Hebrew Language

- Hebrew of the Hebrews: One whose parents are both Hebrews (Phi 3:5; Co2 11:22); a genuine Hebrew. - Hebrews: (Act 6:1) were the Hebrew-speaking Jews, as distinguished from those who spoke Greek. (See GREEKS.) - Hebrew language: The language of the Hebrew nation, and that in which the Old Testament is written, with the exception of a few portions in Chaldee. In the Old Testament it is only spoken of as "Jewish" (Kg2 18:26, Kg2 18:28; Isa 36:11, Isa 36:13; Ch2 32:18). This name is first used by the Jews in times subsequent to the close of the Old Testament. It is one of the class of languages called Semitic, because they were chiefly spoken among the descendants of Shem. When Abraham entered Canaan it is obvious that he found the language of its inhabitants closely allied to his own. Isaiah (Isa 19:18) calls it "the language of Canaan." Whether this language, as seen in the earliest books of the Old Testament, was the very dialect which Abraham brought with him into Canaan, or whether it was the common tongue of the Canaanitish nations which he only adopted, is uncertain; probably the latter opinion is the correct one. For the thousand years between Moses and the Babylonian exile the Hebrew language underwent little or no modification. It preserves all through a remarkable uniformity of structure. From the first it appears in its full maturity of development. But through intercourse with Damascus, Assyria, and Babylon, from the time of David, and more particularly from the period of the Exile, it comes under the influence of the Aramaic idiom, and this is seen in the writings which date from this period. It was never spoken in its purity by the Jews after their return from Babylon. They now spoke Hebrew with a large admixture of Aramaic or Chaldee, which latterly became the predominant element in the national language. The Hebrew of the Old Testament has only about six thousand words, all derived from about five hundred roots. Hence the same word has sometimes a great variety of meanings. So long as it was a living language, and for ages after, only the consonants of the words were written. This also has been a source of difficulty in interpreting certain words, for the meaning varies according to the vowels which may be supplied. The Hebrew is one of the oldest languages of which we have any knowledge. It is essentially identical with the Phoenician language. (See MOABITE STONE.) The Semitic languages, to which class the Hebrew and Phoenician belonged, were spoken over a very wide area: in Babylonia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine and Arabia, in all the countries from the Mediterranean to the borders of Assyria, and from the mountains of Armenia to the Indian Ocean. The rounded form of the letters, as seen in the Moabite stone, was probably that in which the ancient Hebrew was written down to the time of the Exile, when the present square or Chaldean form was adopted. - Hebrews, Epistle to: (1.) Its canonicity. All the results of critical and historical research to which this epistle has been specially subjected abundantly vindicate its right to a place in the New Testament canon among the other inspired books. (2.) Its authorship. A considerable variety of opinions on this subject has at different times been advanced. Some have maintained that its author was Silas, Paul's companion. Others have attributed it to Clement of Rome, or Luke, or Barnabas, or some unknown Alexandrian Christian, or Apollos; but the conclusion which we think is best supported, both from internal and external evidence, is that Paul was its author. There are, no doubt, many difficulties in the way of accepting it as Paul's; but we may at least argue with Calvin that there can be no difficulty in the way of "embracing it without controversy as one of the apostolic epistles." (3.) Date and place of writing. It was in all probability written at Rome, near the close of Paul's two years' imprisonment (Heb 13:19, Heb 13:24). It was certainly written before the destruction of Jerusalem (Heb 13:10). (4.) To whom addressed. Plainly it was intended for Jewish converts to the faith of the gospel, probably for the church at Jerusalem. The subscription of this epistle is, of course, without authority. In this case it is incorrect, for obviously Timothy could not be the bearer of it (Heb 13:23). (5.) Its design was to show the true end and meaning of the Mosaic system, and its symbolical and transient character. It proves that the Levitical priesthood was a "shadow" of that of Christ, and that the legal sacrifices prefigured the great and all-perfect sacrifice he offered for us. It explains that the gospel was designed, not to modify the law of Moses, but to supersede