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        FACE The following is an excerpt from the book The Living Words. The Hebrew word פנים paniym [H:6440] means "face" but with a deeper meaning than just the front part of the head. The first clue that there is more to this word than simply meaning "face" is that it is a plural word, as indicated by the suffix ים iym. In English, nouns denote inanimate objects and only if one adds a verb can the noun take on animation. Hebrew nouns, on the other hand, denote objects of action. The action behind paniym is the expression of emotion and personality in the face, and since we have an infinite number of "faces," the Hebrew word is plural. Our second clue that there is more to this word can be read in the following passages. And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way. Exodus 33:1-3 (KJV) In these verses, we are told that Yahweh refused to go with Israel to take them to the Promised Land because they were stiffnecked and he would kill them. He would send an angel to go with them instead. A few verses later, we are given another description of this "angel." And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. Exodus 33:14 (KJV) The Hebrew word behind the word "presence" is paniym, the face, and is a description of the angel mentioned previously. The angel has the same personality as Yahweh and therefore is the "face of Yahweh." We see this same concept in Yeshua’s teaching about himself and the father. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him. Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied. Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, `Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. John 14:7-11 (RSV) FAIL (V) The following is an excerpt from the book His Name is One. The Hebrew word חטא (chata), often translated with the abstract word "sin," has the more concrete meaning "to miss the mark", as when the archer misses his target. This word is also used when the student, or son, misses his target or direction. FAILURE The following is an excerpt from the Ancient Hebrew Research Center Website. The Hebrew word חטאה (hhatah, Strong's #2403) is usually translated with abstract word "sin." To understand the Hebraic meaning of this word, we will need to look at the verbal root of this noun, which is the word חטא (Hh-Th-A, Strong's #2398).
The word "miss" in this passage is the Hebrew verb חטא and literally means, to "miss the mark," to miss what you are aiming at. Yahweh gave his Torah (teachings) to his people and Torah was their mark, their target. The noun חטאה (hhatah, Strong's #2403), derived from the verb חטא (Hh-Th-A, Strong's #2398) is an error. When you shoot your arrow at the target and miss, you have made an error. When we aim to hit the target of God’s teachings, but miss that target, we make an error. FATHER The following is an excerpt from the book The Living Words. The Hebrew word for father is אב av [H:1]. In the original pictographic script, this word was written as   . The first letter is also the picture of an ox. The second letter, the , is the picture of the tent or house where the family resides. When combined, these letters mean "the strength of the house." The father is the one who provides strength to the family.And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Galatians 4:6 (KJV) Because the word Abba avva [G:5] s an Aramaic word meaning "father," it has been claimed that this is proof that the first century Jews spoke Aramaic and not Hebrew. Actually the Aramaic word for father is אב av [H:2], the same as the Hebrew. The word avva is a term of endearment for a father in both Aramaic and Hebrew similar to our use of "daddy" or "papa." The Greek text for "Abba, Father" is avva o patir and in Hebrew this would beאבא האב abba ha’av—Papa the father. The following is an excerpt from the book Ancient Hebrew Dictionary. In the original pictographic script, the first letter is a picture of an ox. As the ox is strong, the letter also has the meaning of strong. The second letter is the picture of the tent or house where the family resides. When combined, these letters form the meaning "the strength of the house." The following is an excerpt from the book Ancient Hebrew Language and Alphabet. The first letter in the word is a picture of an ox. As the ox is strong, the letter also has the meaning of strong. The second letter is the picture of the tent or house where the family resides. Combined, these letters mean "one who gives strength to the house."FATTEN (V) The following is an excerpt from the Ancient Hebrew Research Center Website. The Hebrew root ברא (BaRA) is a child root formed out of the parent by adding the letter ברא. As a verb this word is used 46 times in the Hebrew Bible. Below are just a couple of these occurrences in the KJV translation (the underlined word is the translation of the word ברא).
Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people? (1Sa 2:29)
The first thing to remember when researching the original meaning of a word is that you need to find the "concrete" meaning of the word. Since "create" is an abstract it would be a foreign concept to the ancient Hebrews. We find the concrete meaning in 1 Samuel 2:29 which are "fat". The actual word in this passage is lehavriyackem (LHBRYAKM). The L means "to", the H makes the verb causative (make), BRA is the root, Y (placed between the R and A is also part of the causative form and the KM is "you" (plural) or yourselves". Literally this word means "to make yourselves fat". Now let's see how this meaning applies to the other verses listed. In Genesis 1:1 it does not say that God "created" the heavens and the earth, instead he "fattened" them or "filled" them. Notice that the remaining chapter is about this "filling" of the heavens with sun, moon, birds and and the "filling" of the earth with animals, plants and man.
