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Judges 7 - Part 14

November 29, 2019

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 14 and today’s date is November 29, 2019. I’ll read from Judges 7:9-15,

“And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. {10} But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: {11} And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that [were] in the host. {12} And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels [were] without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. {13} And when Gideon was come, behold, [there was] a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. {14} And his fellow answered and said, This [is] nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: [for] into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. {15} And it was [so], when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.”

We have arrived at verse 12 in our examination of Judges 7, and we left off at: “...like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels [were] without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.”

Like Grasshoppers [’arbeh:H697] For Multitude [rob:H7230] 

The  phrase, “like grasshoppers for multitude” - referring to “the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the children of the east”- is made up of two Hebrew words, which only surface together again in Judges 6:5 which states,

“For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers [’arbeh:H697] for multitude [rob:H7230]; [for] both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.”

However, it might be a good idea to review these two terms again, as they do relate to our day as well:

Grasshoppers [’arbeh:H697]   

This expression, “grasshoppers” is rendered as “locusts” 20 times and 4 times as “grasshoppers(s).”  It stems from the root or parent word, “rabah” (H7235), which is translated primarily as “multiply” or “increase.” This reminds us of the plague of locusts - one of the 10 plagues - that God brought upon Egypt to show His mighty power, as one discovers in Exodus 10:4 and 12-14 for instance, in which it is translated as “locusts” five times: 

“Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts [’arbeh:H697] into thy coast: ... {12} And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts [’arbeh:H697], that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, [even] all that the hail hath left. {13} And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all [that] night; [and] when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. [’arbeh:H697] {14} And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous [were they]; before them there were no such locusts [’arbeh:H697]  as they, neither after them shall be such.”

Additionally, we also find this same word in Deuteronomy 28, which is a chapter that lists God’s blessings and curses, which are contingent on obedience or disobedience to God’s commands as verse 15 explains; the term, “for the locust” surfaces in verse 38, which emphasizes the consequences for lack of obedience to God’s Word:

“But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: ... {38} Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather [but] little in; for the locust [’arbeh:H697]  shall consume it.” 

We understand that the “locusts” are indicative of God’s judgment. Furthermore, in Judges 6, we learned that the Israelites were being chastised by these three heathen enemies for 7 years for their flagrant disobedience to God’s commands , which is why they are being referred to as “grasshoppers” or “locusts.” By contrast, God’s elect during our present day of judgment, are also likened to “locusts” as we read in Revelation 9:1-11, as God is working in and through them to declare that this world is under the wrath of God - even as He did with His people during the day of salvation:

“And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. {2} And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. {3} And there came out of the smoke locusts [akres:G200] upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. {4} And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. {5} And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment [was] as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. {6} And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. {7} And the shapes of the locusts [akres:G200] [were] like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads [were] as it were crowns like gold, and their faces [were] as the faces of men. {8} And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as [the teeth] of lions. {9} And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings [was] as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. {10} And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power [was] to hurt men five months. {11} And they had a king over them, [which is] the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue [is] Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath [his] name Apollyon.”

For Multitude [rob:H7230]

Let’s now move on to the next expression, “for multitude,” which is most often translated as “multitude,” or “abundance”: once again we find it employed in Judges 7:12 twice: 

“And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers  for multitude [rob:H7230]; and their camels [were] without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.” [rob:H7230]

Quite often this word is used to describe some of God’s infinitely holy characteristics, as Job 37:23 maintains, in which it is translated as “and in plenty”: “[Touching] the Almighty, we cannot find him out: [he is] excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty [rob:H7230] of justice: he will not afflict.”

In Psalm 106:7, we are reminded of Israel’s failure to remember “the “multitude” of God’s “mercies”: “Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude [rob:H7230] of thy mercies; but provoked [him] at the sea, [even] at the Red sea.”

Lamentations 1:5 reiterates this same sin, and the consequences for doing so: “Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude [rob:H7230] of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.”

Deuteronomy 28:62 echoes this as well: “And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; [rob:H7230] because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.”

In Deuteronomy 10:22, God’s blessings upon His people is in evidence, as He fulfilled His promises to the patriarchs: “Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.” [rob:H7230]

Lastly Psalm 37:11, emphasizes the eternal inheritance that God’s chosen saints will enjoy throughout eternity: “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance [rob:H7230] of peace.”

And Their Camels [gamal:H1581] Were Without Number [micpar:H4557] 

These two words only appear together here and in Judges 6:5, so we will have to consider them individually:

And Their Camels [gamal:H1581] 

You might recall that the camel was considered to be “unclean,” according to Leviticus 11:4, 

“Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: [as] the camel  [gamal:H1581], because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he [is] unclean unto you.”

In the book of Job we find three references that contain this expression, relating to Job’s wealth at the beginning (Job 1:13)  when it was taken away from him (Job 1:17), and when God restored it to him doubled (Job 42:12):

“His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels [gamal:H1581], and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. ... {17} While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels [gamal:H1581], and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee… {42:12} So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels [gamal:H1581], and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.”

This expression, “camel” is also spelled identically to its root or parent word, “gamal” (H1580). H1580, in turn, is primarily translated as “wean,” or “reward,” in both a good sense and in a bad sense too, as these next citations illustrate:

“Gamal” [H1580]

A good example of this dualism is found in 1 Samuel 24:17-22, in which Saul commends David for sparing his life, a course of action which Saul would not do: “And he said to David, Thou [art] more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded [gamal:H1580] me good, whereas I have rewarded [gamal:H1580] thee evil. {18} And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. {19} For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. {20} And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. {21} Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house. {22} And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.”

In Numbers 17:8, this term is rendered as “and yielded”: “And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded [gamal:H1580] almonds.”

1 Samuel 1:22-24, “But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, [I will not go up] until the child be weaned [gamal:H1580], and [then] I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever. {23} And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned [gamal:H1580] him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned [gamal:H1580] him. {24} And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child [was] young.”

Psalm 13:6, “I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully [gamal:H1580]  with me.”

Isaiah 28:9 pinpoints the spiritual meaning of being “weaned” from “the milk” of the Word, in order to partake of “the strong  meat” of the Word: “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned [gamal:H1580]  from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts.”

Hebrews 5:10-14 provide a commentary on this, after a discussion on Christ and Melchisedec: “Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. {11} Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. {12} For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. {13} For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. {14} But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

Let’s now consider the word, “were without number,” pertaining to the number of camels that the enemy forces possessed:

Were Without Number [micpar:H4557] 

Here are some of the ways that God utilizes this term, “were without number”:

We are actually going to see this word again in Judges 7:15, in Judges 7:15 is appears as “the telling”: “And it was [so], when Gideon heard the telling [micpar:H4557] of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.”

Genesis 41:49 records the massive amount of grain that Joseph stored up during “the seven years of plenty,” in which this expression is translated as “number”: “And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for [it was] without number.” [micpar:H4557]

Lastly in verse 2 of  Deuteronomy 25:2-3, this is translated as “by a certain number”: “And it shall be, if the wicked man [be] worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number. [micpar:H4557] {3} Forty stripes he may give him, [and] not exceed: lest, [if] he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.”

Let’s stop here today, and Lord willing, in our next study we will consider the rest of verse 12.

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Judges 7 - Part 15

December 2, 2019

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 15 and today’s date is December 2, 2019. I’ll read from Judges 7:9-15,

“And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. {10} But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: {11} And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that [were] in the host. {12} And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels [were] without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. {13} And when Gideon was come, behold, [there was] a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. {14} And his fellow answered and said, This [is] nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: [for] into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. {15} And it was [so], when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.”

We are down to the last few words in verse 12: “...as the sand by the sea side for multitude,” referring again to the camels that belonged to the enemy forces. We have already discussed the term, “for multitude” in a previous study, so let’s concentrate on the three Hebrew words,

As The Sand [chowl:H2344]By The Sea [yam:H3220] Side [saphah:H8193] These three terms surface together in four other citations, and worded the same virtually:

Genesis 22:17 reveals the blessing of salvation to all of God’s elect, as He proclaims to Abraham - the “father of many nations”: “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand [chowl:H2344] which [is] upon the sea [yam:H3220] shore [saphah:H8193]; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;”

In Joshua 11:4, in spite of facing numerous heathen armies, God promises victory to Israel: “And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand [chowl:H2344] that [is] upon the sea [yam:H3220] shore [saphah:H8193] in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.”

Likewise 1 Samuel 13:5 describes the army of the Philistines: “And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand [chowl:H2344] which [is] on the sea [yam:H3220] shore [saphah:H8193]  in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.”

By contrast, 1 Kings 4:29 underscores the unsurpassed wisdom and understanding that God has blessed Solomon with, as He portrays the Lord Jesus Christ: “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand [chowl:H2344]  that [is] on the sea [yam:H3220] shore.” [saphah:H8193] 

As we think about the vast army that Gideon’s three hundred men face, as described in the foregoing passages, we are reminded of God’s promise to Gideon back in verse 7 of this chapter:

“And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the [other] people go every man unto his place.” 

We find a similar principle reiterated by Jonathan, Saul’s son, as he and his armor bearer set out to fight the Philistines on another occasion:

“And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for [there is] no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.”

Along the same lines we read in Zechariah 4:6b, “... Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”  

This brings us to verse 13, as Gideon and Phurah approach the enemy camp, and God allows them to overhear this amazing conversation:

Verse 13: “And when Gideon was come, behold, [there was] a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.”

We have already considered the first two Hebrew terms, “And when Gideon was come,” so let’s focus on the next three words:

Behold [There Was] A Man [’iysh:H376] That Told [caphar:H5608] A Dream [chalowm:H2472] 

In verse 12 Genesis 41:8-13 we read the butler’s testimony to Pharaoh regarding how Joseph had accurately interpreted his dream as well as that of the butler’s: “And it came to pass in the morning that his [Pharaoh’s] spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but [there was] none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. {9} Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: {10} Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, [both] me and the chief baker: {11} And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. {12} And [there was] there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told [caphar:H5608] him, and he interpreted to us our dreams [chalowm:H2472]; to each man [’iysh:H376]  according to his dream [chalowm:H2472] he did interpret. {13} And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged. {14} Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved [himself], and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. {15} And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and [there is] none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, [that] thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. {16} And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, [It is] not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

In Jeremiah 23:27-33, God denounces the false prophets and pastors for their “false dreams,” which is one of many doctrinal errors that they committed as an institution, and for which they came under the wrath of God:  “I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. {26} How long shall [this] be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, [they are] prophets of the deceit of their own heart; {27} Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams [chalowm:H2472] which they tell [caphar:H5608] every man [’iysh:H376] to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. {28} The prophet that hath a dream [chalowm:H2472], let him tell [caphar:H5608] a dream [chalowm:H2472]; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What [is] the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. {29} [Is] not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer [that] breaketh the rock in pieces? {30} Therefore, behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour. {31} Behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. {32} Behold, I [am] against them that prophesy false dreams [chalowm:H2472], saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD. {33} And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What [is] the burden of the LORD? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD.

We have discussed the next two words, “unto his fellow” along with “and said” when we were covering Judges 6, so let’s proceed to the next two words, which include the verb form, “Behold I dreamed” (chalam:H2492), in addition to the noun form, “ a dream” (chalowm:H2472) that was employed in the foregoing accounts.