and abolish it. Its teaching was fitted, as it was designed, to check that tendency to apostatize from Christianity and to return to Judaism which now showed itself among certain Jewish Christians. The supreme authority and the transcendent glory of the gospel are clearly set forth, and in such a way as to strengthen and confirm their allegiance to Christ. (6.) It consists of two parts: (a) doctrinal (Heb. 1 - 10:18), (b) and practical (Heb. 10:19 - 13:25). There are found in it many references to portions of the Old Testament. It may be regarded as a treatise supplementary to the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians, and as an inspired commentary on the book of Leviticus. - Hebron: A community; alliance. (1.) A city in the south end of the valley of Eshcol, about midway between Jerusalem and Beersheba, from which it is distant about 20 miles in a straight line. It was built "seven years before Zoan in Egypt" (Gen 13:18; Num 13:22). It still exists under the same name, and is one of the most ancient cities in the world. Its earlier name was Kirjath-arba (Gen 23:2; Jos 14:15; Jos 15:3). But "Hebron would appear to have been the original name of the city, and it was not till after Abraham's stay there that it received the name Kirjath-arba, who [i.e., Arba] was not the founder but the conqueror of the city, having led thither the tribe of the Anakim, to which he belonged. It retained this name till it came into the possession of Caleb, when the Israelites restored the original name Hebron" (Keil, Com.). The name of this city does not occur in any of the prophets or in the New Testament. It is found about forty times in the Old. It was the favourite home of Abraham. Here he pitched his tent under the oaks of Mamre, by which name it came afterwards to be known; and here Sarah died, and was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Gen 23:17), which he bought from Ephron the Hittite. From this place the patriarch departed for Egypt by way of Beersheba (Gen 37:14; Gen 46:1). It was taken by Joshua and given to Caleb (Jos 10:36, Jos 10:37; Jos 12:10; Jos 14:13). It became a Levitical city and a city of refuge (Jos 20:7; Jos 21:11). When David became king of Judah this was his royal residence, and he resided here for seven and a half years (Sa2 5:5); and here he was anointed as king over all Israel (Sa2 2:1, Sa2 2:11; Kg1 2:11). It became the residence also of the rebellious Absalom (Sa2 15:10), who probably expected to find his chief support in the tribe of Judah, now called el-Khulil. In one part of the modern city is a great mosque, which is built over the grave of Machpelah. The first European who was permitted to enter this mosque was the Prince of Wales in 1862. It was also visited by the Marquis of Bute in 1866, and by the late Emperor Frederick of Germany (then Crown-Prince of Prussia) in 1869. One of the largest oaks in Palestine is found in the valley of Eshcol, about 3 miles north of the town. It is supposed by some to be the tree under which Abraham pitched his tent, and is called "Abraham's oak." (See OAK.) (2.) The third son of Kohath the Levite (Exo 6:18; Ch1 6:2, Ch1 6:18). (3.) Ch1 2:42, Ch1 2:43. (4.) A town in the north border of Asher (Jos 19:28). - Hegai: Eunuch, had charge of the harem of Ahasuerus (Est 2:8). - Heifer: Heb. 'eglah , (Deu 21:4, Deu 21:6; Jer 46:20). Untrained to the yoke (Hos 10:11); giving milk (Isa 7:21); ploughing (Jdg 14:18); treading out grain (Jer 50:11); unsubdued to the yoke an emblem of Judah (Isa 15:5; Jer 48:34). Heb. parah (Gen 41:2; Num 19:2). Bearing the yoke (Hos 4:16); "heifers of Bashan" (Amo 4:1), metaphorical for the voluptuous females of Samaria. The ordinance of sacrifice of the "red heifer" described in Num 19:1; compare Heb 9:13. - Heir: Under the patriarchs the property of a father was divided among the sons of his legitimate wives (Gen 21:10; Gen 24:36; Gen 25:5), the eldest son getting a larger portion than the rest. The Mosaic law made specific regulations regarding the transmission of real property, which are given in detail in Deu 21:17; Num 27:8; Num 36:6; Num 27:9. Succession to property was a matter of right and not of favour. Christ is the "heir of all things" (Heb 1:2; Col 1:15). Believers are heirs of the "promise," "of righteousness," "of the kingdom," "of the world," "of God," "joint heirs" with Christ (Gal 3:29; Heb 6:17; Heb 11:7; Jam 2:5; Rom 4:13; Rom 8:17). - Helah: Rust, (Ch1 4:5, Ch1 4:7), one of the wives of Ashur. - Helam: Place of abundance, a place on the east of Jordan and west of the Euphrates where David gained a great victory over the Syrian army (Sa2 10:16), which was under the command of Shobach. Some would identify it with Alamatta, near Nicephorium.        

