Extra Credit Study Guide The following is excerpted from Keith Johnson’s book His Hallowed Name Revealed Again, pages 78-88. Traditional Interpretation Confusion In order to really get to the core of the tradition and translation challenges, I will address some long-standing biblical interpretations. The traditional explanation by Jewish and Christian scholars of two key passages regarding the name has fueled this fire of confusion in synagogues and churches. It is my position that these two biblical passages have been historically misinterpreted and, therefore, have been used as “proof texts” to enforce the ban on speaking the name .יהוה The first verse I want to delve into comes from, arguably, the most well-known event in the entire “Old Testament.” If I asked anyone who is even slightly acquainted with the Bible about this event, he or she would probably acknowledge at least some familiarity with the context and might even be able to quote the verse. I am referring to the Third Commandment given on Mount Sinai when the famous Ten Commandments were spoken by .יהוה You shall not take the name יהוה your Elohim in vain, for יהוה will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. EXODUS 20:7 This is a serious matter that bears directly on our relationship with אל נשא (El Who Forgives).1 [1 El Nose’, Psalms 99:8.] I can understand why some people would want to steer clear of speaking the Divine Name just from reading this one command, unless, of course, it is in conflict with the rest of scriptural teaching. This is exactly the problem with the traditional interpretation of this commandment. A good deal of confusion arises from the English translation; we will deal with that over the next few pages. Have you ever heard a Jewish rabbi or Christian preacher teach, preach, or simply explain this commandment? Before nodding our heads in agreement with the rabbi or saying amen to the preacher, we need to understand two Hebrew words. They are the English words take and vain, which in Hebrew are נשא (nasa) and שוא (shav). Let’s get to work. First we must understand the meaning of the phrase “taking the name.” In biblical Hebrew, to take words means to speak them. Please take the time to open your Bible and take a look at the following examples. If you noticed, I just used the English word take twice, but neither has the same meaning as take in Hebrew. The following prophecies of Balaam illustrate the way that “take” in the Third Commandment is meant to be understood: And he took up his parable, and said . . . NUMBERS 23:7; 24:3; 24:15 As you can see, to take up a parable means to speak it. Also, you can see the same word used in the context of taking up a lamentation or dirge: Hear this word which I take up for you as a dirge, O house of Israel. AMOS 5:1 The Hebrew word translated take up is נשא (nasa). In Hebrew “to take a name” is to lift it up in speech. A great way to remember this word is to think of the NASA space agency that lifts up rockets that take off from earth. The word שוא (shav), which is translated as vain, is a little more complicated, but worth the effort. The problem is that the English word vain does not have a parallel image that matches the interpretation. It is easy to confuse people when the words don’t have concrete pictures that you can attach to the meaning. The only image I have of the word vain is the junior high school girl who is so beautiful, but so vain. There is an old song that matches this image and goes something like this: “You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you. You’re so vain.” Is this the meaning of taking the name in vain? Is the name like the girl that I should not take because she is so vain? The English translators apparently had a similar problem with this word. They just could not make up their minds about which English word to use when they saw the Hebrew שוא (shav). In fact, there are 12 different words used in our English Bibles for the Hebrew שוא (shav): deceit, deceitful, deception, emptiness, empty, false, falsehood, lies, vain, vanity, visions, and worthless. This useful information will help us arrive at our final interpretation of this verse. As a starting point let’s look at the traditional Jewish interpretation of this Hebrew word שוא (shav). It seems to be understood as without good reason, which is why this commandment is used to reinforce the ban of the name. This is the explanation offered in the Stone Edition Chumash,2 [2 The Stone Edition Chumash, edited by Rabbi Nosson Scherman/Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz. Brooklyn, New York: Mesorah Publica-tions, 2001, page 409.] which provides commentary on every verse in the Torah, including Exodus 20:7: It is forbidden to show contempt for God by making an idol, so it is forbidden to disgrace His Name by using it for no valid purpose. The plain meaning of the verse implies that it is forbidden even to utter God’s Name casually, for no valid purpose (Ramban). As I mentioned previously, the Hebrew word in the Third Commandment translated as vain is שוא (shav). It has been used to “shove” us around regarding the ban on speaking