But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. Joshua 9:19 NASB Cannot touch – This is one of those verses that I just can’t figure out. I mean that I find no logical explanation for the excuse offered by the leaders. And investigating…
Circumcise yourselves to the Lord and remove the foreskins of your hearts, men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or else My wrath will spread like fire and burn with no one to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.” Jeremiah 4:4 NASB Foreskins – As I read this verse I was reminded of the sexual imagery found throughout…
And the children of Israel did not smite them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the princes. Joshua 9:18 Chabad Complained against – “Except for Josh 9:18, a reference to Israel’s displeasure with Joshua’s handling of the Gibeonite lie, all occurrences of…
So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Exodus 2:24 NASB Covenant – I suppose the first thing we need to address in this verse is the possibility that God forgot about His covenant and it took the groaning of the people to remind Him. At least, that’s what this translation might suggest. When we use the word “remember,”…
I will also break the gate bar of Damascus, and eliminate every inhabitant from the [c]Valley of Aven, as well as him who holds the scepter, from Beth-eden; so the people of Aram will be exiled to Kir,” says the Lord. Amos 1:5 NASB Eliminate – Perhaps you recognize the symbolic, metaphorical use of this term. It’s karat. “The most important use of the root is ‘to cut’…
May Your favor [ad]comfort me, according to Your [ae]word to Your servant. Psalm 119:76 NASB Comfort – We start this investigation by noting two things: 1) the opening in Hebrew is not translated in this NASB version. That opening is necessary for the acrostic pattern. It is יְהִי־נָ֣א, with a yod, and should probably be translated “O,…
The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Genesis 2:23 NASB 1995 Now – The verse that just doesn’t quit! We have come back to it over and over, discovering more depth each time. We already…
Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer nor His lovingkindness from me. Psalm 66:20 NASB Has not turned away – As we discovered yesterday, the biblical standard is holiness. Absolute holiness. There is no “bell curve” of righteousness. There is no appeasement policy. There is no “life” insurance because you once made some…
I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. Genesis 17:7 NASB You and your descendants– Are you ready? Are you ready to really deal with the implications of God’s covenant promise to Abraham? Oh, I’m sure you think that…
Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them. Joshua 9:15 NASB A covenant– We know the story, a tragic one. God instructs Joshua to spare no one as the Israelites march into the Promised Land. God wants the slate to be…