HalleluYAH

- Hallelujah: Praise ye Jehovah, frequently rendered "Praise ye the Lord," stands at the beginning of ten of the psalms (Ps. 106, 111-113, 135, 146 - 150), hence called "hallelujah psalms." From its frequent occurrence it grew into a formula of praise. The Greek form of the word ( alleluia ) is found in Rev 19:1, Rev 19:3, Rev 19:4, Rev 19:6. - Hallow: To render sacred, to consecrate (Exo 28:38; Exo 29:1). This word is from the Saxon, and properly means "to make holy." The name of God is "hallowed", i.e., is reverenced as holy (Mat 6:9). - Halt: Lame on the feet (Gen 32:31; Psa 38:17). To "halt between two opinions" (Kg1 18:21) is supposed by some to be an expression used in "allusion to birds, which hop from spray to spray, forwards and backwards." The LXX. render the expression "How long go ye lame on both knees?" The Hebrew verb rendered "halt" is used of the irregular dance ("leaped upon") around the altar (Kg1 18:26). It indicates a lame, uncertain gait, going now in one direction, now in another, in the frenzy of wild leaping. - Ham: Warm, hot, and hence the south; also an Egyptian word meaning "black", the youngest son of Noah (Gen 5:32; compare Gen 9:22, Gen 9:24). The curse pronounced by Noah against Ham, properly against Canaan his fourth son, was accomplished when the Jews subsequently exterminated the Canaanites. One of the most important facts recorded in Gen. 10 is the foundation of the earliest monarchy in Babylonia by Nimrod the grandson of Ham (Gen 10:6, Gen 10:8, Gen 10:10). The primitive Babylonian empire was thus Hamitic, and of a cognate race with the primitive inhabitants of Arabia and of Ethiopia. (See ACCAD.) The race of Ham were the most energetic of all the descendants of Noah in the early times of the post-diluvian world. See table: Ham Families scattered to the extreme south Cush Mizraim Phut Canaan The Ethiopians and their colonies The Egyptians and their colonies The Libyans and Mauritanians The Canaanites, Phoenicians, and their colonies - Haman: Of Persian origin), magnificent, the name of the vizier (i.e., the prime minister) of the Persian king Ahasuerus (Est 3:1, etc.). He is called an "Agagite," which seems to denote that he was descended from the royal family of the Amalekites, the bitterest enemies of the Jews, as Agag was one of the titles of the Amalekite kings. He or his parents were brought to Persia as captives taken in war. He was hanged on the gallows which he had erected for Mordecai the Jew (Est 7:10). (See ESTHER.) - Hamath: Fortress, the capital of one of the kingdoms of Upper Syria of the same name, on the Orontes, in the valley of Lebanon, at the northern boundary of Palestine (Num 13:21; Num 34:8), at the foot of Hermon (Jos 13:5) towards Damascus (Zac 9:2; Jer 49:23). It is called "Hamath the great" in Amo 6:2, and "Hamath-zobah" in Ch2 8:3. Hamath, now Hamah, had an Aramaean population, but Hittite monuments discovered there show that it must have been at one time occupied by the Hittites. It was among the conquests of the Pharaoh Thothmes III. Its king, Tou or Toi, made alliance with David (Sa2 8:10), and in 740 B.C. Azariah formed a league with it against Assyria. It was, however, conquered by the Assyrians, and its nineteen districts placed under Assyrian governors. In 720 B.C. it revolted under a certain Yahu-bihdi, whose name, compounded with that of the God of Israel (Yahu), perhaps shows that he was of Jewish origin. But the revolt was suppressed, and the people of Hamath were transported to Samaria (Kg2 17:24, Kg2 17:30), where they continued to worship their god Ashima. Hamah is beautifully situated on the Orontes, 32 miles north of Emesa, and 36 south of the ruins of Assamea. The kingdom of Hamath comprehended the great plain lying on both banks of the Orontes from the fountain near Riblah to Assamea on the north, and from Lebanon on the west to the desert on the east. The "entrance of Hamath" (Num 34:8), which was the north boundary of Palestine, led from the west between the north end of Lebanon and the Nusairiyeh mountains. - Hamath-zobah: Fortress of Zobah, (Ch2 8:3) is supposed by some to be a different place from the foregoing; but this is quite uncertain. - Hammath: Warm springs, one of the "fenced cities" of Naphtali (Jos 19:35). It is identified with the warm baths (the heat of the water ranging from 136 degrees to 144 degrees) still found on the shore a little to the south of Tiberias under the name of Hummam Tabariyeh ("Bath of Tiberias"). - Hammedatha: Father of Haman, designated usually "the Agagite" (Est 3:1, Est 3:10; Est 8:5). - Hammelech: The king's, the father of Jerahmeel, mentioned in Jer 36:26. Some take this word as a common noun, "the king", and understand that Jerahmeel was Jehoiakim's son. Probably, however, it is to be taken as a proper name.        