 Behold I Dreamed [chalam:H2492] A Dream [chalowm:H2472]

Over half of the references in which these two terms surface involve Joseph, but since we have already discussed him Genesis 41, we can examine some of the other ones:

Deuteronomy 13:1-5 is a passage  that is often misquoted and misunderstood, in which these two words are found in verses 1, 3, and 5: “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer [chalam:H2492] of dreams [chalowm:H2472], and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, {2} And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; {3} Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer [chalam:H2492] of dreams [chalowm:H2472]: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. {4} Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. {5} And that prophet, or that dreamer [chalam:H2492] of dreams [chalowm:H2472], shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn [you] away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.”

Notice how this passage said that if the “dreamer of dreams” gives you a “sign” or a “wonder” and it comes to pass, and as a result wants you to follow “other gods” you are not to listen to him, because he seeks to turn you away from the Bible; in fact, God requires this individual to be put to death. Frequently people also misinterpret what Deuteronomy 18:20-22 states:

“But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. {21} And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? {22} When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that [is] the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, [but] the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”  

Please note that when a prophet declares something, and it does not take place as he said, he is not to be put to death, as in the case of one who is seeking to influence others to follow “false gods.” In this case, one is merely not to be “fear” that prophet. Many have taken a passage such as this, and use it to point the finger at a faithful man, such as Mr. Camping, calling him a “false prophet” for presenting a date such as September 7, 1994. First of all, the Deuteronomy passage was written at a time when the Bible had not been completed; in fact it had been only recently written down by Moses, under God’s direction. Signs and wonders and other miracles were sanctioned by God to verify that His true prophets were truly speaking the truth for God, and this was commonplace until the Bible was completed around 90 AD. Any mention of signs and wonders, or dreams, miracles, etc. after that time are Satanic in origin, such as the entire Charismatic movement which prominently features such activity. However, since God abandoned every church and denomination at the start of the Great Tribulation on May 21, 2011, this is a moot point, since all are under God’s wrath. From the time the Bible was completed, the way to tell if somebody was a false prophet or not, was by checking what they say against the rest of the scriptures, as we are commanded to do, according to Acts 17:11, 1 Corinthians 2:13, Nehemiah 8:8, and 2 Timothy 3:16 to name a few. 

 Behold I Dreamed [chalam:H2492] A Dream [chalowm:H2472] (Cont.)

Here are some other citations that contain these two terms:

Jeremiah 29:8 states, “For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that [be] in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams [chalowm:H2472]

 which ye cause to be dreamed.” [chalam:H2492] 

Daniel 2:1 and 3 reveals: “And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed [chalam:H2492]  dreams [chalowm:H2472], wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. ... {3} And the king said unto them, I have dreamed [chalam:H2492] a dream [chalowm:H2472], and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.” [chalowm:H2472]

And Joel 2:28 announces what took place on the Day of Pentecost, and the start of the era of the “church age”: “And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream [chalam:H2492] dreams [chalowm:H2472], your young men shall see visions:”  

Let’s stop here, and Lord willing, in our next study, we will continue our examination of verse 13.

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Judges 7 - Part 16

December 20, 2019

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 16 and today’s date is December 20, 2019. I’ll read from Judges 7:9-15,

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. {10} But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: {11} And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that [were] in the host. {12} And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels [were] without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. {13} And when Gideon was come, behold, [there was] a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. {14} And his fellow answered and said, This [is] nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: [for] into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. {15} And it was [so], when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

And Lo A Cake [tseluwl:H6742] Of Barley [s@`orah:H8184] Bread [lechem:H3899]

We have arrived at the latter part of verse 13, ...and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. These three terms only surface together in this passage, so we will have to consider the term, “And lo a cake” by itself, and then “of barley bread” by itself, as we begin to learn about the content of this dream that Gideon (and Phurah) are overhearing, as God uses this incident to strengthen and encourage Gideon that God’s promise of victory to him and his 300 men is forthcoming. 

And Lo A Cake [tseluwl:H6742]

This term for “cake” is duplicated, and so it appears at the very minimum, that God is drawing our attention to this word, which is only found in this passage. So, let’s see how God utilizes its root word, which is almost identically spelled: “tsalal” (H6749); it too is only found again in Exodus 15:10 as “them they sank”:  

Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank [tsalal:H6749] as lead in the mighty waters.

This is speaking about the demise of Pharaoh Thutmosis III and the entire Egyptian army that perished in the Red Sea as they attempted unsuccessfully to apprehend the Israelites. We want to keep in mind that Pharaoh typifies Satan, as he came against the churches and denominations at the start of the Great Tribulation on May 21, 1988. “They sank” (H6749) is also related to two other identically spelled terms (H6750 and H6751), both of which are rendered as “tingle” or “quivered” and “began to be dark” and “shadowing” respectively. Here are two examples of each of these expressions, “tingle” and “began to be dark”:

In verse 3 of Jeremiah 19:1-13 we read: Thus saith the LORD, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and [take] of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests; {2} And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which [is] by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee, {3}And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle. [tsalal:H6750] {4} Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents; {5} They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire [for] burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake [it], neither came [it] into my mind: {6} Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter. {7} And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth. {8} And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof. {9} And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them. {10} Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee, {11} And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as [one] breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury [them] in Tophet, till [there be] no place to bury. {12} Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and [even] make this city as Tophet: {13} And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.

The contexts in which these two additional words are used, along with “they sank” in Exodus 15:10 is significant, as they also point to the Great Tribulation period, in which Satan was doing his best to hinder the Gospel from reaching the nations of the elect, which is also typified by this upcoming battle between the combined forces of the “Amalekites, Midianites, and children of the east” and Gideon’s 300-man army (who symbolize the elect). 

The second passage concerns the term, “began to be dark” (tsalal:H6751) in verse 19 of  Nehemiah 13:15-21. The context of this quote has to do with “keeping the Sabbath holy,” which is not only a problem in our day, but even back in Nehemiah’s day as well:

“In those days saw I in Judah [some] treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all [manner of] burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified [against them] in the day wherein they sold victuals. {16} There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. {17} Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing [is] this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? {18} Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. {19} And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark [tsalal:H6751] before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and [some] of my servants set I at the gates, [that] there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. {20} So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. {21} Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do [so] again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no [more] on the sabbath.”

Notice if you will, when it “began to be  dark,” the “gates” were to be “shut,” which spiritually points to the “gate” or “Door” of salvation [Who is the Lord Jesus Christ - “I am the door” (John 10:9)] being shut on May 21, 2011 - which was 7000 years (or seven “days” according to the time clue in 2 Peter 3:8)  after God “shut” Noah and his family in the Ark, as we read in Genesis 7:4 and 16,

For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. …{16} And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.

2 Peter 3:8 furnishes this exceptional time clue: But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Let me try to summarize what we have learned thus far:

The term, “lo a cake” is only found in Judges 7:13, however its root word,  likewise appears once in Exodus 15:10, as “they sank.”   This is highly significant because it is referring to the death of Pharaoh and the entire Egyptian army. And by extension, this word “cake”  in the dream - points to Gideon - who will in similar fashion be victorious over the enemy forces. The other interesting thing is that this expression, “they sank” in Exodus 15:10 is identically spelled to two other terms, “shall tingle” in Jeremiah 9:13, (having to do with judgment beginning at God’s house “first”) and “began to be dark” in Nehemiah 13:19 (having to do with the approaching spiritual “night,” when the door of salvation shut on May 21, 2011, as the day of judgment commenced), signalling the fulfillment of the Great Commission, as Matthew 24:14 insists,

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Of Barley [s@`orah:H8184] Bread [lechem:H3899]

We want to remember that this expression, “cake,” has to do with God’s judgment on the churches and denominations, leading up to judgment on the entire world in our present day. So let’s now consider the phrase, “of barley bread” which consists of two Hebrew words that surface together in three other references, and we’ll take a look at two of them, which are in the book of Ezekiel:

The first one is in verse 9 of Ezekiel 4:1-17, in which these two words are rendered as, “and barley” and “make thee bread,” which God had purposed to sustain Ezekiel with physically, and  spiritually pictures the Word of God at the same time he was demonstrating the iniquity of Israel as well as Judah:

Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, [even] Jerusalem: {2} And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set [battering] rams against it round about. {3} Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it [for] a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This [shall be] a sign to the house of Israel. {4} Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: [according] to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. {5} For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. {6] And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year. {7} Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm [shall be] uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it. {8} And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege. {9} Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley [s@`orah:H8184], and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread [lechem:H3899] thereof, [according] to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof. {10} And thy meat which thou shalt eat [shall be] by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it. {11} Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink. {12} And thou shalt eat it [as] barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight. {13} And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them. {14} Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth. {15} Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith. {16} Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment: {17} That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity. 

If you and I ever have the tendency to feel sorry for ourselves because of the trials we might be facing, we would do well to read this chapter. Can you imagine being “tied” so you could not move - as the word “bands” conveys - for 40 days on one side, and then 390 days on the other side. Many of us would have trouble sleeping on just one side for a night, much less these prescribed times! Moreover, throughout this ordeal he could only eat the above mentioned recipe for bread which he had to eat in very specific amounts, and likewise drink water “by measure” in this incredible living parable. Accounts like this one and a number of others like Isaiah who had to walk naked, or the sufferings of Job reveal how relatively “easy” we have it today; yet we know that God’s grace was sufficient for those saints - and indeed for us as well - even as the Lord told the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, when he asked God three times to deliver him from the “thorn in the flesh,” who were Judaizers that were always haranguing him: 

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

The second account is in verse 19 of  Ezekiel 13:17-23, which is another denunciation against national Israel who typifies the churches and denominations that came under the wrath of God, and highlights the chief characteristic of the Great Tribulation which was unparalleled deception:

“Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them, {18} And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the [women] that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive [that come] unto you? {19} And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley [s@`orah:H8184] and for pieces of bread [lechem:H3899], to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear [your] lies? {20} Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make [them] fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, [even] the souls that ye hunt to make [them] fly. {21} Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD. {22} Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life: {23} Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.

Let’s stop here. Lord willing, in our next study we will continue to investigate the rest of verse 13.

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Judges 7 - Part 17

December 23, 2019

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 17 and today’s date is December 23, 2019. I’ll read from Judges 7:9-15,

And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. {10} But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: {11} And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that [were] in the host. {12} And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels [were] without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. {13} And when Gideon was come, behold, [there was] a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. {14} And his fellow answered and said, This [is] nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: [for] into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. {15} And it was [so], when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

In our previous study we left off at the last part of verse 13, which is part of the dream which Gideon overheard in the enemy camp: ...tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

The terms that we have not discussed so far in the book of Judges are: “tumbled” and “overturned” (they are the same Hebrew word), along with, “and smote it that it fell” and “lay along.” “It that it fell” and “lay along” are identical terms as well. Let’s begin by looking at this term, “tumbled” or “overturned”:

Tumbled Or Overturned [haphak:H2015]

This Hebrew verb is predominantly translated as “turn” or “overthrow,” and these next passages illustrate:

Genesis 3:24 translates this term as “which turned every way”: So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way [haphak:H2015], to keep the way of the tree of life.

