Judges 10 - Part 1

 May 5, 2021

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 10 - Part 1 and today’s date is May 5, 2021. I’ll read from Judges 10:1-18,

And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. {2} And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. {3} And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. {4} And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead. {5} And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. {6} And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. {7} And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. {8} And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that [were] on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which [is] in Gilead. {9} Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed. {10} And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. {11} And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, [Did] not [I deliver you] from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? {12} The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. {13} Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. {14} Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. {15} And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. {16} And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. {17} Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. {18} And the people [and] princes of Gilead said one to another, What man [is he] that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

So we see another “turn of the wheel” in the all too familiar cycle of rebellion>oppression>deliverance>rest that we have witnessed so often throughout this book. Let’s take a closer look at verses 1-2, And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. {2} And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

We are introduced to Tola in these first two verses, who judged Israel for 23 years between 1204-1181 BC. Abimelech, incidentally ruled for three years: from 1207-1204 BC.

And After [’achar:H310/TWOT*:68b,c] Abimelech [’Abiymelek:H40]

The first two expressions, And after along with Abimelech, only appear together again in the subsequent passages in Judges 9:3-4 and 49, in which the term and after or ’achar is translated as follow

And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow [’achar:H310/TWOT:68b,c] Abimelech [’Abiymelek:H40]; for they said, He [is] our brother. {4} And they gave him threescore and ten [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech [’Abiymelek:H40]  hired vain and light persons, which followed him. [’achar:H310/TWOT:68b,c] ... 

*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

{49} And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed [’achar:H310/TWOT:68b,c] Abimelech [’Abiymelek:H40], and put [them] to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

There Arose [quwm:H6955/TWOT:1999] To Defend [yasha`:H3467/TWOT:929] Israel [Yisra’el:H3478]

The next phrase, there arose to defend Israel, is made up of three words describing Tola’s service; these expressions surface together again in the following citations:

Judges 3:9 and 15 record: And when the children of Israel [Yisra’el:H3478]

 cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer [yasha`:H3467/TWOT:929]  to the children of Israel [Yisra’el:H3478], who delivered them, [even] Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. ... {15} But when the children of Israel [Yisra’el:H3478]

 cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer [yasha`:H3467/TWOT:929], Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel [Yisra’el:H3478] sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

2 Kings 16:7 states: So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I [am] thy servant and thy son: come up, and save [yasha`:H3467/TWOT:929] me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel [Yisra’el:H3478], which rise up against me.

Keep in mind that the term deliverer or save which is yasha` is part of the compound word, Joshua, which is transliterated Jesus in the New Testament. Joshua or Jehoshua is made up of the words Jehovah (H3068) and yasha` (H3467) which signify Jehovah saves! This of course ties in to what we read in Matthew 1:21,

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 

Nehemiah 9:27 is a commentary on the role of the judges throughout this period of history in which the expression yasha` is rendered as both them saviours as well as, who saved:  

Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest [them] from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours [yasha`:H3467/TWOT:929], who saved [yasha`:H3467/TWOT:929] them out of the hand of their enemies.

Tola [Towla:H8439]

The name Tola is exceedingly important as its is identically spelled to the term, worm, scarlet, and crimson, as the following citations illustrate:

Worm/Scarlet/Crimson [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b] 

Psalm 22:6 is part of a Messianic psalm which means it is a psalm pointing to the Work and Faith of Christ as the Messiah at the foundation of the world when payment for sin was made, and then subsequently demonstrated in 33 AD when Christ hung on the Cross: 

But I [am] a worm, [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b] and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

Job 25:6 likewise affirms: How much less man, [that is] a worm [rimmah:H7415/TWOT:2175a]? and the son of man, [which is] a worm? [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b] 

Job 25:6 actually contains another word that is also translated [that is] a worm, which is rimmah, which also points to the Lord Jesus and His atonement.  Let’s continue to see how God utilizes towla` and then we can look at some verses that include the word, rimmah.

Isaiah 1:18 powerfully asserts the message of Christ’s redemptive work at the foundation of the world; towla` is rendered here as like crimson: Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet [shaniy:H8144/TWOT:2420a], they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b], they shall be as wool.

Curiously Isaiah 1:18 contains yet another similar expression, as scarlet, yet it is an entirely different word, shaniy (H8144/TWOT:2420a), which if we have time, we can investigate later on in our study today.

In Exodus 16:20 this word crops up in connection with the manna that spoiled because it was left until the morning, contrary to God's command: Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b] and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.

Similarly, Isaiah  14:11 renders this as the worms that has to do with Satan’s demise: Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, [and] the noise of thy viols: the worm [rimmah:H7415/TWOT:2175a] is spread under thee, and the worms [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b] cover thee.

Isaiah 41:14 uses this word with respect to Christ in the first instance, and secondly God's saints: Fear not, thou worm [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b] Jacob, [and] ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 66:24 highlights God’s judgment which this word can spiritually  portray: And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b]  shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

Jonah 4:7 also includes this term: But God prepared a worm [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b] when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.

Earlier I mentioned that this same word, worm and crimson is also translated as scarlet in a number of places that have to do with the furnishings of the Tabernacles as well as the priests’ garments. I will just mention one of them in the interest of time found in Exodus 26.

Exodus 26:1, 31, and 36 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle [with] ten curtains [of] fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet [shaniy:H8144/TWOT:2420a] [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b]: [with] cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. ... {31} And thou shalt make a vail [of] blue, and purple, and scarlet [shaniy:H8144/TWOT:2420a] [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b], and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: ... {36} And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, [of] blue, and purple, and scarlet [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b] [shaniy:H8144/TWOT:2420a], and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.

These three references contain the expression scarlet, however it is noteworthy that in Hebrew this appears as “scarlet worm.” Keep in mind that this is referring to tapestry, namely the curtains, the vail, as well as the hanging for the door of the tent. Apparently the scarlet colored fabric was derived from a pregnant female insect who would attach herself to a tree trunk and die there after giving birth, and in the process would exude a reddish substance that would not only dye her young, but stain the tree as well. It was from these insects that the color scarlet or crimson was derived, and served to dye fabrics with this color which was nearly impossible to remove, which helps us to also see the spiritual picture in Isaiah 1:18 that was quoted earlier:

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet [shaniy:H8144/TWOT:2420a], they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson [towla`:H8438/TWOT:2516b], they shall be as wool.

In Job 25:6 and Isaiah 14:11 we saw that the two terms towla` and rimmah [rimmah:H7415/TWOT:2175a] surfaced together in both of these passages. Here are some more ways that God adopts the expression rimmah:

Worm(s) [rimmah:H7415/TWOT:2175a] 

Exodus 16:24 reveals: And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm [rimmah:H7415/TWOT:2175a] therein.

These next verses speak of death and annihilation, in which Job represents the Savior who was subjected to both death and annihilation at the foundation of the world in the atonement:

Job 7:5 declares:  My flesh is clothed with worms [rimmah:H7415/TWOT:2175a] and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

Job 17:14 likewise affirms: I have said to corruption, Thou [art] my father: to the worm, [rimmah:H7415/TWOT:2175a]  [Thou art] my mother, and my sister.

On the other hand, Job 21:26 speaks of the end of physical life for both the elect and non-elect alike:  They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms [rimmah:H7415/TWOT:2175a] cover them.

And verse 20 of Job 24:19-20 reiterates the same theme that Romans 6:23a sets forth, namely: ...the wages of sin [is] death...: Drought and heat consume the snow waters: [so doth] the grave [those which] have sinned. {20} The womb shall forget him; the worm [rimmah:H7415/TWOT:2175a] shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.

Well, let’s proceed to the next phrase in Judges 10:1, the son of Puah

The Son [ben:H1121/TWOT:254] Of Puah [Puw’ah:H6312]...The Son  [ben:H1121/TWOT:254] Of Dodo [Dowdow:H1734]

We learn that Tola, which parabolically can refer to scarlet, crimson, and worm is the son (or descendant of Puah), who in turn is the son or descendant of Dodo. These names are derived from other words that are opposite with respect to their spiritual connotations. 

Puah Stems From The Term “To Scatter” [pa’ah:H6284/TWOT:1725]

This verb to scatter into corners, only surfaces in verse 26 of Deuteronomy 32:15-26 which describes the rebellion of national Israel against Her Divine Husband:

But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered [with fatness]; then he forsook God [which] made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. {16} They provoked him to jealousy with strange [gods], with abominations provoked they him to anger. {17} They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new [gods that] came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. {18} Of the Rock [that] begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. {19} And when the LORD saw [it], he abhorred [them], because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. {20} And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end [shall be]: for they [are] a very froward generation, children in whom [is] no faith. {21} They have moved me to jealousy with [that which is] not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with [those which are] not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. {22} For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. {23} I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them. {24} [They shall be] burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. {25} The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling [also] with the man of gray hairs. {26} I said, I would scatter them into corners [pa’ah:H6284/TWOT:1725], I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:

We need to stop here, as we have run out of time. Lord willing, in our next study we will consider the name, Dodo, which is related to “beloved.”

‍

‍

Judges 10 - Part 2

  May 7, 2021

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 10 - Part 2 and today’s date is May 7, 2021. I’ll read from Judges 10:1-2,

And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. {2} And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. 

At the close of our last study I mentioned that we would investigate the phrase ...the son of Dodo which follows the preceding phrase ...the son of Puah. Both of these genealogical references pertain to Tola, whose name spiritually signifies Christ as a worm in the atonement at the foundation of the world, and characterized by the colors scarlet and crimson, which are used frequently in connection with the atonement as well as in the furnishings of the Tabernacle (and later in the Temple), along with the priests’ garments. We discovered that Puah is only employed in this verse, yet it stems from pa’ah (H6284/TWOT:1725)  which is only found in Deuteronomy 32:26, and translated as scatter them into corners:

I said, I would scatter them into corners [pa’ah:H6284/TWOT:1725], I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:

The Son [ben:H1121/TWOT:254] Of Dodo [Dowdow:H1734]

Curiously, as I mentioned at the conclusion of Judges 10 - Part 1, Dodo is related to the term beloved. Immediately we think about David, whose name also means beloved, and of course he is an excellent spiritual representation of the Lord Jesus Christ. So we wonder if somehow these expressions might be related to each other? As a matter of fact they are! Both Dodo as well as David (H1732) stem from dod (H1730/TWOT:410a) as the following citations show, in which this term is primarily rendered as beloved, uncle, and love (s):

Beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a]

Esther 2:7 explains Mordecai’s relationship with Esther (or Hadassah): And he brought up Hadassah, that [is], Esther, his uncle's [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid [was] fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

Verse 18 of Proverbs 7:1-27 includes this term of love in this chapter which is a warning to all to stay clear of the allure of the harlot, who spiritually typifies a false gospel and was compounded when God’s judgment began at His own house first:

My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. {2} Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. {3} Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. {4} Say unto wisdom, Thou [art] my sister; and call understanding [thy] kinswoman: {5} That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger [which] flattereth with her words. {6} For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, {7} And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, {8} Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, {9} In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: {10} And, behold, there met him a woman [with] the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. {11} (She [is] loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: {12} Now [is she] without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) {13} So she caught him, and kissed him, [and] with an impudent face said unto him, {14} [I have] peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. {15} Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. {16} I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved [works], with fine linen of Egypt. {17} I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. {18} Come, let us take our fill of love [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. {19} For the goodman [is] not at home, he is gone a long journey: {20} He hath taken a bag of money with him, [and] will come home at the day appointed. {21} With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. {22} He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; {23} Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it [is] for his life. {24} Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. {25} Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. {26} For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong [men] have been slain by her. {27} Her house [is] the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

By contrast the spiritual love of the Bridegroom (i.e., Christ) for His Bride (i.e., the elect) is set forth in Song of Solomon 1:2 and 4, Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] [is] better than wine. …{4} Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] more than wine: the upright love thee.