AMEN or AMEIN or OMEIN

AMEN OR AMEIN?
The Hebrew of the First Covenant [Old Testament] reveals to us that the Scriptural Hebrew word (which means: so be it, or verily or surely) is
"Amein" (Phonetic Spelling is          “aw-mane”) and not "Amen".
Anyone can confirm this in Strong’s Concordance, No 543 in its Hebrew Lexicon, or in Aaron Pick's Dictionary of Old Testament Words for English Readers. 

I personally write it as “Ahmein” – it sounds exactly the same as the phonetic spelling and does NOT ALTER the word, nor does it alter the pronunciation of the word!  The letters “ah” appears TWICE in Almighty Father Y-ah-u-ah’s Name and ONCE in Messiah Y-ah-u-shu-a’s Name! In them everything is established (so be it)!

Why then, has this Scriptural word "Amein" been rendered as "Amen" in our versions? Again we can see how the pagans have been made welcome, been conciliated, by adopting the name of pagan deity into the Church.

The Egyptians, including the Alexandrians, had been worshipping, or been acquainted with, the head of the Egyptian pantheon, Amen-Ra, the great Sun-deity, for more than 1 000 years, B.C.E. Before this deity became known as Amenra – he was only known as Amen among the Thebians. This substitution of "Amen" for "Amein" was greatly facilitated by the fact that this Egyptian deity's name was spelt in Egyptian hieroglyphic language with only three letters: AMN. 

On the other hand, the Egyptian deity AMN is rendered by various sources as AMEN, or AMUN, or as AMON. However, the most reliable Egyptologists and archaeologists, such as Sir E.A. Wallis Budge, Dr. A.B. Cook, Prof. A Wiedemann, Sir W.M.F. Petrie, and A.W. Shorter, as well as some authoritative dictionaries, all render the name of this Egyptian deity as AMEN. This AMEN was originally the Theban "hidden god who is in heaven" -- "the hidden one, probably meaning hidden sun". Funk and Wagnalls, Standard College Dictionary, describes it, "AMEN: In Egyptian mythology, the god of life and procreation... later identified with the Sun-god as the supreme deity, and called 'Amen-Ra'.

