Basic HTML Version
phrase “take and bring,” but only “taken” is written. Noah is told to “take” (and bring)
clean animals by sevens into the ark (Gen. 7:2).
This verb is used of God in several connections. Sometimes God is pictured as having
bodily parts (anthropomorphically). This is the implication of Gen. 2:15, where the Lord
“took” Adam and put him into Eden. God’s taking sometimes connotes election, as when
He “took” Abraham from his father’s house (Gen. 24:7). He also “takes” in the sense of
taking to Himself or accepting. Thus, He “accepts” offerings (Judg. 13:23) and prayers
(Ps. 6:9). God “takes away” in judgment David’s wives (2 Sam. 12:11) and the kingdom
(1 Kings 11:34)
Of special interest is the use of the verb in the absolute sense: God “took away”
Enoch so that he was not found on earth (Gen. 5:24). This meaning of receiving one into
heaven to Himself seems to be the force of Ps. 73:24 and perhaps of Ps. 49:15.
(
$'
, 3920), “to capture; seize; take captive.” This term is found in both
ancient and modern Hebrew. It occurs about 120 times in biblical Hebrew and is found
for the first time in the text in Num. 21:32, where the Israelites are said to have taken the
villages of the Amorites.
The act of “capturing, seizing” is usually connected with fighting wars or battles, so a
variety of objects may be tken. Cities are often “captured” in war (Josh. 8:21; 10:1; Judg.
1:8, 12). Land or territory also is taken as booty of war (Josh. 10:42; Dan. 11:18).
Strategic geographic areas such as watercourses “are captured” (Judg. 3:28). Sometimes
kings and princes “are seized” in battle (Judg. 7:25; 8:12, 14), as well as fighting men and
horses (2 Sam. 8:4). Saul is spoken of as actually taking the kingdom, apparently by force
of arms (1 Sam. 14:47). In establishing the source of Israel’s defeat by Ai, lots were used
“to take or separate” the guilty party, Achan and his family (Josh. 7:14).
Occasionally
is used in the figurative sense, especially in terms of men “being
caught” in the trap of divine judgment (Ps. 9:15; Isa. 8:15; 24:18).
B. Nouns.
9 %
(
, 3948), “teaching; instruction; persuasiveness; understanding.” The
word is used in the sense of something taken in. This noun occurs 9 times in the Old
Testament, several times in Proverbs. One occurrence is in Prov. 1:5: “A wise man will
hear, and will increase learning.…” The word refers to “persuasiveness” in Prov. 7:21.
Several other nouns are related to
%
! " %
refers to “things taken in
warfare,” and it appears 7 times (Num. 31:32).
" %
also means “jaws” once (Ps.
22:15).
" %
refers to “snuffers” (Exod. 37:23), and it is found 6 times.
" %%
occurs once to mean “taking” (2 Chron. 19:7).
" %%
means “wares” once
(Neh. 10:31).
TO TEACH
A. Verbs.
(
$
, 3925), “to teach, learn, cause to learn.” This common Semitic term is
found throughout the history of the Hebrew language and in ancient Akkadian and
Ugaritic.
6
is found approximately 85 times in the text of the Hebrew Old
Testament. In its simple, active form, this verb has the meaning “to learn,” but it is also