Moreover this term appears 13 times in Song of Solomon 5:1-2, 4-6, 8-10, and 16, I am come into my garden, my sister, [my] spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a]  {2} I sleep, but my heart waketh: [it is] the voice of my beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] that knocketh, [saying], Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, [and] my locks with the drops of the night. ... {4} My beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] put in his hand by the hole [of the door], and my bowels were moved for him. {5} I rose up to open to my beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a]; and my hands dropped [with] myrrh, and my fingers [with] sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. {6} I opened to my beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a]; but my beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] had withdrawn himself, [and] was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. ... {8} I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a], that ye tell him, that I [am] sick of love. {9} What [is] thy beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] more than [another] beloved, [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] O thou fairest among women? what [is] thy beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] more than [another] beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a], that thou dost so charge us? {10} My beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] [is] white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. ... {16} His mouth [is] most sweet: yea, he [is] altogether lovely. This [is] my beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a], and this [is] my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

Isaiah 5:1 introduces this chapter which alludes to God’s judgment beginning at His own house first:  Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

In Jeremiah 32:7-9 and 12 this word is expressed four times as uncle:  Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that [is] in Anathoth: for the right of redemption [is] thine to buy [it]. {8} So Hanameel mine uncle's [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that [is] in Anathoth, which [is] in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance [is] thine, and the redemption [is] thine; buy [it] for thyself. Then I knew that this [was] the word of the LORD. {9} And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] son, that [was] in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, [even] seventeen shekels of silver. ... {12} And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] [son], and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.

Verse 8 of Ezekiel 16:1-63 translates this expression of love. This chapter records God’s dealings with His spiritual wife, national Israel, in this historical parable in which Israel is likened to an abandoned baby and under God’s love and care develops into a mature woman, who then rejects Her Husband, and in so doing suffers the consequences:  

Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, {2} Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, {3} And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity [is] of the land of Canaan; thy father [was] an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. {4} And [as for] thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple [thee]; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. {5} None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. {6} And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee [when thou wast] in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee [when thou wast] in thy blood, Live. {7} I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: [thy] breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou [wast] naked and bare. {8} Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time [was] the time of love; [dod:H1730/TWOT:410a] and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. {9} Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. {10} I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. {11} I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. {12} And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. {13} Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment [was of] fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. {14} And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it [was] perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD. {15} But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was. {16} And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: [the like things] shall not come, neither shall it be [so]. {17} Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them, {18} And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them. {19} My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, [wherewith] I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and [thus] it was, saith the Lord GOD. {20} Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. [Is this] of thy whoredoms a small matter, {21} That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through [the fire] for them? {22} And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, [and] wast polluted in thy blood. {23} And it came to pass after all thy wickedness, (woe, woe unto thee! saith the Lord GOD;) {24} [That] thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street. {25} Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms. {26} Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger. {27} Behold, therefore I have stretched out my hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary [food], and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way. {28} Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied. {29} Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith. {30} How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord GOD, seeing thou doest all these [things], the work of an imperious whorish woman; {31} In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire; {32} [But as] a wife that committeth adultery, [which] taketh strangers instead of her husband! {33} They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom. {34} And the contrary is in thee from [other] women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary. {35} Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD: {36} Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them; {37} Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all [them] that thou hast loved, with all [them] that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness. {38} And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy. {39} And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare. {40} They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords. {41} And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more. {42} So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry. {43} Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these [things]; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon [thine] head, saith the Lord GOD: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations. {44} Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use [this] proverb against thee, saying, As [is] the mother, [so is] her daughter. {45} Thou [art] thy mother's daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou [art] the sister of thy sisters, which lothed their husbands and their children: your mother [was] an Hittite, and your father an Amorite. {46} And thine elder sister [is] Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, [is] Sodom and her daughters. {47} Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as [if that were] a very little [thing], thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways. {48} [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters. {49} Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. {50} And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw [good]. {51} Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done. {52} Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters. {53} When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then [will I bring again] the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them: {54} That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them. {55} When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate. {56} For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride, {57} Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of [thy] reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all [that are] round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round about. {58} Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD. {59} For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant. {60} Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. {61} Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. {62} And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I [am] the LORD: {63} That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.

Lord willing, in our next study we will continue our investigation of verse 1.

‍

‍

Judges 10 - Part 3

 May 12, 2021

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 10 - Part 3 and today’s date is May 12, 2021. I’ll read from Judges 10:1-2,

And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. {2} And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. 

We have arrived at the latter part of verse 1, and the expression, a man of Issachar,

 in which we learn that Judge Tola was from the tribe of Issachar. 

A Man [’iysh:H376/TWOT*:83a] Of Issachar [Yissakar:H3485] 

The phrase, a man of Issachar, consists of the word for man or ’iysh and Issachar, (the fifth son of Leah, and Jacob’s 9th) which is a compound word signifying “giving wages or hire,” as his mother Leah acknowledged in the only other verse in which this phrase, a man of Issachar, is found in Genesis 30:18,

And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. [Yissakar:H3485]

The Significance Of Issachar’s [Yissaskar:H3485] Name

Issachar’s name, is made up of two words, “lifting up or bearing up” (nasa’:H5375) and the main term, which is found in verse 18, rendered “my hire” (sakar:H7939)  or “reward.” This reminds us of “recompense of the reward” that we read about in the following three passages - all from the book of Hebrews:

Verse 2 of Hebrews 2:1-4 admonishes, “Therefore we ought to give the more 

*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let [them] slip. {2} For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward [misthapodosia:G3405]; {3} How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard [him]; {4} God also bearing [them] witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”

Verse 35 of Hebrews 10:35-39 also exhorts, “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. [misthapodosia:G3405] {36} For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. {37} For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. {38} Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. {39} But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

Likewise, verse 26 of  Hebrews 11:24-26 affirms: “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; {25} Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; {26} Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.” [misthapodosia:G3405] 

One notes how applicable these scriptures are to our current situation, as God’s saints await the “recompence of the reward” who is God Himself.  The root word for this term is only found in Hebrews 11:6, and is expressed as “a rewarder”:

“But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder [misthapodotes:G3406] of them that diligently seek him.” 

This is also substantiated by what we find in Genesis 15:1, which brings us full circle back to Issachar, as the word, “reward” in this glorious verse is the main word (sakar:H7939) that we saw earlier in Issachar’s compound name: “After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward.” [sakar:H7939]

The only other place in the book of Judges where Issachar crops up is in Judges 5:15, in connection with Judge Deborah [whose name is identified with the Word (i.e., dabar - H1697) of God and Barak (who represents the Lord Jesus Christ, and whose name means lightning):

And the princes of Issachar [Yissakar:H3485] [were] with Deborah; even Issachar, [Yissakar:H3485] and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben [there were] great thoughts of heart.

In Judges 5 - Parts 24-26 we spent a good deal of time on Isaachar, and who he symbolizes spiritually, and we arrived at the following conclusions:

• Issachar is also associated with “tents”(’ohel:H168) - like Jacob in Genesis 25:27, And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob [was] a plain man, dwelling in tents.

• Issachar is also identified with two burdens or sheepfolds - Old Testament believers and those saved during both the “early” and “latter” rains - according to Genesis 49:14, Issachar [is] a strong ass couching down between two burdens:

• Issachar also represents God’s elect who have “understanding of the times,” as one learns from 1 Chronicles 12:32 which is a most significant reference: And of the children of Issachar, [which were men] that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them [were] two hundred; and all their brethren [were] at their commandment.

This is an important verse and relates to what we have understood about the two-fold principle of time and judgment, as the subsequent Scriptures from both the Old as well as the New Testament reveal:

Ecclesiastes 8:5-6 declares: Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time [`eth:H6256/TWOT:1650b] and judgment. [mishpat:H4941/TWOT:2443c] {6} Because to every purpose there is time [`eth:H6256/TWOT:1650b]  and judgment [mishpat:H4941/TWOT:2443c], therefore the misery of man [is] great upon him.

And Jeremiah 8:7 offers this description of both national Israel and its counterpart, the New Testament churches and denominations, that came under God’s wrath at the beginning of the Great Tribulation (May 21, 1988 - May 21, 2011) 

Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time [`eth:H6256/TWOT:1650b] of their coming; but my people know not the judgment [mishpat:H4941/TWOT:2443c] of the LORD.

This is also affirmed by 1 Peter 4:17-18: For the time [is come] that judgment  must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God? {18} And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

• Issachar also represents those who pronounced the blessings of obedience atop Mt. Gerizim in Deuteronomy 27:12, These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin:

• Lastly, Issachar exemplifies the “sufferings of Christ,” which finds expression in our day as the body of Christ on earth is completed, and as such is manifesting the “sufferings of Christ” as His Body as verse 15 of Genesis 49:14-15 acknowledges: Issachar [is] a strong ass couching down between two burdens: {15} And he saw that rest [was] good, and the land that [it was] pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

Keeping that in mind, Philippians 1:29 lays down this principle which is part and parcel of the Christian life:  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Let’s now return to Judges 10:1, in which we learn that Tola dwelt in Shamir, in mount Ephraim. What spiritual truth could God have in mind with regard to these two locations? 

Shamir [Shamiyr:H8069]

As it turns out, the town of Shamir is only mentioned again in Joshua 15:58 in a list of towns that belong to the tribe of Judah, which is interesting, since the Savior hailed from Judah, and in fact is called  the Lion of the tribe of Judah: 

And in the mountains, Shamir, [Shamiyr:H8069] and Jattir, and Socoh,

Curiously this expression, Shamir stems from an identically spelled root word, shamiyr (H8068) which is translated as brier, adamant, and diamond as the following passages illustrate; please note that all these citations have to do with judgment:

The entire context of Isaiah 5 has to do with God’s judgment beginning at His own house first, and in verse 6 we read this statement:  And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers [shamiyr:H8068/TWOT:2416a] and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

Similarly,  we see the same sentence being passed in Isaiah 7:23-25,  And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall [even] be for briers [shamiyr:H8068TWOT:2416a] and thorns. {24} With arrows and with bows shall [men] come thither; because all the land shall become briers [shamiyr:H8068TWOT:2416a] and thorns. {25} And [on] all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear of briers [shamiyr:H8068TWOT:2416a] and thorns: but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle.