"James Bonwick, Egyptian Belief and Modern Thought”, repeatedly and frankly calls the Sun-deity of Egypt by its correct name: AMEN. He states on pp. 123-125, "AMEN ... is in a sense, the chief deity of Egypt - supreme divinity. Whatever else he is, he must be accepted as the sun ... the hidden god, the solar aspect is clear ... there is the disk of the sun ... the sun Amen ... His identification with Ba’al ... establishes him as a solar deity ....

"  Smith's Bible Dictionary expresses AMEN as, "an Egyptian divinity ... he was worshipped ... as Amen-Ra, or 'Amen the Sun'." Herodotus recorded for us how the Greeks identified their Zeus with Amen-Ra. Yahushua Messiah calls Himself "the Amein" in Rev 3:14. 

Substituting a title or name of Yahushua with the name of the great hidden Sky-deity or the great Sun-deity of the Egyptians, Amen, is inconceivable! The difference is subtle, but it is there. By ending our prayers "Amen" instead of "Amein", one could very well conclude: We have been misled to [unintentionally] invoke the name of the Egyptian Sun-deity at the end of our prayers!
From the Book “Come out of Her My People” by C.J. Koster

Shabbachtani and Things

- Rye: =Rie (Heb. kussemeth ), found in Exo 9:32; Isa 28:25, in all of which the margins of the Authorized and of the Revised Versions have "spelt." This Hebrew word also occurs in Eze 4:9, where the Authorized Version has "fitches" (q.v.) and the Revised Version "spelt." This, there can be no doubt, was the Triticum spelta, a species of hard, rough-grained wheat. - Sabachthani: Thou hast forsaken me, one of the Aramaic words uttered by our Lord on the cross (Mat 27:46; Mar 15:34). - Sabaoth: The transliteration of the Hebrew word tsebha'oth , meaning "hosts," "armies" (Rom 9:29; Jam 5:4). In the LXX. the Hebrew word is rendered by "Almighty." (See Rev 4:8; compare Isa 6:3.) It may designate Jehovah as either (1.) God of the armies of earth, or (2.) God of the armies of the stars, or (3.) God of the unseen armies of angels; or perhaps it may include all these ideas. - Sabbath: (Heb. verb shabbath , meaning "to rest from labour"), the day of rest. It is first mentioned as having been instituted in Paradise, when man was in innocence (Gen 2:2). "The sabbath was made for man," as a day of rest and refreshment for the body and of blessing to the soul. It is next referred to in connection with the gift of manna to the children of Israel in the wilderness (Exo 16:23); and afterwards, when the law was given from Sinai (Exo 20:11), the people were solemnly charged to "remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." Thus it is spoken of as an institution already existing. In the Mosaic law strict regulations were laid down regarding its observance (Exo 35:2, Exo 35:3; Lev 23:3; Lev 26:34). These were peculiar to that dispensation. In the subsequent history of the Jews frequent references are made to the sanctity of the Sabbath (Isa 56:2, Isa 56:4, Isa 56:6, Isa 56:7; Isa 58:13, Isa 58:14; Jer 17:20; Neh 13:19). In later times they perverted the Sabbath by their traditions. Our Lord rescued it from their perversions, and recalled to them its true nature and intent (Mat 12:10; Mar 2:27; Luk 13:10). The Sabbath, originally instituted for man at his creation, is of permanent and universal obligation. The physical necessities of man require a Sabbath of rest. He is so constituted that his bodily welfare needs at least one day in seven for rest from ordinary labour. Experience also proves that the moral and spiritual necessities of men also demand a Sabbath of rest. "I am more and more sure by experience that the reason for the observance of the Sabbath lies deep in the everlasting necessities of human nature, and that as long as man is man the blessedness of keeping it, not as a day of rest only, but as a day of spiritual rest, will never be annulled. I certainly do feel by experience the eternal obligation, because of the eternal necessity, of the Sabbath. The soul withers without it. It thrives in proportion to its observance. The Sabbath was made for man. God made it for men in a certain spiritual state because they needed it. The need, therefore, is deeply hidden in human nature. He who can dispense with it must be holy and spiritual indeed. And he who, still unholy and unspiritual, would yet dispense with it is a man that would fain be wiser than his