
5 Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,
And the sons of the foreigner
(Shall be) your plowmen and your vinedressers.
6 But you shall be named the priests of the LORD,
They shall call you the servants of our God.
You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles,
And in their glory you shall boast (h3235. יָמַר yâmar). (¿ will be changed ?)
Isaiah 61:6
6 וְאַתֶּ֗ם כֹּהֲנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ תִּקָּרֵ֔אוּ מְשָׁרְתֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ יֵאָמֵ֖ר לָכֶ֑ם חֵ֤יל גּוֹיִם֙ תֹּאכֵ֔לוּ וּבִכְבוֹדָ֖ם תִּתְיַמָּֽרוּ׃
▸ h3235. יָמַר yâmar; a primitive root; to exchange; by implication, to change places: — boast selves, change.
AV (2) – change 1, boast 1;
to exchange(Hiphil) to exchange
(Hithpael) to enter into, be changed into
(TWOT) to promise
- Note that BDB parses תִּתְיַמָּֽרוּ as hitpael of אמר : boast.
① spotting
⦁ Jeremiah 13:15-27
15 Hear and give ear:
Do not be proud,
For the LORD has spoken.
16 Give glory to the LORD your God
Before He causes darkness,
And before your feet stumble
On the dark mountains,
And while you are looking for light,
He turns it into the shadow of death
(And) makes (it) dense darkness.
17 But if you will not hear it,
My soul will weep in secret for (your) pride;
My eyes will weep bitterly
And run down with tears,
Because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
18 Say to the king and to the queen mother,
“Humble yourselves;
Sit down,
For your rule shall collapse, the crown of your glory.”
19 The cities of the South shall be shut up,
And no one shall open (them);
Judah shall be carried away captive, all of it;
It shall be wholly carried away captive.
20 Lift up your eyes and see
Those who come from the north.
Where (is) the flock (that) was given to you,
Your beautiful sheep?
21 What will you say when He punishes you?
For you have taught them
(To be) chieftains, to be head over you.
Will not pangs seize you,
Like a woman in labor?
22 And if you say in your heart,
“Why have these things come upon me?”
For the greatness of your iniquity
Your skirts have been uncovered,
Your heels made bare.
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard (h5246. נָמֵר nâmêr) its spots?
(Then) may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.
24 “Therefore I will scatter them like stubble
That passes away by the wind of the wilderness.
25 This is your lot,
The portion of your measures from Me,” says the LORD,
“Because you have forgotten Me
And trusted in falsehood.
26 Therefore I will uncover your skirts over your face,
That your shame may appear.
27 I have seen your adulteries
And your (lustful) neighings,
The lewdness of your harlotry,
Your abominations on the hills in the fields.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
Will you still not be made clean?”
- People do not change on their own. People go down the same path until there is some obstacle that forces a change. But remember that it is not our job to be the obstacle. No, we are not to be oppressors. It is our job to show others how we have overcome our obstacles, to encourage and to demonstrate that life exists after we change. The LORD can provide for his own obstacles to help us to see the need for change. We ourselves must keep our senses attuned to the LORD, who also provides a way beyond.
⦁ 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NRSV
12 So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. 13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
- We are getting close to the end of this entry. Read just a little more, and then I will share with you what I have been shown through this extensive journey. Don’t jump ahead, or you may not understand all the necessary steps.
① speaking
⦁ Genesis 1:20-23
20 And God said (h0559. אָמַר ’âmar), “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” 21 So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them, saying (h0559. אָמַר ’âmar), “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
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⦁ Genesis 11:3-4
3 And they said (h0559. אָמַר ’âmar) to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said (h0559. אָמַר ’âmar), “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.”
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⦁ Exodus 8:9-10
9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “Kindly tell me when I am to pray for you and for your officials and for your people, that the frogs may be removed from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.” 10 And he said (h0559. אָמַר ’âmar), “Tomorrow.” Moses said (h0559. אָמַר ’âmar), “As you say (h1697. דָּבָר ḏâḇâr)! So that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God,
- He is in control not only of what, but of when.
⑥ promise
⦁ Deuteronomy 32:2
2 Let my teaching (h3948. לֶקַח leqaḥ) drop (h6201. עָרַף ‘ârap̱) as the rain,
My speech (h0565. אִמְרָה ’imrâ) distill (h5140. נָזַל nâzal) as the dew,
As raindrops on the tender herb,
And as showers on the grass.
- This next one is listed in this book from Judaism under the subheading “tradition,” and well it is for Judaism. And the Christian might say that it is Messiah himself, based on the opening of the book of John, and well it is for them. Both “traditions” have value, but should not be reasons for killing one another. ((By the way, as an FYI, many are now trying to back-translate the Greek Scriptures into Hebrew, which is a worthy effort, but must be done with eyes wide open. Here is a simple example: in John 1:1, it says “in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God.” And one version I have recently been blessed with back-translates word as דבר. But דבר appears first in Genesis 8, with God speaking to Noah. אמר is what God does in creation, beginning in Genesis 1:3 and throughout God’s creating speech.)) Treasure your own tradition in your heart, BUT see Ezekiel 11:19 and 36:26. Allow God to change your heart of stone into a heart of flesh. It is God who changes hearts, but God is a free will God. Allow God the privilege.