Isaiah 9:18 likewise affirms: For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers [shamiyr:H8068TWOT:2416a] and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up [like] the lifting up of smoke.

Isaiah 10:17 adds, And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers [shamiyr:H8068TWOT:2416a] in one day;

Isaiah 27:4 states:  Fury [is] not in me: who would set the briers [shamiyr:H8068TWOT:2416a] [and] thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.

Isaiah 32:13 continues this theme of impending judgment on God’s corporate house: Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns [and] briers; [shamiyr:H8068TWOT:2416a] yea, upon all the houses of joy [in] the joyous city:

In these last three entries, this expression is rendered as either diamond or adamant:

Jeremiah 17:1 makes this crystal clear announcement:  The sin of Judah [is] written with a pen of iron, [and] with the point of a diamond: [shamiyr:H8068] [it is] graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;

However in verse 9 of  Ezekiel 3:7-9 this word is used in a positive way to describe Ezekiel’s forehead spiritually in contrast to the hardheartedness of national Israel (who typifies God’s judgment beginning at His own house first): 

But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel [are] impudent and hardhearted. {8} Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.{9} As an adamant [shamiyr:H8068TWOT:2416a] harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they [be] a rebellious house.

Verse 12 of Zechariah 7:8-14 maintains this same refrain: And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying, {9} Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: {10} And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. {11} But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. {12} Yea, they made their hearts [as] an adamant stone, [shamiyr:H8068TWOT:2416a] lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts. {13} Therefore it is come to pass, [that] as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts: {14} But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.

So we can understand from the foregoing Scriptures that Tola hailed from a town that is spiritually associated with briers and rebellion against the God of the Bible. We also learn from verse 1 that Shamir is situated in Mount Ephraim, which we now want to investigate.

Ephraim [Ephrayim:H669]

In the Bible Ephraim means “double fruitfulness,” and denotes a two-fold signification. On the one hand, it can refer to God’s elect; on the other hand,  to God’s corporate people that came under His wrath. With regard to the former we read in Deuteronomy 33:13-17,

And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD [be] his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, {14} And for the precious fruits [brought forth] by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, {15} And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills, {16} And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and [for] the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let [the blessing] come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him [that was] separated from his brethren. {17} His glory [is like] the firstling of his bullock, and his horns [are like] the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they [are] the ten thousands of Ephraim [Ephrayim:H669], and they [are] the thousands of Manasseh.

Although Ephraim was younger the blessing went to him instead of Manasseh, which is a pattern that we find with a number of other pairs of brothers like Jacob and Esau for instance. Ephraim is also another name for the ten tribes or Samaria that God used the Assyrians to destroy in 709 BC, even as He did with the Babylonians who conquered Judah in 609 BC. The emphasis on Ephraim is clearly seen in Hosea 5:1-15 in which Ephraim surfaces in verses 3, 5, 9 and 11-13,

Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment [is] toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor. {2} And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I [have been] a rebuker of them all. {3} I know Ephraim [Ephrayim:H669], and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim [Ephrayim:H669], thou committest whoredom, [and] Israel is defiled. {4} They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms [is] in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD. {5} And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim [Ephrayim:H669] fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them. {6} They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find [him]; he hath withdrawn himself from them. {7} They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions. {8} Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, [and] the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud [at] Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin. {9} Ephraim [Ephrayim:H669] shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be. {10} The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: [therefore] I will pour out my wrath upon them like water. {11} Ephraim [Ephrayim:H669] [is] oppressed [and] broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment. {12} Therefore [will] I [be] unto Ephraim [Ephrayim:H669] as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness. {13} When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah [saw] his wound, then went Ephraim [Ephrayim:H669] to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound. {14} For I [will be] unto Ephraim [Ephrayim:H669] as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, [even] I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue [him]. {15} I will go [and] return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. 

We will have to stop here. Lord willing, in our next study, we will proceed to verse 2.

‍

‍

Judges 10 - Part 4

 May 14, 2021

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 10 - Part 4 and today’s date is May 14, 2021. I’ll read from Judges 10:1-2,

And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. {2} And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. 

We have arrived at verse 2 in our on-going study of Judges 10. Let's begin by examining the phrase, And he judged Israel. This phrase consists of two terms:

And He Judged [shaphat:H8199/TWOT*:2443] Israel [Yisra`el:H3487]

These two terms appear together in  36 other Scriptures, and we will consider some of them. A good number of them involve various judges like Tola, some of whom we have encountered in this series already, as the following passages reveal:

Verse 10 of Judges 3:9-10 records: And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, [even] Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. {10} And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged [shaphat:H8199/TWOT:2443]  Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

Verse 4 of Judges 4:4-6 concerns Deborah (and Barak in verse 6): And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged [shaphat:H8199/TWOT:2443] Israel at that time. {5} And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim:  

*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. {6} And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, [saying], Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

In Ezekiel 18:30, God declares that His judgment begins at His own house first: Therefore I will judge [shaphat:H8199/TWOT:2443] you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn [yourselves] from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

Joel 3:2 spiritually typifies our present day of judgment: I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead [shaphat:H8199/TWOT:2443] with them there for my people and [for] my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

Last, but certainly not least, is the prophecy concerning the Lord Jesus in verse 1 of Micah 5:1-4, Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge [shaphat:H8199/TWOT:2443] of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. {2} But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, [though] thou be little among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he come forth unto me [that is] to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth [have been] from of old, from everlasting. {3} Therefore will he give them up, until the time [that] she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. {4} And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

We learn that Tola judged Israel for 23 years. The number 23 is quite a significant number in the Bible and is indicative of judgment, and in particular is associated with God’s retibution that started at His own house first over the course of the 23-year Great Tribulation period of our day, and the prolonged “day” of judgment that followed, as 1 Peter 4:17-18 maintains: 

For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God? {18} And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Matthew 24:1-2, 4-5, 11, 15-25, and 29-31 provides further information concerning the character of the Great Tribulation, as well as the “day” of judgment: And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to [him] for to shew him the buildings of the temple. {2} And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. ... {4} And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. {5} For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. ... {11} And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. ... {15} When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) {16} Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: {17} Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: {18} Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. {19} And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! {20} But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: {21} For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. {22} And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. {23} Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here [is] Christ, or there; believe [it] not. {24} For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect. {25} Behold, I have told you before. ... {29} Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: {30} And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. {31} And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The next  phrase twenty and three years is made up of the following three terms:

Twenty [`esriym:H6242/TWOT:1711e] And Three [shalowsh:H7969/TWOT:2403a] Years [shaneh:H8141/TWOT:2419a] 

They are found together in 11 other citations, and we will take a look at two of them:

2 Kings 23:31 speaks of Jehoahaz, one of the 12 wicked kings of Judah: Jehoahaz [was] twenty [`esriym:H6242/TWOT:1711e] and three [shalowsh:H7969/TWOT:2403a] years [shaneh:H8141/TWOT:2419a] old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

Verse 3 Jeremiah 25:1-33 is one of the Old Testament counterparts to 1 Peter 4:17-18, 

The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that [was] the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; {2} The which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, {3} From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that [is] the three [shalowsh:H7969/TWOT:2403a] and twentieth [`esriym:H6242/TWOT:1711e] year [shaneh:H8141/TWOT:2419a] 

 , the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened. {4} And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending [them]; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear. {5} They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever: {6} And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. {7} Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt. {8} Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words, {9} Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. {10} Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. {11} And this whole land shall be a desolation, [and] an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. {12} And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, [that] I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. {13} And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, [even] all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations. {14} For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands. {15} For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it. {16} And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them. {17} Then took I the cup at the LORD'S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me: {18} [To wit], Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as [it is] this day; {19} Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people; {20} And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod, {21} Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon, {22} And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which [are] beyond the sea, {23} Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all [that are] in the utmost corners, {24} And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert, {25} And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes, {26} And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which [are] upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them. {27} Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you. {28} And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink. {29} For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts. {30} Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread [the grapes], against all the inhabitants of the earth. {31} A noise shall come [even] to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them [that are] wicked to the sword, saith the LORD. {32} Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. {33} And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from [one] end of the earth even unto the [other] end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.

The last two expressions that we have not examined in Judges 10:2 are and died and was buried:

And Died [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169] And Was Buried [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] 

These two words surface together in 37 other references, and we will investigate some of them:

We have already encountered these two terms in connection with the death of Judge Gideon in Judges 8:32, And Gideon the son of Joash died [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169] in a good old age, and was buried [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

We will also run across these two expressions again in Judges 10:5,

And Jair died [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169], and was buried [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] in Camon.

This is also the case with the following judges in Judges 12:7, 10, 12, and 15, And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169]  Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] in [one of] the cities of Gilead. ... {10} Then died [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169]  Ibzan, and was buried [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] at Bethlehem. ... {12} And Elon the Zebulonite died [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169], and was buried [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. ... {15} And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169], and was buried [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

Even though Samuel is not found in the book of Judges, he nevertheless judged Israel for 20 years (1067 BC - 1047 BC): And Samuel died [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169]; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

One of the most notable affirmations in the Bible is the testimony of Ruth the Moabitess to her mother-in-law Naomi, in which these two words crop up in verse 17 of Ruth 1:16-17 in which Ruth unabashedly declares her allegiance to the God of the Bible and His elect people: 

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, [or] to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people [shall be] my people, and thy God my God: {17} Where thou diest, will I die [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169], and there will I be buried [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984]: the LORD do so to me, and more also, [if ought] but death part thee and me.

Genesis 23:1-20 is a chapter that contains the greatest number of occurrences in which these two terms are repeated, having to do with the death of Sarah (incidentally, the only woman in the Bible, whose death age is given); these two words are found together is verses 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, and 15:

And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: [these were] the years of the life of Sarah. {2} And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same [is] Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. {3} And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, {4} I [am] a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] my dead [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169] out of my sight. {5} And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, {6} Hear us, my lord: thou [art] a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] thy dead [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169]; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] thy dead. [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169] {7} And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, [even] to the children of Heth. {8} And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, {9} That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which [is] in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you. {10} And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, [even] of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, {11} Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that [is] therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] thy dead. [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169] {12} And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. {13} And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou [wilt give it], I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take [it] of me, and I will bury [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] my dead [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169] there. {14} And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, {15} My lord, hearken unto me: the land [is worth] four hundred shekels of silver; what [is] that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore [qabar:H6912/TWOT:1984] thy dead. [muwth:H4191/TWOT:1169]  {16} And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current [money] with the merchant. {17} And the field of Ephron, which [was] in Machpelah, which [was] before Mamre, the field, and the cave which [was] therein, and all the trees that [were] in the field, that [were] in all the borders round about, were made sure {18} Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. {19} And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same [is] Hebron in the land of Canaan. {20} And the field, and the cave that [is] therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.

