Well, we had our Bible Study.
It went really well but it was very intense and very difficult. Elise does not agree with me on my views about Predestination and while her disagreement really helped further the study and brought us to a much deeper study, but I think it was very difficult not to take it personally when Bryan and I both agreed and she did not. We had a great discussion about it afterward, but I don't care to share that here. That's mine and hers.
I think the final verdict was, Bryan and I have a new, deeper understanding of what we believe is an important doctrinal issue and I find myself very excited for Bible Study. I'm having a blast.
A few point we touched on but did not find a solid answer yet:
1.) Is the Tree of Life a physical tree? (I've just changed my mind on this actually as I'm writing. I believe it is a tree.)
2.) If Adam and Eve had not sinned, would they live forever? We did determine that they would, but we were undecided as to whether that would have been natural life, or life sustained by eating physical fruit from a physical Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden.
I personally, don't think the Tree of Life is a physical, tree with bark and branches. I think it refers to a precarnated Jesus or possibly the Holy Spirit. I think it is some aspect of God. I have no scripture or anything to support this, it's just a gut feeling I've always had.
I do think that Adam and Eve, without sin, would live forever. In 1 Enoch, God says that the abomination of Angels breeding with Humans is intolerable because childbirth is a gift for Man who does not live forever, but Angels are immortal and have no need for children to contenue their line.
So, it is my belief that without sin, Adam and Eve would have lived forever and had no children, but when they sinned, God numbered their days but he gave them (or taught them) how to have children thought child baring would come with significant pain to women, and men would have pain and toil to work the earth for food.
Anyway, it was awesome. I brought a printout of the previous post and we covered each scripture in detail and a few extras as conversation moved. I really think God met us there and we had a great time of study. I also noticed how much I sound like my dad when I talk about biblical things, but I don't think I mind that. I'm a little bit proud of it, as I am proud of him.
I think I want to print up some T-Shirts that say "I Survived Predestination" to promote the bible study group. We really need more people. I think that would have made this topic much easier to discuss and much less liek a personal attack. None of us want to attack or judge eachother's beliefs, we're all just searching for the Truth.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Predestination Preview
We'll be Discussing Ephesians 1 at our next bible study. I've been preparing by researching the topic of Predestination from chapter 1, verse 5. Here is some info I've printed out for Monday's discussions:
Predestination
Ephesians 1:3-6
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
Did we choose God or did God choose us? In Exodus, God states to Moses that He chooses who he will show mercy to. Could this mean He also chooses who He will save?
Exodus 33:18-19
Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
Here, Jesus talks in parable about the Kingdom of Heaven. It sounds to me like an account of God calling the Jews as his Chosen, but the Jews did not heed His calls and rejected His Messiah. And so Jesus called to the Gentiles and anyone who would come. All were welcomed. But at the Feast, those who were found unprepared were cast out to a vivid depiction of Hell. “For Many are Called (invited), but Few are Chosen.”
Is this Predestination from the mouth of Jesus?
Matthew 22:1-14
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
For many are called, but few are chosen.”
And here Christ mentions more than once “The Elect” which seems to refer to those who are saved or chosen to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Mark 13:14-23
“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.
And here, Jesus explains his use of Parable to confuse those who are not chosen? And he explains that all are called, all the ‘Seeds’ are spread, but not all the seeds will grow and produce fruit. Some people will hear and not listen at all (Seeds on the thorns?). Some people will hear, they will believe for a short time, but they will not hold steadfast to God (Seeds on the rocks with no roots) when times get tough. Only those who are chosen will grow and bear fruit.
Luke 8:9-15
And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard. Then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
And in John, Jesus is speaking to the Jews. He makes two points:
1.) Whoever believes has eternal life.
2.) No one can come to me (Jesus) unless the Father (God) who sent me (Jesus) draws him.
So, all who believe in Jesus are saved, but those who believe are first drawn (or chosen?) by God?
John 6:41-51
So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
Predestination
Ephesians 1:3-6
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
Did we choose God or did God choose us? In Exodus, God states to Moses that He chooses who he will show mercy to. Could this mean He also chooses who He will save?
Exodus 33:18-19
Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
Here, Jesus talks in parable about the Kingdom of Heaven. It sounds to me like an account of God calling the Jews as his Chosen, but the Jews did not heed His calls and rejected His Messiah. And so Jesus called to the Gentiles and anyone who would come. All were welcomed. But at the Feast, those who were found unprepared were cast out to a vivid depiction of Hell. “For Many are Called (invited), but Few are Chosen.”
Is this Predestination from the mouth of Jesus?
Matthew 22:1-14
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
For many are called, but few are chosen.”
And here Christ mentions more than once “The Elect” which seems to refer to those who are saved or chosen to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Mark 13:14-23
“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.
And here, Jesus explains his use of Parable to confuse those who are not chosen? And he explains that all are called, all the ‘Seeds’ are spread, but not all the seeds will grow and produce fruit. Some people will hear and not listen at all (Seeds on the thorns?). Some people will hear, they will believe for a short time, but they will not hold steadfast to God (Seeds on the rocks with no roots) when times get tough. Only those who are chosen will grow and bear fruit.
Luke 8:9-15
And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard. Then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
And in John, Jesus is speaking to the Jews. He makes two points:
1.) Whoever believes has eternal life.
2.) No one can come to me (Jesus) unless the Father (God) who sent me (Jesus) draws him.
So, all who believe in Jesus are saved, but those who believe are first drawn (or chosen?) by God?
John 6:41-51
So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Obsession or Scholarly Persuit?
Sunday, Pastor David talked about the account of the spies in Numbers 13:33 which mentions Giants; sons of Anak. These sound like the Nephilim. It got me all fired up on an old interest from Genesis 6:4. I've become a little obsessed with the Nephilim. Here is some information I've collected so far, including some text from 1 Enoch in the Pseudepigrapha.
It sounds as though it might be possible for Angels and Humans to have children together, but the union of the two races is strictly forbidden and might have actually been the final catalyst for the Genesis Flood. Apparently the Nephilim were imortal half-breeds who became corrupted and sinful. The fallen Angels tought them all manner of sins, and when God saw this, he was so angered that he sent his Arch Angels to bind the Watchers and force them to watch as their evil offspring were drowned off the face of the earth by the flood, then they were imprisoned until Judgement Day to come.
It's full of gripping descriptions of Heaven and Hell and Angels and Demons(Nephilim?) but it's very difficult to follow. So much seems to be in parable and fragments are missing. It's not really known to be a reliable account of biblical history, because the author is unknown, though it is written from Enoch's point of view, and there are few manuscripts in readable condition. Still, it has really inspired me to a deeper study. So far, I've read from 1 Enoch 1-47. Here are some of my resources so far:...
Nephilim:..
The Columbia Encyclopedia 6th Edition:
Nephilim (nēfĭlʹĭm), in the Bible, Hebrew word of no known meaning, denoting peoples of gigantic stature with superhuman strength. The term is translated as “giants” in the Authorized Version. The Book of Genesis refers to Nephilim as the offspring of marriages between “daughters of humans” and “sons of God.” See also Anak.
[1]
Anak (āʹnăk), according to a folk tradition in the Bible, an ancestor of the Anakim, a tribe of giants inhabiting Hebron and its vicinity at the time of the Israelite conquest of Canaan. Arba is cited as Anak’s father, and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai as his sons. According to early tradition in the Book of Joshua, Joshua and Caleb practically eradicated the tribe.
[2]
Hebron, city (1994 pop. 120,000), the West Bank, called Al-Khalil in modern Arabic. Hebron is situated at an altitude of 3,000 ft (910 m) in a region where grapes, cereal grains, and vegetables are grown. Tanning, food processing, glassblowing, and the manufacture of sheepskin coats are the major industries. The city is also a road junction. Hebron has usually had a significant Jewish population, although following Arab riots in 1929 most Jews left and did not return until after the Israeli occupation following the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, when numerous Jewish settlements were established outside Hebron. One of Judaism’s four holy cities, Hebron is also a sacred place for Muslims.
The site of ancient Hebron, which antedates the biblical record, has not been precisely determined. The Bible first mentions Hebron in connection with Abraham. The cave of Machpelah (also called the Cave of the Patriarchs; now enclosed by the Mosque of Ibrahim) is the traditional burial place of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah. David ruled the Hebrews from Hebron for seven years before moving his capital to Jerusalem, and Absalom began his revolt in Hebron.
The city has figured in many wars in Palestine. It was taken (2d cent. b.c.) by Judas Maccabeus (see Maccabees) and temporarily destroyed by the Romans. In 636 it was conquered by the Arabs and made an important place of pilgrimage, later to be seized (1099) by the Crusaders and renamed St. Abraham, and retaken (1187) by Saladin. It later became (16th cent.) part of the Ottoman Empire.
In the 20th cent., Hebron was incorporated (1922–48) in the League of Nations Palestine mandate, and in 1948 it was absorbed by Jordan. As one of the major towns in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the city became a focus of Jewish-Arab tensions. The emergence of the Intifada in the 1980s was accompanied by an escalation of violence, and in 1994 the Mosque of Ibrahim was the site of the murder of Muslim worshipers by an extremist Israeli settler. Under the agreement establishing Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank, the Israeli occupation of Hebron was scheduled to end by Mar., 1996. After setbacks and delays, most of the town of Hebron was handed over to Palestinian control in Jan., 1997.
[3]
Harper’s Bible Dictionary:
Nephilim (nefʹi-leem), people of the pre-Flood generation, the offspring of daughters of men and divine beings (Gen. 6:1-4). Their generation and their conduct seem to have provoked the Flood as punishment (Gen. 6:5-8:22). In Num. 13:33 the Israelite spies describe the inhabitants of Hebron as Nephilim, so large and powerful that ‘we seemed like grasshoppers.’ The name could mean ‘fallen ones’ and allude to stories in related cultures of rebellious giants defeated by the gods in olden times (cf. Isa. 14:12). See also Giant.
[4]
Anchor Bible Dictionary:
NEPHILIM [Heb nĕpilı̂m (נְפִלִים)]. A group of antediluvians who were the product of the union of the sons of God (hā˒ĕlōhı̂m) with the daughters of humans (hā˒ādām) (Gen 6:1–4). They are described as heroic (hāggibbōrı̂m) and famous (˒anšê hāššēm). In Genesis 6, the Nephilim are connected with the multiplication of humanity on the face of the earth (v 1) and with the evil of humanity which brings about God’s judgment in the form of the flood (vv 5–7). Verse 4 includes a reference to later (postdiluvian) Nephilim. The majority of the spies who were sent by Joshua to spy out Canaan reported giants whom they called Nephilim, and who are designated in the account as the sons of Anak (Num 13:33). The reference to Nephilim as ancient dead warriors in Ezek 32:27 requires a textual change from the MT’s nōpĕlı̂m (Zimmerli, Ezekiel Hermeneia, 168, 176; Hendel 1987a: 22).
Their heroic attributes were noted in translating Nephilim in the versions. Both the LXX and the Vulgate render the expression as gigantes. The Syriac has gnbr˒. The Samaritan Pentateuch and Targums also follow this custom (Alexander 1972), using either gybryh (Samaritan), gybrym (Neofiti), or gbr˒ (Onkelos). Targum Pseudo-Jonathan translates Nephilim with the names of the fallen angels (šmḥz˒y w˓z˒l) mentioned in 1 Enoch as leading the rebellion. Nephilim are referred to as “giants” in the Apocrypha/Pseudepigrapha, usually with reference to their pride and wickedness, and to God’s judgment upon them (e.g., Bar 3:26–28). The fullest development appears in 1 Enoch 6–19, and this is followed by allusions in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Midrashim, and the NT (Dimant 1974; Hanson 1977).
2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6 are the NT allusions to the Nephilim. Here they are identified as angels who rebelled and have been imprisoned by God. They lead a list of biblical examples of rebels and their punishments current in contemporary Jewish paraenisis (Bauckham, Jude, 2 Peter WBC, 46–47). Although elements of Greek Titan mythology have been identified here and in Gen 6:1–4 (Kraeling 1947, who separates the gibbōrı̂m from the Nephilim), the presence of a common source for the traditions of 1 Enoch and those of the Greek world is more likely (Bauckham, Jude, 2 Peter WBC, 50–53, 248–49). Speiser (Genesis AB, 46) identifies this source as Hurrian. Kilmer (1987) has sought to identify the Nephilim with the apkallu of Mesopotamian tradition.
The root npl, “to fall,” seems to be the basis of Nephilim, i.e., “the fallen ones.” This may refer to their fall from heaven, their “fall” into sin, or their fallen status as dead at the time when the events are recorded. The earliest use of the W Semitic npl supports the last option. It occurs in a military context, the 14th century b.c.e. letter of Lab’ayu of Shechem to the pharaoh (EA 252, lines 25–27), “Fall under them that they may smite you!” The sons of Anak, who are identified with the later Nephilim in Num 13:33, are also identified with the Rephaim in Deut 2:11 As the Rephaim are understood as ancient warriors slain by Israel and others, so the Nephilim, “the fallen ones,” are those who are doomed to die.
Source critics have ascribed Gen 6:1–4 to J, while recognizing it as uncharacteristic (WPGI, 329; Gunkel, Genesis BKAT, 52; Noth 1948: 29). Recent studies have ascribed the text to a Canaanite origin (Westermann, Genesis BKAT, 499–500) or to later editorial activity (Scharbert 1967: 66–78; Schreiner 1981: 65–74). Hendel (1987a; 1987b) argues that the improper mating of deities and humans was the original reason for the Genesis flood. However, later additions to this tradition changed the reason to the matter of a general evil in the imaginations of humanity.
As fathers of the Nephilim, the identity of the sons of God is important in understanding whether the Nephilim of Genesis 6 were semi-divine or completely human. The sons of God (hā˒ĕlōhı̂m) have been understood as nonhumans (gods, angels), rulers, or descendants of Seth. The first interpretation is supported by the term’s use in Ugaritic myths, in the OT (Ps 29:1; Job 1:6), and in the intertestamental and NT material noted above. It allows for a real contrast with “daughters of men,” which would be nonspecific if it were to mean daughters of nonrulers or daughters of the descendants of Cain (Cassuto 1973; van Gemeren 1980–81; Wenham, Genesis 1–15 WBC, 139–40). Further, the mating of deities with women appears in ANE and Greek mythology (Bartelmus 1979: 36–78). Support of identification with rulers may be found in a similar designation given to the Ugaritic king Keret and to the Davidic king (2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7), and in traditional Jewish exegesis (Alexander 1972; Tsukimoto 1979: 19–21). The Sethite interpretation has few modern adherents (Junker 1935; for a reversal of this argument, in which the Sethites are the daughters of man, cf. Eslinger 1979).
For Wenham (Genesis 1–15 WBC, 141), the key seems to be the limitation of human life span in v 3 The daughters of men willingly cohabited with divine beings in order to produce offspring who would gain much longer life spans and perhaps achieve immortality. By rejecting this attempt, God has established a rigid distinction between the mortal and the immortal (Clines 1979: 33–37; Petersen 1979: 58– 59; Schreiner 1981: 70–72). The mating of the sons of God with the daughters of men became but one example of the “cosmic imbalance” created in Genesis 1–6
Bibliography
Alexander, P. S. 1972. The Targumim and Early Exegesis of “Sons of God”in Genesis 6 JJS 23: 60–71.
Bartelmus, R. 1979. Heroentum in Israel und seiver Umwelt. ATANT 65. Zurich.