Verse 25 of Genesis 19:24-25 depicts the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the other neighboring cities, in which this expression is rendered as “And he overthrew”: Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; {25} And he overthrew [haphak:H2015] those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

Likewise, Deuteronomy 29:23 connects to this judgment as well; here too, this term is utilized as “overthrew”:  [And that] the whole land thereof [is] brimstone, and salt, [and] burning, [that] it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew [haphak:H2015] in his anger, and in his wrath:

Amos 4:11 also mentions “Sodom and Gomorrah,” and once again this word is expressed as “I have overthrown”:  I have overthrown [haphak:H2015] [some] of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

1 Samuel 4, as I have mentioned on other occasions, is part of a historical parable that undercores that judgment must begin at God’s own “house” first, and in verse 19 our word is translated as “came”: And his [Eli’s] daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, [near] to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came [haphak:H2015] upon her.  

Lamentations 4:6 picks up this same refrain, rendering this expression as “that was overthrown”: For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown [haphak:H2015] as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.

Proverbs 12:7 also characterizes the destinies of both the wicked and the righteous: The wicked are overthrown [haphak:H2015], and [are] not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

Similarly, Isaiah 63:10 recounts Israel’s history of rebellion against God the Holy Spirit: “But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned [haphak:H2015] to be their enemy, [and] he fought against them.”

National Israel’s sin also crops up in Jeremiah 2:21, in which the term, “how then art thou turned” is employed: Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned [haphak:H2015] into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

You might recall in Part 16 that I quoted Ezekiel 4:8, in which Ezekiel had to lay on one side for 390 days, and then on the other side for 40 days as a tableau of the iniquity of both Israel and Judah; our word is identified in this verse as, “upon thee, and thou shalt not turn”: And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn [haphak:H2015] thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.

Isaiah 34 is a chapter that describes in great detail our current “day of judgment,” and in verse 9 this term is rendered as “thereof shall be turned”: And the streams thereof shall be turned [haphak:H2015] into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.

In similar fashion, Joel 2:31 pictures our present day of judgment as well: The sun shall be turned [haphak:H2015] into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

It is very evident from the foregoing citations that judgment is really being emphasized particularly against God’s own “house” first, which coincides with the same time frame as Judges 7, as the forces of Satan (pictured by the enemy armies) battle against the kingdom of God (typified by Gideon and his 300-man army). 

And Smote [nakah:H5221] It That It Fell [naphal:H5307]

The next phrase that we want to examine is made up of two words, “and smote” along with “it that it fell.” They appear together in 16 other citations, and we will consider a few of them; please note again this same theme of judgment and death:

Deuteronomy 25:1-3 is a key passage that relates to why judgment is limited in its scope, and is not a punishment or torture that is never ending; these words are expressed as “to be beaten” and “shall cause him to lie down”:  If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that [the judges] may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked. {2} And it shall be, if the wicked man [be] worthy to be beaten [nakah:H5221], that the judge shall cause him to lie down [naphal:H5307], and to be beaten [nakah:H5221] before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number. {3} Forty stripes he may give him, [and] not exceed: lest, [if] he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.

Joshua 8:24 chronicles the defeat of Ai by the Israelites under Joshua’s command; these words are translated as “fallen” an “smote”:   And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen [naphal:H5307] on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote [nakah:H5221] it with the edge of the sword.

Likewise in 1 Samuel 17:49, these same expressions characterize the defeat of Goliath (who pictures Satan spiritually) by David (who exemplifies the Lord Jesus): And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang [it], and smote [nakah:H5221]  the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell [naphal:H5307] upon his face to the earth.”

Verse 4 of Jeremiah 20:1-4 recounts the fate of Pashur, as Jeremiah predicted, under divine inspiration: Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who [was] also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things. {2} Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that [were] in the high gate of Benjamin, which [was] by the house of the LORD. {3} And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib.{4} For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall [naphal:H5307] by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold [it]: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay [nakah:H5221] them with the sword.

Verse 11 of Ezekiel 6:11-14 also describes God’s judgment against His own “house” first: Thus saith the Lord GOD; Smite [nakah:H5221] with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall [naphal:H5307] by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. {12} He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them. {13} Then shall ye know that I [am] the LORD, when their slain [men] shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols. {14} So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I [am] the LORD. 

A Curious Verse

I mentioned this previously but it bears repeating: verse 13 is a very unique verse it that it contains 6 words that are repeated, which is very unusual to find in a single verse. It’s noteworthy that each of these expressions are linked with judgment in this verse, as well as elsewhere in the Book of Judges: 

• “was come”/ “came” (also used in the deaths of Eglon and Sisera)
• “unto a tent”/”that the tent” (also found in connection with the death of Sisera too)
• “a dream”/ “a dream” 
• “A lo, a cake” [doubled in Hebrew]
• “tumbled”/ “and overturned”
• “It that it fell”/ “and lay along”

This brings us to verse 14, and the rest of the conversation that Gideon overhears inside this enemy tent, and by which he is greatly encouraged by God, but I'm afraid that we have run out of time today, so Lord willing, we will pick this up in our next study.

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Judges 7 - Part 18

December 25, 2019

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 18 and today’s date is December 25, 2019. I’ll read from Judges 7:14-25,

And his fellow answered and said, This [is] nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: [for] into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. {15} And it was [so], when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. {16} And he divided the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. {17} And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be [that], as I do, so shall ye do. {18} When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that [are] with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, [The sword] of the LORD, and of Gideon. {19} So Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that [were] in their hands. {20} And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. {21} And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. {22} And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. {23} And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. {24} And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. {25} And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan. 

We have arrived at verse 14, but we have already discussed all of the words in this verse in our previous studies, so let's proceed to…

Verse 15: And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

And The Interpretation Thereof [sheber:H7667]

Let's begin by considering the first term in this verse that we have not examined, which is: “And the interpretation thereof,”  which is only translated this way in this verse. So, let's take a look at some illustrations of how God utilizes this expression, which is most commonly rendered as, “destruction,” “breach,” and “hurt”: 

In verse 27 of  Isaiah 1:21-28 this term is rendered “And the destruction”: How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. {22} Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: {23} Thy princes [are] rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. {24} Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: {25} And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: {26} And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. {27} Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. {28} And the destruction [sheber:H7667] of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

Verse 13 of Lamentations 2:1-13 translates this term as “for thy breach”: How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, [and] cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger! {2} The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought [them] down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof. {3} He hath cut off in [his] fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, [which] devoureth round about. {4} He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all [that were] pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire. {5} The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation. {6} And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as [if it were of] a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest. {7} The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary, he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the house of the LORD, as in the day of a solemn feast. {8} The LORD hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: he hath stretched out a line, he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together. {9} Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes [are] among the Gentiles: the law [is] no [more]; her prophets also find no vision from the LORD. {10} The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, [and] keep silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground. {11} Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city. {12} They say to their mothers, Where [is] corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom. {13} What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach [sheber:H7667] [is] great like the sea: who can heal thee?

Likewise verse 11 and 21 of Jeremiah 8:5-22 translate this expression as “the hurt” and “for the hurt” respectively: “Why [then] is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. {6} I hearkened and heard, [but] they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. {7} Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD. {8} How do ye say, We [are] wise, and the law of the LORD [is] with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he [it]; the pen of the scribes [is] in vain. {9} The wise [men] are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom [is] in them? {10} Therefore will I give their wives unto others, [and] their fields to them that shall inherit [them]: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. {11} For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when [there is] no peace. {12} Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. {13} I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: [there shall be] no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and [the things that] I have given them shall pass away from them. {14} Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD. {15} We looked for peace, but no good [came; and] for a time of health, and behold trouble! {16} The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein. {17} For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which [will] not [be] charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD. {18} [When] I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart [is] faint in me. {19} Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: [Is] not the LORD in Zion? [is] not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, [and] with strange vanities? {20} The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. {21} For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. {22} [Is there] no balm in Gilead; [is there] no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

The foregoing passages collectively testify to God’s judgment which began spiritually at His own “house,” at the start of the Great Tribulation on May 21, 1988, as 1 Peter 4:17-18 maintain:

“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?”

The rest of the words in verse 15 we have already examined previously, so let’s proceed to consider verse 16,

Verse 16: And he divided the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

Here we note the next part of Gideon’s battle strategy, which was to divide the three hundred men into three companies of 100 men apiece. Additionally each man in the three companies was given three items: a trumpet, an empty pitcher, and a lamp within the pitcher. The emphasis on the number “three” in this verse is telling, as it points spiritually to the purpose of God. Let’s examine the first expression, “And he divided”:

And He Divided [chatsah:H2673]

This word can be used, like so many that we have encountered in the Bible, either in a negative sense or in a positive one:

In verse 22 of Ezekiel 37:15-28 this term is translated as “neither shall they be divided”: The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, {16} Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and [for] all the house of Israel his companions: {17} And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. {18} And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou [meanest] by these? {19} Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which [is] in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, [even] with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. {20} And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. {21} And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: {22} And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided [chatsah:H2673] into two kingdoms any more at all: {23} Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. {24} And David my servant [shall be] king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. {25} And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, [even] they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David [shall be] their prince for ever. {26} Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. {27} My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. {28} And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

The complete unity of God’s elect only takes place within the eternal Kingdom of God, which was completed on May 21, 2011, and is quite a contrast from that which is occurring in our world today, as Satan’s kingdom is being divided, as we read in Matthew 12:25-26,

“And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: {26} And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?” 

The dichotomy between the wicked and the righteous is also seen in Psalm 55:22-23, “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. {23} But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half [chatsah:H2673] their days; but I will trust in thee.”

I think we’ll stop here today, and Lord willing, in our next study we will examine the rest of verse 16.

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Judges 7 - Part 19

January 22, 2020

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 19 and today’s date is January 22, 2020. I’ll read from Judges 7:14-25,

And his fellow answered and said, This [is] nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: [for] into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. {15} And it was [so], when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. {16} And he divided the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. {17} And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be [that], as I do, so shall ye do. {18} When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that [are] with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, [The sword] of the LORD, and of Gideon. {19} So Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that [were] in their hands. {20} And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. {21} And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. {22} And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. {23} And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. {24} And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. {25} And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan. 

In our examination of Judges 7, we are down to verse 16, and we left off at 

...the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. 

We have already considered the “three hundred men,” so let’s look into the “three companies,” in which the three hunderd men were divided. 

Three [shalowsh:H7969] Companies [ro’sh:H7218]

The term for “companies” is “ro’sh” which is predominantly translated as “head,” “chief,” or “top.” We will encounter it again in verse 20 of this chapter, in which these two terms are rendered, “And the three” along with “companies”:

And the three [shalowsh:H7969] companies [ro’sh:H7218] blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

This is seen as well in Job 1:17, in which these words are translated as “three” and “bands,” when Job (representing the Lord Jesus in His sufferings) received the third of four messengers who brought him tragic news regarding his livestock, and much worse, his servants, and the deaths of his seven sons and three daughters:

While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three [shalowsh:H7969] bands [ro’sh:H7218], and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Three of David’s most mighty men are also mentioned in verse 13 of 2 Samuel 23:8-17, in which these two words are expressed as “three” along with “chief”: These [be] the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same [was] Adino the Eznite: [he lift up his spear] against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. {9} And after him [was] Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, [one] of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines [that] were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: {10} He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. {11} And after him [was] Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. {12} But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. {13} And three [shalowsh:H7969] of the thirty chief  went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim. {14} And David [was] then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then [in] Bethlehem. {15} And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which [is] by the gate! {16} And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that [was] by the gate, and took [it], and brought [it] to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. {17} And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: [is not this] the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

God’s usage of the number three in this chapter is remarkable in its frequency, pointing to the purpose of God:

• The initial 32,000 men are broken down into three groups - 22,000, 9700, and 300.
• The 300 are further divided into three companies of 100 men apiece.  
• Each of the 300 men are also given three items: a “trumpet,” an “empty pitcher,” and a “lamp.”