Let’s stop here. Lord willing, we will begin examining verse 3 in our next study.

‍

‍

Judges 10 - Part 5

 May 17, 2021

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 10 - Part 5 and today’s date is May 17, 2021. I’ll read from Judges 10:3-5,

And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. {4} And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead. {5} And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.

In verse three we are introduced to Jair, a Gileadite who was the next judge to succeed Tola, and he judged Israel 22 years, which according to the Biblical Calendar that Mr. Camping discovered would have been from 1181-1159 BC. One curious aspect of Jair are these 22 years during which he was judge, in comparison to the 23 years during which Tola judged Israel. Why is this significant? For one thing, we have learned that the number 23 has to do with judgment and is associated with the length of the Great Tribulation of our day (May 21, 1988 - May 21, 2011). Chris Mc Cann in his booklet, Two Tribulations At The End Of The World has made a compelling case from Scripture regarding the 23-year Great Tribulation in which judgment began at the house of God, followed by another tribulation of 22 years between 2011 and 2033 (2033 offers great promise for the last year of earth’s existence because of mounting Biblical evidence). And these two time periods - 23 years and 22 years respectively - are represented here by the years that Tola and Jair judged Israel respectively. So keep this in mind as we work through verses 3-5 to see what else God might show us.

And After [’achar:H310/TWOT*:68b,c] Him Arose [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999]

The two expressions, And after along with him arose surface together in 32 other Scriptures. The following verses reveal some of the ways that God employs these two terms:  

*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

Actually we have encountered these two terms before not only in verse 1 of this same chapter, but in some of the earlier chapters in the Book of Judges - in Judges 2:10 and 4:14 respectively:

And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999] another generation after [’achar:H310/TWOT:68b,c] them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

And Deborah said unto Barak, Up [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999]; for this [is] the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after [’achar:H310/TWOT:68b,c]  him.

In Genesis 17:19 one discovers these two terms used in conjunction with the covenant that God made with Isaac, who is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ,  And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999] my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, [and] with his seed after [’achar:H310/TWOT:68b,c] him.

We have learned that Christ is indeed the Seed (with a capital “S”) that is in view  as Galatians 3:16 confirms:

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Genesis 41:30 includes these two words that are associated with the first Great Tribulation (i.e. Affliction) of Joseph’s day: And there shall arise [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999] after [’achar:H310/TWOT:68b,c]  them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;

Deuteronomy 31:16 utilizes these two terms in foreshadowing Israel’s rebellion against God, which is part of the familiar cycle of rebellion>oppression>deliverance>rest that we have witnessed so often throughout the Book of Judges: 

And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999], and go a whoring after [’achar:H310/TWOT:68b,c]  the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go [to be] among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

1 Samuel 15:11 describes king Saul, who symbolizes God’s judgment that began at His own house first; in this passage arise (or arose) is rendered performed: It repenteth me that I have set up Saul [to be] king: for he is turned back from following [’achar:H310/TWOT:68b,c] me, and hath not performed [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999] my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

These two expressions are also used in connection with both Solomon (who can typify Christ spiritually) as well as the last good king of Judah, Josiah in 1 Kings 3:12 and 2 Kings 23:25 respectively: 

Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after [’achar:H310/TWOT:68b,c]  thee shall any arise [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999]  like unto thee.

And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after [’achar:H310/TWOT:68b,c]  him arose [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999]  there [any] like him.

Let’s now consider Jair’s name:

Jair [Ya’iyr:H2971] 

Jair’s (H2971) name is derived from the word, ’owr (H215/TWOT:52), which is primarily translated as light, shine, or enlighten, and surfaces 43 times in the Old Testament. Does this word light or shine remind you of anything else we have run across in the book of Judges? Remember Barak (H1301) back in Judges 4 and 5? His name stems from the noun form (identically spelled) which is predominantly rendered as lightning (baraq:H1300/TWOT:287a), and he too is another spiritual representation of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact in the following two citations we find both the noun lightnings (baraq:H1300) as well as the verb ’owr, which is translated as lightened and enlightened respectively: 

Psalm 77:18 declares: The voice of thy thunder [was] in the heaven: the lightnings [baraq:H1300/TWOT:287a] lightened [’owr: H215/TWOT:52] the world: the earth trembled and shook.

Similarly, Psalm 97:4 affirms: His lightnings [baraq:H1300/TWOT:287a]  enlightened [’owr: H215/TWOT:52] the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

Light/Shine [’owr: H215/TWOT:52] 

Here are some examples of how this verb ’owr is employed:

Genesis 1:15 expresses this word as to give light:  And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light [’owr: H215/TWOT:52]  upon the earth: and it was so.

Exodus 13:21 illustrates how God provided light as well as guidance both by day as well as by night for the Israelites during their 40-year wilderness sojourn: 

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light [’owr: H215/TWOT:52]; to go by day and night:

Exodus 25:37 speaks of candlestick in the Tabernacle:  And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light [’owr: H215/TWOT:52] over against it.

This expression also shows up in the benediction found in verse 25 of Numbers 6:22-27, in which it appears as shine: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, {23} Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, {24} The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: {25} The LORD make his face shine [’owr: H215/TWOT:52] upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: {26} The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. {27} And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.

In 1 Samuel 14:27 it is rendered as were enlightened, by the honey, which spiritually signifies the Word of God:  But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that [was] in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. [’owr: H215/TWOT:52] 

Psalm 19:8 also acknowledges that God’s Word enlightens the spiritual eyes of God’s saints by providing heavenly nutrition for one’s soul: The statutes of the LORD [are] right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD [is] pure, enlightening [’owr: H215/TWOT:52] the eyes.

Psalm 119:130 likewise refers to one of the purposes of the Word of God, and is found under the section PE (the 17th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and is the “letter-word” for Mouth): The entrance of thy words giveth light [’owr: H215/TWOT:52]; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Psalm 80:19 explains that spiritually the shining of God’s face toward an individual is language that identifies with salvation: Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine [’owr: H215/TWOT:52]; and we shall be saved.

Isaiah 60:19 announces that the Triune God Himself will be that eternal Light that will shine forever upon His elect children now and throughout eternity; in this passage both the verb form as well as the noun form (H216) appear together:  

The sun shall be no more thy light [’owr: H216/TWOT:52a]

 by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light [’owr: H216/TWOT:52a] [’owr: H215/TWOT:52] unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light [’owr: H215/TWOT:52] [’owr: H216/TWOT:52a], and thy God thy glory.

By contrast Ezekiel 32:7, like Matthew 24:29, speaks of the darkening of the spiritual timekeepers that occurred at the onset of the day of judgment on May 21, 2011; incidentally this passage is one of about a dozen or so similar statements that are scattered throughout both the Old and New Testaments; once again give is the verb form and the noun is rendered her light: 

And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give [’owr: H215/TWOT:52] her light. [’owr: H216/TWOT:52a]

’Owr Is The Shoresh (Root) - אוֹר

I would like to take the opportunity to speak a little bit more about this particular tri- consonantal shoresh or root. As I mentioned ’owr  is made up of the three consonants (reading from right to left): Aleph/Ayin/Resh (the 1st, 16th and 20th letters of the Hebrew alphabet respectively). The verb form and noun form are identically spelled and their Strong’s numbers are H215 and H216 respectively. Moreover there are two other Strong’s numbers that follow sequentially if you are using The Concise Lexicon of the Biblical Languages, by Jay P. Green Sr.; these are H217 (fires or light) and H218 which is the city Ur [of the Chaldees (which signifies flame)], where Abraham was from. We discover that Strong numbers  H219-H224 are all words with different meanings but they contain these same three letters, or shoresh Aleph/Ayin/Resh, in addition to other letters, which I have underlined. However I think I will wait until our next study to develop this as we have run out of time.

‍

‍

Judges 10 - Part 6

 May 21, 2021

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 10 - Part 6 and today’s date is May 21, 2021. I’ll read from Judges 10:3-5,

And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. {4} And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead. {5} And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.

’Owr Is The Shoresh (Root) - אוֹר

In our last study, I began to take a detour to take a closer look at the word light or shine that Jair’s name stems from, which is ’owr (H215/TWOT*:52) [oar].  As I mentioned ’owr [oar] is made up of three consonants (reading from right to left): Aleph/Ayin/Resh (the 1st, 16th and 20th letters of the Hebrew alphabet respectively). The verb form and noun form are identically spelled and their Strong’s numbers are H215 and H216 respectively. Moreover there are two other Strong’s numbers that follow sequentially if you are using The Concise Lexicon of the Biblical Languages, by Jay P. Green Sr. for example; these are H217 (which is rendered as fires or light) and H218 which is the city Ur [of the Chaldees (which signifies flame)], where Abraham was from. Additionally, Strong numbers  H219-H224 are all words with different meanings but they contain these same three letters, or shoresh Aleph/Ayin/Resh, as well as other letters,  which I have underlined in the transcript of this lesson. The bottom line is this: if the first three letters of a given Hebrew word are the same it signifies that they share the identical shoresh.

אוֹרָה

H219 is the feminine of H216 and is translated as light or herbs.

*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

                                                              
אוֹרָה

‍

H220 is translated as cotes (mangers or stalls)

                                                               
 אוּרִי

H221 is the name Uri, which is a name that means fiery.

 אוּרִיאֵל

H222 is another name Uriel which is a compound word made up of the same shoresh and El (H410) or God; its meaning is:  “God is my light.”

 אוּרִיאֵל

H223 is another compound name, Uriah or Urijah, consisting of the same shoresh and Yah (H3050), signifying “Jehovah is my light.” 

 אוּרִים

H224 is the term Urim, signifying lights, and once again, consisting of the same shoresh; it is the plural form H217.  

With that in mind, let’s return to our verse in Judges 10:3, And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. 

A Gileadite [Gil`adiy:H1569]

We learn that Judge Jair was an inhabitant of Gilead, and thus he is called a Gileadite. Gilead means “heap of witness” and is found in connection with the agreement that Laban and Jacob struck in Genesis 31:43-55, after Jacob had stolen away secretly by night, and Laban pursued after him and finally caught up with him, and then we read about their agreement in this historical parable:

And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, [These] daughters [are] my daughters, and [these] children [are] my children, and [these] cattle [are] my cattle, and all that thou seest [is] mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? {44} Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. {45} And Jacob took a stone, and set it up [for] a pillar. {46} And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap. {47} And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. {48} And Laban said, This heap [is] a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; {49} And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. {50} If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take [other] wives beside my daughters, no man [is] with us; see, God [is] witness betwixt me and thee. {51} And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold [this] pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee; {52} This heap [be] witness, and [this] pillar [be] witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. {53} The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. {54} Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. {55} And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.