Cassuto, U. 1973. The Episode of the Sons of God and the Daughters of Man. Pp. 17–28 in Bible and Oriental Studies. Volume I. Trans. I. Abrahams. Jerusalem.
Clines, D. J. A. 1979. The Significance of the “Sons of God” Episode (Genesis 6:1–4) in the Context of the “Primeval History” (Genesis 1–11). JSOT 13: 33–46.
Dimant, D. 1974. “The Fallen Angels” in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in the Apocryphal and Pseudepigraphic Books Related to Them. Diss., Hebrew University.
Eslinger, L. 1979. A Contextual Identification of the bene ha˒elohim and benoth ha˒adam in Genesis 6:1–4. JSOT 13: 65–73.
Gemeren, W. A. van. 1980–81. The Sons of God in Genesis 6:1–4 (An Example of Evangelical Demythologization?). WTJ 43: 320–48.
Hanson, P. D. 1977. Rebellion in Heaven, Azazel, and Euhemeristic Heroes in 1 Enoch 6–11. JBL 96: 195–233.
Hendel, R. S. 1987a. Of Demigods and the Deluge: Toward an Interpretation of Genesis 6:1–4 JBL 106: 13–26.
———. 1987b. When the Sons of God Cavorted with the Daughters of Men. BRev 3/2: 813, 837.
Junker, H. 1935. Zur Erklärung von Gen. 6, 1–4. Bib 16: 205–212.
Kilmer, A. D. 1987. The Mesopotamian Counterparts of the Biblical Nĕpı̄lı̂m. Pp. 39–43 in Perspectives on Language and Text: Essays and Poems in Honor of Francis I. Andersen’s Sixtieth Birthday, ed. E. W. Conrad and E. G. Newing. Winona Lake, IN.
Kraeling, E. G. 1947. The Significance and Origin of Gen. 6:1–4. JNES 6: 193–208.
Noth, M. 1948. Überlieferungsgeschichte des Pentateuch. Stuttgart.
Petersen, D. L. 1979. Yahweh and the Organization of the Cosmos. JSOT 13: 47–64.
Scharbert, J. 1967. Traditions- und Redaktionsgeschichte von Gn 6, 1–4. BZn.s. 11: 66–78.
Schreiner, J. 1981. Gen 6, 1–4 und die Problematik von Leben und Tod. Pp. 65–74 in De la ToÆrah au Messie, ed. M. Carrez et al. Paris.
Tsukimoto, A. 1979. “Der Mensch ist geworden wie unsereiner”—Untersuchungen zum zeitgeschichtlichen Hintergrund von Gen. 3, 22–24 und 6, 1–4. AJBI 5: 3–44.
Richard S. Hess
[5]
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible:
Nephilim.
Early division of the human race, mentioned only twice in the OT (Gn 6:4; Nm 13:33). The Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures rendered the name “Nephilim” as “giants,” and other versions followed this rendering, including the kjv. Modern translations, however, usually designate them as Nephilim, thus identifying them with the Anakim (Nm 13:33; Dt 2:21) and the Rephaim (Dt 2:20). The latter two were reputed to be large physically, hence the rendering “giants.”
The Nephilim are of unknown origin. Some writers have taken the Hebrew verb naphal, “to fall,” to imply that the Nephilim were “fallen ones,” that is, fallen angels who subsequently mated with human women. But Christ taught that angels do not have carnal relationships (Lk 20:34, 35), and therefore this view can only be maintained by assuming that Genesis 6:1–4 reflects Greek mythology, in which such unions occurred. The Genesis passage, however, deals with anthropology, not mythology.
The Nephilim were evidently not the “sons of God” and seem to be different also from the “daughters of men.” The best classification is with the Anakim and Rephaim as contemporary peoples of unknown origin.
See Giants.
[6]
Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible:
NEPHILIM נפילים
I. The bald allusion to the Nephilim (lit. fallen ones) in Gen 6:3 (‘The Nephilim were on the earth in those days … ’) fits uneasily into a context that has always presented a challenge to exegetes. Although designated an ‘antiquarian gloss’ (Skinner 1910:147) the sentence in which it appears does bind it to the theological scene which depicts a fresh threat to the God-given distinction between divine beings and humans. It raises again the worst fears expressed at the close of Gen 3 (‘the man has become like one of us … and now he might … eat, and live forever’) but in the new shape of gross physical contact between the sons of God and the beautiful daughters of humans. On the face of it, the human race could now be immune from mortality. The Nephilim were the mythical semi-divine beings spawned by these illicit liaisons. Westermann (1974:494–497) indicates in detail that there are insufficient grounds for disturbing the sequence of 6:1–4 as it stands: 6:1–2 describe the upsetting of the boundaries that divide divine beings and humans; 6:3 God’s judgement stops short of annihilating the evil-doers (just as it did in the Fall and the First Murder incidents) but curtails the human life-span; 6:4 prodigies were the offspring of divine-human marriages. The resulting prodigies of the action in 4b —‘the sons of God went in to the daughters of humans’—are referred to in 4a (the Nephilim) and again much more clearly in 4b (→‘heroes of old … warriors of renown’). Outrageous activity of this kind which resulted in violence and corruption on the earth provoked God’s judgement in the form of the Flood. The monstrous Nephilim were swept away by it and humans would not live forever.
II. The Nephilim are found once more in the Hebrew Bible in Num 13:33 when Moses’ spies exaggerate the strength of the pre-settlement occupants of Canaan by reporting the sight of the gigantic Nephilim before whom they felt like grasshoppers (cp. the Amorites ‘whose height was like the height of cedars’ Am 2:9). Allowing for the awe felt by nomads for settled folk and its resultant hyperbole, the postdiluvian designation does refer to an ancient race of great stature but without the mythological overtones of the semi-divine beings or demi-gods characteristic of the primeval period. The Nephilim have been ‘historicised’ and transferred to the still distant heroic period of pre-settlement Canaan. However, something of the flavour of the older sense of the term might be preserved in Ezek 32:27 where the warrior nations ‘fall’ (npl) down into →Sheol but are not privileged to lie with the gibbôrîm nĕpilîm, ‘the fallen warriors’, or as Kraeling (1947) and Zimmerli (1969) would have it, the Nephilim (nĕpilîm) warriors, mythical semi-divine beings in the manner of Babylonian and Greek myths. Certainly npl is a keyword in Ezek 32 and exploits the etymological significance of Nephilim.
Gunkel (1910:58–59) thought that the term Nephilim in Gen 6:4a, obsolete at the time of the writer, was explained and at the same time given a historical dimension in 6:4c: ‘these were the heroes … of remote antiquity’. The Versions emphasise the heroic qualities of the Nephilim, calling them →‘giants’ (LXX and Vg gigantes). The Aram. cognate npylʾ ‘giant’ occurs several times in the Dead Sea Scrolls: in the Targum of Job 38:31 it translates the name of the constellation →Orion (Heb kĕsîl ) which was regarded as early as Homer (Od. 5.121) as the image of a gigantic hunter. Appropriately the Enochic Book of the Giants attests the Nephilim several times; once they are called ‘the Nephilim of the earth’ or the ‘earthly Nephilim’ (npyly ʾrʿ; 4QEnGib 3:8) possibly drawing attention to the restricted arena of their activities i.e. the earth, despite their heavenly origin. Tg. Onq. has gbryʾ ‘mighty ones’ in agreement with Gen. Rab. XXXI 7 (gbrym) and Tg. Neof. Aberbach points out that this official Targum conspicuously avoids the ‘fallen →angels’ tradition which exploited the plain etymology of the word, from npl ‘to fall’. Others connect it with nēpel ‘miscarriage’ and so meaning dead persons and thence ghosts or spirits of miscarriage, or even (spirits of) children born dead, miscarriages or the like regarded as ill-omened (Schwally, ZAW 18 (1898) 142–148; KB 624). Tg. Ps.-J. has no such qualms and actually names the angels who fell from heaven (Shamhazai and Azael). In 1 Enoch, the parallel account to Gen. 6:1–4, ‘the angels, the sons of heaven’ saw and desired the daughters of men. Semyaza (= Tg. Ps.-J. Shamhazai) appears as their leader; they all, two hundred of them, ‘came down’ (6:6) and acted promiscuously with earthly women (7:1), polluting the earth with their monstrous progeny, the Nephilim (9:9; 10:9). The ambivalent nature of the mysterious Nephilim stems from the far from clear identification of their parents in the Genesis pericope, the ‘sons of the gods (or of God)’. Were these superhuman creatures, demi-gods, like Gilgamesh who was said to be two-thirds god and one-third human, or can they be regarded as completely human, stemming from the aristrocratic line of →Seth? Or are they rulers in the manner of Keret, king of Ugarit, or David, king of Israel, whose traditional epithets derived from sacral kingship? Most modern exegetes recognise the validity of the first interpretation which is supported by a consistent picture of God’s heavenly court and →council in the Hebrew Bible (Pss 29:1; 82:6; 89:6; Job 1–2; 1 Kgs 22:19–22; Isa 6:1–8). The NT notion of the fallen angels who like →Satan (Luke 10:18) plummeted to earth because they failed to recognise their position in the divine hierarchy (2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6) has clear allusions to the Nephilim. The antipathy of the translator in Targum Onqelos towards the proliferation of angelic powers and in particular, the angels who fell from grace, espoused in the Palestinian Targums and in the Enochic traditions might be due partly to the popularity of this kind of material in the early Judaeo-Christian community. Certainly the view that the ‘sons of God’ were angels was replaced in second century ce mainstream Judaism by the theory that they were righteous men. Etymologically, the basis of Nephilim is transparent. This explains the wealth of allusions which exploits the fall from heaven or the fall from Edenic bliss.
III. Mythological analogies from the ancient world have been drawn on as background to the original Hebrew. From classical mythology, e.g. the incident in which →Zeus, with the help of thunder and lightning, hurled Cronos and the other →Titans from heaven, has been noted, and Kraeling (1947) drew attention to the Mesopotamian Atrahasis legend in which the decision to destroy humans by means of a flood follows a population explosion on earth which threatened the equilibrium that existed between gods and men. Ezek 32 with its use of the keyword npl delineating the fate of fallen warriors who go down to Sheol with their weapons of war suggests that the Nephilim were the Fallen, i.e. their status as extinct during the period when the events are recorded. As such they are associated with the massed community of the dead, the →Rephaim (Deut. 2:11; Ps 88:11; Isa 14:9). Draffkorn Kilmer has argued that the Nephilim are to be identified with the primeval apkallu ‘sages, experts’ of Mesopotamian tradition whose responsibility it was to maintain cosmic order. According to Berossus they brought to mankind the divine power of wisdom and all the benefits associated with civilized life; Berossus Book II 1:1–11 (Burstein 1978:18–19).
Westermann (1974:511–512) points out that in Gen 6:4 the Nephilim were identified with the ‘heroes that were of old, warriors of renown’ and that there was nothing mythical here. But the Nephilim of 4a, in the light of Ezek 32:27, are clearly mythical. He concludes that two narrative conclusions were blended in 6:4, one following the mythical line, the other simply the etiological line. The thrust of the mythical line was the telling of the story of the transgression of the divine order which ensured the separation of gods and men in accordance with the theme of similar stories in the primeval narrative (cp. Gen 3 and 11). Later traditions ‘historicized’ the Nephilim and transformed them either into the legendary precursors of the Israelites in Canaan or elaborated the tradition of fallen angelic beings who were actively engaged in stirring mankind into rebellion against divine authority.
IV. Bibliography
M. Aberbach & B. Grossfeld, Targum Onkelos to Genesis (Denver 1982); P. S. Alexander, The Targumim and Early Exegesis of ‘Sons of God’ in Genesis 6, JJS 23 (1972) 60–71; S. M. Burstein, The Babyloniaca of Berossus (SANE 1, 5; Malibu 1978); U. Cassuto, The Episode of the Sons of God and the Daughters of Man, Bible and Oriental Studies, Vol I. Trans I. Abrahams (Jerusalem 1973) 17–38; A. Draffkorn Kilmer, The Mesopotamian Counterparts of the Biblical Nephilim, in: Essays and Poems in Honor of F.I. Andersen’s Sixtieth Birthday. July 28, 1985 (Winona Lake 1987) 39–43; H. Gunkel, Genesis (Göttingen 1910); E. G. Kraeling, The Significance and Origin of Gen. 6:1–4, JNES 6 (1947) 193–208; J. T. Milik, The Books of Enoch. Aramaic Fragments of Qumran Cave 4 (Oxford 1976); J. Skinner, Genesis (ICC; Edinburgh 1910); C. Westermann, Genesis 1–11 (Neukirchen-Vluyn 1974; ET London 1984);W. Zimmerli, Ezekiel 2, II Teilband (Neukirchen-Vluyn 1969; ET Philadelphia 1983).
1 Enoch (Pseudepigrapha):
6–11. THE FALL OF THE ANGELS: THE DEMORALIZATION OF MANKIND: THE INTERCESSION OF THE ANGELS ON BEHALF OF MANKIND. THE DOOMS PRONOUNCED BY GOD ON THE ANGELS: THE MESSIANIC KINGDOM—(A NOAH FRAGMENT).
61 And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. 2 And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: ‘Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.’ 3 And Semjâzâ, who was their leader, said unto them: ‘I fear ye will not indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin.’ 4 And they all answered him and said: ‘Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations not to abandon this plan but to do this thing.’ 5 Then sware they all together and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. 6 And they were in all two hundred; who descended ‹in the days› of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. 7 And these are the names of their leaders: Samîazâz, their leader, Arâkîba, Râmêêl, Kôkabîêl, Tâmîêl, Râmîêl, Dânêl, Êzêqêêl, Barâqîjal, Asâêl, Armârôs, Batârêl, Anânêl, Zaqîêl, Samsâpêêl, Satarêl, Tûrêl, Jômjâêl, Sariêl. 8 These are their chiefs of tens.
71 And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charms and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants. 2 And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells: 3 Who consumed all the acquisitions of men. 4 And when men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against them and devoured mankind. 5 And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and fish, and to devour one another’s flesh, and drink the blood. 6 Then the earth laid accusation against the lawless ones.
81 And Azâzêl taught men to make swords, and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and made known to them the metals 〈of the earth〉 and the art of working them, and bracelets, and ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the eyelids, and all kinds of costly stones, and all colouring tinctures. 2 And there arose much godlessness, and they committed fornication, and they were led astray, and became corrupt in all their ways. 3 Semjâzâ taught enchantments, and root-cuttings, ’Armârôs the resolving of enchantments, Barâqîjâl (taught) astrology, Kôkabêl the constellations, Êzêqêêl the knowledge of the clouds, 〈Araqiêl the signs of the earth, Shamsiêl the signs of the sun〉, and Sariêl the course of the moon. 4 And as men perished, they cried, and their cry went up to heaven …
91 And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth. 2 And they said one to another: ‘The earth made †without inhabitant cries the voice of their cryings† up to the gates of heaven. 3 «And now to you, the holy ones of heaven», the souls of men make their suit, saying, “Bring our cause before the Most High.”’ 4 And they said to the Lord of the ages: ‘Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, 〈and God of the ages〉, the throne of Thy glory (standeth) unto all the generations of the ages, and Thy name holy and glorious and blessed unto all the ages! 5 Thou hast made all things, and power over all things hast Thou: and all things are naked and open in Thy sight, and Thou seest all things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee. 6 Thou seest what Azâzêl hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were (preserved) in heaven, which men were striving to learn: 7 And Semjâzâ, to whom Thou hast given authority to bear rule over his associates. 8 And they have gone to the daughters of men upon the earth, and have slept with the women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins. 9 And the women have borne giants, and the whole earth has thereby been filled with blood and unrighteousness. 10 And now, behold, the souls of those who have died are crying and making their suit to the gates of heaven, and their lamentations have ascended: and cannot cease because of the lawless deeds which are wrought on the earth. 11 And Thou knowest all things before they come to pass, and Thou seest these things and Thou dost suffer them, and Thou dost not say to us what we are to do to them in regard to these.’
