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TO RISE UP EARLY
(
'
, 7925), “to rise early, start early.” Found in both biblical and modern
Hebrew, this verb occurs some 65 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. It is found for the
first time in Gen. 19:2: “… And ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways.” As in this
instance, many of the instances of the use of
are in connection with traveling.
Thus, it may be used with verbs of going (as above) or encamping (Judg. 7:1). The word
is used some 30 times in reference to rising early in the morning, as in 1 Sam. 29:10, in
which this phrase appears twice: “Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy
master’s servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning,
and have light, depart.”
A number of times in the Book of Jeremiah, “rising up early” is used with “speaking”
(7:13; 25:3; 35:14), “sending” (7:25; 25:4; 29:19; 35:15; 44:4), “protesting” (11:7), or
“teaching” (32:33). Ps. 127:2 gives some interesting advice while using this word: “It is
vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his
beloved sleep.”
RIVER; WADI
A. Nouns.
(
, 5158), “wadi (or wady); torrentvalley; torrent; river; shaft.” This root
also occurs in Akkadian, post-biblical Hebrew, and Syriac. In Arabic these same radicals
mean “palm tree.”
:
occurs about 139 times in biblical Hebrew and in all periods.
This noun represents a dry valley in which water runs during the rainy season: “And
Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there” (Gen.
26:17— the first biblical appearance). The word can signify the “wady” when it is full of
rushing water. Indeed, it appears to describe the rushing water itself: “And he took them,
and sent them over the brook …” (Gen. 32:23). Sometimes
means a permanent
stream or “river”: “These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins
and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat” (Lev. 11:9).
Finally, the word represents a miner’s shaft (only once in the Scripture): “They open
shafts in a valley away from where men live” (Job 28:4,
RSV
).
The Pentateuch consistently distinguishes between extra-Egyptian waterways (calling
them
, 13 times, and
13 times) and interEgyptian waterways (calling them
). This distinction demonstrates the kind of firsthand knowledge and historical
concern expected from a mature eyewitness.
:
is used figuratively of many things that emerge and disappear suddenly or
that have extreme onrushing power such as the pride of nations (Isa. 66:12), the strength
of the invader (Jer. 47:2), and the power of the foe (Ps. 18:4). Torrents of oil do not
please God if the offerer’s heart is wrongly disposed (Mic. 6:7). God overfloods the
godly with torrents of His good pleasure (Ps. 36:8). The eschaton is typified by streams,
or torrents, in the desert (Ezek. 47:5-19; cf. Exod. 17:3ff.).
(
, 5104), “river; stream; canal; current.” Cognates of this word are attested
in Ugaritic, Akkadian, Aramaic, and Arabic. The word appears about 120 times in
biblical Hebrew and in all periods.