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NECK The following is an excerpt from the Ancient Hebrew Research Center Website. The Hebrew noun for the neck is עורף (oreph, Strong's #6203), which is derived out of the Hebrew verb ערף (araph, Strong's #6202) meaning "to be necked," as in "breaking the neck." Isaac Mozeson, the founder of the study of Edencis, has some very interesting things to say about this Hebrew word.
NEST The following is an excerpt from the book His Name is One. From a Western perspective, the idea of one being named "Jealous" seems odd, especially as a name for God. As a name represents the character, this implies that God is by nature jealous. Our cultural understanding of the word is a type of anger felt over the suspected unfaithfulness of a spouse. As we shall see the Hebrew word has a very different meaning. The parent root קן (qen) is a nest. The first letter of the parent root is a picture of the sun at the horizon where the light is gathered during the sunrise or sunset. The second letter is a sprouting seed, the beginning of new life that came from the parent plant. Combined, these letters form the meaning, "A gathering for the seeds". A bird goes about "gathering" materials for building a nest for her "seeds", eggs, of the next generation. Several words are derived from the parent root קן (qen - nest), all related in meaning to the building of a nest. The child root קנה (qanah) is the construction of a nest by the parent bird. "And he blessed him and he said blessed is Abram to God most high, builder of heaven and earth" (Genesis 14:19). Some translations translate the above verse as, "Creator of heaven and earth". The ancient Hebrews did not see God as an unknowable force that creates the universe for some unknown reason; rather he is the bird that goes about gathering all the necessary materials for building a home for his children. Man was not created as an additional component to the creation; the earth was created as a home for man. Another word derived from קן (qen) is קנא (qana). This is the word translated as "jealous" in our introductory passage. The Hebraic meaning of this word is the passion with which the parent guards over the chicks in the nest. While our Western mind may see the term a "jealous God" in his feelings and actions toward us, it is in fact his feelings and actions toward our enemies. The heathens and false gods are like predators invading the nest and God fights them protecting his children from their clutches. NOSE The following is an excerpt from the book Ancient Hebrew Dictionary. This word is a good example that demonstrates the concrete nature of the Hebrew Language. This is the Hebrew word for a "nose," or "nostrils" when written in the plural form (נפים - naphiym), but can also mean "anger." When one becomes very angry, the nostrils start flaring. A literal interpretation of 1 Samuel 20:34 is, "And Jonathon rose from the table with a burning nose," where the phrase "burning nose" means a "fierce anger." |