Only in Hebrew

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than to the fat of rams.
1 Samuel 15:22

Heed – Some words in the Hebrew Scriptures are particularly unusual. They seem to have no cognates in other ancient languages. They are not borrowed or formed from the languages that were spoken in the cultures surrounding Israel. These words are unique and because they are unique, we are entitled to ask, “Why are they found only in Hebrew?” The answer might be quite revealing.

Qashav is one of these words. It means, “to pay close and strict attention to something with the intention of perceiving it completely and the orientation of letting it determine one’s behavior.” It is the word for careful observation and obedience. Not surprisingly, it is often associated with shema. While the meaning is clear enough, the fact that it has no ancestors or relations in other ancient languages is startling. This is a Hebrew-only idea, a demand on the part of the subject to be so attentive to the object that there is a dramatic shift in behavior. But there is one other aspect of qashav that really brings the message home. Qashav is quite often used without any specified object. Look at this verse in 1 Samuel. Here the word stands alone. The verse does not specify what we are to heed. That is implied in the word itself.

What are we to heed? What are we to pay such close attention to? The answer is obvious – and devastating. Qashav is a word that says, “Give all of your attention and obedience to God’s word.” If you are going to pay attention to anything, make sure it is God first. In fact, says Samuel, giving God all your attention is better than any religious ritual you can perform.

Any Israelite would know that qashav meant attention to God. It was just part of the ethos of being a Hebrew. We have come a long way since those days. Now we pay close attention to all kinds of things. In fact, we pay more attention to the trivial but necessary than we do to the absolutely essential. We know what’s in the bank account, but we don’t know what’s in the Bible. We know the order of service, but we don’t know how to pray. We know our friends, but we don’t know God’s people. We know how to be moral, but we don’t know how to be holy. We don’t have qashav in our native tongue.

Indeed, it is better to heed. We have simply forgotten why this word is so important in life. Time to remember.