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        HEAL (V) The following is an excerpt from the Ancient Hebrew Research Center Website. The parent root רף raph is the root to several Biblical Hebrew words related to health and sickness. The original pictographs for this word are the  , representing man and  , representing the mouth with the meaning open. Combined, the word means an "open man" and is exactly what happens when one is cut or wounded. A common ancient medicine is the use of a poultice which is placed on an open wound. Hyssop was most likely used as a poultice because of its antibacterial properties. The Hebrew verb רוף ruph [H:7322], derived from רף, means "to pulverize," what is done to plants being used as a poultice. From רוף comes the noun רופה ruphah [H:8644] meaning "medicine." Another verb derived from רף is רפא rapha [H:7495] meaning "to heal." This verb is first used when Avraham intercedes on Avimelekh’s behalf to heal him and his family from their illness (Genesis 20:17). When this verb is used in its participle form it can mean "healing" or "healer" (physician). One other verb derived from רף is רפה raphah [H:7503] meaning weak or feeble as when someone is sick.
The word "teraphim" is a transliteration of the Hebrew תרפים teraphim [H:8655] in the verse above and is the plural form of the word תרף tereph. Until recently the meaning of this word was completely unknown, this is why the older translations of the Bible simply transliterate it as teraphim. Ancient inscriptions discovered in Babylon assisted in defining this word as household gods and newer translations such as the RSV now translate it as household gods. It is also possible that the ancient people believed these household gods provided healing since the root of this is most likely רף. HEART The following is an excerpt from the Ancient Hebrew Research Center Website. Here is an example of our modern western culture still using a concrete object to express an abstract idea. We often associate the heart with emotions such as love and kindness as in "He has a good heart". This is also true with the Hebrews who saw the heart as the seat of emotion. But unlike us they also saw the heart as the seat of thought whereas we see the brain as the seat of thought. To the ancient Hebrews the heart was the mind including all thoughts including emotions. When we are told to love God with all our heart (Deut 6:5) it is not speaking of an emotional love but to keep our emotions and all our thoughts working for him. The first picture in this Hebrew word is a shepherd staff and represents authority as the shepherd has authority over his flock. The second letter is the picture of the floor plan of the nomadic tent and represents the idea of being inside as the family resides within the tent. When combined they mean "the authority within". The following is an excerpt from the book The Living Words. The English word "heart" can be a concrete concept, meaning the organ that pumps blood, or an abstract concept, meaning an emotion such as love or kindness. The Hebrew word ל בב levav [H:3824] and its parent root ל ב lev [H:3820] also concretely mean the heart organ. However the abstract concept behind these words is "thought" rather than "emotion" as can be seen in the following verses from the King James Version. Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind (levav), and thou shalt think an evil thought: Ezekiel 38:10 (KJV) But I have understanding (levav) as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? Job 12:3(KJV) Let men of understanding (levav) tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me. Job 34:34(KJV) For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind (lev). Isaiah 65:17(KJV) The original pictographic script for the word ל ב lev [H:3820] is   . The first letter, , represents the shepherd staff and is a sign of "authority" and the second letter, , represents the house or tent meaning "within." When combined, these pictographs mean "the authority within." The "authority within" us is the heart, the mind, but Jeremiah 17:9 gives us the following warning about our minds. The mind (lev) is crooked above all things, it is sick, who can know it? The connection between a thought and the heart and its evil inclination can also be found in Genesis 6:5. Yahweh saw that the evil of man was great in the land and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart/mind (lev) is only evil all the day. In Deuteronomy 6:5 we are told to keep our minds and thoughts on God alone. And you shall love Yahweh your Elohiym with all your heart/mind (lev) and with all your soul and with all your resources. Western thought considers the mind more rational than the heart. So, translations which treat lev as heart, with the abstract concept meaning an emotion such as love, may be misleading. The following is an excerpt from the book Ancient Hebrew Dictionary. To the ancient Hebrews the heart was the mind, the thoughts. When we are told to love Elohiym with all our heart (Deut 6:5) it is not speaking of an emotional love, but to keep our minds and our thoughts working for him. The first picture in this Hebrew word is a shepherd staff and represents authority, as the shepherd has authority over his flock. The second letter is the picture of the floor plan of the nomadic tent and represents the idea of being inside, as the family resides within the tent. When combined they mean "the authority within". HOT The following is an excerpt from the book The Living Words. One aspect of the Hebrew language that fascinates me is its complex system of letters, roots, and words. The parent root חם hham [H:2525], meaning "heat," and its derivatives demonstrate this unique system. The word hham appears as   in its original pictographic script. The letter is a picture of a wall which "separates" one side from another. and the letter is a picture of "water." Combined, these two letters literally mean "separate water." When "heat" (hham) is applied to water, we have evaporation, or a "separating of water."The following Hebrew words are all derived from the parent root root חם hham [H:2525].
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