⦁ Psalms 119:11
11 I treasure your word (h0565. אִמְרָה ’imrâ) in my heart,
so that I may not sin against you.
① pit emptied of heaps of earth
⦁ Psalms 140:9-11
9 Those who surround me lift up their heads;
let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
10 Let burning coals fall on them!
Let them be flung into pits (h4113. מַהֲמֹרָה mahămôrâ), no more to rise!
11 Do not let the slanderer be established in the land;
let evil speedily hunt down the violent!
- Here, as many times recently, it seems, it is helpful to turn to some of the wisdom of Paul. Paul had his faults, oh, many of them, but he knew both sides well, of Judaism and of the Way (see Acts 9:2) after his road to Damascus event.
⦁ Romans 12:9-21
9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
- Oh, Paul knew the Hebrew Scriptures very well. By doing good to your opponent, you allow God the opportunity to work, to change hearts.
① being malignant; undermining health
⦁ Leviticus 13:51-52
51 He shall examine the disease on the seventh day. If the disease has spread in the cloth, in warp or woof, or in the skin, whatever be the use of the skin, this is a spreading (h3992. מָאַר mâ’ar) leprous disease; it is unclean (h2931. טָמֵא ṭâmê’). 52 He shall burn the clothing, whether diseased in warp or woof, woolen or linen, or anything of skin, for it is a spreading (h3992. מָאַר mâ’ar) leprous disease; it shall be burned in fire.
▸ h3992. מָאַר mâ’ar; a primitive root; to be bitter or (causatively) to embitter, i.e. be painful: — fretting, picking.
AV (4) – fretting 3, pricking 1;
(Hiphil) to pain, prick, irritate, be in pain
▸ h2931. טָמֵא ṭâmê’ – needs to be separated
② hurting
⦁ Ezekiel 28:24
24 The house of Israel shall no longer find a pricking (h3992. מָאַר mâ’ar) brier or a piercing thorn among all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. And they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
① hastening
⦁ Genesis 18:6
6 And Abraham hastened (h4116. מָהַר mâhar) into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly (h4116. מָהַר mâhar) three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.”
Genesis 18:6
6 וַיְמַהֵ֧ר אַבְרָהָ֛ם הָאֹ֖הֱלָה אֶל־שָׂרָ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מַהֲרִ֞י שְׁלֹ֤שׁ סְאִים֙ קֶ֣מַח סֹ֔לֶת ל֖וּשִׁי וַעֲשִׂ֥י עֻגֹֽות׃
▸ BDB the first מהר
מהר
GLOSS niphal: hasten; piel: act hastily
PARSING Hebrew, verb, piel, wayyiqtol form, 3rd person, masculine, singular
▸ BDB the second מהר
מהר
GLOSS niphal: hasten; piel: act hastily
PARSING Hebrew, verb, piel, imperative, feminine, singular
- The thing about Scripture is that everything is SO very interwoven, there is never a way to present things in one certain order. There is always background work to get to the point of understanding, but the background work makes no sense until one gets to a certain point. There are two VERY important points to understand in this passage, in order to understand the underlying message of Father Abraham. You will not fully understand until I can get around later to sharing the background work. We will begin with a verse we have shared before, the first appearance of the word Hebrew, and I will tell you I believe (accept or not – it is the point to which my studies have brought me) that it doesn’t simply mean one who has crossed over, but more that that, one who is able to cross over.
Genesis 14:13
13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew (h5680. עִבְרִי ‘iḇrîy), who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner; these were allies of Abram.
Genesis 14:13
13 וַיָּבֹא֙ הַפָּלִ֔יט וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאַבְרָ֣ם הָעִבְרִ֑י וְהוּא֩ שֹׁכֵ֨ן בְּאֵֽלֹנֵ֜י מַמְרֵ֣א הָאֱמֹרִ֗י אֲחִ֤י אֶשְׁכֹּל֙ וַאֲחִ֣י עָנֵ֔ר וְהֵ֖ם בַּעֲלֵ֥יבְרִית־אַבְרָֽם׃
This is the first occurrence of Hebrew (h5680. עִבְרִי ‘iḇrîy). We must do a study on this verse in the future. Recognize that Abram was in covenant with these people, indeed Aner was one of the Amorite chiefs who aided Abraham in pursuing the four invading kings later. If you go back to post # 43. All Those Nations, you note Amorites are “Prominence.” Abram is able to cross over. He is able to both live in prominence and cross over to act hastily to provide hospitality to wayfaring strangers. (By the way, there is a direct connection to the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16 – if you are unable to cross over in life you are unable to cross over in the afterlife.) Notice I put in bold certain letters in two words above, בְּאֵֽלֹנֵ֜י מַמְרֵ֣א. Look above to מרא – and recognize the prefix –מ as “from.” Notice also I highlighted –ב. Where the translator said living by the oaks, for now we will say he was living “in” the oaks, and use this root, so you are aware it is as living in his own strength:
There is more to the story, but let this suffice for now.
