Esau Have I Hated
See my enemies who are many and with outrageous hatred despise me. Psalm 25:19 Robert Alter translation
Despise – Buried in the Hebrew text is a powerful repetition not evident in Alter’s translation (but clear in the ESV). “Hatred” and “despise” are from the same Hebrew root, sane. To hate describes an emotional reaction of repulsion. In this state, a person wishes only to keep distant from the offense or the offender. Hate entails distance. It is just the opposite of love which brings about the desire for closeness. When the word is used in the Tanakh, it is often associated with idolatry, opposition, aversion and ill-will. In this regard, the verb describes a reaction rather than a causative action. Something or someone acts in such a way that we react with a strong emotional rejection.
David’s enemies treat him as if he is leprous, someone to be shunned, avoided and rejected. This does not necessarily imply that they wish him bodily harm, although David’s intensification of the word with the addition of hamas (violence) certainly might mean that as well. But the basic sense of the word is that his enemies exclude him from one of the vital components of Hebrew identity, i.e., community. They want him out! That is the equivalent of wanting him to cease existing. A man without relationships is no longer a man.
Perhaps you’re feeling this same kind of hatred. It’s not as if your previous friends and relations want you to die. It’s that they no longer want you. They find your views offensive. Perhaps they are threatened by your commitments to David’s understanding of God. They don’t acknowledge your practices. They are scandalized by your presence. They just want you to go away and leave them alone. But, of course, this means separation, agony, brokenhearted affliction, especially for you since all you are trying to really do is bring about awakening and consolation. Enemies don’t always carry swords. Sometimes they carry Bibles.
Why does David plead with God about this tragedy? Because David knows the God of unity. David knows the harmony of brothers who care for each other. David knows what it means to be friends. Yeshua provides perhaps the most difficult of all commandments when he says, “Love your enemies.” He does not say, “Preach to them,” “Correct them,” or “Convert them.” He says, “Love them.” Close the gap.
Understanding sane as a reactive verb helps us resolve other difficult passages. “Esau have I hated” has always been worrisome. But now we see that God is reacting to protracted, willful rebellion. The same can be said for God’s rejection of sacrifices and offerings (cf. Isaiah 1:13-15). God hates them because they are laced with hypocrisy, not because they are soon-to-be-replaced rituals. Sane responds to a previous action. It does not initiate.
The antidote for sane is avah. Ahav (love) is active, initiative, purposeful. I respond to the emotional reaction of hatred by initiating the purposeful action of benevolence toward another at cost to myself. I love regardless of how I feel. Perhaps you will find it interesting that the reverse of sane (Shin-Nun-Aleph) is the assumed root of ishshah (root = Aleph-Nun-Shin). Perhaps the opposite of hatred is the character of the woman, someone made to love.
Topical Index: sane, hate, Esau, ahav, Psalm 25:19
This is a most helpful post Skip. No one wants to be hated and I understand that that means a shunning of sorts. A distance as you explained. Perhaps that is why I have such a hard time with those who would profess friendship (implied closeness of some sort) and then choose to keep a distance.
As you also explained, community is a key component of Hebrew life. It seems as though Y-H created us to desire ahav (love) among our kind. In this day when individual independence is so cherished it still is bothersome to find yourself outside looking into a community of one sort or another. It must have been so much more within those early Hebrews. I can almost feel Davids pain here.
I think this translates easily into my relationship with Y-H as well. No wonder He hates the sacrifices since he knows each and every heart and can see the games we play!
Now to apply this to those I hate personally (there are a few of those according to the Hebrew definition) and consider what it means to love my enemies as Jesus must have meant it when He said it. Interesting thing here is that when I am close to my Father and walking with Him in love and obedience, it is much easier to love my enemies than when I am walking only with myself! Myself alone is a hard person to love. In the end, one cannot make others love or hate any more than I can control the movement of the sun. We can and need to govern (and be responsible for) our own thoughts and actions.
I love your drash/sod, but are you sure that Ish’ah is derived from aleph nun shin?
Why would it have to be derived from a noun that implies that a woman is frail? Not every lexicon agrees with that. The word could be a primary word.
Also, I don’t think you can say that the reverse of sane’ is Ish’ah. Ithas a shin, while sane has a sin.
If you look at the Hebrew characters, not the phonetics, you will see that ishshah has the dagesh forte of the implied nun and that the reverse of S-N-A is A-N-S. Just being rabbinic here. 😉 The assumed root of ishshah is ‘ns (see TWOT).
I would never suggest that a woman is FRAIL. That doesn’t fit anything I see in the Tanakh. She a a warrior whose heart is set on the Lord. That see to me to be the opposite of hatred.