Let’s now examine each of these three items that Gideon gave to the three hundred men:

The Trumpets [showfar:H7782]

This word for “trumpets” should be “showfar,” or “rams’ horns.” Back in Judges 3, we ran across this expression when similarly Judge Ehud blew a  “ram’s horn” to proclaim victory over the Moabites as we read in Judges 3:27,

And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew [taqa`:H3628] a trumpet [showfar:H7782] in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.  

In this verse there is also the term, “that he blew” and both of these words - “blew” and “showfar” -  will surface again in Judges 7:18-20, and 22. The word, “showfar” you might recall is used extensively in the battle of Jericho in Joshua 6:4, 8-9, 13, 16, and 20, and marks the 13,000th anniversary of Creation in 1988, and the beginning of the final Great Tribulation:

“And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets [showfar:H7782] of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow [taqa`:H8628] with the trumpets. [showfar:H7782] ... {8} And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets [showfar:H7782] of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew [taqa`:H8628] with the trumpets [showfar:H7782]: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. {9} And the armed men went before the priests that blew [taqa`:H8628] [taqa`:H8628] with the trumpets [showfar:H7782], and the rereward came after the ark, [the priests] going on, and blowing [taqa`:H8628] with the trumpets. [showfar:H7782] ... {13} And seven priests bearing seven trumpets [showfar:H7782] of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew [taqa`:H8628] with the trumpets [showfar:H7782]: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, [the priests] going on, and blowing [taqa`:H8628] with the trumpets. [showfar:H7782]  ... {16} And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew [taqa`:H8628]  with the trumpets, [showfar:H7782] Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city. ... {20} So the people shouted when [the priests] blew [taqa`:H8628] with the trumpets [showfar:H7782]:and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet [showfar:H7782], and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.”

A Trumpet [showfar:H7782] In Every Man’s Hand [yad:H3027]

The two words, “showfar” and “in every man’s hand” are only found together in Judges 7 and in one other highly significant reference, which God’s elect were keenly made aware of during the “latter rain” (1994-2011), in which the Gospel was proclaimed around the world as never before in human history in order to reach “the nations of the elect,” according to Ezekiel 33:6,

But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet  [showfar:H7782], and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take [any] person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. [yad:H3027]

With Empty [reyq:H7386] Pitchers [kad:H3537] 

The second item that the 300 men were given were empty pitchers, which consists of two Hebrew words that are only found together in this verse, so we will have to consider them individually.

With Empty [reyq:H7386] 

In the historical context, we can understand why the pitchers would need to be empty, as one reads further in this chapter to learn that the empty pitchers would house lamps which were lit, and at a certain point the men were to break the pitchers, exposing the light inside. This same word is also used in connection with Joseph who was thrown in an  empty pit by his half-brothers, according to Genesis 37:24, in which it is translated as “[was] empty”:

And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit [was] empty [reyq:H7386], [there was] no water in it.

Roughly in half of the occurrences, in which we find this expression, it is used in this fashion; the other way it surfaces has to do with “empty” or “vain” people, which is a reference to the unsaved.

Curiously, its root word is identically spelled “ruwq” (H7324), yet it is also rendered as “pour out” or “pour forth” in a positive sense, but also as “draw out” a sword for the purpose of judgment, which is how it is used in verses 2 and 12 of 

Ezekiel 5:1-12, And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause [it] to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the [hair]. {2} Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, [and] smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out [ruwq:H7324] a sword after them. {3} Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.  {4} Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; [for] thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel. {5} Thus saith the Lord GOD; This [is] Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries [that are] round about her. {6} And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that [are] round about her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them. {7} Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye multiplied more than the nations that [are] round about you, [and] have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that [are] round about you; {8} Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, [am] against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations. {9} And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations. {10} Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds. {11} Wherefore, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish [thee]; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity. {12} A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out [ruwq:H7324] a sword after them. 

Pitchers [kad:H3537]

Let’s now turn our attention to this word, “pitchers” or “barrels” which is found for example in the account of Abraham’s servant who was looking for a wife for Isaac in Genesis 24:14-18, in which this word crops up a number of times in that chapter with respect to Rebekah:

And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher[kad:H3537], I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: [let the same be] she [that] thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master. {15} And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher [kad:H3537] upon her shoulder. {16} And the damsel [was] very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher [kad:H3537], and came up. {17} And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. [kad:H3537] {18} And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher [kad:H3537] upon her hand, and gave him drink. 

This same word is also used in connection with Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, in which Elijah build an altar, to place the bullock upon for the evening sacrifice. He then instructed the people to pour 4 barrels full of water over the bullock, which filled the trench around the altar. So when the “fire of God” descended upon the bullock, it consumed the bullock (a portrait of Christ at the foundation of the world in the Atonement), the water, stones, and even the dust.

I think we’ll stop here, and Lord willing, in our next study continue with the word “lamps” and the rest of verse 16.

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Judges 7 - Part 20

January 27, 2020

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 20 and today’s date is January 27, 2020. I’ll read from Judges 7:16-25,

And he divided the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. {17} And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be [that], as I do, so shall ye do. {18} When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that [are] with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, [The sword] of the LORD, and of Gideon. {19} So Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that [were] in their hands. {20} And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. {21} And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. {22} And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. {23} And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. {24} And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. {25} And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan. 

In our previous study we left off at the last phrase in verse 16: “... and lamps within the pitchers.” However,  I did want to mention one other passage that I was not able to in our last study because we ran out of time. It's found in 1 Kings 17:12, 14, and 16,

And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel [kad:H3537] and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die….{14} For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel [kad:H3537]of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. ...{16} And the barrel [kad:H3537] of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

Now we can focus on the terms, “and lamps” and “within” since we have already considered the word, “pitchers”:

And Lamps [lappiyd:H3940] [lah-peed] Within [tavek:H8432] [tah-vechk] 

Actually these two words only surface together again in Judges 15:4, as “firebrands” and “in the midst;” please note that this verse also contains the number “three hundred”:

And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands [lappiyd:H3940], and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand [lappiyd:H3940] in the midst [tavek:H8432] between two tails.

Lord willing we will examine this passage further, if God allows us to get there. Here are some more examples of how God employs the word, “lamps”:

Before looking at some of these passages that contain the word, “lamps,” I would like to make an observation about the “empty” pitchers. Under normal circumstances, pitchers were used to carry water, wine and oil, and as we just saw, “meal.” In our previous study we learned that Rebekah went to the well to fill up her pitcher with water as was the custom, not unlike the woman at the well in John 4. The point I would like to highlight is the fact that the “pitchers” that the 300 men held in their left hands were “empty,” in order to house the “lamps”  or “firebrands” (while they held their “trumpets” or “showphar” in their right hands.) The fact that they were “empty” indicates they did not contain the “water” of life, because the day of salvation had ended. Throughout the day of salvation, the task of God’s elect was typified by the Gibeonites. Remember them? What was their assigned task? We read about them in Joshua 9:21, 23, and 27, as they exemplify God’s elect who were commissioned to be “hewers of wood” (to assist in building the spiritual Temple) and “drawers of water” (to disseminate the “Water of Life”):  

And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers [sha’ab:H7579] of water [mayim:H4325] unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them. ... {23} Now therefore ye [are] cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers [sha’ab:H7579] of water [mayim:H4325]  for the house of my God. ... {27} And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers  [sha’ab:H7579] of water [mayim:H4325]  for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.

One other factor that bears repeating is the fact that this expression, “empty” (reyq:H7386) (rake) has an identically spelled root word, “ruwq” (H7324) (ruuk) that frequently is rendered as “draw out,” as one would draw out a sword, which denotes judgment, adding another layer of retribution to an already “empty” pitcher. This also serves to underscore the nature of our current day of judgment, which will become even more evident, as we learn what develops in this battle between Gideon’s forces and those of  “the Amalekites, Midianites, and children of the east.”  Furthermore, the pitchers would have been made of clay in all likelihood, in order to be easily broken, and this reminds us of how God compares the lives of His elect to “earthen vessels,” according to 2 Corinthians 4:5-11, emphasizing the truth that “...the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”: 

For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. {6} For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. {7} But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. {8} [We are] troubled on every side, yet not distressed; [we are] perplexed, but not in despair; {9} Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; {10} Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. {11} For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 

And Lamps [lappiyd:H3940] [la-peed]

The following citations contain this term, “lamps” which is how it is used in the majority of verses, and to a lesser degree as “firebrand” (or “brand”),  “torch,” “lightning,” and “burning.” Immediately what comes to mind is “fire,” and God of course is a “consuming fire,” according to verse 29 of Hebrews 12:18-29,

For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, {19} And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: {20} (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: {21} And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) {22} But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, {23} To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, {24} And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel. {25} See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven: {26} Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. {27} And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. {28} Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: {29} For our God [is] a consuming fire. 

I quoted this account in its entirety, as it is the New Testament counterpart of verse 18 of Exodus 20:18-22 which is uniquely sandwiched in between two portions of Scripture that pertain to the giving of the Law (paralleling Deuteronomy 5). Exodus 20:18 includes this same word “and the lightnings” (in addition to “of the trumpet” or “showphar”):

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings [lappiyd:H3940], and the noise of the trumpet [showphar:H7782], and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw [it], they removed, and stood afar off. {19} And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. {20} And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. {21} And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God [was]. {22} And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

Another unusual passage in which this term, “lamp” surfaces is in verse 17 of Genesis 15:7-21, in which God declares that Abraham would inherit the land of Canaan, as we have noted throughout the book of Judges, in which the Israelites at times succeeded, and at other times failed to dispossess its inhabitants, as the cycle of “rebellion>oppression>deliverance>rest” continues to turn again:

And he said unto him, I [am] the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. {8} And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? {9} And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. {10} And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. {11} And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. {12} And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. {13} And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land [that is] not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; {14} And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. {15} And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. {16} But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites [is] not yet full. {17} And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp [lappiyd:H3940] that passed between those pieces. {18} In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: {19} The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, {20} And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, {21} And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

Another illustration we can turn to in which we find this term translated as “of lamps,” is in verse 13 of  Ezekiel 1:4-14 and 26-28 in which the four “living creatures” picture the “glory of God,” and amazingly are likened to “a man,” Who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself:  And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness [was] about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. {5} Also out of the midst thereof [came] the likeness of four living creatures. And this [was] their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. {6} And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. {7} And their feet [were] straight feet; and the sole of their feet [was] like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. {8} And [they had] the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. {9} Their wings [were] joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. {10} As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. {11} Thus [were] their faces: and their wings [were] stretched upward; two [wings] of every one [were] joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. {12} And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; [and] they turned not when they went. {13} As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance [was] like burning coals of fire, [and] like the appearance of lamps [lappiyd:H3940]: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. {14} And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning… {26} And above the firmament that [was] over their heads [was] the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne [was] the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. {27} And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. {28} As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so [was] the appearance of the brightness round about. This [was] the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw [it], I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

This account is similar to Daniel’s vision in verse 6 of Daniel 10:4-8, in which this word is expressed “as lamps of fire,” referring to His eyes:

And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which [is] Hiddekel; {5} Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins [were] girded with fine gold of Uphaz: {6} His body also [was] like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps [lappiyd:H3940] of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. {7} And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. {8} Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.

