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(
&
, 4264), “camp; encampment; host.” This noun derived from the
verb
occurs 214 times in the Bible, most frequently in the Pentateuch and in the
historical books. The word is rare in the poetical and prophetic literature.
Those who travel were called “campers,” or in most versions (
KJV
,
RSV
,
NASB
) a
“company” or “group” (
NIV
), as in Gen. 32:8. Naaman stood before Elisha “with all his
company” (2 Kings 5:15
NASB
,
NEB
, “retinue”). Travelers, tradesmen, and soldiers spent
much time on the road. They all set up “camp” for the night. Jacob “encamped” by the
Jabbok with his retinue (Gen. 32:10). The name
"
(Gen. 32:2, “camps”) owes
its origin to Jacob’s experience with the angels. He called the place
"
in order
to signify that it was God’s “camp” (Gen. 32:2), as he had spent the night “in the camp”
(Gen. 32:21) and wrestled with God (Gen. 32:24). Soldiers also established “camps” by
the city to be conquered (Ezek. 4:2) Usage of
varies according to context.
First, it signifies a nation set over against another (Exod. 14:20). Second, the word refers
to a division concerning the Israelites; each of the tribes had a special “encampment” in
relation to the tent of meeting (Num. 1:52). Third, the word “camp” is used to describe
the whole people of Israel: “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that
there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of
the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the
trembled” (Exod.
19:16).
God was present in the “camp” of Israel: “For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst
of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy
camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee” (Deut.
23:14). As a result, sin could not be tolerated within the camp, and the sinner might have
to be stoned outside the camp (Num. 15:35).
The Septuagint translated
by the Greek
(“camp; barracks;
army”) 193 times. Compare these Old Testament occurrences with the use of “camp” in
Hebrews 13:11: “For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the
sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.” In the English
versions, the word is variously translated “camp; company; army” (
KJV
,
RSV
,
NASB
,
NIV
);
“host” (
KJV
); “attendances; forces” (
NIV
)
CAN, MAY
(
'
, 3201), “can, may, to be able, prevail, endure.” This word is used about
200 times in the Old Testament, from the earliest to the latest writings. It is also found in
Assyrian and Aramaic. As in English, the Hebrew word usually requires another verb to
make the meaning complete.
'
first occurs in Gen. 13:6: “And the land was not
to bear them, that they
might dwell together.…” God promised Abraham: “And I will make thy seed as the dust
of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be
numbered” (Gen. 13:16,
NIV
; cf. Gen. 15:5).
The most frequent use of this verb is in the sense of “can” or “to be able.” The word
may refer specifically to “physical ability,” as in 1 Sam. 17:33: “You are not able to go
against this Philistine to fight with him” (
NASB
). Yakol may express “moral inability,” as