Also in Numbers 32:39-40 we read that Gilead was given to the tribe of Manasseh: And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which [was] in it. {40} And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein.

The last three words in Judges 10:3 are twenty and two years, or the number of years that Jair judged Israel. You might recall that in Part 5. I mentioned the fact that the Great Tribulation of our day (May 21, 1988 - May 21, 2011) was 23 years in length and that matched the number of years that Tola judged Israel. By contrast we find ourselves in another Tribulation period (that began on May 21, 2011), and lasts 22 years. Moreover there is mounting Biblical evidence  that points to the year 2033 for the end of the world, as Chris McCann has by much Biblical support in E-Bible’s publication, Two Tribulations At The End Of The World. These 22 years would thus match the number of years that Jair judged Israel, and remember that his name stems from the term light or shine. This is very significant because at this time (and for about three decades now) God has been revealing much Biblical light or Truth, as God has been unsealing many new doctrines and clarifying the correct Biblical understanding of others, since the book (the Bible) was was previously sealed in Daniel 12:4 and 9-10, and then  unsealed  as we read in Revelation 5:1-10, respectively: 

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. ... {9} And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words [are] closed up and sealed till the time of the end. {10} Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. {2} And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? {3} And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. {4} And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. {5} And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. {6} And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. {7} And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. {8} And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four [and] twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. {9} And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; {10} And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

It was not Daniel the man that had the power or authority to  shut up the words or to seal the book. That would be impossible for a human being to do, since the words have always been in the Bible, but the understanding of those words is what was lacking, which only God in His proper time and season would open up to His elect. Daniel’s name means “God is my judge,” and the Lord Jesus Christ is the Judge, according to John 5:30 and John 12:47-48 (and many other Scriptures):  

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. {48} He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word [Christ is the Word]  that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Matthew 13:34-35 explains that these doctrines that God is revealing in parabolic form have been “under wraps” since the foundation of the world: All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: {35} That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Twenty [`esriym:H6242/TWOT:1711e] And Two [sh@nayim:H8242/TWOT:2421a] Years [shaneh:H8141/TWOT:2419a]

The last three expressions in verse 3, twenty and two years, surface together in 14 other citations; here are two of them which are noteworthy regarding one of Judah’s good kings, and one of Israel’s wicked kings (They were all wicked!):

In 1 Kings 14:20 we read about wicked king Jeroboam of Israel, who reigned from  931-910 BC: And the days which Jeroboam reigned [were] two and [sh@nayim:H8147/TWOT:2421a] twenty [`esriym:H6242/TWOT:1711e] years [shaneh:H8141/TWOT:2419a]: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.

By contrast, 1 Kings 16:29 concerns good king Asa of Judah: And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty [`esriym:H6242/TWOT:1711e]  and two [sh@nayim:H8147/TWOT:2421a] years. [shaneh:H8141/TWOT:2419a]

Actually 1 Kings 16:29 is incorrect, so I will have to correct this in our next study.

For now let’s think about our present prolonged day of judgment which is characterized by two events that are occurring simultaneously: one is feeding of God’s sheep, which is the New Commission that God’s saints are be in engaged in; the second is the fact that God has brought the world under His judgment, and He is ruling the world with a rod of iron, as stated in verse 15 of  Revelation 19:11-18, 

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. {12}  His eyes [were] as a flame of fire, and on his head [were] many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. {13} And he [was] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. {14} And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. {15} And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule [poimaino:G4165] them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. {16} And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. {17} And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; {18} That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all [men, both] free and bond, both small and great.

The two activities of feeding sheep and judging the world are encapsulated in the verb, shall rule, or poimaino (G4165), which is found in the following 10 passages (besides Revelation 19:15), and translated seven times as feed, and four times as rule. I will list the ones that fall under the category of judgment first, and secondly the ones that are positive in nature:

Judgment: 

Revelation 2:27 declares: And he shall rule [poimaino:G4165] them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Likewise Revelation 12:5 states: And she brought forth a man child [Christ], who was to rule [poimaino:G4165] all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne.

Speaking of false prophets/teachers Jude 1:12 acknowledges: These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding [poimaino:G4165] themselves without fear: clouds [they are] without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Feeding Sheep

Matthew 2:6 is a quotation taken from Micah 5:2, And thou Bethlehem, [in] the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule [poimaino:G4165] my people Israel.

Verse 7 of Luke 17:7-10 pinpoints what is taking place with regard to feeding sheep - which amounts to feeding the Master -  as we learned once we entered into the day of judgment: But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, [poimaino:G4165] will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? {8} And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? {9}  Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. {10} So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. 

Verse 16 of John 21:15-17 spells out this New Commission that God has mandated His saints to carry out: So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. {16} He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed [poimaino:G4165] my sheep. {17} He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Verse 29 of Acts 20:28 teaches the same within the context of God’s usage of the corporate churches, while alluding to God’s judgment on His own house first: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed [poimaino:G4165] the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. {29} For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. {30} Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. {31} Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

1 Peter 5:2 similarly adds: Feed [poimaino:G4165] the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

And 1 Corinthians 9:7 poses this question: Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth [poimaino:G4165] a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

Lastly, Revelation 7:17 makes this glorious statement with regard to what the child of God can continue to experience throughout eternity: For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed [poimaino:G4165] them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

On that most wonderful note, we have to bring today’s study to a conclusion. Lord willing, in our next lesson, we will begin examining verse 4.

‍

‍

Judges 10 - Part 7

 May 24, 2021

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 10 - Part 7 and today’s date is May 24, 2021. I’ll read from Judges 10:3-5,

And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. {4} And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead. {5} And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.

Before we examine verse 4, I would like to make a correction concerning something I said in our previous lesson.

CORRECTION:

This concerned the last three words in verse three, twenty and two years, which was the number of years that Jair judged Israel. I was attempting to show that those 22 years picture the reign of one of Israel’s wicked kings Jeroboam in 1 Kings 14:40, as well as one of Judah’s good kings in 1 Kings 16:29. However I carelessly misread 1 Kings 16:29 which has to do with Ahab (who was also a wicked king), and not Asa who was a good  king.  I was hoping to spiritually relate the one good king and one bad king each of whom reigned for 22 years with our current tribulation period in which two events are taking place simultaneously:

1. God is judging the world.

2. God’s elect are to “feed sheep.”

The second mistake I would like to correct is the Strong’s number for two (in twenty and two) is H8147, not H8242.

And He Had [hayah:H1961/TWOT*:491] 

You might recall from Part 5 that  Jair’s (H2971) name is derived from the word, ’owr (H215/TWOT:52), which is primarily translated as light, shine, or enlighten, and surfaces 43 times in the Old Testament. Spiritually he represents Christ, Who is indeed the Light as we read in John 1:9,

[That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

What is most interesting about the verb, And he had, or hayah is the fact that it is not merely the verb to be, but also one of the names of God Himself - I AM  as He declared to Moses three times in verse 14 of Exodus 3:10-15,

Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. {11} And Moses said unto God, Who [am] I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? {12} And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this [shall be] a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. {13} And Moses said unto God, Behold, [when] I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What [is] his name? what shall I say unto them? {14} And God said unto Moses, I AM [hayah:H1961/TWOT:491] THAT I AM [hayah:H1961/TWOT:491]: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM [hayah:H1961/TWOT:491] hath sent me unto you. {15} And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this [is] my name for ever, and this [is] my memorial unto all generations.

*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

Thirty [sh@lowshiym:H7970/TWOT:2403d] Sons [ben:G1121/TWOT:254]

The number 30 (10 X 3) is indicative of the purpose of God spiritually, and thirty or sh@lowshiym and sons or ben would typify the elect of God who He atoned for, at the foundation of the world. The subsequent references include these two expressions, thirty sons: 

When we arrive at Judges 12, Lord willing, we will see these two terms again in verses 9 and 14, with respect to Judge Ibzan and Judge Abdon: And he [Ibzan] had thirty [sh@lowshiym:H7970/TWOT:2403d] sons [ben:G1121/TWOT:254], and thirty [sh@lowshiym:H7970/TWOT:2403d] daughters, [whom] he sent abroad, and took in thirty [sh@lowshiym:H7970/TWOT:2403d] daughters from abroad for his sons. [ben:G1121/TWOT:254] And he judged Israel seven years. ... {14} And he [Abdon] had forty sons [ben:G1121/TWOT:254] and thirty [sh@lowshiym:H7970/TWOT:2403d] nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

In Genesis 41:46 these terms are rendered thirty and old, referring to Joseph who is a great type of the Lord Jesus Christ: And Joseph [was] thirty [sh@lowshiym:H7970/TWOT:2403d] years old [ben:G1121/TWOT:254]

 when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

This is also the case with David, according to 2 Samuel 5:4, David [was] thirty [sh@lowshiym:H7970/TWOT:2403d] years old [ben:G1121/TWOT:254] when he began to reign, [and] he reigned forty years.

That Rode [rakab:H7392/TWOT:2163] & Ass Colts [`ayir:H5895/TWOT:1616a]

The next two expressions, that rode and ass colts only surface together again in Judges 12:14 with respect to Judge Abdon and also in the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, pointing to the Messiah:  

And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode [rakab:H7392/TWOT:2163] on threescore and ten ass colts: [`ayir:H5895/TWOT:1616a] and he judged Israel eight years.

Zechariah 9:9, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding [rakab:H7392/TWOT:2163] upon an ass, and upon a colt [`ayir:H5895/TWOT:1616a] the foal of an ass.