This passage along with Ezekiel 1 relate to Revelation 1:12-17,

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; {13} And in the midst of the seven candlesticks [one] like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. {14}  His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire; {15} And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. {16} And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance [was] as the sun shineth in his strength. {17} And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

When we read the above mentioned passages we can see why Daniel’s “... comeliness was turned in me to corruption,” and why John “...fell at his feet as dead,” as they were confronted with the awesome glory and holiness of God Almighty, in spite of how tenderly and lovingly He comforted them.

With that glorious scene in mind, we have to close this study. Lord willing, in our next study we will address verse 17.

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Judges 7 - Part 21

January 29, 2020

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 21 and today’s date is January 29, 2020. I’ll read from Judges 7:16-25,

And he divided the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. {17} And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be [that], as I do, so shall ye do. {18} When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that [are] with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, [The sword] of the LORD, and of Gideon. {19} So Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that [were] in their hands. {20} And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. {21} And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. {22} And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. {23} And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. {24} And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. {25} And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan. 

As I mentioned at the close of our last study, today we want to investigate verse 17, starting with the two words,

Look On Me [ra'ah:H7200] And Do [`asah:H6213]

We have already seen these two words used together in Judges 1 and 2 as these next passages illustrate:

Judges 1:24 records: And the spies saw [ra'ah:H7200] a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew [ra'ah:H7200] us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew [`asah:H6213] thee mercy.

And Judges 2:7 reveals: And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen [ra'ah:H7200]  all the great works of the LORD, that he did [`asah:H6213]  for Israel.

We will also run across these two terms when we get to Judges 9:48, Lord willing, which presents a similar narrative: And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that [were] with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid [it] on his shoulder, and said unto the people that [were] with him, What ye have seen [ra'ah:H7200]  me do [`asah:H6213], make haste, [and] do [`asah:H6213] as I [have done].

This same term, “do” is also repeated twice at the end of Judges 7:17, “it shall be [that], as I do [`asah:H6213], so shall ye do. [`asah:H6213]  

In the historical account, Gideon (typifying the Savior) wants his 300 men (who represent the elect) to follow His example. In the same manner, Christ stresses the importance of obedience, which is the true measure of love, according to John 15:10, which He Himself perfectly modeled:

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 

This is why verse 31 of John 8:29-32 is such a crucial passage, and was highly misunderstood in Jesus’ day, even as it is in our day:

And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. {30} As he spake these words, many believed on him. {31} Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed; {32} And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Since we have already discussed the expressions, “come,” “outside,” and “camp” in some of our previous lessons, let’s move on to...

Verse 18: When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that [are] with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, [The sword] of the LORD, and of Gideon.

It’s worth noting that the two words, “blow” and “trumpets” (or “showphars”) are also repeated at the beginning of verse 18, even though we have considered these terms previously. The next two expressions that we want to consider are:

Also On Every Side [cabiyb:H5439] Of All The Camp [machaneh:H4264]

These two terms are found together in four other references (besides here in Judges 7:18 and 21) that interestingly enough, all have to do with God’s judgment:

The first one is found in verses 31-32 of Numbers 11:1-6, 18-20, and 30-34 (it parallels the account in Exodus 16): 

And [when] the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard [it]; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed [them that were] in the uttermost parts of the camp. {2} And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched. {3} And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them. {4} And the mixt multitude that [was] among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? {5} We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: {6} But now our soul [is] dried away: [there is] nothing at all, beside this manna, [before] our eyes. ... {18} And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for [it was] well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. {19} Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; {20} [But] even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which [is] among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? ... {30} And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel. {31} And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let [them] fall by the camp [machaneh:H4264], as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about [cabiyb:H5439] the camp [machaneh:H4264], and as it were two cubits [high] upon the face of the earth. {32} And the people stood up all that day, and all [that] night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread [them] all abroad for themselves round about [cabiyb:H5439] the camp. [machaneh:H4264] {33} And while the flesh [was] yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague. {34} And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.    

Verse 28 of Psalm 78:26-42 offers this commentary of this same event:

He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. {27} He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea: {28} And he let [it] fall in the midst of their camp [machaneh:H4264], round about [cabiyb:H5439] their habitations. {29} So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire; {30} They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat [was] yet in their mouths, {31} The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen [men] of Israel. {32} For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works. {33} Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. {34} When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God. {35} And they remembered that God [was] their rock, and the high God their redeemer. {36} Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. {37} For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. {38} But he, [being] full of compassion, forgave [their] iniquity, and destroyed [them] not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. {39} For he remembered that they [were but] flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. {40} How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, [and] grieve him in the desert! {41} Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. {42} They remembered not his hand, [nor] the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

The next citation is in verse 21 of 1 Samuel 14:1, 4-16, and 21-23, Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that [is] on the other side. But he told not his father. ... {4} And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, [there was] a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one [was] Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. {5} The forefront of the one [was] situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah. {6} And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for [there is] no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few. {7} And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that [is] in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I [am] with thee according to thy heart. {8} Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto [these] men, and we will discover ourselves unto them. {9} If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them. {10} But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this [shall be] a sign unto us. {11} And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. {12} And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel. {13} And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him. {14} And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, [which] a yoke [of oxen might plow]. {15} And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling. {16} And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down [one another]. ... {21} Moreover the Hebrews [that] were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp [machaneh:H4264] [from the country] round about [cabiyb:H5439], even they also [turned] to be with the Israelites that [were] with Saul and Jonathan. {22} Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, [when] they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. {23} So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven. 

The last place where we find these two terms together is set against the backdrop of God’s judgment that is directed toward national Israel (who exemplify the end-time institutional churches and denominations) in verse 2 of Ezekiel 4:1-8,

Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, [even] Jerusalem: {2} And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it [machaneh:H4264], and set [battering] rams against it round about. [cabiyb:H5439] {3} Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it [for] a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This [shall be] a sign to the house of Israel. {4} Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: [according] to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. {5} For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. {6} And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year. {7} Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm [shall be] uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it. {8} And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.

As you can see from the foregoing citations, each one focuses on God’s judgment, just as we witness here in Judges 7, and this is also expressed in last the phrase in verse 18, “...[The sword] of the LORD, and of Gideon,” in which “the sword” is in italics here, however in verse 20, it is in the original text, and we have already considered this phrase, “...the sword of the LORD...” in some of our earlier studies.

I think we’ll stop here today. Lord willing, in our next study we will focus on verse 19.

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Judges 7 - Part 22

January 31, 2020

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 22 and today’s date is January 31, 2020. I’ll read from Judges 7:19-25,

So Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that [were] in their hands. {20} And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. {21} And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. {22} And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. {23} And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. {24} And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. {25} And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan. 

In our last study we left off at verse 19, which we want to now address: 

So Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that [were] in their hands.

We have already considered all the words prior to “of the middle watch,” in our previous studies, and since these two terms only surface together here, we will have to examine them individually, starting with,

Of The Middle [tiykown:H8484]

Historically speaking the beginning of the “middle watch” would have occurred around midnight, as there were four watches in the night as follows:

1. 6PM - 9PM: 1st watch
2. 9PM - Midnight: 2nd watch
3. Midnight - 3AM: 3rd watch
4. 3AM-6AM: 4th watch 

Aside from this account regarding the “middle watch,” and one other incident involving Isaiah in the “middle court,” the other seven times in which this term, “middle” appears, it is always used in connection with either the Tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple, or the spiritual Temple which is described in Ezekiel 41 and 42, as these next references reveal. 

Exodus 36:33 depicts the “bar” which enabled the walls of the Tabernacle to stay erect (and also facilitated the dismantling of the Tabernacle when they were to resume their journey): And he made the middle [tiykown:H8484] bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other.

1 Kings 6:6 and 8 speaks about the “middle” chamber in Solomon’s Temple The nethermost chamber [was] five cubits broad, and the middle [tiykown:H8484] [was] six cubits broad, and the third [was] seven cubits broad: for without [in the wall] of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that [the beams] should not be fastened in the walls of the house. ... {8} The door for the middle [tiykown:H8484] chamber [was] in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle  [tiykown:H8484][chamber], and out of the middle  [tiykown:H8484] into the third.

2 Kings 20:4 is part of the account in which God informs Isaiah to go back to Hezekiah, and let him know that God had heard his prayer, and that the LORD would grant him an additional 15 years of life, as he was on his deathbed: And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle  [tiykown:H8484] court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

Ezekiel 41:7, And [there was] an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house [was still] upward, and so increased [from] the lowest [chamber] to the highest by the midst.  [tiykown:H8484]

Ezekiel 42:5-6, Now the upper chambers [were] shorter: for the galleries were higher than these, than the lower, and than the middlemost  [tiykown:H8484] of the building. {6} For they [were] in three [stories], but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore [the building] was straitened more than the lowest and the middlemost  [tiykown:H8484] from the ground.

I do not know that spiritual implications of the foregoing accounts, as I have not worked on them, but one thing we have understood about midnight which would have been the time when the “middle watch” began, is that it can either portray impending judgment (as in Judges 7), or it can relate to God’s favor and grace on behalf of His elect, as the following citations illustrate:

Exodus 12:29 records the plague of the death of “the firstborn” in Egypt: And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that [was] in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

Similarly Job 34:20 makes this declaration with regard to the unsaved:  In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.

Psalm 119:62, on the other hand, portrays the attitude and actions of God’s elect: At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

Luke 11:5 is set in the context of our current day of judgment and the “new” commission that God’s elect have received to “feed sheep”: And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

The great multitude that were saved out of the “latter rain” are exemplified by those within their cells in verse 25 of Acts 16:25-28, when the earthquake that took place that night, opened the prison doors of all the cells:  And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. {26} And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. {27} And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. {28} But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Watch [’ashmurah:H821]

We find the word, “watch” or “watches” in six other passages, and here are a few examples to consider:

In Exodus 14:24 we read of what God did to the Egyptian army as they relentlessly pursued the Israelites: And it came to pass, that in the morning watch [’ashmurah:H821] the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

By contrast, Psalm 63:6 captures the focus of God’s people upon their great Savior: When I remember thee upon my bed, [and] meditate on thee in the [night] watches. [’ashmurah:H821]

Reminding one of the “time clue” in 2 Peter 3:8, Psalm 90:4 affirms: For a thousand years in thy sight [are but] as yesterday when it is past, and [as] a watch [’ashmurah:H821] in the night.

Lamentations 2  portrays God’s judgment against national Israel (who typify God’s judgment beginning at His own house first) in which this term is expressed in verse 19 of 19-22, as: “of the watches”:   Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning [ro’sh:H7218] of the watches [’ashmurah:H821] pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street. {20} Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, [and] children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord? {21} The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain [them] in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, [and] not pitied. {22} Thou hast called as in a solemn day my terrors round about, so that in the day of the LORD'S anger none escaped nor remained: those that I have swaddled and brought up hath mine enemy consumed. 

