The LXX Tradition

And the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets passed on before the Lord, and afterwards the warriors entered, and the rest of the crowd behind the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.  And all the rest of the crowd encircled the city from close at hand   Joshua…

Imperfect

For I am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually before me.  For I admit my guilt; I am full of anxiety because of my sin.  Psalm 38:17-18  NASB Continually before – Pay attention!  The Hebrew words translated “continually before” are negdi tāmîd.  The root of negdi is neged.  Why is this important?  Because in the very next sentence,…

Not So Obvious

A Prayer of the afflicted when he is weak and pours out his complaint before the Lord.  Psalm 102 NASB Before – A curious thing has happened in this verse.  The English order doesn’t follow the Hebrew order.  In Hebrew, the phrase “before the Lord” comes after “is weak (is faint).”  The Hebrew verse reads: “A…

Boundaries

You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.   Psalm 139:5 NASB Behind and before– What does it feel like to have God’s hand heavy upon you?  Does it feel comfortable?  Gracious?  Or do you feel as if you can’t move?  Pressed?  Coerced?  Curbed?  In this verse, the emphasis comes first, and in this…

Who’s Following?

Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty;
Walk before Me, and be blameless.” Genesis 17:1 NASB Before – El Shaddai speaks to Abram. Let’s think about this opening phrase for a moment. First there is the issue with the meaning of “El Shaddai.”…