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of grasping something in one’s hand in order to use it: “… He was the father of all such
as handle the harp and organ.” Other things that are “seized” with the hand, or “handled,”
are: swords (Ezek. 21:11), shields (Jer. 46:9), bows (Amos 2:15), and sickles (Jer. 50:16).
The expert in
, “law,” is one who “handles” the law, but he sometimes mishandles it
also: “… They that handle the law knew me not …” (Jer. 2:8).
“To seize” someone may be to arrest him: “… Irijah took [
NASB
, “arrested”]
Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes” (Jer. 37:14). Frequently,
is used in the
sense of “to capture”: “And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua”
(Josh. 8:23). “To lay hold of,” or “seize,” hearts is to terrorize: “That I may take the
house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their
idols” (Ezek. 14:5).
(
, 270), “to seize, grasp, take hold, take possession.” Found in various
Semitic languages, including ancient Akkadian, this word is a common one throughout
the stages of the Hebrew language. It occurs almost 70 times in the Hebrew Old
Testament. It is used for the first time in the Old Testament in the passive sense with
reference to the ram “caught in a thicket by his horns” (Gen. 22:13) and thus became a
substitute for Isaac.
While
is a common term for taking hold of things physically, such as Jacob’s
“taking hold” of Esau’s heel (Gen. 25:26),
is frequently used in a metaphorical or
figurative sense. In His wrath, God “seized” Job by the neck (Job 16:12). On the other
hand, the psalmist testifies that in His grace, God “holds” his right hand (Ps. 73:23). Pain
and trembling “seize” the enemies of Israel (Exod. 15:14-15). Horror “seizes” the people
of the east (Job 18:20).
This word gives us the name of Ahaz, king of Judah (2 Kings 16).
TO TAKE AWAY
A. Verbs.
%
(
, 3947), “to take, receive, take away.” This word occurs in all Semitic
languages and in all periods of Hebrew. It occurs about 965 times in the Old Testament.
Primarily this word means “to take, grasp, take hold of,” as when Noah reached out
and “took hold of” the dove to bring it back into the ark (Gen. 8:9). A secondary meaning
is “to take away, remove, take to oneself,” as when the invading kings “took away” and
“took to themselves” all the movable goods of the cities of the plain (Gen. 14:11).
Sometimes this verb implies “to receive something from someone.” So Abraham asks
Ephron the Hittite to “receive from” his hand payment for the field which contained the
sepulchre (Gen. 23:13). With the particle “for”
%
means “to take someone or
something,” as when Joseph’s brothers remarked that they were afraid he was scheming
“to take” them to be slaves, mentioned in Gen. 43:18. Another secondary use of this word
is “to transfer” a thing, concept, or emotion, such as “take vengeance” (Isa. 47:3),
“receive reproach” (Ezek. 36:30), and “receive a [whisper]” (Job 4:12). In other passages
this verb is virtually a helping verb serving to prepare for an action stipulated in a
subsequent verb; God “took” Adam and put him into the garden of Eden (Gen. 2:15—the
first occurrence of the verb). Finally, this word can be used elliptically, suggesting the