And They Had But [’ak:H389] Newly [quwm:H6965] Set [quwm:H6965] The Watch [shamar:H8104]

The next phrase that we encounter in verse 19 is: “... and they had but newly set the watch: ...” 

And They Had But [’ak:H389] 

The expression, “and they had but” is an adverb,  which is found 21 other times as well as these next examples taken from the book of Genesis illustrate:

In Genesis 7:23 this word appears as “only”: And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only [’ak:H389]  remained [alive], and they that [were] with him in the ark.

But in Genesis 18:32, it is rendered as “yet”: And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet [’ak:H389] but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for ten's sake.

And in Genesis 27:30 it is translated as, “was yet”: And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet [’ak:H389] scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

So we can understand that this new “watch” was “only” or “just” set, and again this is at midnight, in the context of impending judgment. 

Newly [quwm:H6965] Set [quwm:H6965] The Watch [shamar:H8104]

The next phrase, “newly set the watch” is comprised of only two different Hebrew words, but “newly” and “set” are the same word. Incidentally, in case you are wondering about the expression, “the watch” it is not “ ’ashmurah” (H821), but it is actually its root or parent word, “shamar” (H8104),which is typically rendered as “keep.” We ran across it in Judges 2:22 for instance:

That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep [shamar:H8104] the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep [it] [shamar:H8104], or not. 

We do find the terms “newly set” and “watch” together in eight other Scriptures, and we will take a look at a few of them:

Deuteronomy 28:9 presents God’s conditional directive to Israel: The LORD shall establish [quwm:H6965] thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep [shamar:H8104] the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.

1 Samuel 13:14 records God’s judgment against king Saul, who spiritually represents the end-time institutional churches and denominations: But now thy kingdom shall not continue [quwm:H6965]: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him [to be] captain over his people, because thou hast not kept [shamar:H8104] [that] which the LORD commanded thee.

Jeremiah 51:12 speaks of our current day of judgment: Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up [quwm:H6965] the watchmen [shamar:H8104], prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.

I think we’ll stop here for today. Lord willing, in our next study we will continue our examination of verse 19.

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Judges 7 - Part 23

February 3, 2020

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 23 and today’s date is February 3, 2020. I’ll read from Judges 7:19-25,

So Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that [were] in their hands. {20} And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. {21} And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. {22} And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. {23} And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. {24} And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. {25} And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

In our previous study we left off at the latter half of verse 19: “...and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that [were] in their hands.” Since we have already investigated the two terms, “blew” and “trumpets,” along with the words, “the pitchers” and “that [were] in their hands” let’s examine the remaining expression in verse 19, “and brake”: 

This word is another good example of a term that is very pregnant with meaning, as it is found 21 other times, and almost half of the time it is rendered as “break in pieces,” which is quite significant and relates to our current day of judgment in which Christ is ruling the world, “with a rod of iron,” as the following New Testament Scriptures affirm:

Revelation 2:27 declares: And he shall rule them with a rod [rhabdos:G4464] of iron [siderous:G4603]; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

And Revelation 12:5 similarly adds: And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod [rhabdos:G4464] of iron [siderous:G4603]: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne.

Likewise Revelation 19:15 reveals: And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod [rhabdos:G4464] of iron [siderous:G4603]: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

And Brake [naphats:H5310]

This word, “and brake,” is also rendered as: “scatter,” “break,” “dash,” “discharged,” “dispersed,” “overspread,” “dash in pieces,” and “sunder,” as the next citations illustrate:

In Genesis 9:19 this word is translated as “overspread,” regarding the repopulation of the earth after the Flood, by Noah’s three sons: These [are] the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread. [naphats:H5310]

Verse 11 of 1 Samuel 13:11-14 records Saul disobedience to God’s commands (he exemplifies the end-time institutional churches and denominations that fell under God’s wrath, as judgment began with His own “house” first; this expression is rendered in verse 11 as “were scattered”: And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered [naphats:H5310] from me, and [that] thou camest not within the days appointed, and [that] the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; {12} Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. {13} And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. {14} But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him [to be] captain over his people, because thou hast not kept [that] which the LORD commanded thee.

Verse 9 of Psalm 2:1-9 translates this word as “thou shalt dash them in pieces”: Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? {2} The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, [saying], {3} Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. {4} He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. {5} Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. {6} Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. {7} I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee. {8} Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession.{9} Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces [naphats:H5310] like a potter's vessel.

Incidentally this Psalm is similar to Psalm 110 regarding “sit thou at my right hand,” which is what took place after Christ’s resurrection “...at the foundation of the world,” along with “...until I make thine enemies they footstool.” (Psalm 110:1) along with  “...rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.” (Psalm 110:2), which is happening in our present day of judgment. Additionally, the term, “Yet have I set” (nacak:H5258) is especially important because it is normally rendered as “pour out,” “pour,” “cover,” “offer,” “melteth,” “molten,” etc. except in Psalm 2:6 and Proverbs 8:23, which are the only two places, in which this word is translated as “set” or “set up.”  It is actually describing the annihilation that Christ was subjected  to in verse 23 of  Proverbs 8:22-25, which includes both His destruction as well as His resurrection, which is likened to “labor pains” in childbirth, which is the thrust of this expression, “brought forth” in Proverbs 8:24 and 25:

The LORD possessed [this is the word, “purchased”] me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. {23} I was set up [nacak:H5258] from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. {24} When [there were] no depths, I was brought forth [chuwl:H2342]; when [there were] no fountains abounding with water. {25} Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: [chuwl:H2342]

Here are some more examples of how God employs this term, “and brake”: 

Verse 9 of Psalm 137:8-9, renders it as “and dasheth,” which is speaking of God’s retribution against the heathen nations (Babylon) that God utilized to judge national Israel (and by extension, the churches and denominations): O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy [shall he be], that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. {9}Happy [shall he be], that taketh and dasheth [naphats:H5310] thy little ones against the stones.

As a case in point, in verse 14 of Jeremiah 13:8-14 this expression is translated as “And I will dash,” in this portrait of  God’s judgment against His corporate people: Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, {9} Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. {10} This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. {11} For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear. {12} Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? {13} Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.  {14} And I will dash [naphats:H5310] them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

Jeremiah 51 is a chapter that deals exclusively with our present day of judgment, as Christ is ruling this world or “Babylon” with a “rod of iron” and in verses 20-23, this word is rendered no less than 9 times as “with thee will I break in pieces,” referring to Christ as “the rod of his inheritance”  “Israel” is this context:

Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind; {2} And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about. {3} Against [him that] bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against [him that] lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host. {4} Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and [they that are] thrust through in her streets. {5} For Israel [hath] not [been] forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. {6} Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this [is] the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence. {7} Babylon [hath been] a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. {8} Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed. {9} We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up [even] to the skies. {10} The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. {11} Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device [is] against Babylon, to destroy it; because it [is] the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple. {12} Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon. {13} O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, [and] the measure of thy covetousness. {14} The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself, [saying], Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillers; and they shall lift up a shout against thee. {15} He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding. {16} When he uttereth [his] voice, [there is] a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. {17} Every man is brutish by [his] knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image [is] falsehood, and [there is] no breath in them. {18} They [are] vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. {19} The portion of Jacob [is] not like them; for he [is] the former of all things: and [Israel is] the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts [is] his name. {20} Thou [art] my battle axe [and] weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces [H5310] the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; {21} And with thee will I break in pieces [naphats:H5310] the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces [naphats:H5310] the chariot and his rider; {22} With thee also will I break in pieces [naphats:H5310] man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces [naphats:H5310] old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces [naphats:H5310] the young man and the maid; {23} I will also break in pieces [naphats:H5310] with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces [naphats:H5310] the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces [naphats:H5310] captains and rulers.

That brings us down to…

Verse 20: And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 

We have already discussed all of the words up to “and brake,” which is actually a different term than the one that we looked at today.

And Brake [shabar:H7665]

However, I think I will wait until our next study, Lord willing, as we have run out of time today.

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Judges 7 - Part 24

February 5, 2020

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 24 and today’s date is February 5, 2020. I’ll read from Judges 7:19-25,

So Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that [were] in their hands. {20} And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. {21} And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. {22} And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. {23} And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. {24} And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. {25} And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

We had to end our last study with the word, “and brake” in verse 20. I mentioned that this is a different word from that which is found in verse 19.

And Brake [shabar:H7665]

This expression is different from the word “naphats” (H5310) in verse 19 which was translated about half the times as “break in pieces;” this term is primarily rendered as “break,” and to a much lesser degree, 10 or more other ways, as the following citations reveal:  

Jeremiah 50:23 also refers to the “fall of Babylon” - Babylon in this context is the entire world that is under God’s wrath in our present day of judgment: How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! [shabar:H7665] how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

Jeremiah 51:8 similarly adds: Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: [shabar:H7665] howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.

Lamentations 2:9, on the other hand is concerned with God’s judgment against national Israel (and by extension the churches and denominations that came under God’s wrath): Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken [shabar:H7665] her bars: her king and her princes [are] among the Gentiles: the law [is] no [more]; her prophets also find no vision from the LORD.

Lamentations 3:4 is a parabolic statement regarding the Lord Jesus under the wrath of God in the Atonement “...from the foundation of the world”: My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken [shabar:H7665] my bones.

Verse 6 of Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 is a unique Scripture which contains this word “brake” along with the next word in verse 20, “pitcher” (kad:H3537) in this passage which also is set against the backdrop of the day of judgment; in fact this is the only time that these two words appear together: 

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; {2} While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: {3} In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, {4} And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; {5} Also [when] they shall be afraid of [that which is] high, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: {6} Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher [kad:H3537] be broken [shabar:H7665] at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. {7} Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. {8} Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all [is] vanity.

We have already discussed all the other words in verse 20, so let’s move on to verse 21, which states:

And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 

And They Stood [`amad:H5975] Every Man [’iysh:H376] In His Place Round About [cabiyb:H5439] 

The first three expressions in this verse crop up together in the following references 

Verse 24 of Numbers 11:11-17 and 24-25 records God’s mercy to Moses who felt extremely overwhelmed and burdened by his leadership responsibilities:  And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? {12} Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? {13} Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. {14} I am not able to bear all this people alone, because [it is] too heavy for me. {15} And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. {16} And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. {17} And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which [is] upon thee, and will put [it] upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear [it] not thyself alone... {24} And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men [’iysh:H376] of the elders of the people, and set [`amad:H5975] them round about [cabiyb:H5439] the tabernacle. {25} And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that [was] upon him, and gave [it] unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, [that], when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.

Verse 44 of Joshua 21:43-45 acknowledges the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel:  And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. {44} And the LORD gave them rest round about [cabiyb:H5439], according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood [`amad:H5975] not a man [’iysh:H376] of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. {45} There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

Verse 11 of 2 Kings 11:1-21(and the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 23:10) includes these terms, and shows God’s faithful protection over young King Jehoash, under the care and ministry of Jehoiada the priest: 

And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. {2} But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons [which were] slain; and they hid him, [even] him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. {3} And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land. {4} And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king's son. {5} And he commanded them, saying, This [is] the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king's house; {6} And a third part [shall be] at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down. {7} And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king. {8} And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in. {9} And the captains over the hundreds did according to all [things] that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. {10} And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David's spears and shields, that [were] in the temple of the LORD. {11} And the guard stood [`amad:H5975], every man [’iysh:H376] with his weapons in his hand, round about [cabiyb:H5439] the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, [along] by the altar and the temple. {12} And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and [gave him] the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king. {13} And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard [and] of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD. {14} And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner [was], and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason. {15} But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD. {16} And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain. {17} And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD'S people; between the king also and the people. {18} And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD. {19} And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings. {20} And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword [beside] the king's house. {21} Seven years old [was] Jehoash when he began to reign.

