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is to give one ability and concern to do something; thus God “put” it in the heart of the
Hebrew craftsmen to teach others (Exod. 36:2).
“To give one’s face to” is to focus one’s attention on something, as when Jehoshaphat
was afraid of the alliance of the Transjordanian kings and “set [his face] to seek the Lord”
(2 Chron. 20:3). This same phrase can merely mean “to be facing someone or something”
(cf. Gen. 30:40). “To give one’s face against” is a hostile action (Lev. 17:10). Used with
(literally, “before the face of”), this verb may mean “to place an object before” or to
“set it down before” (Exod. 30:6). It may also mean “to put before” (Deut. 11:26), “to
smite” (cf. Deut. 2:33), or “to give as one’s possession” (Deut. 1:8).
(
, 3467), “to deliver, help.” Apart from Hebrew, this root occurs only in a
Moabite inscription. The verb occurs over 200 times in the Bible. For example: “For thus
saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be
2 ;
in
quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not” (Isa. 30:15).
B. Nouns.
$
(
, 3444), “deliverance.” This noun appears 78 times in the Old
Testament, predominantly in the Book of Psalms (45 times) and Isaiah (19 times). The
first occurrence is in Jacob’s last words: “I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord” (Gen.
49:18).
“Salvation” in the Old Testament is not understood as a salvation from sin, since the
word denotes broadly anything from which “deliverance” must be sought: distress, war,
servitude, or enemies. There are both human and divine deliverers, but the word
$
rarely refers to human “deliverance.” A couple of exceptions are when Jonathan brought
respite to the Israelites from the Philistine pressure (1 Sam. 14:45), and when Joab and
his men were to help one another in battle (2 Sam. 10:11). “Deliverance” is generally
used with God as the subject. He is known as the salvation of His people: “But Jeshurun
waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with
fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his
salvation” (Deut. 32:15; cf. Isa. 12:2). He worked many wonders in behalf of His people:
“O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and
his holy arm, hath [worked salvation for him]” (Ps. 98:1).
'
$
occurs either in the context of rejoicing (Ps. 9:14) or in the context of a
prayer for “deliverance”: “But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me
up on high” (Ps. 69:29).
Habakkuk portrays the Lord’s riding on chariots of salvation (3:8) to deliver His
people from their oppressors. The worst reproach that could be made against a person
was that God did not come to his rescue: “Many there be which say of my soul, there is
no help for him in God [literally, “he has no deliverance in God”]” (Ps. 3:2).
Many personal names contain a form of the root, such as
1
$
(“the Lord is help”),
9
(“the Lord is help”), and
1 $
(a Greek form of
$
).
(
&
, 3468), “deliverance.” This noun appears 36 times in the Old
Testament. One appearance is in Ps. 50:23: “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to
him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.”