Knowledge is too wonderous for me, high above—I cannot attain it. Psalm 139:6 Robert Alter Too wonderous – The translators have taken a bit of poetic license here by rendering pilʾîy-yah with the superlative “too.” The verb is simply pālāʾ, that is, “be marvelous, wonderful.” In the derivative, pilʾî, it means “wonderful, incomprehensible,” but as…
I will not act in My blazing wrath, I will no more destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I do not desire to root out. Hosea 11:9 Robert Alter Not a man – Christian theology employs texts like this one to support its view…
All the people, experiencing the thunder and lightning, the trumpet blast and the smoking mountain, were afraid Exodus 20:18a The Message Experiencing – When was the last time you saw thunder? Ah, probably never. We perceive thunder as audible, not visual. So when we try to translate this particular verse from Hebrew, we run into…
But God will redeem my soul from the [a]power of [b]Sheol, for He will receive me. Selah Psalm 49:15 NASB Will redeem – “I am redeemed,” said the new convert. “I am free at last.” Is that how you felt when you realized your sins were forgiven? Was there an emotional experience of relief? Did you feel like a new…
Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. Joshua 6:4 NASB Seven – The numeral 7 in Hebrew is the word shiva. Like almost all Hebrew nouns, it has…
And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘Let My people go . . .’” Exodus 5:1a NASB Go – A new Gregorian year begins. This wasn’t always the case. Until 1582 the Julian calendar was the common civil calendar. Even today, some religious…
“Yes, I am coming quickly.,” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20b Quickly – Another annual cycle. Maybe this last one wasn’t quite the same as the pagan idea of eternal return, that is, just going around and around over and over. Maybe this last one created some changes; changes that will spin out new opportunities…
Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established. Proverbs 4:26 NASB Will be established – This investigation is now ten years old. I wonder if these last ten years have really made a difference. Let’s find out. It’s almost time for the world’s celebration of the pagan New Year. That…
because God did not make death nor does he delight in the destruction of the living. Wisdom of Salomon 1:13 A New English Translation of the Septuagint Death – It’s fairly widely recognized that The Wisdom of Salomon was composed in Greek in the mid first century B.C.E. It contains many Hellenistic themes, most likely imported…
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB Trust – Movies have plots. They are usually accompanied by subtle forewarning clues. There are no extraneous persons in the story. That incidental character who just happens to…