101 Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spake, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, and said to him: 2 〈‘Go to Noah and〉 tell him in my name “Hide thyself!” and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it. 3 And now instruct him that he may escape and his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the world.’ 4 And again the Lord said to Raphael: ‘Bind Azâzêl hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dûdâêl, and cast him therein. 5 And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light. 6 And on the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire. 7 And heal the earth which the angels have corrupted, and proclaim the healing of the earth, that they may heal the plague, and that all the children of men may not perish through all the secret things that the Watchers have disclosed and have taught their sons. 8 And the whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azâzêl: to him ascribe all sin.’ 9 And to Gabriel said the Lord: ‘Proceed against the bastards and the reprobates, and against the children of fornication: and destroy [the children of fornication and] the children of the Watchers from amongst men: [and cause them to go forth]: send them one against the other that they may destroy each other in battle: for length of days shall they not have. 10 And no request that they (i.e. their fathers) make of thee shall be granted unto their fathers on their behalf; for they hope to live an eternal life, and that each one of them will live five hundred years.’ 11 And the Lord said unto Michael: ‘Go, bind Semjâzâ and his associates who have united themselves with women so as to have defiled themselves with them in all their uncleanness. 12 And when their sons have slain one another, and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, till the day of their judgement and of their consummation, till the judgement that is for ever and ever is consummated. 13 In those days they shall be led off to the abyss of fire: 〈and〉 to the torment and the prison in which they shall be confined for ever. 14 And whosoever shall be condemned and destroyed will from thenceforth be bound together with them to the end of all generations. 15 And destroy all the spirits of the reprobate and the children of the Watchers, because they have wronged mankind. 16 Destroy all wrong from the face of the earth and let every evil work come to an end: and let the plant of righteousness and truth appear: ‹and it shall prove a blessing; the works of righteousness and truth› shall be planted in truth and joy for evermore.
17 And then shall all the righteous escape,
And shall live till they beget thousands of children,
And all the days of their youth and their old age
Shall they complete in peace.
18 And then shall the whole earth be tilled in righteousness, and shall all be planted with trees and be full of blessing. 19 And all desirable trees shall be planted on it, and they shall plant vines on it: and the vine which they plant thereon shall yield wine in abundance, and as for all the seed which is sown thereon each measure (of it) shall bear a thousand, and each measure of olives shall yield ten presses of oil. 20 And cleanse thou the earth from all oppression, and from all unrighteousness, and from all sin, and from all godlessness: and all the uncleanness that is wrought upon the earth destroy from off the earth. 21 ‹And all the children of men shall become righteous›, and all nations shall offer adoration and shall praise Me, and all shall worship Me. 22 And the earth shall be cleansed from all defilement, and from all sin, and from all punishment, and from all torment, and I will never again send (them) upon it from generation to generation and for ever.
111 And in those days I will open the store chambers of blessing which are in the heaven, so as to send them down ‹upon the earth› over the work and labour of the children of men. 2 And truth and peace shall be associated together throughout all the days of the world and throughout all the generations of men.’
[7]
12–16. DREAM-VISION OF ENOCH: HIS INTERCESSION FOR AZAZEL AND THE FALLEN ANGELS: AND HIS ANNOUNCEMENT OF THEIR FIRST AND FINAL DOOM.
121 Before these things Enoch was hidden, and no one of the children of men knew where he was hidden, and where he abode, and what had become of him. 2 And his activities had to do with the Watchers, and his days were with the holy ones.
3 And I Enoch was blessing the Lord of majesty and the King of the ages, and lo! the Watchers called me—Enoch the scribe—and said to me: 4 ‘Enoch, thou scribe of righteousness, go, †declare† to the Watchers of the heaven who have left the high heaven, the holy eternal place, and have defiled themselves with women, and have done as the children of earth do, and have taken unto themselves wives: 5 “Ye have wrought great destruction on the earth: And ye shall have no peace nor forgiveness of sin: 6 and inasmuch as †they† delight themselves in† their† children, The murder of †their† beloved ones shall† they† see, and over the destruction of †their† children shall† they† lament, and shall make supplication unto eternity, but mercy and peace shall ye not attain.”’
131 And Enoch went and said: ‘Azâzêl, thou shalt have no peace: a severe sentence has gone forth against thee to put thee in bonds: 2 And thou shalt not have toleration nor †request† granted to thee, because of the unrighteousness which thou hast taught, and because of all the works of godlessness and unrighteousness and sin which thou hast shown to men.’ 3 Then I went and spoke to them all together, and they were all afraid, and fear and trembling seized them. 4 And they besought me to draw up a petition for them that they might find forgiveness, and to read their petition in the presence of the Lord of heaven. 5 For from thenceforward they could not speak (with Him) nor lift up their eyes to heaven for shame of their sins for which they had been condemned. 6 Then I wrote out their petition, and the prayer †in regard to their spirits and their deeds individually and in regard to their requests that they should have forgiveness and length†. 7 And I went off and sat down at the waters of Dan, in the land of Dan, to the south of the west of Hermon: I read their petition till I fell asleep. 8 And behold a dream came to me, and visions fell down upon me, and I saw visions of chastisement, ‹and a voice came bidding (me)› to tell it to the sons of heaven, and reprimand them. 9 And when I awaked, I came unto them, and they were all sitting gathered together, weeping in ’Abelsjâîl, which is between Lebanon and Sênêsêr, with their faces covered. 10 And I recounted before them all the visions which I had seen in sleep, and I began to speak the words of righteousness, and to reprimand the heavenly Watchers.
141 The book of the words of righteousness, and of the reprimand of the eternal Watchers in accordance with the command of the Holy Great One in that vision. 2 I saw in my sleep what I will now say with a tongue of flesh and with the breath of my mouth: which the Great One has given to men to converse therewith and understand with the heart. 3 As He has created and given «to man the power of understanding the word of wisdom, so hath He created me also and given» me the power of reprimanding the Watchers, the children of heaven. 4 I wrote out your petition, and in my vision it appeared thus, that your petition will not be granted unto you «throughout all the days of eternity, and that judgement has been finally passed upon you: yea (your petition) will not be granted unto you». 5 And from henceforth you shall not ascend into heaven unto all eternity, and ‹in bonds› of the earth the decree has gone forth to bind you for all the days of the world. 6 And (that) previously you shall have seen the destruction of your beloved sons and ye shall have no pleasure in them, but they shall fall before you by the sword. 7 And your petition on their behalf shall not be granted, nor yet on your own: even though you weep and pray and speak all the words contained in the writing which I have written. 8 And the vision was shown to me thus: Behold, in the vision clouds invited me and a mist summoned me, and the course of the stars and the lightnings sped and hastened me, and the winds in the vision caused me to fly and lifted me upward, and bore me into heaven. 9 And I went in till I drew nigh to a wall which is built of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire: and it began to affright me. 10 And I went into the tongues of fire and drew nigh to a large house which was built of crystals: and the walls of the house were like a tesselated floor (made) of crystals, and its groundwork was of crystal. 11 Its ceiling was like the path of the stars and the lightnings, and between them were fiery cherubim, and their heaven was (clear as) water. 12 A flaming fire surrounded the walls, and its portals blazed with fire. 13 And I entered into that house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice: there were no delights of life therein: fear covered me, and trembling gat hold upon me. 14 And as I quaked and trembled, I fell upon my face. 15 And I beheld a vision, And lo! there was a second house, greater than the former, and the entire portal stood open before me, and it was built of flames of fire. 16 And in every respect it so excelled in splendour and magnificence and extent that I cannot describe to you its splendour and its extent. 17 And its floor was of fire, and above it were lightnings and the path of the stars, and its ceiling also was flaming fire. 18 And I looked and saw «therein» a lofty throne: its appearance was as crystal, and the wheels thereof as the shining sun, and there was the vision of cherubim. 19 And from underneath the throne came streams of flaming fire so that I could not look thereon. 20 And the Great Glory sat thereon, and His raiment shone more brightly than the sun and was whiter than any snow. 21 None of the angels could enter and could behold His face by reason of the magnificence and glory, and no flesh could behold Him. 22 The flaming fire was round about Him, and a great fire stood before Him, and none around could draw nigh Him: ten thousand times ten thousand (stood) before Him, yet He needed no counsellor. 23 And the most holy ones who were nigh to Him did not leave by night nor depart from Him. 24 And until then I had been prostrate on my face, trembling: and the Lord called me with His own mouth, and said to me: ‘Come hither, Enoch, and hear my word.’ 25 ‹And one of the holy ones came to me and waked me›, and He made me rise up and approach the door: and I bowed my face downwards.
151 And He answered and said to me, and I heard His voice: ‘Fear not, Enoch, thou righteous man and scribe of righteousness: approach hither and hear my voice. 2 And go, say to «the Watchers of heaven», who have sent thee to intercede «for them: “You should intercede» for men, and not men for you: 3 Wherefore have ye left the high, holy, and eternal heaven, and lain with women, and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men and taken to yourselves wives, and done like the children of earth, and begotten giants (as your) sons? 4 And though ye were holy, spiritual, living the eternal life, you have defiled yourselves with the blood of women, and have begotten (children) with the blood of flesh, and, as the children of men, have lusted after flesh and blood as those ‹also› do who die and perish. 5 Therefore have I given them wives also that they might impregnate them, and beget children by them, that thus nothing might be wanting to them on earth. 6 But you were ‹formerly› spiritual, living the eternal life, and immortal for all generations of the world. 7 And therefore I have not appointed wives for you; for as for the spiritual ones of the heaven, in heaven is their dwelling. 8 And now, the giants, who are produced from the spirits and flesh, shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, and on the earth shall be their dwelling. 9 Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from men «and» from the holy Watchers is their beginning and primal origin; ‹they shall be evil spirits on earth, and› evil spirits shall they be called. 10 [As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling.] 11 And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, ‹but nevertheless hunger› and thirst, and cause offences. 12 And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded ‹from them›.
161 From the days of the slaughter and destruction and death ‹of the giants›, from the souls of whose flesh the spirits, having gone forth, shall destroy without incurring judgement—thus shall they destroy until the day of the consummation, the great ‹judgement› in which the age shall be consummated, over the Watchers and the godless, yea, shall be wholly consummated.” 2 And now as to the watchers who have sent thee to intercede for them, who had been «aforetime in heaven», (say to them): 3 “You have been in heaven, but ‹all› the mysteries had not yet been revealed to you, and you knew worthless ones, and these in the hardness of your hearts you have made known to the women, and through these mysteries women and men work much evil on earth.”
4 Say to them therefore: “You have no peace.”’
[8]
[1]Lagass, ̌. P., & Columbia University. (2000). The Columbia encyclopedia (6th ed.). New York; Detroit: Columbia University Press; Sold and distributed by Gale Group.
[2]Lagass, ̌. P., & Columbia University. (2000). The Columbia encyclopedia (6th ed.). New York; Detroit: Columbia University Press; Sold and distributed by Gale Group.
[3]Lagass, ̌. P., & Columbia University. (2000). The Columbia encyclopedia (6th ed.). New York; Detroit: Columbia University Press; Sold and distributed by Gale Group.
[4]Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary. Includes index. (1st ed.) (696). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Heb Hebrew; Epistle to the Hebrews
MT Masoretic Text
Hermeneia Hermeneia: A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible
LXX Septuagint
e.g. exempli gratia (for example)
NT New Testament
WBC World Bible Commentary
AB Anchor Bible
W west(ern)
b.c.e. before the common (or Christian) era
EA Tell el-Amarna tablets [cited from J. A. Knudtzon, O. Weber, and E. Ebeling, Die El-Amarna Tafeln, 2 vols., VAB 2, Leipzig, 1915; and A. F. Rainey, El-Amarna Tablets 359–379: Supplement to J. A. Knudtzon, Die El-Amarna Tafeln, 2d rev. ed., AOAT 8, Kevelaer and Neukirchen-Vluyn, 1970]
J “Yahwist” source
WPGI J. Wellhausen. 1895. Prolegomena zur Geschichte Israels. 4th ed. Berlin
BKAT Biblischer Kommentar: Altes Testament
OT Old Testament
ANE Ancient Near East(ern)
cf. confer, compare
JJS Journal of Jewish Studies, Oxford
ATANT Abhandlungen zur Theologie des Alten und Neuen Testaments
Pp. pages; past
JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, Sheffield
Diss. dissertation
WTJ Westminster Theological Journal, Philadelphia, PA
JBL Journal of Biblical Literature
BRev Bible Review
Bib Biblica, Rome
ed. editor(s); edition; edited by
JNES Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Chicago
BZ Biblische Zeitschrift, Paderborn
n.s. new series
et al. et alii (and others)
AJBI Annual of the Japanese Biblical Institute, Tokyo
Richard S. Hess Lecturer in Biblical Studies, Bible Training Institute, Glasgow, Scotland
[5]Freedman, D. N. (1996, c1992). The Anchor Bible Dictionary (4:1072). New York: Doubleday.
OT Old Testament
kjv The King James Version
[6]Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Baker encyclopedia of the Bible. Map on lining papers. (1541). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House.
LXX Septuagint
Vg Vulgate
Aram Aramaic
Heb Hebrew
Tg. Onq. Targum Onqelos
Tg. Neof. Targum Neofiti I
ZAW Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft
KB L. Koehler & W. Baumgartner, Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti libros
Tg. Ps.-J. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan
NT New Testament
JJS Journal of Jewish Studies
SANE Sources from the Ancient Near East
JNES Journal of Near Eastern Studies
‹ The use of these brackets means that the words so enclosed are found in Gg but not in E.
〈 indicate a restoration in the text.
( indicates that the word or words so enclosed or printed are supplied for the sake of clearness.
† indicate that the word or passage so enclosed is corrupt.
« The use of these brackets means that the words so enclosed are found in E but not in Gg or Gs.
[ indicate an intrusion into the original text.
[7]Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament. 2004 (R. H. Charles, Ed.) (2:191-195). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
† indicate that the word or passage so enclosed is corrupt.
( indicates that the word or words so enclosed or printed are supplied for the sake of clearness.
‹ The use of these brackets means that the words so enclosed are found in Gg but not in E.
« The use of these brackets means that the words so enclosed are found in E but not in Gg or Gs.
[ indicate an intrusion into the original text.
[8]Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament. 2004 (R. H. Charles, Ed.) (2:195-199). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
It sounds as though it might be possible for Angels and Humans to have children together, but the union of the two races is strictly forbidden and might have actually been the final catalyst for the Genesis Flood. Apparently the Nephilim were imortal half-breeds who became corrupted and sinful. The fallen Angels tought them all manner of sins, and when God saw this, he was so angered that he sent his Arch Angels to bind the Watchers and force them to watch as their evil offspring were drowned off the face of the earth by the flood, then they were imprisoned until Judgement Day to come.