Maker" (F. W. Robertson). The ancient Babylonian calendar, as seen from recently recovered inscriptions on the bricks among the ruins of the royal palace, was based on the division of time into weeks of seven days. The Sabbath is in these inscriptions designated Sabattu, and defined as "a day of rest for the heart" and "a day of completion of labour." The change of the day. Originally at creation the seventh day of the week was set apart and consecrated as the Sabbath. The first day of the week is now observed as the Sabbath. Has God authorized this change? There is an obvious distinction between the Sabbath as an institution and the particular day set apart for its observance. The question, therefore, as to the change of the day in no way affects the perpetual obligation of the Sabbath as an institution. Change of the day or no change, the Sabbath remains as a sacred institution the same. It cannot be abrogated. If any change of the day has been made, it must have been by Christ or by his authority. Christ has a right to make such a change (Mar 2:23). As Creator, Christ was the original Lord of the Sabbath (Joh 1:3; Heb 1:10). It was originally a memorial of creation. A work vastly greater than that of creation has now been accomplished by him, the work of redemption. We would naturally expect just such a change as would make the Sabbath a memorial of that greater work. True, we can give no text authorizing the change in so many words. We have no express law declaring the change. But there are evidences of another kind. We know for a fact that the first day of the week has been observed from apostolic times, and the necessary conclusion is, that it was observed by the apostles and their immediate disciples. This, we may be sure, they never would have done without the permission or the authority of their Lord. After his resurrection, which took place on the first day of the week (Mat 28:1; Mar 16:2; Luk 24:1; Joh 20:1), we never find Christ meeting with his disciples on the seventh day. But he specially honoured the first day by manifesting himself to them on four separate occasions (Mat 28:9; Luk 24:34, 18-33; Joh 20:19). Again, on the next first day of the week, Jesus appeared to his disciples (Joh 20:26). Some have calculated that Christ's ascension took place on the first day of the week. And there can be no doubt that the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost was on that day (Act 2:1). Thus Christ appears as instituting a new day to be observed by his people as the Sabbath, a day to be henceforth known amongst them as the "Lord's day." The observance of this "Lord's day" as the Sabbath was the general custom of the primitive churches, and must have had apostolic sanction (compare Act 20:3; Co1 16:1, Co1 16:2) and authority, and so the sanction and authority of Jesus Christ. The words "at her sabbaths" (Lam 1:7, A.V.) ought probably to be, as in the Revised Version, "at her desolations." - Sabbath Day's Journey: Supposed to be a distance of 2,000 cubits, or less than half-a-mile, the distance to which, according to Jewish tradition, it was allowable to travel on the Sabbath day without violating the law (Act 1:12; compare Exo 16:29; Num 35:5; Jos 3:4). - Sabbatical Year: Every seventh year, during which the land, according to the law of Moses, had to remain uncultivated (Lev 25:2; compare Exo 23:10, Exo 23:11, Exo 23:12; Lev 26:34, Lev 26:35). Whatever grew of itself during that year was not for the owner of the land, but for the poor and the stranger and the beasts of the field. All debts, except those of foreigners, were to be remitted (Deu 15:1). There is little notice of the observance of this year in Biblical history. It appears to have been much neglected (Ch2 36:20, Ch2 36:21). - Sabeans: Descendants of Seba (Gen 10:7); Africans (Isa 43:3). They were "men of stature," and engaged in merchandise (Isa 45:14). Their conversion to the Lord was predicted (Psa 72:10). This word, in Eze 23:42, should be read, as in the margin of the Authorized Version, and in the Revised Version, "drunkards." Another tribe, apparently given to war, is mentioned in Job 1:15. - Sabtah: Rest, the third son of Cush (Gen 10:7; Ch1 1:9). - Sabtecha: The fifth son of Cush (id.). - Sachar: Hire. (1.) One of David's heroes (Ch1 11:35); called also Sharar (Sa2 23:33). (2.) A son of Obed-edom the Gittite, and a temple porter (Ch1 26:4).