The only other words in this verse that we have not considered are:

Ran [ruwts:H7323] And Cried [ruwa`:H7321] And Fled [nuwc:H5127] [nuwc:H5127]

These words only appear together in this verse, so we will have to consider the first two individually, since we have run across the word, “fled” in some of our earlier Judges studies. 

Ran [ruwts:H7323]

The expression, “run” is found in verses 20-21 of 2 Kings 5:20-27 which is the fearful account of the sin of covetousness which Elisha’s servant, Gehazi succumbed to, in spite of having served Elisha for quite some time:

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, [as] the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. {21} So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw [him] running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, [Is] all well? {22} And he said, All [is] well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. {23} And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid [them] upon two of his servants; and they bare [them] before him. {24} And when he came to the tower, he took [them] from their hand, and bestowed [them] in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed. {25} But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence [comest thou], Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. {26} And he said unto him, Went not mine heart [with thee], when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? [Is it] a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? {27} The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper [as white] as snow.

Well, on that sad note, we will have to close today’s study. Lord willing, in our next study will continue our investigation of verse 21.

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Judges 7 - Part 25

February 7, 2020

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 25 and today’s date is February 7, 2020. I’ll read from Judges 7:19-25,

So Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that [were] in their hands. {20} And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. {21} And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. {22} And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. {23} And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. {24} And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. {25} And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

In our examination of Judges 7 we have arrived at the word, “cried,” which we now want to turn our attention to, and then we will consider verse 22, as we have previously discussed the expression “fled” in our earlier lessons.

In the historical context, the reaction of the enemy army is depicted by these three verbs, “ran,” “cried,” and “fled,” upon hearing and seeing Gideon’s 300 men sound their “showphars,” and break their “pitchers,” which contained their “lamps” or “torches.” 

And Cried [ruwa`:H7321] 

This word, like so many that we have run across, is rendered primarily as “shout,” and to a lesser degree as: “noise,” “alarm,” “cry,” “triumph,” “joy,” and “destroyed,” etc. as the following passages underscore:

Isaiah 42:13 is a very appropriate “battle verse”: The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, [ruwa`:H7321] yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.

In Numbers 10:7 and 9 God gives this directive to differentiate between a “call” to gather the 12 tribes together, as opposed to an “alarm” to prepare for battle: But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. [ruwa`:H7321] ... {9} And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm [ruwa`:H7321] with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

Joshua 6 is the account regarding the battle of Jericho, and this term surfaces in verses 5, 10, 16, and 20 as either “shout” or “shouted”: And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long [blast] with the ram's horn, [and] when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout [ruwa`:H7321] with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. ... {10} And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, [ruwa`:H7321] nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall [any] word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; [ruwa`:H7321] then shall ye shout. [ruwa`:H7321] ... {16} And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; [ruwa`:H7321] for the LORD hath given you the city. ... {20} So the people shouted [ruwa`:H7321] when [the priests] blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted [ruwa`:H7321] with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

In Proverbs 11:15 this word is translated as “shall smart”: He that is surety for a stranger shall smart [ruwa`:H7321] [for it]: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

And in Proverbs 13:20 it is rendered as “shall be destroyed”: He that walketh with wise [men] shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. [ruwa`:H7321]

Zechariah 9:9 foretells of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, which raised the ire of the religious leaders, precipitating the events which would lead to Christ’s crucifixion, in accordance with God’s perfect timing on the Passover in 33 AD: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, [ruwa`:H7321] O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Moving on to verse 22 we read:

And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

This verse contains, among other things the amazing fact that “... the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow…” which is also found in a few other Biblical narratives as well, which we now want to investigate, as we have already considered the words that precede this phrase in our previous lessons:

And The Lord [Yehovah:H3068] Set [suwm:H7760] Every Man's [’iysh:H376] Sword [chereb:H2719] Against His Fellow [rea`:H7453], Even Throughout All The Host [machaneh:H4264]

This phrase is comprised of six Hebrew terms which only appear together in one other notable account found in verse 27 of Exodus 32:1-35, concerning the “golden calves”:

And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for [as for] this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. {2} And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which [are] in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring [them] unto me. {3} And all the people brake off the golden earrings which [were] in their ears, and brought [them] unto Aaron. {4} And he received [them] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. {5} And when Aaron saw [it], he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow [is] a feast to the LORD. {6} And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. {7} And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted [themselves]: {8} They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. {9} And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it [is] a stiffnecked people: {10} Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. {11} And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? {12} Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. {13} Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit [it] for ever. {14} And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. {15} And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony [were] in his hand: the tables [were] written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other [were] they written. {16} And the tables [were] the work of God, and the writing [was] the writing of God, graven upon the tables. {17} And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, [There is] a noise of war in the camp. {18} And he said, [It is] not the voice of [them that] shout for mastery, neither [is it] the voice of [them that] cry for being overcome: [but] the noise of [them that] sing do I hear. {19] And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. {20} And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt [it] in the fire, and ground [it] to powder, and strawed [it] upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink [of it]. {21} And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? {22} And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they [are set] on mischief. {23} For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for [as for] this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. {24} And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break [it] off. So they gave [it] me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf. {25} And when Moses saw that the people [were] naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto [their] shame among their enemies:) {26} Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who [is] on the LORD'S side? [let him come] unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. {27} And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD [Yehovah:H3068]  God of Israel, Put [suwm:H7760] every man [’iysh:H376] his sword [chereb:H2719] by his side, [and] go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp [machaneh:H4264], and slay every man [’iysh:H376] his brother, and every man [’iysh:H376] his companion, and every man [’iysh:H376]  his neighbour. {28} And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. {29} For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day. {30} And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. {31} And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. {32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. {33} And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. {34} Therefore now go, lead the people unto [the place] of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. {35} And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made. 

This account is significant because the killing took place amongst the Israelites themselves; it also reveals the heart condition of many of the Israelites, which is why all but those who were over 20 years of age and older died in the wilderness as God foretold in Hebrews 3:7-19 and 4:1-3,

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, {8} Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: {9} When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. {10} Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in [their] heart; and they have not known my ways. {11} So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) {12} Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. {13} But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. {14} For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; {15} While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. {16} For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. {17} But with whom was he grieved forty years? [was it] not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? {18} And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? {19} So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. {4:1} Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. {2} For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it]. {3} For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

1 Corinthians 10:1-14 addresses this same theme, which is just as pertinent for us in the day of judgment: Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; {2} And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; {3} And did all eat the same spiritual meat; {4} And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. {5} But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. {6} Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. {7} Neither be ye idolaters, as [were] some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. {8} Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. {9} Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. {10} Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. {11} Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. {12} Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. {13} There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be  able to bear [it]. {14} Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

It  looks like we have run out of time today, so Lord willing, in our next study we will look at some of the other accounts, in which the enemy forces end up killing each other, as is the case in Judges 7 with “...the Midianites, Amalekites, and children of the east.”

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Judges 7 - Part 26

February 12, 2020

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 26 and today’s date is February 12, 2020. I’ll read from Judges 7:19-25,

So Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that [were] in their hands. {20} And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. {21} And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. {22} And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s [’iysh:H376] sword against his fellow [rea`:H7453], even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. {23} And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. {24} And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. {25} And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

We have arrived at the last half of verse 22, and specifically the phrase, “...and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host:...”     In our previous study (Part 25) we discovered that these six Hebrew terms in this phrase only surface together in one other highly significant passage - Exodus 32:27 - in which the Levites, under Moses’ direction, were commanded to kill their fellow Israelites because of their sinful worship of the “golden calf.” Today I would like to quote some of the other passages (and this is by no means exhaustive) in which this same truth is expressed, namely the LORD causing infighting amongst the enemy army (-ies), so that they destroy themselves. These battles typify what is taking place today concerning Satan’s kingdom being divided, as we read in Matthew 12:24-26, 

But when the Pharisees heard [it], they said, This [fellow] doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. {25} And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: {26} And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 

The first account is in verse 23 of 2 Chronicles 20:1-29, regarding the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites that banded together to fight against King Jehoshaphat of Judah; incidentally, the same words in Judges 7:22, “every man’s” and “his fellow” are rendered “everyone” and “another” in 2 Chronicles 20:23, 

It came to pass after this also, [that] the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them [other] beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. {2} Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they [be] in Hazazontamar, which [is] Engedi. {3} And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. {4} And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask [help] of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. {5} And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, {6} And said, O LORD God of our fathers, [art] not thou God in heaven? and rulest [not] thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand [is there not] power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? {7} [Art] not thou our God, [who] didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? {8} And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, {9} If, [when] evil cometh upon us, [as] the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name [is] in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. {10} And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; {11} Behold, [I say, how] they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. {12} O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes [are] upon thee. {13} And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. {14} Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; {15} And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle [is] not yours, but God's. {16} To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. {17} Ye shall not [need] to fight in this [battle]: set yourselves, stand ye [still], and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD [will be] with you. {18} And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with [his] face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. {19} And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high. {20} And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. {21} And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy [endureth] for ever. {22} And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. {23} For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy [them]: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one [’iysh:H376] helped to destroy another. [rea`:H7453] {24} And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they [were] dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. {25} And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. {26} And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day. {27} Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. {28} And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD. {29} And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of [those] countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

The following narrative involves Jonathan and his armor bearer who challenge the Philistines in verse 20 of 1 Samuel 14:1-23, in which these two terms are translated as “and, behold, every man’s” and “against his fellow”:

Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that [is] on the other side. But he told not his father. {2} And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which [is] in Migron: and the people that [were] with him [were] about six hundred men; {3} And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. {4} And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, [there was] a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one [was] Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. {5} The forefront of the one [was] situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah. {6} And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for [there is] no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few. {7} And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that [is] in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I [am] with thee according to thy heart. {8} Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto [these] men, and we will discover ourselves unto them. {9} If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them. {10} But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this [shall be] a sign unto us. {11} And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. {12} And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel. {13} And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him. {14} And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, [which] a yoke [of oxen might plow]. {15} And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling. {16} And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down [one another]. {17} Then said Saul unto the people that [were] with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer [were] not [there]. {18} And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel. {19} And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that [was] in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand. {20} And Saul and all the people that [were] with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man’s [’iysh:H376] sword was against his fellow [rea`:H7453], [and there was] a very great discomfiture. {21} Moreover the Hebrews [that] were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp [from the country] round about, even they also [turned] to be with the Israelites that [were] with Saul and Jonathan. {22} Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, [when] they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. {23} So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven. 

Although specific heathen nations are not mentioned in this next reference, the setting takes place in the day of judgment, as God is fighting against all of the non-elect, as He is presently judging the world with a “rod of iron,” (according to Revelation 19:15), as Satan’s kingdom in being divided. Let’s turn to verse 13 of  Zechariah 14:1-13; once again these two words are expressed as “every one” and “of his neighbour”: 

Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. {2} For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. {3} Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. {4} And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. {5} And ye shall flee [to] the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, [and] all the saints with thee. {6} And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the light shall not be clear, [nor] dark: {7} But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, [that] at evening time it shall be light. {8} And it shall be in that day, [that] living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. {9} And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. {10} All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and [from] the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. {11} And [men] shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. {12} And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. {13} And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one [’iysh:H376]  on the hand of his neighbour [rea`:H7453], and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour. [rea`:H7453]

We learn next that the remaining numbers of the enemy armies fled to three locations: “...Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.”