It's full of gripping descriptions of Heaven and Hell and Angels and Demons(Nephilim?) but it's very difficult to follow. So much seems to be in parable and fragments are missing. It's not really known to be a reliable account of biblical history, because the author is unknown, though it is written from Enoch's point of view, and there are few manuscripts in readable condition. Still, it has really inspired me to a deeper study. So far, I've read from 1 Enoch 1-47. Here are some of my resources so far:...
Nephilim:..
The Columbia Encyclopedia 6th Edition:
Nephilim (nēfĭlʹĭm), in the Bible, Hebrew word of no known meaning, denoting peoples of gigantic stature with superhuman strength. The term is translated as “giants” in the Authorized Version. The Book of Genesis refers to Nephilim as the offspring of marriages between “daughters of humans” and “sons of God.” See also Anak.
[1]
Anak (āʹnăk), according to a folk tradition in the Bible, an ancestor of the Anakim, a tribe of giants inhabiting Hebron and its vicinity at the time of the Israelite conquest of Canaan. Arba is cited as Anak’s father, and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai as his sons. According to early tradition in the Book of Joshua, Joshua and Caleb practically eradicated the tribe.
[2]
Hebron, city (1994 pop. 120,000), the West Bank, called Al-Khalil in modern Arabic. Hebron is situated at an altitude of 3,000 ft (910 m) in a region where grapes, cereal grains, and vegetables are grown. Tanning, food processing, glassblowing, and the manufacture of sheepskin coats are the major industries. The city is also a road junction. Hebron has usually had a significant Jewish population, although following Arab riots in 1929 most Jews left and did not return until after the Israeli occupation following the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, when numerous Jewish settlements were established outside Hebron. One of Judaism’s four holy cities, Hebron is also a sacred place for Muslims.
The site of ancient Hebron, which antedates the biblical record, has not been precisely determined. The Bible first mentions Hebron in connection with Abraham. The cave of Machpelah (also called the Cave of the Patriarchs; now enclosed by the Mosque of Ibrahim) is the traditional burial place of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah. David ruled the Hebrews from Hebron for seven years before moving his capital to Jerusalem, and Absalom began his revolt in Hebron.
The city has figured in many wars in Palestine. It was taken (2d cent. b.c.) by Judas Maccabeus (see Maccabees) and temporarily destroyed by the Romans. In 636 it was conquered by the Arabs and made an important place of pilgrimage, later to be seized (1099) by the Crusaders and renamed St. Abraham, and retaken (1187) by Saladin. It later became (16th cent.) part of the Ottoman Empire.
In the 20th cent., Hebron was incorporated (1922–48) in the League of Nations Palestine mandate, and in 1948 it was absorbed by Jordan. As one of the major towns in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the city became a focus of Jewish-Arab tensions. The emergence of the Intifada in the 1980s was accompanied by an escalation of violence, and in 1994 the Mosque of Ibrahim was the site of the murder of Muslim worshipers by an extremist Israeli settler. Under the agreement establishing Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank, the Israeli occupation of Hebron was scheduled to end by Mar., 1996. After setbacks and delays, most of the town of Hebron was handed over to Palestinian control in Jan., 1997.
[3]
Harper’s Bible Dictionary:
Nephilim (nefʹi-leem), people of the pre-Flood generation, the offspring of daughters of men and divine beings (Gen. 6:1-4). Their generation and their conduct seem to have provoked the Flood as punishment (Gen. 6:5-8:22). In Num. 13:33 the Israelite spies describe the inhabitants of Hebron as Nephilim, so large and powerful that ‘we seemed like grasshoppers.’ The name could mean ‘fallen ones’ and allude to stories in related cultures of rebellious giants defeated by the gods in olden times (cf. Isa. 14:12). See also Giant.
[4]
Anchor Bible Dictionary:
NEPHILIM [Heb nĕpilı̂m (נְפִלִים)]. A group of antediluvians who were the product of the union of the sons of God (hā˒ĕlōhı̂m) with the daughters of humans (hā˒ādām) (Gen 6:1–4). They are described as heroic (hāggibbōrı̂m) and famous (˒anšê hāššēm). In Genesis 6, the Nephilim are connected with the multiplication of humanity on the face of the earth (v 1) and with the evil of humanity which brings about God’s judgment in the form of the flood (vv 5–7). Verse 4 includes a reference to later (postdiluvian) Nephilim. The majority of the spies who were sent by Joshua to spy out Canaan reported giants whom they called Nephilim, and who are designated in the account as the sons of Anak (Num 13:33). The reference to Nephilim as ancient dead warriors in Ezek 32:27 requires a textual change from the MT’s nōpĕlı̂m (Zimmerli, Ezekiel Hermeneia, 168, 176; Hendel 1987a: 22).
Their heroic attributes were noted in translating Nephilim in the versions. Both the LXX and the Vulgate render the expression as gigantes. The Syriac has gnbr˒. The Samaritan Pentateuch and Targums also follow this custom (Alexander 1972), using either gybryh (Samaritan), gybrym (Neofiti), or gbr˒ (Onkelos). Targum Pseudo-Jonathan translates Nephilim with the names of the fallen angels (šmḥz˒y w˓z˒l) mentioned in 1 Enoch as leading the rebellion. Nephilim are referred to as “giants” in the Apocrypha/Pseudepigrapha, usually with reference to their pride and wickedness, and to God’s judgment upon them (e.g., Bar 3:26–28). The fullest development appears in 1 Enoch 6–19, and this is followed by allusions in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Midrashim, and the NT (Dimant 1974; Hanson 1977).
2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6 are the NT allusions to the Nephilim. Here they are identified as angels who rebelled and have been imprisoned by God. They lead a list of biblical examples of rebels and their punishments current in contemporary Jewish paraenisis (Bauckham, Jude, 2 Peter WBC, 46–47). Although elements of Greek Titan mythology have been identified here and in Gen 6:1–4 (Kraeling 1947, who separates the gibbōrı̂m from the Nephilim), the presence of a common source for the traditions of 1 Enoch and those of the Greek world is more likely (Bauckham, Jude, 2 Peter WBC, 50–53, 248–49). Speiser (Genesis AB, 46) identifies this source as Hurrian. Kilmer (1987) has sought to identify the Nephilim with the apkallu of Mesopotamian tradition.
The root npl, “to fall,” seems to be the basis of Nephilim, i.e., “the fallen ones.” This may refer to their fall from heaven, their “fall” into sin, or their fallen status as dead at the time when the events are recorded. The earliest use of the W Semitic npl supports the last option. It occurs in a military context, the 14th century b.c.e. letter of Lab’ayu of Shechem to the pharaoh (EA 252, lines 25–27), “Fall under them that they may smite you!” The sons of Anak, who are identified with the later Nephilim in Num 13:33, are also identified with the Rephaim in Deut 2:11 As the Rephaim are understood as ancient warriors slain by Israel and others, so the Nephilim, “the fallen ones,” are those who are doomed to die.
Source critics have ascribed Gen 6:1–4 to J, while recognizing it as uncharacteristic (WPGI, 329; Gunkel, Genesis BKAT, 52; Noth 1948: 29). Recent studies have ascribed the text to a Canaanite origin (Westermann, Genesis BKAT, 499–500) or to later editorial activity (Scharbert 1967: 66–78; Schreiner 1981: 65–74). Hendel (1987a; 1987b) argues that the improper mating of deities and humans was the original reason for the Genesis flood. However, later additions to this tradition changed the reason to the matter of a general evil in the imaginations of humanity.
As fathers of the Nephilim, the identity of the sons of God is important in understanding whether the Nephilim of Genesis 6 were semi-divine or completely human. The sons of God (hā˒ĕlōhı̂m) have been understood as nonhumans (gods, angels), rulers, or descendants of Seth. The first interpretation is supported by the term’s use in Ugaritic myths, in the OT (Ps 29:1; Job 1:6), and in the intertestamental and NT material noted above. It allows for a real contrast with “daughters of men,” which would be nonspecific if it were to mean daughters of nonrulers or daughters of the descendants of Cain (Cassuto 1973; van Gemeren 1980–81; Wenham, Genesis 1–15 WBC, 139–40). Further, the mating of deities with women appears in ANE and Greek mythology (Bartelmus 1979: 36–78). Support of identification with rulers may be found in a similar designation given to the Ugaritic king Keret and to the Davidic king (2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7), and in traditional Jewish exegesis (Alexander 1972; Tsukimoto 1979: 19–21). The Sethite interpretation has few modern adherents (Junker 1935; for a reversal of this argument, in which the Sethites are the daughters of man, cf. Eslinger 1979).
For Wenham (Genesis 1–15 WBC, 141), the key seems to be the limitation of human life span in v 3 The daughters of men willingly cohabited with divine beings in order to produce offspring who would gain much longer life spans and perhaps achieve immortality. By rejecting this attempt, God has established a rigid distinction between the mortal and the immortal (Clines 1979: 33–37; Petersen 1979: 58– 59; Schreiner 1981: 70–72). The mating of the sons of God with the daughters of men became but one example of the “cosmic imbalance” created in Genesis 1–6
Bibliography
Alexander, P. S. 1972. The Targumim and Early Exegesis of “Sons of God”in Genesis 6 JJS 23: 60–71.
Bartelmus, R. 1979. Heroentum in Israel und seiver Umwelt. ATANT 65. Zurich.
Cassuto, U. 1973. The Episode of the Sons of God and the Daughters of Man. Pp. 17–28 in Bible and Oriental Studies. Volume I. Trans. I. Abrahams. Jerusalem.
Clines, D. J. A. 1979. The Significance of the “Sons of God” Episode (Genesis 6:1–4) in the Context of the “Primeval History” (Genesis 1–11). JSOT 13: 33–46.
Dimant, D. 1974. “The Fallen Angels” in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in the Apocryphal and Pseudepigraphic Books Related to Them. Diss., Hebrew University.
Eslinger, L. 1979. A Contextual Identification of the bene ha˒elohim and benoth ha˒adam in Genesis 6:1–4. JSOT 13: 65–73.
Gemeren, W. A. van. 1980–81. The Sons of God in Genesis 6:1–4 (An Example of Evangelical Demythologization?). WTJ 43: 320–48.
Hanson, P. D. 1977. Rebellion in Heaven, Azazel, and Euhemeristic Heroes in 1 Enoch 6–11. JBL 96: 195–233.
Hendel, R. S. 1987a. Of Demigods and the Deluge: Toward an Interpretation of Genesis 6:1–4 JBL 106: 13–26.
———. 1987b. When the Sons of God Cavorted with the Daughters of Men. BRev 3/2: 813, 837.
Junker, H. 1935. Zur Erklärung von Gen. 6, 1–4. Bib 16: 205–212.
Kilmer, A. D. 1987. The Mesopotamian Counterparts of the Biblical Nĕpı̄lı̂m. Pp. 39–43 in Perspectives on Language and Text: Essays and Poems in Honor of Francis I. Andersen’s Sixtieth Birthday, ed. E. W. Conrad and E. G. Newing. Winona Lake, IN.
Kraeling, E. G. 1947. The Significance and Origin of Gen. 6:1–4. JNES 6: 193–208.
Noth, M. 1948. Überlieferungsgeschichte des Pentateuch. Stuttgart.
Petersen, D. L. 1979. Yahweh and the Organization of the Cosmos. JSOT 13: 47–64.
Scharbert, J. 1967. Traditions- und Redaktionsgeschichte von Gn 6, 1–4. BZn.s. 11: 66–78.
Schreiner, J. 1981. Gen 6, 1–4 und die Problematik von Leben und Tod. Pp. 65–74 in De la ToÆrah au Messie, ed. M. Carrez et al. Paris.
Tsukimoto, A. 1979. “Der Mensch ist geworden wie unsereiner”—Untersuchungen zum zeitgeschichtlichen Hintergrund von Gen. 3, 22–24 und 6, 1–4. AJBI 5: 3–44.
Richard S. Hess
[5]
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible:
Nephilim.
Early division of the human race, mentioned only twice in the OT (Gn 6:4; Nm 13:33). The Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures rendered the name “Nephilim” as “giants,” and other versions followed this rendering, including the kjv. Modern translations, however, usually designate them as Nephilim, thus identifying them with the Anakim (Nm 13:33; Dt 2:21) and the Rephaim (Dt 2:20). The latter two were reputed to be large physically, hence the rendering “giants.”
The Nephilim are of unknown origin. Some writers have taken the Hebrew verb naphal, “to fall,” to imply that the Nephilim were “fallen ones,” that is, fallen angels who subsequently mated with human women. But Christ taught that angels do not have carnal relationships (Lk 20:34, 35), and therefore this view can only be maintained by assuming that Genesis 6:1–4 reflects Greek mythology, in which such unions occurred. The Genesis passage, however, deals with anthropology, not mythology.
The Nephilim were evidently not the “sons of God” and seem to be different also from the “daughters of men.” The best classification is with the Anakim and Rephaim as contemporary peoples of unknown origin.
See Giants.
[6]
Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible:
NEPHILIM נפילים
I. The bald allusion to the Nephilim (lit. fallen ones) in Gen 6:3 (‘The Nephilim were on the earth in those days … ’) fits uneasily into a context that has always presented a challenge to exegetes. Although designated an ‘antiquarian gloss’ (Skinner 1910:147) the sentence in which it appears does bind it to the theological scene which depicts a fresh threat to the God-given distinction between divine beings and humans. It raises again the worst fears expressed at the close of Gen 3 (‘the man has become like one of us … and now he might … eat, and live forever’) but in the new shape of gross physical contact between the sons of God and the beautiful daughters of humans. On the face of it, the human race could now be immune from mortality. The Nephilim were the mythical semi-divine beings spawned by these illicit liaisons. Westermann (1974:494–497) indicates in detail that there are insufficient grounds for disturbing the sequence of 6:1–4 as it stands: 6:1–2 describe the upsetting of the boundaries that divide divine beings and humans; 6:3 God’s judgement stops short of annihilating the evil-doers (just as it did in the Fall and the First Murder incidents) but curtails the human life-span; 6:4 prodigies were the offspring of divine-human marriages. The resulting prodigies of the action in 4b —‘the sons of God went in to the daughters of humans’—are referred to in 4a (the Nephilim) and again much more clearly in 4b (→‘heroes of old … warriors of renown’). Outrageous activity of this kind which resulted in violence and corruption on the earth provoked God’s judgement in the form of the Flood. The monstrous Nephilim were swept away by it and humans would not live forever.
II. The Nephilim are found once more in the Hebrew Bible in Num 13:33 when Moses’ spies exaggerate the strength of the pre-settlement occupants of Canaan by reporting the sight of the gigantic Nephilim before whom they felt like grasshoppers (cp. the Amorites ‘whose height was like the height of cedars’ Am 2:9). Allowing for the awe felt by nomads for settled folk and its resultant hyperbole, the postdiluvian designation does refer to an ancient race of great stature but without the mythological overtones of the semi-divine beings or demi-gods characteristic of the primeval period. The Nephilim have been ‘historicised’ and transferred to the still distant heroic period of pre-settlement Canaan. However, something of the flavour of the older sense of the term might be preserved in Ezek 32:27 where the warrior nations ‘fall’ (npl) down into →Sheol but are not privileged to lie with the gibbôrîm nĕpilîm, ‘the fallen warriors’, or as Kraeling (1947) and Zimmerli (1969) would have it, the Nephilim (nĕpilîm) warriors, mythical semi-divine beings in the manner of Babylonian and Greek myths. Certainly npl is a keyword in Ezek 32 and exploits the etymological significance of Nephilim.