I know that you, of all people :), wouldn’t suggest that women are frail.
But I read in the NIDOT&E: There is a good probability that Heb. ‘Ishsha’ provides us with an instance of a “primary noun” and, therefore, is not meant to designate anything frail about a woman.”
I just read another book “How the Hebrew language grew” by Edward Horowitz who agrees with you that the nun dropped out.
He mentions that there are 4 “s”es. Samech, Sin, Shin and a Shin that is really a tav, but became a Shin. [he calls it a twin.] The Shin in Ishsha is a tav. In Aramaic it is iththa’. [Ergo my comment that you can’t mix the Sin and Shin]
Thought you might find this interesting 🙂 I love this stuff…
Thanks. I wil have to check out that book.
Is There Death Before Life?
~ Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated ~ — (Romans 9:15)
God hates Esau? – Is God (who is Love) capable of “hating” somebody or something? ~ These six things does the LORD hate: yes, (amen- it is so) seven are an abomination unto Him..~ (Proverbs 6.16) The LORD not only hates these six things, but these (now seven) things are listed for “whosoever has ears to hear” as “abominations.” What are these six things? And what is so abhorrent (to the LORD) as to be an abomination?
Number one on the list of “six things God hates,” is “A proud look.” Maybe Isaiah can help us understand a little more about this “proud look,” the thing God hates.
“How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’…
“I,””I,””I,.”. – Whoever this is.. – he certainly has “I” trouble. Me, my self and “I”- After all.. – “it’s all about me!!!” (Oh?) – or NOT!
What testimony does John the Immerser give to us? ~ He must increase but “I” must decrease ~ He must become greater, I must become less. (John 3.30) More of Him, – less of me.
So who’s it going to be? Him or me? “Self?”- or the Savior? I choose.. (??) Him. Why? Because He is worthy! Worthy of my time, my talents, my treasure,my testimony, my teeth and my tongue… “I” surrender all. All that I know about “me”- to all that I know about Him, the crucified-buried and resurrected Christ.
But what do I do about my own “I” problem? The Enemy Within- EGO- Edge God Out. “I” (must) die daily. (1 Corinthians 15.51) Not only is there “life after death,” but (amazingly) “death precedes life!”
~ Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit ~ (John 12.24) Death precedes Life- It’s a good day to die, – so long self!
For “I” (too) have been crucified with Christ, – nevertheless “I” live, yet *not “I”- but Christ!* (wooomp- there it is!) **NOT “I”-Christ!** – (Please) Don’t look at me!- Look at Him!
(Ever-always-only)~ Looking unto Jesus,the Author and Completer of our faith ~ (Hebrews 12.2) ~ For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus! ~ To live? -*Christ!* To die? – Gain. ~ (Whether we live or die,- we are the LORD’s!) Blessed is the Name of the LORD!
Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power,
Thou hast made me whole.
Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
O, how great Thy loving-kindness,
Vaster, broader than the sea!
O, how marvelous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved,
Know what wealth of grace is Thine,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.
Simply trusting Thee, LORD Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings:
Thine is Love indeed!
Ever lift Thy face upon me
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory,
Sunshine of my Father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.
Very thought provoking. And if it can enter my mind, perhaps it can enter my heart, and cause the desire to live God’s way will to further increase.
Skip,
Love this post. I’ve thought about & studied the biblical use of “hate” because it seems so bothersome. I wanted to share a couple insights I’ve read.
Scholar Sandra Richter, in her notes section of her book EPIC OF EDEN, discusses the ancient cultural context of “love” and “hate” in terms of covenant obedience (love) and disobedience (hate). She cites her source, and the commentary says it’s less about emotion & more about obedience/disobedience to God’s precepts.
I’ve also read from respected scholars who
study the ancient Hebrew language that the language in the “Esau I hated” verse is not so much “hated” (emotion-based) but “favored or preferred” for God’s specific task. This would make sense because God cannot show favoritism, but as the Just Judge He blesses obedience & doles out responsibility accordingly. He has “chosen” one over another for their obedience. God so often chose the obedient ones for specific roles in the Bible (priesthood, kings, etc).
I could email you Richter’s commentary from her book, if you’d like. It’s interesting to consider “love/hate” correlated to obedience with the Matthew verse where Jesus says we must “hate” our family members if we are to be His disciple. We must, at times, stand for Him love Him), even if we must “hate” (stand against a family member, in order to be obedient & show covenant loyalty) when their way opposes Christ’s way. Does that make sense?
Would love your thoughts.
Blessings to you, Skip!
Gaynor
Typos…yikes. Late at night & typing on cell!
Yes, send me the source so I can read the material. Thanks.