Bethshittah (Beyth hash-Shittah): [bayith:H1004] [shittah:H7848]

The first one is “Bethshittah” (although pronounced Beyth hash-Shittah), which is a compound word, composed of “bayith” or “house” and the term “shittah”  or the plural form, “shittim” which is the “acacia” (tree), in other words, “the house of acacia.” This expression,  “shittim” is noteworthy for at least two reasons. The first is that all of the artifacts in the Tabernacle which were made of wood, utilized this particular wood, which grows in abundance in the Sinai desert. Apparently it also contains many large thorns, and surprisingly this is borne out, by “shittah’s” root or parent word which is “shotet” (H7850), and only found translated as “scourges” in verse 13 of Joshua 23:1-13, which is part of Joshua’s last admonition to Israel prior to his death:

And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old [and] stricken in age. {2} And Joshua called for all Israel, [and] for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old [and] stricken in age: {3} And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God [is] he that hath fought for you. {4} Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. {5} And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you. {6} Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom [to] the right hand or [to] the left; {7} That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear [by them], neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: {8} But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day. {9} For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but [as for] you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. {10} One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he [it is] that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. {11} Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. {12} Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, [even] these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:{13} Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out [any of] these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges [shotet:H7850] in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. 

Well, I think we’ll stop here for today. Lord willing, in our next study we will continue looking at the rest of verse 22, and then move on to verse 23.

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Judges 7 - Part 27

February 14, 2020

Good evening, and welcome to Searching The Scriptures! This will be Judges 7 - Part 27 and today’s date is February 14, 2020. I’ll read from Judges 7:19-25,

So Gideon, and the hundred men that [were] with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that [were] in their hands. {20} And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. {21} And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. {22} And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. {23} And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. {24} And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. {25} And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

In our previous study we left off at the last three “locations” mentioned in verse 22 that the enemy army fled to, namely: “... Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. I do not know the spiritual implications that might be inherent in each of these locations.

In Zererath [Tseredah:H6868] 

At the close of our previous lesson we discussed “Bethshittah,” or “the house of acacia” which is located in Zererath (Tseredah:H6868), which only appears again in the following two citations: 

In 1 Kings 11:26 it is translated as “of Zereda”: And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, [Tseredah:H6868] Solomon's servant, whose mother's name [was] Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up [his] hand against the king.

And in 2 Chronicles 4:17 it is rendered as “and Zeredathah”: In the plain of Jordan did the king [Solomon] cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah. [Tseredah:H6868] 

[And] To The Border [saphah:H8193]

The next expression, “[and] to the border” is another good example of a term that is full of different nuances, and hence what I refer to as being “pregnant” with meaning. In the historical context it is referring to the “border” or “boundary” of the next location, “Abelmeholah.” These next references refer to some of the many ways that God employs this expression, besides those that are akin to “border” such as “shore,” “bank,” “brink,” “side,” or “edge,”  of a sea or river, or some other object; it can also refer to the “brim” of a cup. Furthermore, it is used with respect to “lip(s),” “language,” or “speech,” as the subsequent passages indicate:

In Ezekiel 3:5-6 this word is translated as “speech”: For thou [art] not sent to a people of a strange speech [saphah:H8193] and of an hard language, [but] to the house of Israel; {6} Not to many people of a strange speech [saphah:H8193] and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.

However in Genesis 41:17 it is rendered as “upon the bank”: And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank [saphah:H8193] of the river:

Exodus 14:30 expresses it as “shore”: Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. [saphah:H8193]

Exodus 28:32 describes the “robe of the ephod”:  And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding [saphah:H8193] of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent.

Then in Genesis 11:9 it is translated as “the language”: Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language [saphah:H8193] of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

In recounting Pharaoh’s dream to Joseph in Genesis 41:3, this word is expressed as “upon the brink”: And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the [other] kine upon the brink [saphah:H8193] of the river.

Typifying the Lord Jesus, 1 Kings 4:29 translates this term as “shore”: And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that [is] on the sea shore. [saphah:H8193]

In 1 Kings 7:23 this word is rendered “from the one brim” and “to the other”: And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim [saphah:H8193] to the other: [saphah:H8193] [it was] round all about, and his height [was] five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.

Lastly, Proverbs 10:21 utilizes this expression as “the lips”: The lips [saphah:H8193] of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

Of  Abelmoholah [’Abel Mechowlah:H65]

The next location is “Abelmeholah,” which is a compound word signifying “meadow of dancing;” it only surfaces in two other citations:

1 Kings 4:12 makes mention of this location in connection with one of Solomon’s 12 officers, whose name was Baana: Baana the son of Ahilud; [to him pertained] Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which [is] by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, [’Abel Mechowlah:H65] [even] unto [the place that is] beyond Jokneam:

And in 1 Kings 19:16 we discover that Abelmeholah is the birthplace of Elisha the prophet: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint [to be] king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah [’Abel Mechowlah:H65] shalt thou anoint [to be] prophet in thy room.

Unto Tabbath [Tabbath2888]

Tabbath is the last location that the enemy army fled to, and is only found in verse 22, without a root or parent word, making it very difficult to research. So, in light of that, let’s move forward to…

Verses 23-24:  And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. {24} And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.

Verse 23 is very similar to Judges 6:35 as Gideon once again elicits help from Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh: 

And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

As a matter of fact, we have already considered all of these terms in verses 23-24 previously until we get to the phrase, “...and take before them the waters...” in verse 24,

And Take [lakad:H3920] Before Them The Waters [mayim:H4325]

The two Hebrew terms in this phrase are only found in two other Scriptures

2 Samuel 12:27 records the victory of David’s general, Joab, over the capital city of the Ammonites, Rabbah: And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken [lakad:H3920]  the city of waters. [mayim:H4325]

Verse 30 of Job 38:29-30 translates these two words as “the waters” and “is frozen” in which God questions Job relentlessly over the course of chapters 38-41, Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? {30} The waters [mayim:H4325] are hid as [with] a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. [lakad:H3920] 

Unto Bethbarah [Beyth Barah:H1012]  And Jordan [Yarden:H3383]

The two expressions, “unto Bethbarah” along with “and Jordan” crop up twice in verse 24. “Bethbarah” is a compound word signifying, “house of the plain” or “house of the ferryboat,” derived from “house” (bayith:H1004)         Curiously, this word is only found in 2 Samuel in connection with King David in chapters 15,17, and 19 as a result of the coup that his son Absalom attempted against the monarchy; it’s worth noting that in the last two examples, the root word for “plain” or “ferry boat” is also included and rendered as the Hebrew verb “speedily,” “pass over,” and “come over”:

2 Samuel 15:28, See, I will tarry in the plain [`abarah:H5679] of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.

2 Samuel 17:16, Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains [`abarah:H5679] of the wilderness, but speedily [`abar:H5674] pass over [`abar:H5674]; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that [are] with him.

2 Samuel 19:18, And there went over a ferry boat [`abarah:H5679] to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over [`abar:H5674] Jordan;

The Jordan River, on the other hand, typifies “hell,” or the “grave,” and we have covered this already in some of the earlier chapters in the book of Judges.

We have arrived at verse 25 which states:

And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

Two [shenayim:H8147] Princes [sar:H8269]...And They Slew [harag:H2026]

The terms “two” and “princes” or “captains” along with “and they slew” only appear together in one other account, in which David, whose death was imminent, gives Solomon instructions concerning a number of individuals, who had broken the Law as we read in verses 1-5 and 32 of 1 Kings 2: 

Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, {2} I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; {3} And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: {4} That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel. {5} Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, [and] what he did to the two [shenayim:H8147] captains [sar:H8269] of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew [harag:H2026], and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that [was] about his loins, and in his shoes that [were] on his feet... {32} And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two [shenayim:H8147] men more righteous and better than he, and slew [harag:H2026] them with the sword, my father David not knowing [thereof, to wit], Abner the son of Ner, captain [sar:H8269] of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain [sar:H8269] of the host of Judah. 

Oreb [`Oreb:H6159] And Zeeb [Ze’eb:H2062]

The two Midianite princes “Oreb” and “Zeeb” appear together in Judges 8:3 (and since we are almost there, I’ll wait to comment on that) and in verse 11 of Psalm 83:1-18,

[A Song [or] Psalm of Asaph.] Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. {2} For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. {3} They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. {4} They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from [being] a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. {5} For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: {6} The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; {7} Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; {8} Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. {9} Do unto them as [unto] the Midianites; as [to] Sisera, as [to] Jabin, at the brook of Kison: {10} [Which] perished at Endor: they became [as] dung for the earth. {11} Make their nobles like Oreb [`Oreb:H6159], and like Zeeb [Ze’eb:H2062]: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: {12} Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. {13} O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. {14} As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; {15} So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. {16} Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD. {17} Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: {18} That [men] may know that thou, whose name alone [is] JEHOVAH, [art] the most high over all the earth.

Like other kings or generals that we have encountered in the book of Judges such as Eglon or Sisera (who typify Satan) Oreb and Zeeb’s names reflect a spiritual portrait too:    

Oreb [`Oreb:H6159] 

“Oreb” is identical to the word, “raven” (`oreb:6158), which is listed as an “unclean” bird in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. We also learn that Oreb was killed on the “rock,” Oreb. We ran across this word for “rock” (tsuwr:H6697)     in Judges 6 - Part 47, and we saw how it pointed to the Lord Jesus through its individual letters as well. However in this context, and relating to Oreb’s death on the “rock” Oreb, Deuteronomy 32:31-33, (and especially verse) 37, and 39 is quite fitting, as the Scriptures link “rock” with “gods” (lowercase “g”); in essence Oreb is his own god, and as such, will perish forever: 

For their rock [tsuwr:H6697] [is] not as our Rock [tsuwr:H6697], even our enemies themselves [being] judges. {32} For their vine [is] of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes [are] grapes of gall, their clusters [are] bitter: {33} Their wine [is] the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. ... {37} And he shall say, Where [are] their gods, [their] rock [tsuwr:H6697]  in whom they trusted, ... {39} See now that I, [even] I, [am] he, and [there is] no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither [is there any] that can deliver out of my hand.     

And Zeeb [Ze’eb:H2062] 

Zeeb is identically spelled to the term, “wolf” (ze’eb:H2061) which we find for instance in Ezekiel 22:27, typifying national Israel (and by extension, the end-time institutional churches and denominations), and reminding us of  the “wolf” in John 10:12,

Her princes in the midst thereof [are] like wolves [ze’eb:H2061] ravening the prey, to shed blood, [and] to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.

At The Winepress [yeqeb:H3342] 

We also read about the death of Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. And the winepress spiritually can refer to judgment, as we read in verse 13 of Joel 3:11-13, and please note the context of our current day of judgment, as typified by the “valley of Jehoshaphat”:

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  [yeqeb:H3342]  overflow; for their wickedness [is] great. 

Lord willing we will pick up by starting chapter 8 in our next study.

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