Gunkel (1910:58–59) thought that the term Nephilim in Gen 6:4a, obsolete at the time of the writer, was explained and at the same time given a historical dimension in 6:4c: ‘these were the heroes … of remote antiquity’. The Versions emphasise the heroic qualities of the Nephilim, calling them →‘giants’ (LXX and Vg gigantes). The Aram. cognate npylʾ ‘giant’ occurs several times in the Dead Sea Scrolls: in the Targum of Job 38:31 it translates the name of the constellation →Orion (Heb kĕsîl ) which was regarded as early as Homer (Od. 5.121) as the image of a gigantic hunter. Appropriately the Enochic Book of the Giants attests the Nephilim several times; once they are called ‘the Nephilim of the earth’ or the ‘earthly Nephilim’ (npyly ʾrʿ; 4QEnGib 3:8) possibly drawing attention to the restricted arena of their activities i.e. the earth, despite their heavenly origin. Tg. Onq. has gbryʾ ‘mighty ones’ in agreement with Gen. Rab. XXXI 7 (gbrym) and Tg. Neof. Aberbach points out that this official Targum conspicuously avoids the ‘fallen →angels’ tradition which exploited the plain etymology of the word, from npl ‘to fall’. Others connect it with nēpel ‘miscarriage’ and so meaning dead persons and thence ghosts or spirits of miscarriage, or even (spirits of) children born dead, miscarriages or the like regarded as ill-omened (Schwally, ZAW 18 (1898) 142–148; KB 624). Tg. Ps.-J. has no such qualms and actually names the angels who fell from heaven (Shamhazai and Azael). In 1 Enoch, the parallel account to Gen. 6:1–4, ‘the angels, the sons of heaven’ saw and desired the daughters of men. Semyaza (= Tg. Ps.-J. Shamhazai) appears as their leader; they all, two hundred of them, ‘came down’ (6:6) and acted promiscuously with earthly women (7:1), polluting the earth with their monstrous progeny, the Nephilim (9:9; 10:9). The ambivalent nature of the mysterious Nephilim stems from the far from clear identification of their parents in the Genesis pericope, the ‘sons of the gods (or of God)’. Were these superhuman creatures, demi-gods, like Gilgamesh who was said to be two-thirds god and one-third human, or can they be regarded as completely human, stemming from the aristrocratic line of →Seth? Or are they rulers in the manner of Keret, king of Ugarit, or David, king of Israel, whose traditional epithets derived from sacral kingship? Most modern exegetes recognise the validity of the first interpretation which is supported by a consistent picture of God’s heavenly court and →council in the Hebrew Bible (Pss 29:1; 82:6; 89:6; Job 1–2; 1 Kgs 22:19–22; Isa 6:1–8). The NT notion of the fallen angels who like →Satan (Luke 10:18) plummeted to earth because they failed to recognise their position in the divine hierarchy (2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6) has clear allusions to the Nephilim. The antipathy of the translator in Targum Onqelos towards the proliferation of angelic powers and in particular, the angels who fell from grace, espoused in the Palestinian Targums and in the Enochic traditions might be due partly to the popularity of this kind of material in the early Judaeo-Christian community. Certainly the view that the ‘sons of God’ were angels was replaced in second century ce mainstream Judaism by the theory that they were righteous men. Etymologically, the basis of Nephilim is transparent. This explains the wealth of allusions which exploits the fall from heaven or the fall from Edenic bliss.
III. Mythological analogies from the ancient world have been drawn on as background to the original Hebrew. From classical mythology, e.g. the incident in which →Zeus, with the help of thunder and lightning, hurled Cronos and the other →Titans from heaven, has been noted, and Kraeling (1947) drew attention to the Mesopotamian Atrahasis legend in which the decision to destroy humans by means of a flood follows a population explosion on earth which threatened the equilibrium that existed between gods and men. Ezek 32 with its use of the keyword npl delineating the fate of fallen warriors who go down to Sheol with their weapons of war suggests that the Nephilim were the Fallen, i.e. their status as extinct during the period when the events are recorded. As such they are associated with the massed community of the dead, the →Rephaim (Deut. 2:11; Ps 88:11; Isa 14:9). Draffkorn Kilmer has argued that the Nephilim are to be identified with the primeval apkallu ‘sages, experts’ of Mesopotamian tradition whose responsibility it was to maintain cosmic order. According to Berossus they brought to mankind the divine power of wisdom and all the benefits associated with civilized life; Berossus Book II 1:1–11 (Burstein 1978:18–19).
Westermann (1974:511–512) points out that in Gen 6:4 the Nephilim were identified with the ‘heroes that were of old, warriors of renown’ and that there was nothing mythical here. But the Nephilim of 4a, in the light of Ezek 32:27, are clearly mythical. He concludes that two narrative conclusions were blended in 6:4, one following the mythical line, the other simply the etiological line. The thrust of the mythical line was the telling of the story of the transgression of the divine order which ensured the separation of gods and men in accordance with the theme of similar stories in the primeval narrative (cp. Gen 3 and 11). Later traditions ‘historicized’ the Nephilim and transformed them either into the legendary precursors of the Israelites in Canaan or elaborated the tradition of fallen angelic beings who were actively engaged in stirring mankind into rebellion against divine authority.
IV. Bibliography
M. Aberbach & B. Grossfeld, Targum Onkelos to Genesis (Denver 1982); P. S. Alexander, The Targumim and Early Exegesis of ‘Sons of God’ in Genesis 6, JJS 23 (1972) 60–71; S. M. Burstein, The Babyloniaca of Berossus (SANE 1, 5; Malibu 1978); U. Cassuto, The Episode of the Sons of God and the Daughters of Man, Bible and Oriental Studies, Vol I. Trans I. Abrahams (Jerusalem 1973) 17–38; A. Draffkorn Kilmer, The Mesopotamian Counterparts of the Biblical Nephilim, in: Essays and Poems in Honor of F.I. Andersen’s Sixtieth Birthday. July 28, 1985 (Winona Lake 1987) 39–43; H. Gunkel, Genesis (Göttingen 1910); E. G. Kraeling, The Significance and Origin of Gen. 6:1–4, JNES 6 (1947) 193–208; J. T. Milik, The Books of Enoch. Aramaic Fragments of Qumran Cave 4 (Oxford 1976); J. Skinner, Genesis (ICC; Edinburgh 1910); C. Westermann, Genesis 1–11 (Neukirchen-Vluyn 1974; ET London 1984);W. Zimmerli, Ezekiel 2, II Teilband (Neukirchen-Vluyn 1969; ET Philadelphia 1983).
1 Enoch (Pseudepigrapha):
6–11. THE FALL OF THE ANGELS: THE DEMORALIZATION OF MANKIND: THE INTERCESSION OF THE ANGELS ON BEHALF OF MANKIND. THE DOOMS PRONOUNCED BY GOD ON THE ANGELS: THE MESSIANIC KINGDOM—(A NOAH FRAGMENT).
61 And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. 2 And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: ‘Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.’ 3 And Semjâzâ, who was their leader, said unto them: ‘I fear ye will not indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin.’ 4 And they all answered him and said: ‘Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations not to abandon this plan but to do this thing.’ 5 Then sware they all together and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. 6 And they were in all two hundred; who descended ‹in the days› of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. 7 And these are the names of their leaders: Samîazâz, their leader, Arâkîba, Râmêêl, Kôkabîêl, Tâmîêl, Râmîêl, Dânêl, Êzêqêêl, Barâqîjal, Asâêl, Armârôs, Batârêl, Anânêl, Zaqîêl, Samsâpêêl, Satarêl, Tûrêl, Jômjâêl, Sariêl. 8 These are their chiefs of tens.
71 And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charms and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants. 2 And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells: 3 Who consumed all the acquisitions of men. 4 And when men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against them and devoured mankind. 5 And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and fish, and to devour one another’s flesh, and drink the blood. 6 Then the earth laid accusation against the lawless ones.
81 And Azâzêl taught men to make swords, and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and made known to them the metals 〈of the earth〉 and the art of working them, and bracelets, and ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the eyelids, and all kinds of costly stones, and all colouring tinctures. 2 And there arose much godlessness, and they committed fornication, and they were led astray, and became corrupt in all their ways. 3 Semjâzâ taught enchantments, and root-cuttings, ’Armârôs the resolving of enchantments, Barâqîjâl (taught) astrology, Kôkabêl the constellations, Êzêqêêl the knowledge of the clouds, 〈Araqiêl the signs of the earth, Shamsiêl the signs of the sun〉, and Sariêl the course of the moon. 4 And as men perished, they cried, and their cry went up to heaven …
91 And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth. 2 And they said one to another: ‘The earth made †without inhabitant cries the voice of their cryings† up to the gates of heaven. 3 «And now to you, the holy ones of heaven», the souls of men make their suit, saying, “Bring our cause before the Most High.”’ 4 And they said to the Lord of the ages: ‘Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, 〈and God of the ages〉, the throne of Thy glory (standeth) unto all the generations of the ages, and Thy name holy and glorious and blessed unto all the ages! 5 Thou hast made all things, and power over all things hast Thou: and all things are naked and open in Thy sight, and Thou seest all things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee. 6 Thou seest what Azâzêl hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were (preserved) in heaven, which men were striving to learn: 7 And Semjâzâ, to whom Thou hast given authority to bear rule over his associates. 8 And they have gone to the daughters of men upon the earth, and have slept with the women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins. 9 And the women have borne giants, and the whole earth has thereby been filled with blood and unrighteousness. 10 And now, behold, the souls of those who have died are crying and making their suit to the gates of heaven, and their lamentations have ascended: and cannot cease because of the lawless deeds which are wrought on the earth. 11 And Thou knowest all things before they come to pass, and Thou seest these things and Thou dost suffer them, and Thou dost not say to us what we are to do to them in regard to these.’
101 Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spake, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, and said to him: 2 〈‘Go to Noah and〉 tell him in my name “Hide thyself!” and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it. 3 And now instruct him that he may escape and his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the world.’ 4 And again the Lord said to Raphael: ‘Bind Azâzêl hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dûdâêl, and cast him therein. 5 And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light. 6 And on the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire. 7 And heal the earth which the angels have corrupted, and proclaim the healing of the earth, that they may heal the plague, and that all the children of men may not perish through all the secret things that the Watchers have disclosed and have taught their sons. 8 And the whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azâzêl: to him ascribe all sin.’ 9 And to Gabriel said the Lord: ‘Proceed against the bastards and the reprobates, and against the children of fornication: and destroy [the children of fornication and] the children of the Watchers from amongst men: [and cause them to go forth]: send them one against the other that they may destroy each other in battle: for length of days shall they not have. 10 And no request that they (i.e. their fathers) make of thee shall be granted unto their fathers on their behalf; for they hope to live an eternal life, and that each one of them will live five hundred years.’ 11 And the Lord said unto Michael: ‘Go, bind Semjâzâ and his associates who have united themselves with women so as to have defiled themselves with them in all their uncleanness. 12 And when their sons have slain one another, and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, till the day of their judgement and of their consummation, till the judgement that is for ever and ever is consummated. 13 In those days they shall be led off to the abyss of fire: 〈and〉 to the torment and the prison in which they shall be confined for ever. 14 And whosoever shall be condemned and destroyed will from thenceforth be bound together with them to the end of all generations. 15 And destroy all the spirits of the reprobate and the children of the Watchers, because they have wronged mankind. 16 Destroy all wrong from the face of the earth and let every evil work come to an end: and let the plant of righteousness and truth appear: ‹and it shall prove a blessing; the works of righteousness and truth› shall be planted in truth and joy for evermore.
17 And then shall all the righteous escape,
And shall live till they beget thousands of children,
And all the days of their youth and their old age
Shall they complete in peace.
18 And then shall the whole earth be tilled in righteousness, and shall all be planted with trees and be full of blessing. 19 And all desirable trees shall be planted on it, and they shall plant vines on it: and the vine which they plant thereon shall yield wine in abundance, and as for all the seed which is sown thereon each measure (of it) shall bear a thousand, and each measure of olives shall yield ten presses of oil. 20 And cleanse thou the earth from all oppression, and from all unrighteousness, and from all sin, and from all godlessness: and all the uncleanness that is wrought upon the earth destroy from off the earth. 21 ‹And all the children of men shall become righteous›, and all nations shall offer adoration and shall praise Me, and all shall worship Me. 22 And the earth shall be cleansed from all defilement, and from all sin, and from all punishment, and from all torment, and I will never again send (them) upon it from generation to generation and for ever.
111 And in those days I will open the store chambers of blessing which are in the heaven, so as to send them down ‹upon the earth› over the work and labour of the children of men. 2 And truth and peace shall be associated together throughout all the days of the world and throughout all the generations of men.’
[7]
12–16. DREAM-VISION OF ENOCH: HIS INTERCESSION FOR AZAZEL AND THE FALLEN ANGELS: AND HIS ANNOUNCEMENT OF THEIR FIRST AND FINAL DOOM.
121 Before these things Enoch was hidden, and no one of the children of men knew where he was hidden, and where he abode, and what had become of him. 2 And his activities had to do with the Watchers, and his days were with the holy ones.
3 And I Enoch was blessing the Lord of majesty and the King of the ages, and lo! the Watchers called me—Enoch the scribe—and said to me: 4 ‘Enoch, thou scribe of righteousness, go, †declare† to the Watchers of the heaven who have left the high heaven, the holy eternal place, and have defiled themselves with women, and have done as the children of earth do, and have taken unto themselves wives: 5 “Ye have wrought great destruction on the earth: And ye shall have no peace nor forgiveness of sin: 6 and inasmuch as †they† delight themselves in† their† children, The murder of †their† beloved ones shall† they† see, and over the destruction of †their† children shall† they† lament, and shall make supplication unto eternity, but mercy and peace shall ye not attain.”’
131 And Enoch went and said: ‘Azâzêl, thou shalt have no peace: a severe sentence has gone forth against thee to put thee in bonds: 2 And thou shalt not have toleration nor †request† granted to thee, because of the unrighteousness which thou hast taught, and because of all the works of godlessness and unrighteousness and sin which thou hast shown to men.’ 3 Then I went and spoke to them all together, and they were all afraid, and fear and trembling seized them. 4 And they besought me to draw up a petition for them that they might find forgiveness, and to read their petition in the presence of the Lord of heaven. 5 For from thenceforward they could not speak (with Him) nor lift up their eyes to heaven for shame of their sins for which they had been condemned. 6 Then I wrote out their petition, and the prayer †in regard to their spirits and their deeds individually and in regard to their requests that they should have forgiveness and length†. 7 And I went off and sat down at the waters of Dan, in the land of Dan, to the south of the west of Hermon: I read their petition till I fell asleep. 8 And behold a dream came to me, and visions fell down upon me, and I saw visions of chastisement, ‹and a voice came bidding (me)› to tell it to the sons of heaven, and reprimand them. 9 And when I awaked, I came unto them, and they were all sitting gathered together, weeping in ’Abelsjâîl, which is between Lebanon and Sênêsêr, with their faces covered. 10 And I recounted before them all the visions which I had seen in sleep, and I began to speak the words of righteousness, and to reprimand the heavenly Watchers.