Thirty [sh@lowshiym:H7970/TWOT:2403d] Cities [`iyr:H5892/TWOT:1587a, 1615]

The two terms, thirty or sh@lowshiym and cities or `iyr serve to accentuate the number 30 again, and by doing so, the purpose of God. The expression city is used over 1000 times in the Old Testament, and it is also denoted by the verbs incite, awaken, and arouse, as well as the nouns watcher and he-ass. With regards to a city it can refer to the heathen cities that the Israelites conquered, or national Israel, typified by Jerusalem corporately, as well as spiritually exemplifying the Kingdom of God, as the following citations underscore: 

Isaiah 45:11-13 is a declaration of God’s work in creating man as well as this universe; additionally the Work of the Savior in building the city of God throughout the very long “day” of salvation is in view in verse 13; please note the same term my sons (H1121) as in Judges 10:4, 

Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons [ben:G1121/TWOT:254], and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. {12} I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, [even] my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. {13} I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city [`iyr:H5892/TWOT:1587a, 1615], and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

Psalm 107 magnifies the goodness of God to mankind in general, and spiritually to His elect in salvation; I’ll read verses 1-36, as the term for city is found in verses 4, 7, and 36:

O give thanks unto the LORD, for [he is] good: for his mercy [endureth] for ever. {2} Let the redeemed of the LORD say [so], whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; {3} And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. {4} They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city [`iyr:H5892/TWOT:1587a, 1615] to dwell in. {5} Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. {6} Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, [and] he delivered them out of their distresses. {7} And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city [`iyr:H5892/TWOT:1587a, 1615]

 of habitation. {8} Oh that [men] would praise the LORD [for] his goodness, and [for] his wonderful works to the children of men! {9} For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. {10} Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, [being] bound in affliction and iron; {11} Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: {12} Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and [there was] none to help. {13} Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, [and] he saved them out of their distresses. {14} He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. {15} Oh that [men] would praise the LORD [for] his goodness, and [for] his wonderful works to the children of men! {16} For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. {17} Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. {18} Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. {19} Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, [and] he saveth them out of their distresses. {20} He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered [them] from their destructions. {21} Oh that [men] would praise the LORD [for] his goodness, and [for] his wonderful works to the children of men! {22} And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. {23} They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; {24} These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. {25} For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. {26} They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. {27} They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. {28} Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. {29} He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. {30} Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. {31} Oh that [men] would praise the LORD [for] his goodness, and [for] his wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. {33} He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; {34} A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. {35} He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. {36} And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city [`iyr:H5892/TWOT:1587a, 1615] for habitation;

Isaiah 26:1-2 likewise announces that only those who have been made righteous by Christ will be able to enter into that Eternal City: In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city [`iyr:H5892/TWOT:1587a, 1615]; salvation will [God] appoint [for] walls and bulwarks. {2} Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

This word also emerges three times in Psalm 48:1-14 in verses 1 and 8: [A Song [and] Psalm for the sons of Korah.] Great [is] the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city [`iyr:H5892/TWOT:1587a, 1615] of our God, [in] the mountain of his holiness. {2} Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, [is] mount Zion, [on] the sides of the north, the city of the great King. {3} God is known in her palaces for a refuge. {4} For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. {5} They saw [it, and] so they marvelled; they were troubled, [and] hasted away. {6} Fear took hold upon them there, [and] pain, as of a woman in travail. {7} Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. {8} As we have heard, so have we seen in the city [`iyr:H5892/TWOT:1587a, 1615] of the LORD of hosts, in the city [`iyr:H5892/TWOT:1587a, 1615] of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah. {9} We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. {10} According to thy name, O God, so [is] thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. {11} Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. {12} Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. {13} Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell [it] to the generation following. {14} For this God [is] our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide [even] unto death.

The foregoing verses also remind us of what we read concerning the patriarchs in Hebrews 11:8-16, 

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. {9} By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: {10} For he looked for a city [polis:G4172] which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God. {11} Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. {12} Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. {13} These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. {14} For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. {15} And truly, if they had been mindful of that [country] from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. {16} But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. [polis:G4172]

City [polis:G4172] 

Here are some others passages  in which God employs this Greek word for city or polis:

Hebrews 12:22 states: But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city [polis:G4172] of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

And Hebrews 13:14 likewise affirms: For here have we no continuing city, [polis:G4172] but we seek one to come.

Revelation 3:12 records: Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city [polis:G4172] of my God, [which is] new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name.

Lastly Revelation 21:2 and 10 explains wha is taking place today spiritually: And I John saw the holy city, [polis:G4172] new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ... {10} And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, [polis:G4172] the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

On that most encouraging note, we have to end today’s program. Lord willing, in our next study we will continue our examination of verse 4.

‍

Judges 10 - Part 8

 May 28, 2021

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 10 - Part 8 and today’s date is May 28, 2021. I’ll read from Judges 10:3-6,

And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. {4} And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead. {5} And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. {6} And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

Today we want to examine the last part of  verse three, namely, ...which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead; then we can proceed on to verse 4. 

Which Are Called [qara:H7121/TWOT*:2063] Havothjair [Chavvoth Ya`iyr:H2334] Unto This Day [yowm:H3117/TWOT:852]

The three Hebrew terms, ...which are called Havothjair unto this day...only appear together again in Deuteronomy 3:14,

Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi; and called [qara:H7121/TWOT:2063]  them after his own name, Bashanhavothjair [Bashan:H1316] [Chavvoth Ya`iyr:H2334], unto this day. [yowm:H3117/TWOT:852]

Havothjair [Chavvoth Ya`iyr:H2334]  

*Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)

Havothjair is actually a compound word, signifying “towns of Jair,” made up of chavvah (G2333) and Ya`uwr (G3265).  We actually encountered the word, chavvah, previously in Numbers 32:41, in which it is rendered as the small towns: 

And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns [chavvah:H2333/TWOT:617a] thereof, and called them Havothjair.

Incidentally,  this expression chavvah is identically spelled to the name Eve, (Chavvah:H2232) in Hebrew which means “mother of all living” in these next citations:

Genesis 3:20 records:  And Adam called his wife's name Eve; [Chavvah:H2332] because she was the mother of all living.

And Genesis 4:1 likewise affirms:  And Adam knew Eve [Chavvah:H2332] his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

[Are] In The Land [’erets:H776/TWOT:167] Of Gilead [Gil`ad:H1568]

You might recall that we touched upon Gilead in Part 6 with regard to the agreement that Jacob and Laban made. However we find the two terms, in the land and Gilead in a reference that has to do with the end of time, and specifically with the great multitude who were saved out of the Latter Rain (from 1994-2011), in which the terms in the land and Gilead surface in verse 10 of Zechariah 10:1-12,

Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; [so] the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. {2} For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because [there was] no shepherd. {3} Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle. {4} Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together. {5} And they shall be as mighty [men], which tread down [their enemies] in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD [is] with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded. {6} And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I [am] the LORD their God, and will hear them. {7} And [they of] Ephraim shall be like a mighty [man], and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see [it], and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. {8} I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. {9} And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. {10} I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land [’erets:H776/TWOT:167] of Gilead [Gil`ad:H1568] and Lebanon; and [place] shall not be found for them. {11} And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. {12} And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.

Wew no want to turn our attention to verse 4, And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. However we have already considered each of these terms in our earlier studies, with the exception of Camon.

Camon [Qamown:H7056] 

This location is derived from quwm [H6965/TWOT:1999] and is primarily translated as stood up, rise up, arise, raise, establish, and stand; it is used over 600 times in the Old Testament. Here are some illustrations of how God employs this word, which we have also run across in some of our earlier studies in this series:

In 2 Kings 13:21 this term is translated as and stood up: And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band [of men]; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999] on his feet.

Verse 19 of Deuteronomy 11:18-19 declares the solemn duty of parents to children with regard to spiritual instruction; this word is rendered, and when thou risest up: Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. {19} And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999]

Judges 5:12 announces: Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999], Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

Verse 2 of Hosea 6:1-3 expresses this as he will raise us up: Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. {2} After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999], and we shall live in his sight. {3} Then shall we know, [if] we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter [and] former rain unto the earth.

Proverbs 30:4 translates this as hath established:  Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999] all the ends of the earth? what [is] his name, and what [is] his son's name, if thou canst tell?

Last, but certainly not least, Isaiah 40:8 extols the eternal nature of the Word of God by rendering this word as shall stand: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand [quwm:H6965/TWOT:1999] for ever.

It’s very significant that the very place where Jair was buried, is associated with rising up or resurrection. And let’s not forget who Jair represents. The name Jair (H2971) is derived from the word, ’owr (H215/TWOT:52), which is primarily translated as light, shine, or enlighten, and surfaces 43 times in the Old Testament. Immediately we can see the connection to the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Light, according to the following citations:

John 1:4 declares:  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 8:12 adds: Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

2 Timothy 1:9-10 also affirms: Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,{10} But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

The Savior is also intimately associated with both death and resurrection at the foundation of the world, and then again in the demonstration that took place in 33 AD, when He hung on the cross.

We must now consider verse 6, and once again we see the cycle of rebellion> >oppression> judgment> deliverance start up again with rebellion:

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

And The Children [ben:H1121/TWOT:254] Of Israel [Yisra’el:H3478] Did [`asah:H6213/TWOT:1709, 1709] Evil [ra`:H7451/TWOT:2191a, c] Again [yacaph:H3254/TWOT:876] In The Sight [`ayin:H5869/TWOT:1612a, 1613] Of The Lord [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT:484a]

There are seven Hebrew words that make up the phrase, And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and you might recall that we ran across these seven words in Judges 3:12 and Judges 4:1, and we will find them reiterated again in Judges 13:1, once we arrive there, Lord willing:

Judges 3:12 maintains: And the children [ben:H1121/TWOT:254] of Israel [Yisra’el:H3478] did [`asah:H6213/TWOT:1709, 1709] evil [ra`:H7451/TWOT:2191a, c] again [yacaph:H3254/TWOT:876] in the sight [`ayin:H5869/TWOT:1612a, 1613] of the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT:484a]: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

Judges 4:1 similarly asserts: And the children [ben:H1121/TWOT:254] of Israel [Yisra’el:H3478] again [yacaph:H3254/TWOT:876] did [`asah:H6213/TWOT:1709, 1709] evil [ra`:H7451/TWOT:2191a, c] in the sight [`ayin:H5869/TWOT:1612a, 1613] of the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT:484a], when Ehud was dead.

Judges 13:1 likewise adds: And the children [ben:H1121/TWOT:254] of Israel [Yisra’el:H3478] did [`asah:H6213/TWOT:1709, 1709] evil [ra`:H7451/TWOT:2191a, c] again [yacaph:H3254/TWOT:876] in the sight [`ayin:H5869/TWOT:1612a, 1613] of the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068/TWOT:484a]; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

The number seven points to the perfection of whatever is in view, and in this case it is the evil or rebellion of the Israelites to foolishly turn from their Creator and spiritual Husband to heathen gods that are simply man-made inventions as we read for instance in verses 4-8 of Psalm 115:1-18,

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, [and] for thy truth's sake. {2} Wherefore should the heathen say, Where [is] now their God? {3} But our God [is] in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. {4} Their idols [are] silver and gold, the work of men's hands. {5} They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: {6} They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: {7} They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. {8} They that make them are like unto them; [so is] every one that trusteth in them. {9} O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he [is] their help and their shield. {10} O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he [is] their help and their shield. {11} Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he [is] their help and their shield. {12} The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless [us]; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. {13} He will bless them that fear the LORD, [both] small and great. {14} The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. {15}| Ye [are] blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth. {16} The heaven, [even] the heavens, [are] the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men. {17} The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. {18} But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD. 

The reality that there are four passages that contain these seven words is also relevant, as the number four has to do with the furthest extent of whatever is in view (like the points of a compass)  and again that would highlight Israel’s spiritual idolatry.

