In the beginning . . . Genesis 1:1 (virtually all translations) Beginning – If you have been paying attention for the last few years, you know that the opening word of Scripture is bere’shit. It does not mean “in the beginning.” If it did, it would require a definite article (“the”) incorporated into the word…
Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing. Psalm 100:2 NASB Gladness – Is David making a suggestion or issuing a royal decree? The verb is an imperative, so we may assume that David expects his subjects (and all his readers?) to comply. But how? How is it possible to command a…
His radiance is like the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, and there is the hiding of His power. Habakkuk 3:4 NASB Hiding – Now pay attention. Think carefully about the simile in this verse. “His radiance is like sunlight.” What does that mean? What is sunlight like? Well, first, it is a…
“Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.” Habakkuk 2:4 NASB Proud one – The NASB translation attempts to capture the idiomatic meaning of a phrase that literally says, “behold, swollen not straight his nephesh (person).” “Not straight” is the Hebrew lo…
“Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, they whose strength is their god.” Habakkuk 1:11 NASB Whose strength – Let’s have a little fun today. The assumed root of the word koho (“whose strength) is khh, that is, a Kaf followed by two Chets. This…
You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. James 4:2 NASB You do not ask – You might treat this verse rather lightly because of the way it begins. After all, you aren’t…
But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) Romans 3:5 NASB Inflicts wrath – Is it right for God to inflict wrath (Greek – epipheron orgen)? That might sound like a rather silly question,…
Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love. Micah 7:18 NASB Who – Yesterday I read a very disturbing verse in Micah. “They will lick the dust like a…
“Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God. Isaiah 40:1 NASB Comfort – “They will lick the dust like a serpent, like reptiles of the earth. They will come trembling out of their fortresses; to the Lord our God they will come in dread and they will be afraid before You” (Micah 7:17). The God…
And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Genesis 2:25 NASB Naked – The Hebrew word of “naked” is ‘arom. While it often describes nudity, in the Genesis account it has a much deeper meaning. The word itself is derived from the verb, ‘ur, “to be exposed.” In this verse,…