141 The book of the words of righteousness, and of the reprimand of the eternal Watchers in accordance with the command of the Holy Great One in that vision. 2 I saw in my sleep what I will now say with a tongue of flesh and with the breath of my mouth: which the Great One has given to men to converse therewith and understand with the heart. 3 As He has created and given «to man the power of understanding the word of wisdom, so hath He created me also and given» me the power of reprimanding the Watchers, the children of heaven. 4 I wrote out your petition, and in my vision it appeared thus, that your petition will not be granted unto you «throughout all the days of eternity, and that judgement has been finally passed upon you: yea (your petition) will not be granted unto you». 5 And from henceforth you shall not ascend into heaven unto all eternity, and ‹in bonds› of the earth the decree has gone forth to bind you for all the days of the world. 6 And (that) previously you shall have seen the destruction of your beloved sons and ye shall have no pleasure in them, but they shall fall before you by the sword. 7 And your petition on their behalf shall not be granted, nor yet on your own: even though you weep and pray and speak all the words contained in the writing which I have written. 8 And the vision was shown to me thus: Behold, in the vision clouds invited me and a mist summoned me, and the course of the stars and the lightnings sped and hastened me, and the winds in the vision caused me to fly and lifted me upward, and bore me into heaven. 9 And I went in till I drew nigh to a wall which is built of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire: and it began to affright me. 10 And I went into the tongues of fire and drew nigh to a large house which was built of crystals: and the walls of the house were like a tesselated floor (made) of crystals, and its groundwork was of crystal. 11 Its ceiling was like the path of the stars and the lightnings, and between them were fiery cherubim, and their heaven was (clear as) water. 12 A flaming fire surrounded the walls, and its portals blazed with fire. 13 And I entered into that house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice: there were no delights of life therein: fear covered me, and trembling gat hold upon me. 14 And as I quaked and trembled, I fell upon my face. 15 And I beheld a vision, And lo! there was a second house, greater than the former, and the entire portal stood open before me, and it was built of flames of fire. 16 And in every respect it so excelled in splendour and magnificence and extent that I cannot describe to you its splendour and its extent. 17 And its floor was of fire, and above it were lightnings and the path of the stars, and its ceiling also was flaming fire. 18 And I looked and saw «therein» a lofty throne: its appearance was as crystal, and the wheels thereof as the shining sun, and there was the vision of cherubim. 19 And from underneath the throne came streams of flaming fire so that I could not look thereon. 20 And the Great Glory sat thereon, and His raiment shone more brightly than the sun and was whiter than any snow. 21 None of the angels could enter and could behold His face by reason of the magnificence and glory, and no flesh could behold Him. 22 The flaming fire was round about Him, and a great fire stood before Him, and none around could draw nigh Him: ten thousand times ten thousand (stood) before Him, yet He needed no counsellor. 23 And the most holy ones who were nigh to Him did not leave by night nor depart from Him. 24 And until then I had been prostrate on my face, trembling: and the Lord called me with His own mouth, and said to me: ‘Come hither, Enoch, and hear my word.’ 25 ‹And one of the holy ones came to me and waked me›, and He made me rise up and approach the door: and I bowed my face downwards.
151 And He answered and said to me, and I heard His voice: ‘Fear not, Enoch, thou righteous man and scribe of righteousness: approach hither and hear my voice. 2 And go, say to «the Watchers of heaven», who have sent thee to intercede «for them: “You should intercede» for men, and not men for you: 3 Wherefore have ye left the high, holy, and eternal heaven, and lain with women, and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men and taken to yourselves wives, and done like the children of earth, and begotten giants (as your) sons? 4 And though ye were holy, spiritual, living the eternal life, you have defiled yourselves with the blood of women, and have begotten (children) with the blood of flesh, and, as the children of men, have lusted after flesh and blood as those ‹also› do who die and perish. 5 Therefore have I given them wives also that they might impregnate them, and beget children by them, that thus nothing might be wanting to them on earth. 6 But you were ‹formerly› spiritual, living the eternal life, and immortal for all generations of the world. 7 And therefore I have not appointed wives for you; for as for the spiritual ones of the heaven, in heaven is their dwelling. 8 And now, the giants, who are produced from the spirits and flesh, shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, and on the earth shall be their dwelling. 9 Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from men «and» from the holy Watchers is their beginning and primal origin; ‹they shall be evil spirits on earth, and› evil spirits shall they be called. 10 [As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling.] 11 And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, ‹but nevertheless hunger› and thirst, and cause offences. 12 And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded ‹from them›.
161 From the days of the slaughter and destruction and death ‹of the giants›, from the souls of whose flesh the spirits, having gone forth, shall destroy without incurring judgement—thus shall they destroy until the day of the consummation, the great ‹judgement› in which the age shall be consummated, over the Watchers and the godless, yea, shall be wholly consummated.” 2 And now as to the watchers who have sent thee to intercede for them, who had been «aforetime in heaven», (say to them): 3 “You have been in heaven, but ‹all› the mysteries had not yet been revealed to you, and you knew worthless ones, and these in the hardness of your hearts you have made known to the women, and through these mysteries women and men work much evil on earth.”
4 Say to them therefore: “You have no peace.”’
[8]
[1]Lagass, ̌. P., & Columbia University. (2000). The Columbia encyclopedia (6th ed.). New York; Detroit: Columbia University Press; Sold and distributed by Gale Group.
[2]Lagass, ̌. P., & Columbia University. (2000). The Columbia encyclopedia (6th ed.). New York; Detroit: Columbia University Press; Sold and distributed by Gale Group.
[3]Lagass, ̌. P., & Columbia University. (2000). The Columbia encyclopedia (6th ed.). New York; Detroit: Columbia University Press; Sold and distributed by Gale Group.
[4]Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary. Includes index. (1st ed.) (696). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Heb Hebrew; Epistle to the Hebrews
MT Masoretic Text
Hermeneia Hermeneia: A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible
LXX Septuagint
e.g. exempli gratia (for example)
NT New Testament
WBC World Bible Commentary
AB Anchor Bible
W west(ern)
b.c.e. before the common (or Christian) era
EA Tell el-Amarna tablets [cited from J. A. Knudtzon, O. Weber, and E. Ebeling, Die El-Amarna Tafeln, 2 vols., VAB 2, Leipzig, 1915; and A. F. Rainey, El-Amarna Tablets 359–379: Supplement to J. A. Knudtzon, Die El-Amarna Tafeln, 2d rev. ed., AOAT 8, Kevelaer and Neukirchen-Vluyn, 1970]
J “Yahwist” source
WPGI J. Wellhausen. 1895. Prolegomena zur Geschichte Israels. 4th ed. Berlin
BKAT Biblischer Kommentar: Altes Testament
OT Old Testament
ANE Ancient Near East(ern)
cf. confer, compare
JJS Journal of Jewish Studies, Oxford
ATANT Abhandlungen zur Theologie des Alten und Neuen Testaments
Pp. pages; past
JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, Sheffield
Diss. dissertation
WTJ Westminster Theological Journal, Philadelphia, PA
JBL Journal of Biblical Literature
BRev Bible Review
Bib Biblica, Rome
ed. editor(s); edition; edited by
JNES Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Chicago
BZ Biblische Zeitschrift, Paderborn
n.s. new series
et al. et alii (and others)
AJBI Annual of the Japanese Biblical Institute, Tokyo
Richard S. Hess Lecturer in Biblical Studies, Bible Training Institute, Glasgow, Scotland
[5]Freedman, D. N. (1996, c1992). The Anchor Bible Dictionary (4:1072). New York: Doubleday.
OT Old Testament
kjv The King James Version
[6]Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Baker encyclopedia of the Bible. Map on lining papers. (1541). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House.
LXX Septuagint
Vg Vulgate
Aram Aramaic
Heb Hebrew
Tg. Onq. Targum Onqelos
Tg. Neof. Targum Neofiti I
ZAW Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft
KB L. Koehler & W. Baumgartner, Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti libros
Tg. Ps.-J. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan
NT New Testament
JJS Journal of Jewish Studies
SANE Sources from the Ancient Near East
JNES Journal of Near Eastern Studies
‹ The use of these brackets means that the words so enclosed are found in Gg but not in E.
〈 indicate a restoration in the text.
( indicates that the word or words so enclosed or printed are supplied for the sake of clearness.
† indicate that the word or passage so enclosed is corrupt.
« The use of these brackets means that the words so enclosed are found in E but not in Gg or Gs.
[ indicate an intrusion into the original text.
[7]Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament. 2004 (R. H. Charles, Ed.) (2:191-195). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
† indicate that the word or passage so enclosed is corrupt.
( indicates that the word or words so enclosed or printed are supplied for the sake of clearness.
‹ The use of these brackets means that the words so enclosed are found in Gg but not in E.
« The use of these brackets means that the words so enclosed are found in E but not in Gg or Gs.
[ indicate an intrusion into the original text.
[8]Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament. 2004 (R. H. Charles, Ed.) (2:195-199). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
September
I haven’t really updated in a while. I don’t find myself having a lot of free time at home and at work, I don’t get much web time anymore, so I’m writing this out in Word and then I can log in and paste it later.
So, what’s going on?
Well one new thing in my life, I’ve entered a Talent Show at church, me, Mike, who does not do Talent Shows ever. I got roped in to it by a high school student I’ve been slowly befriending. I don’t want to let him down, so I’m attempting to participate. It’s actually going really well so far, we just need some practice time. We’re performing Bulbous Bouffant (Look it up on Google). I play the 3rd guy.
My Courtship with Elise is going really well. I’m absolutely and completely crazy for her. We just started a Bible Study with Bryan. We’re going to be working through Ephesians so I should have some new posts out of that. I’m also going to start an on-going study on Giants in the bible. I’m curious to see if I can draw any correlation to the Nephilim in Genesis 6:4.
I’m excited for the new bible studies and very excited to be Courting Elise. I think we’ll have a good time going through things. I think we both approach bible study very differently.
My truck is fixed. I had to replace the O2 Sensor a bit back for about $220. I’m kind of stressed lately, really since I had it fixed. I’m pretty strapped for cash. Dating is expensive. I’m trying to make some changes to my money habits. I’m finding myself having trouble making it check to check which is really ridiculous when I’m pulling in as much as I am. I think my biggest hits are Gasoline and Food. I eat out too much and I drive too much.
I’m also trying to figure out a way to afford a new Laptop. I really want to sell my desktop and get an Alienware Laptop. It’ll have Intel Core 2 Duo 2ghz, 2gig RAM, GeForce 7950 GX SLi x2, 17” Widescreen 1080p. It’s really awesome, but it’s more than I could ever spend at about $3,500. They give a monthly payment plan at about $100/month but I’d have to use their credit card thing and I can’t justify a purchase like that when I’m having trouble paying for gas. Maybe once I get my finances under control, if I have the budget for it, I can try and buy one as a reward to myself, haha. We’ll see. I sure would love to have it though. I could bring Libronix with me everywhere for my bible studies. I could even use it in place of my MP3 player in my truck with the special AC Adapter. If I could swing that, maybe I could swing the Cintique 2 Tablet screen I want so bad to go with it.
Work still kind of sucks. I’m having a lot of trouble respecting my boss as he polices the department with an iron fist over stupid little things and fails to back us up or improve our work environment by providing better information and training. The office is getting busier and with it, louder. It gets really stressful for me. I think I might request relocation to one of the offices. I’m very tempted to try and get a job painting parking lots. I wouldn’t probably enjoy it much more than this, but at least it would pay so much better. Sounds like a lot more hours than I want to put in though. Who knows, maybe I’ll find something else I can do.
Anyway, that’s life at the moment. Band of the month is Carbon Leaf. Song of the month is “The War Was in Color”
So, what’s going on?
Well one new thing in my life, I’ve entered a Talent Show at church, me, Mike, who does not do Talent Shows ever. I got roped in to it by a high school student I’ve been slowly befriending. I don’t want to let him down, so I’m attempting to participate. It’s actually going really well so far, we just need some practice time. We’re performing Bulbous Bouffant (Look it up on Google). I play the 3rd guy.
My Courtship with Elise is going really well. I’m absolutely and completely crazy for her. We just started a Bible Study with Bryan. We’re going to be working through Ephesians so I should have some new posts out of that. I’m also going to start an on-going study on Giants in the bible. I’m curious to see if I can draw any correlation to the Nephilim in Genesis 6:4.
I’m excited for the new bible studies and very excited to be Courting Elise. I think we’ll have a good time going through things. I think we both approach bible study very differently.
My truck is fixed. I had to replace the O2 Sensor a bit back for about $220. I’m kind of stressed lately, really since I had it fixed. I’m pretty strapped for cash. Dating is expensive. I’m trying to make some changes to my money habits. I’m finding myself having trouble making it check to check which is really ridiculous when I’m pulling in as much as I am. I think my biggest hits are Gasoline and Food. I eat out too much and I drive too much.
I’m also trying to figure out a way to afford a new Laptop. I really want to sell my desktop and get an Alienware Laptop. It’ll have Intel Core 2 Duo 2ghz, 2gig RAM, GeForce 7950 GX SLi x2, 17” Widescreen 1080p. It’s really awesome, but it’s more than I could ever spend at about $3,500. They give a monthly payment plan at about $100/month but I’d have to use their credit card thing and I can’t justify a purchase like that when I’m having trouble paying for gas. Maybe once I get my finances under control, if I have the budget for it, I can try and buy one as a reward to myself, haha. We’ll see. I sure would love to have it though. I could bring Libronix with me everywhere for my bible studies. I could even use it in place of my MP3 player in my truck with the special AC Adapter. If I could swing that, maybe I could swing the Cintique 2 Tablet screen I want so bad to go with it.
Work still kind of sucks. I’m having a lot of trouble respecting my boss as he polices the department with an iron fist over stupid little things and fails to back us up or improve our work environment by providing better information and training. The office is getting busier and with it, louder. It gets really stressful for me. I think I might request relocation to one of the offices. I’m very tempted to try and get a job painting parking lots. I wouldn’t probably enjoy it much more than this, but at least it would pay so much better. Sounds like a lot more hours than I want to put in though. Who knows, maybe I’ll find something else I can do.
Anyway, that’s life at the moment. Band of the month is Carbon Leaf. Song of the month is “The War Was in Color”
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Plot Twist..
Well, today is interesting..
I woke up thismorning feeling kinda down and lonely. It was an ordinary morning for my life, ..but I'm not alone anymore. I txt'd my girlfriend and asked her to tell me she was mine and here to stay. She confirmed that she was mine and not going anywhere and all the loneliness in my heart burned away. It turned in to a really amazing morning. I have never been crazier about her or happier about life. The sun was out. My music was loud (more Switchfoot). God was ministering to my heart. The girl of my dreams was as crazy about me as I was about her and we were pleanty happy to tell eachother as much.
She's working in a different department lately, so I didn't get to see her much, but I chatted with her a little and we went for a walk. As we passed a familiar flower shop on the way back, I bought her a sunflower and told her how I feel about her. She seemed really happy. I was really happy. All in all, it was a beautiful morning and it stayed that way throughout the day.
I'm so crazy about her.
This weekend she leaves for church camp until next thursday. That's going to be pretty tough. I'm going to miss her alot. I have an opportunity to go see her sunday, but we're being instructed that "at camp, we're not dating."
I'm really struggling with this because I don't understand why they think we're such a bad example. I understand that the youth are under special rules, and I think the reasons for those rules are good reasons and I completely respect them. I just don't understand why her and I are being considered youths. I'm 24. She's 22 next month. We are adults.
