Walk Among the Tombstones

May their encampment be laid waste, and in their tents may no one dwell.  Psalm 69:26 [Hebrew Bible]  Robert Alter No one dwell – Enough already!  David’s already cursed them.  He’s already wished them trapped, blind, and feeble.  He’s elicited the storm God to scorch them with hot lava.  Why keep the curses going?  Ah,…

Jewish Gentiles

However, Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua [a]spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.  Joshua 6:25 NASB Has lived – The Hebrew verb yāšab means “to sit, to remain, to dwell.”  The NASB translation…

Sin Nature

But if I do the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me.  Romans 7:20  NASB Dwells in me – Since Augustine theologians have gotten a lot of mileage out of this verse.  It just seems so patently Platonic.  I am really two people; the one…

Birds of a Feather

And they shall make Me a Tabernacle, that I may abide in their midst.  Exodus 25:8  Robert Alter Abide – The Hebrew root describing God’s desire to abide with His people is šākan.  Perhaps you’ll recognize that this is precisely the same root of the word miškān, “Tabernacle.”  Here the author chooses a nice play…

Entry Pass

Lord, who will sojourn in Your tent, who will dwell on Your holy mountain?  Psalm 15:1  Robert Alter Sojourn/ dwell – Who do you suppose the psalmist has in mind?  You have all the clues you need: a tent, a mountain, a temporary encampment, a permanent residence.  Who else could it be but Moses?  The…

Shout Out!

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.  Romans 8:9  NASB If indeed – eiper (εἴπερ) is an exclamation point in Greek.  It is used to intensify an expression.  Paul…

Worth Noting

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  Philippians 4:8  NASB Dwell– Paul is quite interested in what really matters.  He uses the Greek verb  logízomai to emphasize reasoned deliberation…

First This, Then That

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  Philippians 4:8  NASB Dwell – You probably learned this verse in the King James version: “Think on these things.”  That version…

Hitchhiker’s Guide to Babylon (1)

“Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce.   Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease.   Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you…

What Happens Next

I am a stranger on earth. Hide not your commandments from me. Psalm 119:19 (Abraham Heschel translation) Stranger – John Oswalt’s book, The Bible Among the Myths, is an excellent analysis of the concept of myth in the ancient world. His insights help us see why the Bible is not to be categorized as myth,…