And Served [`abad:H5647/TWOT:1553] Baalim [Ba`al:H1168/TWOT:262a] And Ashtaroth [`Ashtaroth:H6252/TWOT:1718b]

The next three expressions in verse 6 are, ...and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth…

These three terms only surface again in these next three citations: 

 Judges 2:13 reveals: And they forsook the LORD, and served [`abad:H5647/TWOT:1553] Baal [Ba`al:H1168/TWOT:262a]  and Ashtaroth. [`Ashtaroth:H6252/TWOT:1718b]

By contrast verse 4 of 1 Samuel 7:1-12 discloses Israel’s desire to repent from their wickedness: 

And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. {2} And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. {3} And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, [then] put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. {4} Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim [Ba`al:H1168/TWOT:262a]  and Ashtaroth [`Ashtaroth:H6252/TWOT:1718b], and served [`abad:H5647/TWOT:1553] the LORD only. {5} And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD. {6} And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured [it] out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. {7} And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard [it], they were afraid of the Philistines. {8} And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. {9} And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered [it for] a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him. {10} And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. {11} And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until [they came] under Bethcar. {12} Then Samuel took a stone, and set [it] between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us. 

Verse 10 of 1 Samuel 12:6-11 recounts the rebellion and later repentance of Israel in seeking a king like all of the other nations, as Samuel reminds them of God’s care and protection as He used His prophets and Judges to minister to the people of Israel:  

And Samuel said unto the people, [It is] the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. {7} Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers. {8} When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. {9} And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. {10} And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served [`abad:H5647/TWOT:1553] Baalim [Ba`al:H1168/TWOT:262a]  and Ashtaroth [`Ashtaroth:H6252/TWOT:1718b]: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. {11} And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

Let’s stop here as we are almost out of time. Lord willing, in our next study we will continue investigating Judges 10:6.

‍

‍

Judges 10 - Part 9

 June 15, 2021

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 10 - Part 9 and today’s date is June 15, 2021. I’ll read from Judges 10:3-6,

And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. {4} And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead. {5} And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. {6} And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

In our last study we left off at the latter part of verse 6, which will be our focus in tonight’s study. As I mentioned previously, the context of this verse is quite familiar to us as it begins the cycle of rebellion>oppression>deliverance>rest that we have discovered throughout the Book of Judges. We have also learned that this book concerns God’s judgment, which of course relates most definitely with our present, prolonged “day” of judgment. In this verse we also recognize that God singles out seven false deities that the Israelites foolishly succumbed to, and most significantly they forsook the One, True, Living God of the Bible.

And The Gods [’elohiym:H430] Of Syria [’Aram:H758]

The two expressions, and the gods or ’elohiym (plural) along with of Syria or ’Aram surface in nine other verses. Let’s consider two of them in 2 Chronicles 28:1-27 in which these two terms emerge in verse 5 and 23, but especially verse 23, concerning wicked king Ahaz of Judah (who reigned from 730-714 BC):

Ahaz [was] twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father: {2} For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. {3} Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. {4} He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. {5} Wherefore the LORD his God [’elohiym:H430] delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria [’Aram:H758]; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought [them] to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. {6} For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, [which were] all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. {7} And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah [that was] next to the king. {8} And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. {9} But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name [was] Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage [that] reacheth up unto heaven. {10} And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: [but are there] not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God? {11} Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD [is] upon you. {12} Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war, {13} And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD [already], ye intend to add [more] to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and [there is] fierce wrath against Israel. {14} So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation. {15} And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria. {16} At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. {17} For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives. {18} The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there. {19} For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD. {20} And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not. {21} For Ahaz took away a portion [out] of the house of the LORD, and [out] of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave [it] unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not. {22} And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this [is that] king Ahaz. {23} For he sacrificed unto the gods [’elohiym:H430]  of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria [’Aram:H758]  help them, [therefore] will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. {24} And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. {25} And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers. {26} Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they [are] written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. {27} And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, [even] in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead. 

And The Gods [’elohiym:H430] Of Zidon [Tsiydown:H6721] 

The next phrase is also made of the same term, And the gods or ’elohiym again, and of Zidon or Tsiydown. These two words are only found together in this citation, so we will have to consider Zidon separately:

Zidon [Tsiydown:H6721] 

Zidon was a coastal town north of Tyre, and apparently stems from a word signifying hunting. At times God addresses these two cities simultaneously, as we see, for example, in verse 4 of Joel 3:1-17, in the context of our current “day” of judgment: 

For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, {2} I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and [for] my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. {3} And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink. {4} Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre [Tsor:H6865], and Zidon [Tsiydown:H6721], and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly [and] speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head; {5} Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: {6} The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. {7} Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head: {8} And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken [it]. {9} Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: {10} Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I [am] strong. {11} Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. {12} Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. {13} Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness [is] great. {14} Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD [is] near in the valley of decision. {15} The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. {16} The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD [will be] the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. {17} So shall ye know that I [am] the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

In Isaiah 23, Zidon emerges in verses 2,4, and 12, of verses 1-18and again in the context of God’s judgment against both Tyre and Zidon:

The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them. {2} Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon [Tsiydown:H6721], that pass over the sea, have replenished. {3} And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, [is] her revenue; and she is a mart of nations. {4} Be thou ashamed, O Zidon [Tsiydown:H6721]: for the sea hath spoken, [even] the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, [nor] bring up virgins. {5} As at the report concerning Egypt, [so] shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. {6} Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. {7} [Is] this your joyous [city], whose antiquity [is] of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn. {8} Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning [city], whose merchants [are] princes, whose traffickers [are] the honourable of the earth? {9} The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, [and] to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. {10} Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: [there is] no more strength. {11} He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant [city], to destroy the strong holds thereof. {12} And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon [Tsiydown:H6721]: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest. {13} Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, [till] the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; [and] he brought it to ruin. {14} Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste. {15} And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. {16} Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. {17} And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. {18} And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

And The Gods [’elohiym:H430] Of Moab [Mow’ab:H4124]

An illustration of the next phrase, and the gods of Moab appears in verse 33 of 1 Kings 11:1-38 in connection with Solomon, and his influence over Israel:

But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, [and] Hittites; {2} Of the nations [concerning] which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: [for] surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. {3} And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. {4} For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, [that] his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his father. {5} For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. {6} And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as [did] David his father. {7} Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab [Mow’ab:H4124], in the hill that [is] before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. {8} And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. {9} And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, {10} And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. {11} Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. {12} Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: [but] I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. {13} Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; [but] will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen. {14} And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he [was] of the king's seed in Edom. {15} For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom; {16} (For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:) {17} That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad [being] yet a little child. {18} And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land. {19} And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. {20} And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh. {21} And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country. {22} Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise. {23} And God stirred him up [another] adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah: {24} And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them [of Zobah]: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus. {25} And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad [did]: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria. {26} And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name [was] Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up [his] hand against the king. {27} And this [was] the cause that he lifted up [his] hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, [and] repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. {28} And the man Jeroboam [was] a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. {29} And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two [were] alone in the field: {30} And Ahijah caught the new garment that [was] on him, and rent it [in] twelve pieces: {31} And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: {32} (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) {33} Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god [’elohiym:H430]  of the Moabites [Mow’ab:H4124], and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do [that which is] right in mine eyes, and [to keep] my statutes and my judgments, as [did] David his father. {34} Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: {35} But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, [even] ten tribes. {36} And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. {37} And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel. {38} And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do [that is] right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee. {39} And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever. {40} Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

In our next study we will continue to look at these other false gods in verse 6.

‍

‍

Judges 10 - Part 10

 June 18, 2021

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 10 - Part 10 and today’s date is June 18, 2021. I’ll read from Judges 10:3-6,

And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. {4} And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead. {5} And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. {6} And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

In our last study we left off in the middle of verse 6, and the various false Canaanite deities that the Israelites foolishly began to serve instead of their God - Who was their Creator, Sustainer and Husband. 

And The Gods ['elohiym:H430] Of The Children [ben:H1121] Of Ammon [`Ammown:H5983] 

These three expressions emerge in four other passages, and we will consider three of them:

The first one is in verse 12 of 1 Samuel 12:6-25 with regard to Israel sinfully desiring a king like all of the other nations: And Samuel said unto the people, [It is] the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. {7} Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers. {8} When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. {9} And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. {10} And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. {11} And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe. {12} And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children [ben:H1121] of Ammon [`Ammown:H5983] came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God ['elohiym:H430] [was] your king. {13} Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, [and] whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. {14} If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God: {15} But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as [it was] against your fathers. {16} Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. {17} [Is it] not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness [is] great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king. {18} So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. {19} And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins [this] evil, to ask us a king. {20} And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; {21} And turn ye not aside: for [then should ye go] after vain [things], which cannot profit nor deliver; for they [are] vain. {22} For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. {23} Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: {24} Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great [things] he hath done for you. {25} But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.

In 1 Kings 11:33 we find a reference to the false god Milcom who the Ammonites worshipped, along with some of the names of the other gods that the Zidonians and Moabites reverenced, which Solomon sinfully pursued by catering to the religious preferences of some of  his 700 wives, as verse 3 acknowledges: 

And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart… {33} Because that they have forsaken me [GOD], and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess ['elohiym:H430] of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god ['elohiym:H430] of the Moabites, and Milcom the god ['elohiym:H430]of the children [ben:H1121] of Ammon [`Ammown:H5983],  and have not walked in my ways, to do [that which is] right in mine eyes, and [to keep] my statutes and my judgments, as [did] David his father.

Next we can turn to verse 9 of Zephaniah 2:1-15, in which the children of Ammon are likened to the city of Gomorrah: Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; {2} Before the decree bring forth, [before] the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger come upon you. {3} Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger. {4} For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. {5} Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD [is] against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. {6} And the sea coast shall be dwellings [and] cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. {7} And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity. {8} I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified [themselves] against their border. {9} Therefore [as] I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God ['elohiym:H430] of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children [ben:H1121]  of Ammon [`Ammown:H5983] as Gomorrah, [even] the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. {10} This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified [themselves] against the people of the LORD of hosts. {11} The LORD [will be] terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and [men] shall worship him, every one from his place, [even] all the isles of the heathen. {12} Ye Ethiopians also, ye [shall be] slain by my sword. {13} And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, [and] dry like a wilderness. {14} And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; [their] voice shall sing in the windows; desolation [shall be] in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work. {15} This [is] the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I [am], and [there is] none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, [and] wag his hand.