It's not a terrible big deal, I guess. I'm sure I can live a week without her. I'm sure I can go a day without holding her or telling her how much I care. Surely I can last a week not hearing her tell me how she feels for me, right? It just really scares me that they would say that we can't be together at camp. Are they going to start saying we can't be together at church events? What about at church itself? Are they going to force her to choose between church and me? I know God would not try to keep us apart. He brought us together in the first place. Why is this church asking us to be apart? I don't mind one day, one event, but I am so worried it will become an all the time thing. I just don't understand it.
"Dear, God, are we doing something wrong?"
I screwed up tonight. I told her I was thinking about not attending sunday. I thought it would be easier for us both to wait longer than to see eachother and not be able even to talk. She got very upset about it. She thinks I am asking her to choose between church and me. I would never ask that. That is exactly what I am so concerned about, that the church would ask her that very thing.
On top of that, she invited me over for an hour tonight and I told her I thought it was best to spend the evening with my family. Bryan ended up coming over and spending time with us. When she found out, she thought I blew her off for Bryan. I don't understand why she would jump to that conclusion.
We talked about this all over the phone, and I tried to explain my thoughts on the camping and my thoughts on these rules, and I tried to explain that I didn't blow her off for Bryan and I don't think she listened to any of it. She didn't care. She was too upset with me to listen or understand.
So here I am. It's late. I'm very tired, but I can't sleep. I'm so frustrated with myself for not communicating well. I'm frustrated with Pastor David for his rules. I'm frustrated with the entire situation..
*twist again?*
..And now Steve calls me and reminds me why he's such and awesome friend. We talked a bit and he explained things to me in a way, maybe I understand better? This whole thing is so irrational. Maybe I'm just insecure and afraid that I will lose her and in my fear, I push her away. How does that even make sense?
Amazing that I named this post "Plot Twist" because of the days events, only to find out God has His own plot twist in mind for me through a call from a friend at 11:15pm of all times.
I'm going on Sunday, and I'm sure it'll be a great time. I really wish I was better at this dating stuff, but I guess that's just part of dating, figuring things out.
"Dear Lord, I'm so sorry for my foolishness. Father, please help me as I talk with Elise tomorrow. Father, please help her to understand. I pray that she will see past my foolishness and recognize my best intentions. I pray that she will have a heart to forgive me.
Father, God, help me to trust Pastor David. Lord, help me to trust this church. I pray that I would see You in them and find understanding. Grant me wisdom and grace, Father, in all things.
I pray always that you will contenue to form me in to the man you would have me be, but I often forget how tought the process will be. These are wonderful, beautiful times. You have given me great happiness, but these are also very difficult times full of trials. God, I pray that I would see Your work and know Your ways in the events surrounding me. Let me not be afraid of what I do not understand, Lord, but instead fill me with faith. Strengthen me.
This has been a hard lesson learning. Tomorrow I will get to see Elise, a little, at work. I pray, Lord, grant me one miracle and mend this thing between us before we part. I want her to know how special she is to me that she will not question it in my absense. I wish I had been with her tonight, Lord. I did not know what you had in store for us.
Amen."
.. I feel so foolish. I hope this post makes some kind of sense. I'm so tired. I need to go to sleep.
I woke up thismorning feeling kinda down and lonely. It was an ordinary morning for my life, ..but I'm not alone anymore. I txt'd my girlfriend and asked her to tell me she was mine and here to stay. She confirmed that she was mine and not going anywhere and all the loneliness in my heart burned away. It turned in to a really amazing morning. I have never been crazier about her or happier about life. The sun was out. My music was loud (more Switchfoot). God was ministering to my heart. The girl of my dreams was as crazy about me as I was about her and we were pleanty happy to tell eachother as much.
She's working in a different department lately, so I didn't get to see her much, but I chatted with her a little and we went for a walk. As we passed a familiar flower shop on the way back, I bought her a sunflower and told her how I feel about her. She seemed really happy. I was really happy. All in all, it was a beautiful morning and it stayed that way throughout the day.
I'm so crazy about her.
This weekend she leaves for church camp until next thursday. That's going to be pretty tough. I'm going to miss her alot. I have an opportunity to go see her sunday, but we're being instructed that "at camp, we're not dating."
I'm really struggling with this because I don't understand why they think we're such a bad example. I understand that the youth are under special rules, and I think the reasons for those rules are good reasons and I completely respect them. I just don't understand why her and I are being considered youths. I'm 24. She's 22 next month. We are adults.
It's not a terrible big deal, I guess. I'm sure I can live a week without her. I'm sure I can go a day without holding her or telling her how much I care. Surely I can last a week not hearing her tell me how she feels for me, right? It just really scares me that they would say that we can't be together at camp. Are they going to start saying we can't be together at church events? What about at church itself? Are they going to force her to choose between church and me? I know God would not try to keep us apart. He brought us together in the first place. Why is this church asking us to be apart? I don't mind one day, one event, but I am so worried it will become an all the time thing. I just don't understand it.
"Dear, God, are we doing something wrong?"
I screwed up tonight. I told her I was thinking about not attending sunday. I thought it would be easier for us both to wait longer than to see eachother and not be able even to talk. She got very upset about it. She thinks I am asking her to choose between church and me. I would never ask that. That is exactly what I am so concerned about, that the church would ask her that very thing.
On top of that, she invited me over for an hour tonight and I told her I thought it was best to spend the evening with my family. Bryan ended up coming over and spending time with us. When she found out, she thought I blew her off for Bryan. I don't understand why she would jump to that conclusion.
We talked about this all over the phone, and I tried to explain my thoughts on the camping and my thoughts on these rules, and I tried to explain that I didn't blow her off for Bryan and I don't think she listened to any of it. She didn't care. She was too upset with me to listen or understand.
So here I am. It's late. I'm very tired, but I can't sleep. I'm so frustrated with myself for not communicating well. I'm frustrated with Pastor David for his rules. I'm frustrated with the entire situation..
*twist again?*
..And now Steve calls me and reminds me why he's such and awesome friend. We talked a bit and he explained things to me in a way, maybe I understand better? This whole thing is so irrational. Maybe I'm just insecure and afraid that I will lose her and in my fear, I push her away. How does that even make sense?
Amazing that I named this post "Plot Twist" because of the days events, only to find out God has His own plot twist in mind for me through a call from a friend at 11:15pm of all times.
I'm going on Sunday, and I'm sure it'll be a great time. I really wish I was better at this dating stuff, but I guess that's just part of dating, figuring things out.
"Dear Lord, I'm so sorry for my foolishness. Father, please help me as I talk with Elise tomorrow. Father, please help her to understand. I pray that she will see past my foolishness and recognize my best intentions. I pray that she will have a heart to forgive me.
Father, God, help me to trust Pastor David. Lord, help me to trust this church. I pray that I would see You in them and find understanding. Grant me wisdom and grace, Father, in all things.
I pray always that you will contenue to form me in to the man you would have me be, but I often forget how tought the process will be. These are wonderful, beautiful times. You have given me great happiness, but these are also very difficult times full of trials. God, I pray that I would see Your work and know Your ways in the events surrounding me. Let me not be afraid of what I do not understand, Lord, but instead fill me with faith. Strengthen me.
This has been a hard lesson learning. Tomorrow I will get to see Elise, a little, at work. I pray, Lord, grant me one miracle and mend this thing between us before we part. I want her to know how special she is to me that she will not question it in my absense. I wish I had been with her tonight, Lord. I did not know what you had in store for us.
Amen."
.. I feel so foolish. I hope this post makes some kind of sense. I'm so tired. I need to go to sleep.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Switchfoot?
Not much to post today yet. Been thinking about Life lately. My work buddy, Luc has been looking for a new job and it's got me thinkin more about my own life I guess. I'm just so bored and so tired of this same old stuff in this same old building at this same old computer. I wanna see life, experience it. I want to enjoy the sunshine and listen to loud music and feel free. Why does a career have to contain you like a cage? There's gotta be more.
Inspired by Switchfoot thismorning:
American Dream
Switchfoot
When success is equated with excess
The ambition for excess wrecks us
As top of the mind becomes the bottom line
When success is equated with excess
If you're time ain't be nothing for money
I start to feel really bad for you honey
Maybe honey put you're money where your mouth's been running
If you're time ain't be nothing but money
I want out of this machine
It doesn't feel like freedom
(chorus)
This ain't my American dream
I want to live and die for bigger things
I'm tired of fighting for just me
This ain't my American dream
When success is equated with excess
When we're fighting for the beamer, the lexus
As the heart and soul breathing the company goals
Where success is equated with excess
I want out of this machine
It doesn't feel like freedom
(chorus)
Cause baby's always talkin 'bout a ring
And talk has always been the cheapest thing
Is it true would you do what I want you to
If I show up with the right amount of bling?
Like a puppet on a monetary string
Maybe we've been caught singing
Red, white, blue, and green
But that ain't my America,
That ain't my American dream
(chorus)
Inspired by Switchfoot thismorning:
American Dream
Switchfoot
When success is equated with excess
The ambition for excess wrecks us
As top of the mind becomes the bottom line
When success is equated with excess
If you're time ain't be nothing for money
I start to feel really bad for you honey
Maybe honey put you're money where your mouth's been running
If you're time ain't be nothing but money
I want out of this machine
It doesn't feel like freedom
(chorus)
This ain't my American dream
I want to live and die for bigger things
I'm tired of fighting for just me
This ain't my American dream
When success is equated with excess
When we're fighting for the beamer, the lexus
As the heart and soul breathing the company goals
Where success is equated with excess
I want out of this machine
It doesn't feel like freedom
(chorus)
Cause baby's always talkin 'bout a ring
And talk has always been the cheapest thing
Is it true would you do what I want you to
If I show up with the right amount of bling?
Like a puppet on a monetary string
Maybe we've been caught singing
Red, white, blue, and green
But that ain't my America,
That ain't my American dream
(chorus)
Monday, June 25, 2007
Stress and Depression
Been a little while since I last posted. Not a real big bible study today. I've been stressed and a little depressed. It's been a busy 2 weeks. I found this encouraging:
"When my heart was embittered (חָמוּץ Grieved) And I was pierced within, Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides (with) You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God (אֱלֹהִים Elohiym) is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God (אֱלֹהִים Elohiym) is my good; I have made the Lord (אֲדֹנָי 'Adonay) God (יְהוִה Yâhovah) my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works." (Psalm 73:21-28, NASB95)
Two new names of God today:
136 אֲדֹנָי [’Adonay /ad·o·noy/] n m. Am emphatic form of 113; TWOT 27b; GK 151; 434 occurrences; AV translates as “Lord” 431 times, “lord” twice, and “God” once. 1 my lord, lord. 1a of men. 1b of God. 2 Lord—title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence.
Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) (H136). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.
3068 יהוה, יְהוִה [Yâhovah /yeh·ho·vaw/] n pr dei. From 1961; TWOT 484a; GK 3378; 6519 occurrences; AV translates as “LORD” 6510 times, “GOD” four times, “JEHOVAH” four times, and “variant” once. 1 the proper name of the one true God. 1a unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of 0136. Additional Information: Jehovah = “the existing One”.
Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) (H3068). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.
I like 'Adonay.
"Today, I pray to you, Oh God. I pray for guidance, and strength and understanding. Forgive me Lord, for my distractions. I have let the hussle of life overwhelm me. Restore me now, as I lift my eyes to you, Father. I trust you with my life. Take the pain from my heart, lift the fog from my face. My heart is weak, God, be my strength. Be my refuge. Shelter me from my enemies, even my own thoughts. Create in me the man you would have me be, Lord. Give me wisdom and grace. 'Adonay, Guide me. I am your servant.
Amen."
"When my heart was embittered (חָמוּץ Grieved) And I was pierced within, Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides (with) You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God (אֱלֹהִים Elohiym) is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God (אֱלֹהִים Elohiym) is my good; I have made the Lord (אֲדֹנָי 'Adonay) God (יְהוִה Yâhovah) my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works." (Psalm 73:21-28, NASB95)
Two new names of God today:
136 אֲדֹנָי [’Adonay /ad·o·noy/] n m. Am emphatic form of 113; TWOT 27b; GK 151; 434 occurrences; AV translates as “Lord” 431 times, “lord” twice, and “God” once. 1 my lord, lord. 1a of men. 1b of God. 2 Lord—title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence.
Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) (H136). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.
3068 יהוה, יְהוִה [Yâhovah /yeh·ho·vaw/] n pr dei. From 1961; TWOT 484a; GK 3378; 6519 occurrences; AV translates as “LORD” 6510 times, “GOD” four times, “JEHOVAH” four times, and “variant” once. 1 the proper name of the one true God. 1a unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of 0136. Additional Information: Jehovah = “the existing One”.
Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) (H3068). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.
I like 'Adonay.
"Today, I pray to you, Oh God. I pray for guidance, and strength and understanding. Forgive me Lord, for my distractions. I have let the hussle of life overwhelm me. Restore me now, as I lift my eyes to you, Father. I trust you with my life. Take the pain from my heart, lift the fog from my face. My heart is weak, God, be my strength. Be my refuge. Shelter me from my enemies, even my own thoughts. Create in me the man you would have me be, Lord. Give me wisdom and grace. 'Adonay, Guide me. I am your servant.
Amen."
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Well, Let's Start in The Middle..
I've been doing a lot of thinking and it's time for a new blog with an eternal focus. I did a bible study tonight and I decided to post it somewhere. Here's what's been on my mind, from MS WordPad, so formatting is horrible and citation is lacking. Forgive me. :P
Red text is shown in the original hebrew following the verse as it appears in the Enhanced Strong's Lexicon.
Purple is just a guide to the different forms of God.
Blue is me. Hi.
Italic Blue is me praying.
Green is a footnote.
Gray is text I did not focus on.
Black is text I did focus on.
Ecclesiastes Chapter 3
A Time for Everything
1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—
2 A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.
9 What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils?
10 I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.
God Set Eternity in the Heart of Man
11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;
13 moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God.
14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.
15 That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.
16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.
17 I said to myself, "God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man," for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.
18 I said to myself concerning the sons of men, "God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts."
19 For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity.
20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.
21 Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?
22 I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?
"God, oh God, Father in Heaven, God of Abraham, Jesus, I have fallen away, Lord! Hear me now, I beg of you! I have been so foolish, Lord. Forgive me, please, forgive me. I need your help, Lord. I need to change now. Lord I give it to you, all that I have become. Take it away from me, Lord. Take it away. Help me to become the man you would have me be. Make me the man I am becoming, God. Guide me. Guide my thoughts. Steer me away from my sinfulness. Draw me to you. How can I be a father, a husband, a leader,... how can I be a man, if I am not walking with you, Father? Guide me, Lord. Guide me..."
Now I find myself, using Libronix, studying a passage, researching in the original Hebrew, seeking so purposefully for this God, El Shaddai, God Almighty.
Anyway, to the point..
I found myself seeking advice on dating. This girl and I have been trying to decide if it is God's desire for us to date. I like her very much, and she likes me. We've established that, but this is proving very difficult to me. I have wasted so much time, and now I am trying to catch up; trying to find my role in life and now how that involves her. What is appropriate? How should we act with eachother? We have been acting liek a couple for a few weeks now, but we don't say we are dating. Is that accurate? I don't think it is; I think we are dating and afraid to admit it. Should we step back to friendship? Can we? I began this study, laying on my bed, praying, and then writing out my thoughts, which turned in to praying on paper.