- Next is a huge piece I have worked on for weeks, and have finally understood (I told you I am a slow learner) but have not yet put it all together in a form that can be shared. Please at this point accept that the prefix/the letter ב and the word תחת are sometimes used interchangeably. I will explain more in the future, LORD (יהוה) willing. Two verses leading up to the “hastening” verse above are helpful.
⦁ Genesis 18:1
1 The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day.
Genesis 18:1
1 וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיֹּֽום׃
⦁ Genesis 18:4
4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
Genesis 18:4
4 יֻקַּֽח־נָ֣א מְעַט־מַ֔יִם וְרַחֲצ֖וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֑ם וְהִֽשָּׁעֲנ֖וּ תַּ֥חַת הָעֵֽץ׃
Tree, עץ is from this family:
In the oaks (strengthening) of Mamre (from expansion) and under the tree (again we see expansion, with a clear element of concentrated effort) are saying the same thing.
- Always before I saw the next passage as pointing to a struggle within Abram, and perhaps it is that. But I have just seen, as well, another way of looking at it, in light of עברי as one who can cross over.
Genesis 12:6-9
6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, (with) Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and invoked the name of the LORD. 9 And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb.
▸ h1008. בֵּית־אֵל ḇêyṯ-’êl; from h1004. בַּיִת ḇayiṯ and h0410. אֵל ’êl; house of God
▸ h5857. עַי ‘ay; heap of ruins
Recall long ago we discussed tent, אהל p.4 radiate in all directions, as “influence.” His being עברי able to cross over, allows his influence to radiate in all directions, toward those in the house of God, and toward those whose lives are a heap of ruins. Is this not what God would want of his people? Not only that we would be able to cross over, but that we would “hasten” to cross over?
I will say one more thing about ב and תחת here, just so you will know they are Tabernacle connections. In particular, both are used in describing the menorah, which is the illumination in the world in which God can dwell with us.
- So now we are down to the word that brought us on this journey in the first place, שמר. I am not going to give you the verses here. Check them out, per your interest. I like the “cognate meaning,” protect potential.
- OK, now we are at the end, and I will share a passage that is the context for one of our short quotations above. In sharing the passage, I understand that there is one troublesome word that is a huge dividing point between peoples. There is no intent here to make Christians into Jews nor Jews into Christians. The intent is for all to recognize they are brothers and sisters. They are the children of the same God, and they must embrace their differences. They must share their pains with one another. They must love and encourage one another through their trials and tribulations. It seems we often return to Lilla Watson, “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
- If you return to Blog 85. מסע ⇔ משח, you will see the substitution I am making here. Call it blasphemy if that is your inclination, but if you have kept an open heart, a circumcised heart, through this process we have been taking together, perhaps you can see a Way. A group of those who followed along the journey was initially called the Way, but in someone’s mind it was changed. Looking at those words from Blog 85 מסע and משח, these two phonetic cognates, you will recognize the need, that the groups cannot combine and one become the other. The division is critical. It is how God created, by separating (go to Genesis 1).
- משח, the root for the noun Messiah, p.144 משח separate out;; CM separate (B61)
- מסע is not a root, but a noun, journey, from the root p.158 נסע travel; move to more appropriate place;; CM move in opposition (D81)
Being the same is not the answer. The answer is opposition. We must be able to understand that there are different ways of looking at the same circumstances and being willing to circumcise our heart that “my way” is not the only way. We each have our own journey, our own struggles, our own obstacles to overcome. The answer is the process of faith, which is the way beyond obstacles. The answer is not “my faith is better than your faith.” The answer is faith. The answer is knowing and trusting that God has put us on a journey, each of us as individuals, and each of our obstacles is different, but all are very real. “Then let us work together,” not “my way or the highway,” but let’s talk about our faith that the LORD has a plan. And please know that it was in God’s plan for the people coming out of Egypt to be a “mixed multitude.” Contrast is critical if one is to see.
- One more point I have made before is important in understanding the passage below, that the Hebrew word for bread לחם is from the root p.131 לחם struggle for existence;; CM struggle for essentials (D45). We are all in the same struggle. We are all on the same journey. The journey is one of believing that we are not the way, but that there is one greater than us who is the Way, who has it all in mind.
- So••• in the context below, I have substituted the words “the journey” for “the Messiah.” And NRSV is one version that does not use all caps for LORD, so I changed that. Other than those substitutions, the wording is from the NRSV, and I have highlighted some areas:
1 Corinthians 10:1-31
1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea (see Nm33:8 – עבר), 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was the journey. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.
6 Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put the journey to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. 10 And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. 13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of the journey? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of the journey? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the LORD and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the LORD and the table of demons. 22 Or are we provoking the LORD to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience, 26 for “the earth and its fullness are the Lord’s.” 27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I mean the other’s conscience, not your own. For why should my liberty be subject to the judgment of someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why should I be denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
Remember Lilla Watson’s quotation. It is a rewording of if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. If you think your way is the only way, “you are wasting your time” = “you will fall.”
Do everything for the glory of God.
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