1. Intro: Reading in Hebrew names and places
a. General rules of thumb for Hebrew (ivrit), the language of the Hebrews (ivrim)
i. Vowels follow Spanish vowel pronunciation – ah, eh, ee, oh, oo
ii. Accent is likely on the last syllable – to-rah, ya-da
iii. Go for it and own it with confidence, even if you’re not confident.
1. Likely, no one in the room is certain
2. Pronounciations are anglicized
3. Audio Bible variations (different readers will have different pronunciations)
iv. Help: Google translate, Google/YouTube it, YouVersion Bible has Hebrew audio
versions (but you’d need to be able to follow along).
1. You can do this with Hebrew, but not so much with Greek. The Greek
language has evolved quite a bit over the past thousands of years. Hebrew
has not, as it was a “dead” language from basically the exile until the late
19th/early 20th century. It is the only language to be “resurrected.”
2. Big Idea: Reading Hebrew names and places disrupts the text in English vs. in Hebrew it contributes
to the narrative. Unlike English, Hebrew names of places and people carry meaning.
a. Resources/Easy ways for help:
i. Study Bibles - many times they will include notes about the meanings of names
ii. Bible hub app: choose interlinear from main menu, use drop down to choose verse,
click on blue number above the name to open a variety of tools to discover more
about the name/word.
b. Example 1:
i. 1 Samuel 25. Samuel just died. David is still on the run from Saul. We’re told about a
man who had property and was very wealthy. He has a ton of goats and sheep. Then
we are told his name is Nabal.
1. English – so what, we are being introduced (but don’t realize also introduced
to character)
2. Hebrew – Nabal means fool
3. Instantly raises questions (Why is he so rich if he’s a fool?) while informing
the reader about his character
4. Contrasts to Abigail = Source of joy/my father’s joy
c. Example 2:
i. Aver (עבר) rather frequently used word in the OT (used over 550 times), meaning to
cross (over), pass through, transition, basically the idea of from one place/thing to
another (can be either positively or negatively)
ii. I Samuel 26:13 – Then David crossed over to the other side
So, what does that say
or mean to you?
iii. 1 Samuel 29:2-3a (ESV)- As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by
hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with
Achish, 3 the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing
here?”
iv. Visual: “passing by” (עבר'ם) vs (עבר'ם) Hebrews
v. Lightbulb moment! The Hebrews are literally the “crossing over ones.” Transitions
from one “place” to another or passing through difficulties is the identity of God’s
people. This identity didn’t begin in their deliverance from Egypt! Even though they
are the ones that crossed over.
1. Begins with Abram (Gen 14:13 the Hebrew)
a. Genesis 12:6 - Abram passed through the land (ESV)
b. Joshua 24:3 - And I took your father Abraham from the other side of
the river (KJ21)
vi. God takes His people through obstacles. We who believe in Jesus, although we
are not Hebrews, are called children of Abraham. We also have crossed over:
1. So many examples of crossing over/passing through (OT and NT)
2. Death to life
3. Slavery to freedom
4. Flesh to spirit
5. Darkness to light
6. …
vii. God has rescued us from one side and provided a way for us to cross over to the
other side
viii. Last session’s verse from Micah 7:18 - Who is a God like you, who pardons sin
and forgives transgressions
1. Transgression = rebellion, deliberate rebellious acts
2. Forgives = aver = to pass through, cross over
ix. Brings to mind Romans 5:10 – while we were enemies we were reconciled
through the death of his son
x. 2 Samuel 14:14
xi. We too should be people who pass through. We go through obstacles, through
the difficulties of life together, we make a way for reconciliation, ways towards light
and life and freedom
