For the fate of the sons of mankind and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath, and there is no advantage for mankind over animals, for all is futility. Ecclesiastes 3:19 NASB Fate – In Hebrew, the word miqreh comes from…
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,”…
Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” Exodus 24:7 NASB 1995 We will do – Do you remember Sacks’ comment: “The entire drama of Torah flows from this point of…
So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer. Job 42:9 NIV Accepted – What is implied in the verb “accepted”? Interestingly, the Hebrew root is nāśāʾ, the same verb that is used for carrying away sin. When the text tells us that God accepted Job’s prayer, it is telling us…
When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send word to them and consecrate them, getting up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Job did so continually. Job 1:5 NASB Continually – Literally, “all the…
In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch of David sprout; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. Jeremiah 33:15 NASB In those days – We’ll take a break from Luzzatto and Mesillat Yesharim for a moment. This message came to me by email. I want to comment on…
The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. Genesis 2:8 NASB Garden in Eden – “The good ol’ days.” That’s what we really want, isn’t it? Those days that didn’t seem so stressful, so chaotic, so confusing. What we really want is…
If you buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve; and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. Exodus 21:2 Hebrew World Six years – Apparently God is not interested in profit; at least not in the same way that we are. Imagine the ridiculous consequences of this Torah commandment. Someone…
and now Israel, what does the LORD require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, . . . Deuteronomy 10:12 ESV Fear the LORD – Moses Luzzatto explores the…
God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27 NASB Male and female – What is the point of the repetition? Wasn’t it clear enough with the first, “God created man”? Why add the second “in the image of God He…
