behindthewillowtrees

Finally, the Hebrew word shalom is often translated as ‘peace’ but it means more than that. It incorporates the ideas of wholeness and well-being.
‘When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going’ (2 Samuel 11:7)

Literally, the word shalom appears in this verse three [...]

Tora is one of several words translated ‘law’, ‘instruction’ or ‘teaching.’ Sometimes the books of Moses (Genesis to Deuteronomy) are referred to as the Law.
‘Yet he did not put the sons of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses…’ (2 Kings 14:6)

The English [...]

The Hebrew word ‘et is not the date on the calendar but the right occasion for the event.
‘In the time of my favour I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you;’ (Isaiah 49:8a)

To God all times are soon. With Babylon’s destruction still some centuries away it was [...]

Tohu means nothing, empty, formless, void, vain, meaningless. Put it together with the similar word bohu and there is a rhyme, as in:
‘Now the earth was formless and empty…’ (Genesis 1:2)

The earth was tohu wa bohu. (The same rhyme is in Jeremiah 4:23.) But God gave it shape and purpose:
‘…he did [...]

The Hebrew word samar means keep, watch, guard, look after or observe. Two meanings are found in Deuteronomy 4.
‘Observe (my laws) carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations…’ (Deuteronomy 4:6)

‘Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them [...]

The Hebrew word raham normally means to show mercy, compassion or pity. Closely related to the word for ‘womb’ raham is the word for that compassion which stirs our emotions.
‘The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son and said to the king, ‘Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t [...]

Hoy or oi is a means of attracting attention, but it is translated as woe, ah! oh! alas or come. It is at the beginning of many passages.
‘Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;’ (Isaiah 55:1a)

‘Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north…’ (Zechariah 2:6)

It is the same God of love [...]

In Isaiah 60 glory is linked with wealth, beauty and worship. Tip’eret describes a beauty which comes from within.
‘The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the pine, the fir and the cypress together, to adorn the place of my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place of my feet.’ (Isaiah 60:13)

‘Then all your people will [...]

Kabod describes honour, splendour and wealth. It suggests external qualities of quality and weight. It has a certain heaviness about it as a word. Perhaps we might imagine someone weighted down by treasure. ‘
The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the pine, the fir and the cypress together, to adorn the place of my sanctuary; [...]

God’s actions are often carried out by his Spirit/breath.
‘By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.’ (Psalm 33:6)

‘The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them.’ (Isaiah 40:7)

Leaders are endowed with it (Numbers 11:16,17; [...]