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was said of Abraham: “He believed the Lord; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness”
(
RSV
). Here the term has the meaning of “to be imputed.”
Frequently used in the ordinary sense of “thinking,” or the normal thought processes
(Isa. 10:7; 53:4; Mal. 3:16),
also is used in the sense of “devising evil plans”
(Gen. 50:20; Jer. 48:2). The word refers to craftsmen “inventing” instruments of music,
artistic objects, and weapons of war (Exod. 31:4; 2 Chron. 26:15; Amos 6:5).
TO DIE
$
(
"
, 4191), “to die, kill.” This verb occurs in all Semitic languages (including
biblical Aramaic) from the earliest times, and in Egyptian. The verb occurs about 850
times in biblical Hebrew and in all periods.
Essentially,
$
means to “lose one’s life.” The word is used of physical “death,”
with reference to both man and beast. Gen. 5:5 records that Adam lived “nine hundred
and thirty years: and he died.” Jacob explains to Esau that, were his livestock to be driven
too hard (fast), the young among them would “die” (Gen. 33:13). At one point, this verb
is also used to refer to the stump of a plant (Job 14:8). Occasionally,
$
is used
figuratively of land (Gen. 47:19) or wisdom (Job 12:2). Then, too, there is the unique
hyperbolic expression that Nabal’s heart had “died” within him, indicating that he was
overcome with great fear (1 Sam. 25:37).
In an intensive stem, this root is used of the last act inflicted upon one who is already
near death. Thus Abimelech, his head having been cracked by a millstone, asked his
armor-bearer to “kill” him (Judg. 9:54). In the usual causative stem, this verb can mean
“to cause to die” or “to kill”; God is the one who “puts to death” and gives life (Deut.
32:39). Usually, both the subject and object of this usage are personal, although there are
exceptions—as when the Philistines personified the ark of the covenant, urging its
removal so it would not “kill” them (1 Sam. 5:11). Death in this sense may also be
inflicted by animals (Exod. 21:29). This word describes “putting to death” in the broadest
sense, including war and judicial sentences of execution (Josh. 10:26).
God is clearly the ultimate Ruler of life and death (cf. Deut. 32:39). This idea is
especially clear in the Creation account, in which God tells man that he will surely die if
he eats of the forbidden fruit (Gen. 2:17—the first occurrence of the verb). Apparently
there was no death before this time. When the serpent questioned Eve, she associated
disobedience with death (Gen. 3:3). The serpent repeated God’s words, but negated them
(Gen. 3:4). When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit, both spiritual and physical death came
upon Adam and Eve and their descendants (cf. Rom. 5:12). They experienced spiritual
death immediately, resulting in their shame and their attempt to cover their nakedness
(Gen. 3:7). Sin and/or the presence of spiritual death required a covering, but man’s
provision was inadequate; so God made a perfect covering in the form of a promised
redeemer (Gen. 3:15) and a typological covering of animal skins (Gen. 3:21).
TO DISCERN
(
'
, 5234), “to discern, regard, recognize, pay attention to, be acquainted
with.” This verb is found in both ancient and modern Hebrew. It occurs approximately 50
times in the Hebrew Old Testament. The first time
is used is in Gen. 27:23.
The basic meaning of the term is a “physical apprehension,” whether through sight,
touch, or hearing. Darkness sometimes makes “recognition” impossible (Ruth 3:14).