Today's Word
“A lion roars. Who does not fear? The Master, the LORD, speaks. Who cannot prophesy?” Amos 3:8 Robert Alter translation Prophesy – Does this two-line poem seem odd to you? What does the roar of a lion have to do with giving divine predictions? Before we can draw conclusions about Amos’ intention, we need to…
Read MoreThen the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me. Exodus 8:1 NASB Go – We all know that Hebrew is backwards. After all, it reads from right to left. The “proper” way is to read from left to right,…
Read MoreIn the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover. Leviticus 23:5 NASB At twilight – Pesach. The festival [of] the matzoth (Hebrew: חג המצות ḥag ha-matzôth. According to the biblical text, the festival starts at twilight tonight. “Evenings were quite important for sacrificial acts and ceremonial meals in ancient Israel….
Read More“Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher, “Futility of futilities! All is futility.” Ecclesiastes 1:2 NASB Futility – “Ecclesiastes is a strange and disquieting book. It gives voice to an experience not usually thought of as religious: the pain and frustration engendered by an unblinking gaze at life’s absurdities and injustices.”[1] The Preacher (Teacher) Qohelet writes…
Read More“Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher, “Futility of futilities! All is futility.” Ecclesiastes 1:2 NASB Futility – Vanity of vanities. You probably know this verse with the KJV rendering of the Hebrew hebel. “Futility” is much better. Qohelet isn’t decrying pride. He’s exasperated about life’s purposelessness. In the end, it all turns to rot. As…
Read MoreHow much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. Proverbs 16:16 NASB Wisdom – Proverbs commends obtaining wisdom. What it doesn’t tell you is that there is a price to pay. You have to learn the hard way. Others who have chosen this path offer…
Read More“Moses My servant is dead; so now arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.” Joshua 1:2 NASB This – There’s something very odd hidden in this verse, something you will never see in translation. The two nouns, “Jordan” and “people” have…
Read MoreNow it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, Joshua 1:1 NASB It came about – Once more I ask you recall that odd Hebrew verb tense called the waw-conversive. You remember the discussion from Genesis 3:10 where Adam says (in…
Read MoreAs for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30 NIV The Lord’s word – My apologies. This edition is a bit academic, but it needs to be since the issues surrounding the canon and the Bible require scholarly investigation. For those who read the Bible…
Read MoreAs for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30 NIV Flawless – Yes, that’s right. The title of this little investigation is not “the Bible.” It is “the Bibles.” Why? Because there is no such thing as the Bible. Hold on! Take a deep breath—and…
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