Gieneke Sneller

With God there is our sure refuge “Misgav” is derived from the infrequent but significant Hebrew verb “sagav”. First something about this verb “sagav” which means: to be high, to be exalted. But this verb also means: to be impregnable, to be inaccessible, to be safe. This term – especially used in poetry – speaks … Lees meer

Strength and refuge The Hebrew word “maoz” (pronounced ma’oz[1]) is one of those words that can have various meanings. These meanings usually depend on the meaning of the verbal stem or noun from which a certain word is derived. In the case of “maoz”, the different meanings are determined by those of the verbs from … Lees meer

“Seek the LORD and live!” Verbs have various meanings in Biblical Hebrew, whereby context and word combinations can also play a determining role in the interpretation and translation. We have already considered such difficult verbs with multiple aspects of meaning. Still, it is well worth taking a closer look at these types of verbs and … Lees meer

“Be strong and courageous” (Deuteronomy 31:6) At the start of a new year or at turning points in our life, it is a good time to look back on our past year and to look ahead. How did we start this year? And how do we live now, today? How do we look at tomorrow? … Lees meer

“My help comes from the Lord…” (Psalm 121:2). In a previous article we discussed the Hebrew verb עזר,  “azar” which means: to help, to support, to assist, to deliver[1]. We saw that this verb is mainly used with reference to the Lord God. This also applies to the nouns “ezer” and “ezra” derived from the … Lees meer

In the first article on this subject, we discussed the Hebrew verb נצל, “natsal”. This verb – as we have seen – has much to say to us regarding God’s dealings with man. The basic meaning of the stem “natsal” is to separate, to snatch. But derived from this basic meaning, “natsal” also means: to … Lees meer

This time we will consider the Hebrew verb נצל , “natsal”. This verb demands our attention not only because it occurs frequently in the Hebrew Bible, but also because it has much to say to us regarding God’s dealing with man. The basic meaning of the stem “natsal” is: to separate, to snatch. But derived … Lees meer

Shama and the different meanings In Biblical Hebrew, regularly verbs occur that have several and different meanings, usually based on a general basic meaning; often they are meanings that complement each other, or meanings where one originates from the other. This group of verbs includes the verb שׁמע “shama”[1], which can primarily be translated with … Lees meer

“Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him” (Genesis 6:22). This time, we will not focus on one specific Hebrew word, but on an important Biblical theme: obedience. “Obedience” as biblical subject is especially evident in the many examples of people whose lives can be said to be characterized by obedience to the … Lees meer