The passage in Ecc 12:1 translates this verb (which is in the participle form meaning "one that fattens/fills") as "Creator" but the truth is that this word is in the plural form and they should have at least translated it as "Creators". This is often a problem when relying on a translation as the translator will often "fix" the text so that it makes more sense. But as this word means to fatten or fill, this should be understood as "fatteners" or "fillers". I believe this verse is speaking about the "teachers" (ones who fill you with knowledge) of your youth. The following is an excerpt from the book His Name is One. A "creator" is theologically understood as, "one who makes something out of nothing". The Hebrew for "creator", is בורא (borey), the participle form of the verb, literally meaning "one who fattens". Without an understanding of the cultural background of this word, the idea of God "fattening" the heavens and earth is as foreign to our Western mind as the idea of creating something from nothing is to the ancient Hebrews. As we have previously discovered, the Hebrews always view their world with a concrete mind rather than an abstract mind. A "creator" or "one who creates" is an abstract thought which the ancient Hebrews would have had no way of comprehending. Through our modern Western perspective, we have read the story of creation as an account of God's miraculous creation of the universe by his command, the reason for which being unclear. This is not the concept that the author of Genesis chapter one implies in the language of the ancient Hebrews. This misconception begins with the Hebrew word ברא (bara) as found in the first verse of the chapter. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). The word ברא (bara), translated as "created" above, comes from the parent root בר (bar) which we have previously discussed, meaning "grain". The grains were very important staples to the Hebrews. They were used in making breads and feeding the livestock. This parent root also has the meaning of "fat" as livestock fed on grain become fat. The child root ברא (bara), also means, "fat" as seen in the following verse. "And the ugly cows that looked thin ate the seven beautiful cows that looked fat" (Genesis 41:4). A "fat" cow is one that is "full"; therefore, ברא (bara) Hebraicly can mean, "to fill". When we read the first two verses of Genesis from a Hebraic perspective we can see this imagery clearly. "In the beginning God filled the sky and the land because the land was empty and unfilled" (Genesis 1:1, 2). This "filling" up of the sky and land is also described in the days of creation, which are written in true Hebrew poetry. The first three days of creation describe the separating of the skies and the land, this is paralleled with the last three days that describe the "filling up" of the skies and the land. The first day is the separation of light and darkness and parallels the fourth day where the light and darkness is filled with the sun and moon. The second day is the separation of the water and the sky, it parallels the fifth day where the water and sky are filled with fish and birds. The third day is the separation of water and land and it is paralleled with the six day where the land is filled with the animals and man. The word בורא (borey) is derived from the child root ברא (bara) and literally means "one who fills". As we see in the Creation story, God is the one who fills the waters, skies and the land. FEAR (V) The following is an excerpt from the book The Living Words. Fear is an abstract concept, but the Hebrew words translated as "fear" have a more concrete definition behind them. The first root we will examine is פחד pahhad [H:6342]. Fear (pahhad - noun)) came upon me, and trembling, and caused all my bones to shake (pahhad - verb). Job 4:14 In this verse, the word "fear" is the noun פחד pahhad [H:6343] meaning "shaking," while the word "shake" is the verb פחד pahhad [H:6342] meaning "to shake." The second Hebrew root is ירא yara [H:3372]. In the following verse, we will see that this verb means "fear" in the sense of what we would consider fear. And he said, I heard your voice in the garden and I feared (yarah) because I was naked and I hid myself. Genesis 3:10 In the next verse, we see the same Hebrew word in a more positive context. You will revere (yarah)Yahweh your Elohiym and you will serve him and in his name you will swear. Deuteronomy 6:13 Many would conclude from these two passages this Hebrew word has two different meanings, fear and reverence. This assumption is made with many Hebrew words, but this is caused by an understanding of the Hebrew vocabulary from a non-Hebraic perspective. Each Hebrew word has only one meaning but can have different applications. The literal concrete meaning of yara is a "flowing of the gut," which can be applied to "fear" or "reverence." Have you ever been so scared or been in the presence of something so amazing that you could feel it in your gut? This "feeling" is the meaning of this word. The Hebrews were a very emotional people, and in many cases their words are describing a "feeling," rather than an "action." The fear (yirah) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding Proverbs 9:10 (KJV) The word "fear" in the this verse is the noun יראה yirah [H:3374], derived from the verb yarah. The common understanding of this verse is if one is afraid of or in great awe of Yahweh, he will have wisdom, but as we shall see, this is not consistent with its use in the Hebrew language. The Hebrew for "fear of the LORD" (as found in the verse above) is written with two nouns,יראת יהוה yirat Yahweh. When a noun precedes another noun, the first noun is in the construct state, meaning it is connected to the second noun—two words together forming one concept. An example of a construct noun can be found in the phraseמל כות אל הים malkut elohiym (kingdom of God)." Notice the first noun, "kingdom," belongs to the second noun, "God." Below is a complete list of construct phrases from the book of Genesis where the second word in the construct is "Yahweh." The Word of Yahweh (Genesis 15:1) The Voice of Yahweh (Genesis 3:8) The Face of Yahweh (Genesis 4:16) The Name of Yahweh (Genesis 4:26) The Eyes of Yahweh (Genesis 6:8) The Garden of Yahweh (Genesis 13:10) The Angel of Yahweh (Genesis 16:7) The Way of Yahweh (Genesis 18:19) The Mount of Yahweh (Genesis 22:14) You will notice in every instance the first word in the construct (word, voice, etc) belongs to the second word of the construct (Yahweh). So, why do we think the word "fear" in the construct phrase "fear of Yahweh" is "our" fear and not Yahweh’s? We know God cannot "fear," but as pointed out previously, the Hebrew verb yara literally means "to flow out of the gut." Now the question becomes, "What flows out of the gut of Yahweh?" Let’s look at two other constructs, which will shed some light on what "the fear of Yahweh" might be. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night Psalm 1:2 (KJV) The Hebrew for "the law of the LORD" isתורת יהוה torat Yahweh. We previously defined the word תורה torah [H:8451] as teachings. It is derived from the verb ירה yarah [H:3384] meaning "to throw" (in the sense of flowing) and is closely related to the verb yara which we are currently examining. Not only are they related in the sense both are from the same parent root, יר yar, but they are also related by definition. The second construct is found in Judges 3:10. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him... (RSV) In the constructרוח יהוה ru’ahh Yahweh we find the word ru’ahh, meaning wind (another type of "flowing"), which can also mean the character of an individual. What flows out of the gut of Yahweh? His teachings and his character. Now, let’s take another look at Proverbs 9:10, but this time from a Hebrew perspective. The flowings of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom: and an intimate relationship with the special one is understanding. The following is an excerpt from the book Ancient Hebrew Dictionary. The root meaning of the word yara is "to flow" and is related to words meaning rain or stream as a flowing of water. In Hebrew thought fear can be what is felt when in danger or what is felt when in the presence of an awesome sight or person of great authority. These feelings flow out of the person through their actions, such as shaking when in fear or bowing down in awe of one in authority. FEED (V) The following is an excerpt from the book His Name is One. Throughout the Bible God is compared to an ox, eagle, king, and a parent, among others. Probably the most common imagery ascribed to God in the Bible is that of a shepherd. The standard Hebrew word for a "shepherd" is רעה (ro'eh, the participle form of the verb) and is derived from the parent root רע (ra'). The ancient pictographic form for this parent root is   , the pictures of a man and an eye meaning, "a man watches". As we saw in the last chapter, the shepherd intently watches over his flock, this function can also be seen in this word. This parent root also has the meaning of a "friend". The Shepherd is not a distant ruler or overseer, but a constant companion and friend to the flock. He spends more time with his flock; traveling to watering holes and green pastures, then he does with his own family. Our relationship with God is meant to be this type of relationship, where we become intimate friends with our guardian, protector and provider.FIRSTBORN The following is an excerpt from the book Ancient Hebrew Dictionary. The firstborn of the father receives a double portion of the inheritance as well as being the leader of his brothers. However, if a son other than the firstborn receives this inheritance, he is called the "firstborn." Interestingly, this is a very common occurrence within the Biblical text such as we see with Jacob and Ephraim. FLESH The following is an excerpt from the book The Living Words. The word בשר basar [H:1320] is the Hebrew word for "flesh," the skin or meat of animals or man; and when used in the phrase "all flesh" it means "all mankind." The verbal root of this word can be found in the following passage where it is translated as "proclaim the good news." The spirit of Adonai Yahweh is upon me because Yahweh has anointed me to proclaim the good news (basar)... Isaiah 61:1 What does "flesh" have to do with "proclaiming good news"? Simple—when one proclaimed good news, such as the arrival of a new baby or visitors, or some other celebration, an animal was slaughtered and "flesh" was served. The following is an excerpt from the book Ancient Hebrew Dictionary. The verbal root of this word means "to bring good news." What does good news and flesh have in common? Flesh, or meat, was normally only eaten on very special occasions, a feast, the arrival of guests or whenever an event occurs that requires a celebration. FUNCTIONAL The following is an excerpt from the Ancient Hebrew Research Center Website. What does "good" mean? The first use of this word is in Genesis chapter one where calls his handiwork "good". It should always be remembered that the Hebrews often relate descriptions to functionality. The word tov would best be translated with the word "functional". When looked at his handiwork he did not see that it was "good", he saw that it was functional, kind of like a well oiled and tuned machine. In contrast to this word is the Hebrew word "ra". These two words, tov and ra are used for the tree of the knowledge of "good" and "evil". While "ra" is often translated as evil it is best translated as "dysfunctional". The following is an excerpt from the book The Living Words. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. Genesis 1:31 (KJV) What did God mean when he said, "It was very "good"? Was it pleasing to his eye? The Hebrew word טוב tov [H:2896] is best translated as "functional," rather than "good." God saw his creation functioning properly or, as we might say, worked like a well-oiled machine. Whenever you see the word "good" in your Bible, replace it with the word "functional" and you will be surprised at how much it enhances the understanding of the verse. The following is an excerpt from the book Ancient Hebrew Dictionary. The first use of this word is in Genesis chapter one where Elohiym calls his handiwork "good" (as it is usually translated). It should always be remembered that the Hebrews often relate descriptions to functionality. When Elohiym looked at his handiwork, he did not see that it was "good," he saw that it was functional-"like a well oiled and tuned machine." |