We read similar language pertaining to Sodom and Gomorrah, which God uses to illustrate that God’s judgment must first begin at His own house as the following citations underscore:

Verse 8 of Revelation 11:1-11 employs both Sodom and Egypt to describe Jerusalem which typifies the New Testament churches and denominations: And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. {2} But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty [and] two months. {3} And I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. {4} These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. {5} And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. {6} These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. {7} And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. {8} And their dead bodies [shall lie] in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. {9} And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. {10} And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. {11} And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

This is also the case in verse 10 of Isaiah 1:1-17, in which God labels the religious leaders of His corporate people as Sodom and Gomorrah respectively:   

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah. {2} Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. {3} The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: [but] Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. {4} Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. {5} Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. {6} From the sole of the foot even unto the head [there is] no soundness in it; [but] wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. {7} Your country [is] desolate, your cities [are] burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and [it is] desolate, as overthrown by strangers. {8} And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. {9} Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, [and] we should have been like unto Gomorrah. {10} Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. {11} To what purpose [is] the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. {12} When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? {13} Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; [it is] iniquity, even the solemn meeting. {14} Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear [them]. {15} And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. {16} Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; {17} Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

And The Gods ['elohiym:H430] Of The Philistines [P@lishtiy:H6430]

The two expressions, and the gods, along with of the Philistines surface together again in 29 passages. Here are some examples of how God employs these two words together:

Judges 16:23 states: Then the lords of the Philistines [P@lishtiy:H6430]

  gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god ['elohiym:H430], and to rejoice: for they said, Our god ['elohiym:H430] hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

Verses 1 and 2 of 1 Samuel 5:1-5 include these two terms and describe the encounter between this false god, Dagon, and the One, True, Living God of the Bible, typified by the Ark of the Covenant: 

And the Philistines [P@lishtiy:H6430] took the ark of God ['elohiym:H430], and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod. {2} When the Philistines [P@lishtiy:H6430]  took the ark of God ['elohiym:H430], they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. {3} And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon [was] fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. {4} And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon [was] fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands [were] cut off upon the threshold; only [the stump of] Dagon was left to him. {5} Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.

1 Samuel 7:3 adds: And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, [then] put away the strange gods ['elohiym:H430] and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. [P@lishtiy:H6430]

And Forsook [`azab:H5800] Jehovah [Y@hovah:H3068]

We have run across the next two words, and forsook or `azab along with Jehovah a number of times in our study of the book of Judges as the subsequent Scriptures illustrate:

Joshua 24:20 warns: If ye forsake [`azab:H5800] the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068], and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

In this study and a few other preceding ones we have encountered the example of Solomon a few times as 1 Chronicles 28:9 records David’s profound words, under divine inspiration, to his son: 

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068] searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake [`azab:H5800] him, he will cast thee off for ever.

Lastly 2 Chronicles 24:20 provides this admonition: And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068], that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken [`azab:H5800] the LORD [Y@hovah:H3068], he hath also forsaken you. [`azab:H5800]

And Served [`abad:H5647] (Not Him)

The last term that we want to consider today is and served, which we have already discussed in some of our previous lessons, as the following notice reveals:

Malachi 3:18 exhorts:  Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth [`abad:H5647] God and him that serveth [`abad:H5647] him not.

This verse reminds us of the passage in Revelation 22:11 that describes the spiritual status of God’s elect and non-elect in our present “day” of judgment:

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

Well, on that somber note we have to conclude today’s lesson. Lord willing, in our next study, we will commence with verse 7, And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.

‍

‍

Judges 10 - Part 11

 June 23, 2021

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 10 - Part 11 and today’s date is June 23, 2021. I’ll read from Judges 10:7-9,

And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.

{8} And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. {9} Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.

In our examination of Judges 10 we have arrived at verse 7, and the start of the “oppression” stage in the all too familiar cycle of rebellion>oppression>deliverance>rest.

And The Anger [’aph:H639] Of The Lord [Yehovah:H3068] Was Hot [charah:H2734] Against Israel [Yisra’el:H3578]

The first four Hebrew words in verse 7 are expressed by the phrase, And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel… and they appear together in the following eight citations; some of these we have already encountered in the earlier chapters in the book of Judges:

Numbers 25:3 makes this statement with regard to Israel’s sin of turning to the false idols of the heathen nations: And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger [’aph:H639] of the LORD [Yehovah:H3068] was kindled [charah:H2734] against Israel. [Yisra’el:H3578]

Similarly Numbers 32:13 reveals the consequences of Israel’s unbelief: And the LORD'S [Yehovah:H3068] anger [’aph:H639] was kindled [charah:H2734]  against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.

Joshua 7:1 records the sin of Achan, and its devastating repercussions on the nation: But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger [’aph:H639]  of the LORD [Yehovah:H3068] was kindled [charah:H2734] against the children of Israel.

Likewise Judges 2:14 and 20 maintain: And the anger [’aph:H639]  of the LORD [Yehovah:H3068] was hot [charah:H2734]  against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.... {20} And the anger [’aph:H639]  of the LORD [Yehovah:H3068] was hot [charah:H2734] against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

This is also the case in Judges 3:8, Therefore the anger [’aph:H639] of the LORD [Yehovah:H3068] was hot [charah:H2734]  against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.

2 Samuel 24:1 also affirms: And again the anger [’aph:H639] of the LORD [Yehovah:H3068] was kindled [charah:H2734]  against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

Lastly, 2 Kings 13:3 declares: And the anger [’aph:H639] of the LORD [Yehovah:H3068] was kindled [charah:H2734] against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all [their] days.

And He Sold [makar:H4376] Them Into The Hands [yad:H3027] Of The Philistines [P@lishtiy:6430]

The next phrase in verse 7 is and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, which is comprised of three Hebrew terms which only surface together in these next 12 citations:  

In verse 9 of 1 Samuel 12:6-12, Samuel, under divine inspiration, is rehearsing some of God’s blessings to national Israel, in spite of their sinful desire to want an earthly king, instead of Jehovah God Who is a Perfect King:

And Samuel said unto the people, [It is] the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. {7} Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers. {8} When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. {9} And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them [makar:H4376] into the hand [yad:H3027]  of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines [P@lishtiy:6430], and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. {10} And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. {11} And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe. {12} And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God [was] your king. 

And Into The Hands [yad:H3027]  Of The Children [ben:H1121] Of Ammon [`Ammown:H5983]

The last phrase in verse 7 is made up of  three Hebrew words, ...and into the hands of the children of Ammon, which crop up together in the following 12 passages, even though this is the first time that we have run across these three terms together in the book of Judges thus far. Keep in mind that spiritually the hand, is illustrative of the will of the one in view. We will encounter this phrase again in both Judges 11 and 12 respectively, regarding the exploits of Judge Jephthah:

Judges 11:30 and 32 record: And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children [ben:H1121] of Ammon [`Ammown:H5983] into mine hands [yad:H3027], ... {32} So Jephthah passed over unto the children [ben:H1121] of Ammon [`Ammown:H5983] to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands. [yad:H3027] 

Judges 12:2-3 teach: And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children [ben:H1121]  of Ammon [`Ammown:H5983]; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. [yad:H3027]  {3} And when I saw that ye delivered [me] not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children [ben:H1121] of Ammon [`Ammown:H5983], and the LORD delivered them into my hand: [yad:H3027] wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

Deuteronomy 2:37 asserts: Only unto the land of the children [ben:H1121]  of Ammon [`Ammown:H5983] thou camest not, [nor] unto any place [yad:H3027] of the river Jabbok, nor unto the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the LORD our God forbad us.

2 Samuel 10:2 and 10 record: Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son [ben:H1121]  of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand [yad:H3027]  of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children [ben:H1121] of Ammon. [`Ammown:H5983] ... {10} And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand [yad:H3027] of Abishai his brother, that he might put [them] in array against the children [ben:H1121]  of Ammon. [`Ammown:H5983]

2 Kings 24:2 recounts: And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children [ben:H1121] of Ammon [`Ammown:H5983], and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by [yad:H3027] his servants the prophets.

1 Chronicles 19:11 says: And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand [yad:H3027] of Abishai his brother, and they set [themselves] in array against the children [ben:H1121] of Ammon. [`Ammown:H5983]

Isaiah 11:14 testifies: But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand [yad:H3027] upon Edom and Moab; and the children [ben:H1121]  of Ammon [`Ammown:H5983] shall obey them.

Jeremiah 27:3 acknowledges: And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites [ben:H1121] [`Ammown:H5983], and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand [yad:H3027]  of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah;

Daniel 11:41 foretells: He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many [countries] shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand [yad:H3027], [even] Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children [ben:H1121]  of Ammon. [`Ammown:H5983]

Let’s now proceed to verse 8 which states: And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

So we see that both the Philistines as well as the Ammonites vexed and oppressed the children of Israel eighteen years.We will have to look at the terms vexed and oppressed individually, as they only appear together in this verse.

They Vexed [ra`ats:H7492]

As it turns out the expression, vexed, or  is only found one other time in verse 6 of  Exodus 15:1-21, which is the victory song that the Israelites sung after the defeat of the Egyptians in the Red Sea; it is rendered as hath dashed in pieces:

Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. {2} The LORD [is] my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he [is] my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. {3} The LORD [is] a man of war: the LORD [is] his name. {4} Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. {5} The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. {6} Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces [ra`ats:H7492] the enemy. {7} And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, [which] consumed them as stubble. {8} And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, [and] the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. {9} The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. {10} Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters. {11} Who [is] like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who [is] like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful [in] praises, doing wonders? {12} Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. {13} Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people [which] thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided [them] in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. {14} The people shall hear, [and] be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. {15} Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. {16} Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be [as] still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, [which] thou hast purchased. {17} Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, [in] the place, O LORD, [which] thou hast made for thee to dwell in, [in] the Sanctuary, O Lord, [which] thy hands have established. {18} The LORD shall reign for ever and ever. {19} For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry [land] in the midst of the sea. {20} And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. {21} And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

Let’s now turn our attention to the word, and oppressed or ratsats:

And Oppressed [ratsats:H7533]

Actually, we encountered this term in Judges 9:53, but it might be helpful to review that material again as this word is used in a variety of different contexts as the following Scriptures illustrate; I will start with Judges 9:53, which translates this as and all to brake:

And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake [ratsats:H7533] his skull.

In 1 Samuel 12:3-4, Judge Samuel presents Israel with these questions: Behold, here I [am]: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? [ratsats:H7533] or of whose hand have I received [any] bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. {4} And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed [ratsats:H7533] us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.

Isaiah 42:3-4 records this word as a bruised and discouraged: A bruised [ratsats:H7533] reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. {4} He shall not fail nor be discouraged, [ratsats:H7533] till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

Isaiah 58:6 includes this word in connection with the spiritual definition of fasting which involves sending forth the Gospel to reach the nations of the elect; it is rendered as and to let the oppressed: 

[Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed [ratsats:H7533] go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Curiously, Genesis 25:22 translates this as struggled together concerning the spiritual animosity between the kingdom of Satan and the Kingdom of God, as represented by Esau and Jacob respectively: 

And the children struggled together [ratsats:H7533] within her; and she said, If [it be] so, why [am] I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.

Let’s stop here. Lord willing, in our next study we will continue with the rest of verse 8.