"Are we going slow or trying not to like eachother; trying not to like eachother yet? What are we waiting for? Does God want us to date now? Are we already? What is the difference between dating and now? Is there a difference? I'm not sure there is. We didn't plan this. Does that make it wrong? Should we go back to friends? Can we? What does that mean?
No poking or nudging. Hugging? Alone time?.. I'll miss her. This is so hard... is it right? (Ecc 3:5 What time is it? I have shunned so long. Is God finally giving me the go-ahead to persue?)
Why are we stepping back? Are we not ready or just afraid of the commitment?.. Oh, God, what should I do? I really like her, Lord. Please Speak to me, Father. Wisdom and Grace, Father. Show me what is Righteous and teach me to accept it. Lord, these thoughts are beyond me. Guide me, God, as I dwell on them. Shape me in to the man I am becoming. Define me, Lord. I need you.
Amen."
I left to eat dinner with my family. I wasn't hungry much. I put in some laundry and set my computer back up. I've got Third Day playing, and Libronix open to my NASB95 and my ESV. I'm checking my Strong's Lexicon and running Word Studies and Topic Studies. I am seeking and I think I am finding what I am looking for.
430 אu1457 לu1465 הu1460 יu1501 [’elohiym /el·o·heem/] n m p. Plural of 433; TWOT 93c; GK 466; 2606 occurrences; AV translates as "God" 2346 times, "god" 244 times, "judge" five times, "GOD" once, "goddess" twice, "great" twice, "mighty" twice, "angels" once, "exceeding" once, "God-ward + 4136" once, and "godly" once. 1 (plural). 1a rulers, judges. 1b divine ones. 1c angels. 1d gods. 2 (plural intensive—singular meaning). 2a god, goddess. 2b godlike one. 2c works or special possessions of God. 2d the (true) God. 2e God.
7706 שu1473 ַu1491 ּu1463 י [Shadday /shad·dah·ee/] n m dei. From 7703; TWOT 2333; GK 8724; 48 occurrences; AV translates as "Almighty" 48 times. 1 almighty, most powerful. 1a Shaddai, the Almighty (of God).
Ecc 3:5
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
7368 רu1464 חu1463 ק [rachaq /raw·khak/] v inf (as adv). A primitive root; TWOT 2151; GK 8178; 58 occurrences; AV translates as "…far" 36 times, "…off" nine times, "…away" seven times, "remove" five times, and "good way" once. 1 to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away. 1a (Qal) to be far, be distant. 1b (Piel) to send far away, extend. 1c (Hiphil). 1c1 to make or exhibit distance, be gone far. 1c2 to remove, put far away. 2 (Niphal) loose. 3 at a distance.
What time is it in my life; in our relationship? Is it pure? The Believer's Bible Commentary says the following about this verse:
3:5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones. Taken at face value, this means that there is a time to clear land for cultivation (Isa. 5:2), then to gather the stones for building houses, walls, or other projects. If we take the words figuratively, as most modern commentators do, there may be a reference to the marriage act. Thus, TEV paraphrases, "The time for having sex and the time for not having it."
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing. In the realm of the affections, there is a time for involvement and a time for withdrawal. There is a time when love is pure and a time when it is illicit.
So I guess we have to decide what is righteous and what is not. I've taken to poking her on the arm, sometimes the shoulder or the back, sometimes her leg, near her knee. It is a sign from me, of my affections. "Hey, I like you. You have my attention." I ask myself now, is this pure? I guess it comes down to context and intent or motivation. As a couple, I don't feel it is wrong if it is done in pure motives. It is not sexual. If we are not dating, however, I think it is inappropriate anyway. I sometimes nudge her or bump in to her at the shoulder. The same rules apply, I think. I guess we need to decide what our relationship is and adjust as needed.
Ecc 3:14
I know that everything 'Elohiym (God) does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for 'Elohiym (God) has so worked that men should fear (be in awe of) Him.
6213 עu1464 שu1474 ָu1492 , עu1464 שu1474 ָu1492 [`asah /aw·saw/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 1708, 1709; GK 6913 and 6914; 2633 occurrences; AV translates as "do" 1333 times, "make" 653 times, "wrought" 52 times, "deal" 52 times, "commit" 49 times, "offer" 49 times, "execute" 48 times, "keep" 48 times, "shew" 43 times, "prepare" 37 times, "work" 29 times, "do so" 21 times, "perform" 18 times, "get" 14 times, "dress" 13 times, "maker" 13 times, "maintain" seven times, and translated miscellaneously 154 times. 1 to do, fashion, accomplish, make. 1a (Qal). 1a1 to do, work, make, produce. 1a1a to do. 1a1b to work. 1a1c to deal (with). 1a1d to act, act with effect, effect. 1a2 to make. 1a2a to make. 1a2b to produce. 1a2c to prepare. 1a2d to make (an offering). 1a2e to attend to, put in order. 1a2f to observe, celebrate. 1a2g to acquire (property). 1a2h to appoint, ordain, institute. 1a2i to bring about. 1a2j to use. 1a2k to spend, pass. 1b (Niphal). 1b1 to be done. 1b2 to be made. 1b3 to be produced. 1b4 to be offered. 1b5 to be observed. 1b6 to be used. 1c (Pual) to be made. 2 (Piel) to press, squeeze.
Ecc 3:15
That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for 'Elohiym (God) seeks what has passed by.
(Romans 8:28 - And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.)
I read this verse and thought, "How beautiful to find this written." I have always been of the belief that 'Elohiym is in control of all things and sets a path for us. How elegantly, yet plainly, is it written here. "That which has been already and that which will be, has already been.." The future is known to an all-knowing God, 'Elohiym. And as noted in Romans 8:28, El Shaddai, God Almighty, is guiding our paths, as we love and seek Him, he will push us toward His purpose, His Plan and it is Good. What a comfort this is in times of confusion and questions like these?
"God, you are amazing. I am in awe of you. Lord, please contenue to guide my path, mold me. Thank you, Lord, for meeting me here in this time. Thank you, Father, for bringing me to this place. I know that I am being formed. I feel your work in me. Lord, let that which I have learned sink deep. Again, I pray, 'Define me, Lord.' Be with me and be with her. Guide us both. Lead us toward your will, Father, El Shaddai, God Almighty. Amen."
Red text is shown in the original hebrew following the verse as it appears in the Enhanced Strong's Lexicon.
Purple is just a guide to the different forms of God.
Blue is me. Hi.
Italic Blue is me praying.
Green is a footnote.
Gray is text I did not focus on.
Black is text I did focus on.
Ecclesiastes Chapter 3
A Time for Everything
1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—
2 A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.
9 What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils?
10 I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.
God Set Eternity in the Heart of Man
11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;
13 moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God.
14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.
15 That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.
16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.
17 I said to myself, "God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man," for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.
18 I said to myself concerning the sons of men, "God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts."
19 For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity.
20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.
21 Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?
22 I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?
NASB95
As I enter in to a new relationship, I find myself with so many questions and so unprepared. It is my longing to do what is right by Elohiym, El Shaddai, God. I find myself seeking Him. Trying to discover Him like never before. I have decided to use His Hebrew name, as I think it helps me focus more on who He is and also to see which roles He is portrayed in throughout the text.
What time is it? What season of my life have I entered? Suddenly, I am mortal and aware of my ignorance. I found myself wondering who I was and what I was doing about 2 months ago. As April (2007) ended, I found myself praying desperately to a God I no longer seemed to know.
As I enter in to a new relationship, I find myself with so many questions and so unprepared. It is my longing to do what is right by Elohiym, El Shaddai, God. I find myself seeking Him. Trying to discover Him like never before. I have decided to use His Hebrew name, as I think it helps me focus more on who He is and also to see which roles He is portrayed in throughout the text.
What time is it? What season of my life have I entered? Suddenly, I am mortal and aware of my ignorance. I found myself wondering who I was and what I was doing about 2 months ago. As April (2007) ended, I found myself praying desperately to a God I no longer seemed to know.
"God, oh God, Father in Heaven, God of Abraham, Jesus, I have fallen away, Lord! Hear me now, I beg of you! I have been so foolish, Lord. Forgive me, please, forgive me. I need your help, Lord. I need to change now. Lord I give it to you, all that I have become. Take it away from me, Lord. Take it away. Help me to become the man you would have me be. Make me the man I am becoming, God. Guide me. Guide my thoughts. Steer me away from my sinfulness. Draw me to you. How can I be a father, a husband, a leader,... how can I be a man, if I am not walking with you, Father? Guide me, Lord. Guide me..."
Now I find myself, using Libronix, studying a passage, researching in the original Hebrew, seeking so purposefully for this God, El Shaddai, God Almighty.
Anyway, to the point..
I found myself seeking advice on dating. This girl and I have been trying to decide if it is God's desire for us to date. I like her very much, and she likes me. We've established that, but this is proving very difficult to me. I have wasted so much time, and now I am trying to catch up; trying to find my role in life and now how that involves her. What is appropriate? How should we act with eachother? We have been acting liek a couple for a few weeks now, but we don't say we are dating. Is that accurate? I don't think it is; I think we are dating and afraid to admit it. Should we step back to friendship? Can we? I began this study, laying on my bed, praying, and then writing out my thoughts, which turned in to praying on paper.
"Are we going slow or trying not to like eachother; trying not to like eachother yet? What are we waiting for? Does God want us to date now? Are we already? What is the difference between dating and now? Is there a difference? I'm not sure there is. We didn't plan this. Does that make it wrong? Should we go back to friends? Can we? What does that mean?
No poking or nudging. Hugging? Alone time?.. I'll miss her. This is so hard... is it right? (Ecc 3:5 What time is it? I have shunned so long. Is God finally giving me the go-ahead to persue?)
Why are we stepping back? Are we not ready or just afraid of the commitment?.. Oh, God, what should I do? I really like her, Lord. Please Speak to me, Father. Wisdom and Grace, Father. Show me what is Righteous and teach me to accept it. Lord, these thoughts are beyond me. Guide me, God, as I dwell on them. Shape me in to the man I am becoming. Define me, Lord. I need you.
Amen."
I left to eat dinner with my family. I wasn't hungry much. I put in some laundry and set my computer back up. I've got Third Day playing, and Libronix open to my NASB95 and my ESV. I'm checking my Strong's Lexicon and running Word Studies and Topic Studies. I am seeking and I think I am finding what I am looking for.
430 אu1457 לu1465 הu1460 יu1501 [’elohiym /el·o·heem/] n m p. Plural of 433; TWOT 93c; GK 466; 2606 occurrences; AV translates as "God" 2346 times, "god" 244 times, "judge" five times, "GOD" once, "goddess" twice, "great" twice, "mighty" twice, "angels" once, "exceeding" once, "God-ward + 4136" once, and "godly" once. 1 (plural). 1a rulers, judges. 1b divine ones. 1c angels. 1d gods. 2 (plural intensive—singular meaning). 2a god, goddess. 2b godlike one. 2c works or special possessions of God. 2d the (true) God. 2e God.
7706 שu1473 ַu1491 ּu1463 י [Shadday /shad·dah·ee/] n m dei. From 7703; TWOT 2333; GK 8724; 48 occurrences; AV translates as "Almighty" 48 times. 1 almighty, most powerful. 1a Shaddai, the Almighty (of God).
Ecc 3:5
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
7368 רu1464 חu1463 ק [rachaq /raw·khak/] v inf (as adv). A primitive root; TWOT 2151; GK 8178; 58 occurrences; AV translates as "…far" 36 times, "…off" nine times, "…away" seven times, "remove" five times, and "good way" once. 1 to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away. 1a (Qal) to be far, be distant. 1b (Piel) to send far away, extend. 1c (Hiphil). 1c1 to make or exhibit distance, be gone far. 1c2 to remove, put far away. 2 (Niphal) loose. 3 at a distance.
What time is it in my life; in our relationship? Is it pure? The Believer's Bible Commentary says the following about this verse:
3:5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones. Taken at face value, this means that there is a time to clear land for cultivation (Isa. 5:2), then to gather the stones for building houses, walls, or other projects. If we take the words figuratively, as most modern commentators do, there may be a reference to the marriage act. Thus, TEV paraphrases, "The time for having sex and the time for not having it."
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing. In the realm of the affections, there is a time for involvement and a time for withdrawal. There is a time when love is pure and a time when it is illicit.
So I guess we have to decide what is righteous and what is not. I've taken to poking her on the arm, sometimes the shoulder or the back, sometimes her leg, near her knee. It is a sign from me, of my affections. "Hey, I like you. You have my attention." I ask myself now, is this pure? I guess it comes down to context and intent or motivation. As a couple, I don't feel it is wrong if it is done in pure motives. It is not sexual. If we are not dating, however, I think it is inappropriate anyway. I sometimes nudge her or bump in to her at the shoulder. The same rules apply, I think. I guess we need to decide what our relationship is and adjust as needed.
Ecc 3:14
I know that everything 'Elohiym (God) does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for 'Elohiym (God) has so worked that men should fear (be in awe of) Him.
6213 עu1464 שu1474 ָu1492 , עu1464 שu1474 ָu1492 [`asah /aw·saw/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 1708, 1709; GK 6913 and 6914; 2633 occurrences; AV translates as "do" 1333 times, "make" 653 times, "wrought" 52 times, "deal" 52 times, "commit" 49 times, "offer" 49 times, "execute" 48 times, "keep" 48 times, "shew" 43 times, "prepare" 37 times, "work" 29 times, "do so" 21 times, "perform" 18 times, "get" 14 times, "dress" 13 times, "maker" 13 times, "maintain" seven times, and translated miscellaneously 154 times. 1 to do, fashion, accomplish, make. 1a (Qal). 1a1 to do, work, make, produce. 1a1a to do. 1a1b to work. 1a1c to deal (with). 1a1d to act, act with effect, effect. 1a2 to make. 1a2a to make. 1a2b to produce. 1a2c to prepare. 1a2d to make (an offering). 1a2e to attend to, put in order. 1a2f to observe, celebrate. 1a2g to acquire (property). 1a2h to appoint, ordain, institute. 1a2i to bring about. 1a2j to use. 1a2k to spend, pass. 1b (Niphal). 1b1 to be done. 1b2 to be made. 1b3 to be produced. 1b4 to be offered. 1b5 to be observed. 1b6 to be used. 1c (Pual) to be made. 2 (Piel) to press, squeeze.
Ecc 3:15
That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for 'Elohiym (God) seeks what has passed by.
(Romans 8:28 - And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.)
I read this verse and thought, "How beautiful to find this written." I have always been of the belief that 'Elohiym is in control of all things and sets a path for us. How elegantly, yet plainly, is it written here. "That which has been already and that which will be, has already been.." The future is known to an all-knowing God, 'Elohiym. And as noted in Romans 8:28, El Shaddai, God Almighty, is guiding our paths, as we love and seek Him, he will push us toward His purpose, His Plan and it is Good. What a comfort this is in times of confusion and questions like these?
"God, you are amazing. I am in awe of you. Lord, please contenue to guide my path, mold me. Thank you, Lord, for meeting me here in this time. Thank you, Father, for bringing me to this place. I know that I am being formed. I feel your work in me. Lord, let that which I have learned sink deep. Again, I pray, 'Define me, Lord.' Be with me and be with her. Guide us both. Lead us toward your will, Father, El Shaddai, God Almighty. Amen."
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