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woman was an example of kind “instruction”: “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and
in her tongue is the law of kindness” (Prov. 31:26).
The “instruction” given by God to Moses and the Israelites became known as “the
law” or “the direction” (
/
), and quite frequently as “the Law of the Lord”:
“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord” (Ps. 119:1), or
“the Law of God”: “Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, [Ezra] read in
the book of the law of God” (Neh. 8:18), and also as “the Law of [given through]
Moses”: “Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in
Horeb for all Israel …” (Mal. 4:4). The word can refer to the whole of the “law”: “For he
established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our
fathers, that they should make them known to their children” (Ps. 78:5), or to particulars:
“And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel …” (Deut. 4:44).
God had communicated the “law” that Israel might observe and live: “And what
nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law,
which I set before you this day?” (Deut. 4:8). The king was instructed to have a copy of
the “law” prepared for him at his coronation (Deut. 17:18). The priests were charged with
the study and teaching of, as well as the jurisprudence based upon, the “law” (Jer. 18:18).
Because of rampant apostasy the last days of Judah were times when there were no
teaching priests (2 Chron. 15:3); in fact, in Josiah’s days the “law” (whether the whole
Torah, or a book or a part) was recovered: “And Hilkiah … said to Shaphan the scribe, I
have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord” (2 Chron. 34:15).
The prophets called Israel to repeat by returning to the
(“instruction”) of God
(Isa. 1:10). Jeremiah prophesied concerning God’s new dealing with His people in terms
of the New Covenant, in which God’s law is to be internalized, God’s people would
willingly obey Him: “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write
it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jer. 31:33). The
last prophet of the Old Testament reminded the priests of their obligations (Mal. 2) and
challenged God’s people to remember the “law” of Moses in preparation for the coming
Messiah (Mal. 4:4).
The Septuagint gives the following translations:
(“law; rule”);
(“conformable to law; lawful”);
(“command[ment]; order”); and
(“order; commandment; injunction”).
B. Verb.
(
, 3384), “to throw, cast, direct, teach, instruct.” The noun
is derived
from this root. The meaning “to cast” appears in Gen. 31:51: “And Laban said to Jacob,
Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee.”
'
means “to teach” in 1 Sam. 12:23: “… but I will teach you the good and the right way.”
TO BE LEFT, REMAIN
A. Verb.
(
"
, 3498), “to be left; remain over; excel; show excess.” This word is found
in various Semitic languages, ranging from ancient Akkadian to modern Hebrew. In its
verb forms, the word is found just over 100 times in the Hebrew Bible.
'
occurs for