the name. Did you catch that? To be honest, there is biblical evidence showing that שוא (shav) can mean vain in the sense of without purpose. An example can be found in the book of Jeremiah: In vain [shav] I have struck your sons, they accepted no chastening. JEREMIAH 2:30 However, when you add the concept of speaking “in vain,” as is the case with the Third Commandment in Exodus 20:7, the word takes on a different and revelatory meaning! To speak שוא (shav) means to speak falsehood or lies, as in the following examples: Whose mouths speak deceit [shav], and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood [shaker]. PSALMS 144:8 This verse contains what is called parallelism, with the two phrases expressing the same basic thought in different words. Deceit (shav) and falsehood (shaker) are two ways of saying the same thing. There is another verse in this Psalm that uses the same Hebrew word combination: Whose mouth speaks deceit [shav] and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood [shaker]. PSALMS 144:11 What we see is that שוא (shav) and שקר (shaker) are like dance partners in the Hebrew Scriptures. If we can find an example of shaker being used in the place of shav or vice versa, then the interpretation party is really on. Strike up the band and get ready to dance! The Ninth Commandment is calling you to the dance floor. You shall not bear false [שקר , shaker] witness against your neighbor. EXODUS 20:16 When Moses reiterated the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy, what word do you suppose he used for false in this parallel account? In your English Bible you will probably see: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. DEUTERONOMY 5:20 But if you were to read my Hebrew “left-handed version” you would see this: Do not testify against your fellow as a vain [שוא , shav] witness. DEUTERONOMY 5:20 (Keith Johnson Version) Did you catch that slight difference in my version? When Moses wrote this verse he used שוא (shav) interchangeably with שקר (shaker) when speaking of a false witness. This is very revealing because it shows us that there is a relationship between the difficult-to-translate word שוא (shav) and the much easier word to translate שקר (shaker). This is one of the keys to understanding the Third Commandment about “taking the name in vain.” Before we move on to apply this information there is one more verse that will help seal the deal on understanding the Third Commandment. As a reminder, we now know that to take the name means to speak it. When we add vain in this context it means to speak falsely. Now open your Bible to the following verse: You shall not bear [נשא , nasa] a false [שוא , shav] report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. EXODUS 23:1 This commandment uses both the verb נשא (nasa) for bear and the adjective שוא (shav) for false. This is almost identical to the Third Commandment. The only difference is that one prohibits speaking the name (שם , shem) falsely while the other prohibits speaking a false report (שמע , shema). Notice that many English translators render the word shav as false in Exodus 23:1 and Deuteronomy 5:20, but translate the same word as in vain in Exodus 20:7 and Deuteronomy 5:11, even though all four passages deal with vain/false speech.3 [3 RSV, NIV, and NSRV replace in vain with misuse, although they still translate the other verses as false.] Look them up for yourself. Exodus 23:1 confirms, by two witnesses in Scripture, that to be a “vain witness” means to be a “false witness,” because to speak vanity means to speak falsehood.4 [4 Nehemia Gordon, “The Pronunciation of the Name,” Karaite-Korner.org.] Now that we have the explanation of the commandment, we can move on to the application of this first “fire-fueling” verse. “What does it mean to speak falsely?” In biblical times people made oaths by swearing in the name of a god or a king. So to understand how to swear or make an oath we must look at the formulation of ancient vows. A vow consisted of an individual saying, “As X lives” (X being the name of a god or king) followed by a statement of what was being promised or declared.5 [5 Nehemia Gordon, “The Pronunciation of the Name,” Karaite-Korner.org.] We see such a vow made by Joseph in the name of Pharaoh when he promised his brothers: By this you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here! GENESIS 42:15 Joseph was swearing by the authority of the king of Egypt. In the Tanach there are 35 times where this exact form of swearing is used in reference to .יהוה Here are two examples of individuals swearing by His authority: Saul vowed to her by יהוה , saying, “As יהוה lives, no punishment will come upon you for this thing.” 1 SAMUEL 28:10 And you will swear, ‘As יהוה lives,’ in truth, in justice and in righteousness . . . JEREMIAH 4:2 Even יהוה uses the same words to make a vow on His own existence. The following two examples are very enlightening: “As I live,” declares יהוה . . . JEREMIAH 22:24 Indeed, I lift up My hand to heaven, and say, as I live forever. DEUTERONOMY 32:40 To swear or make a vow is a very serious act. There are four times in the Hebrew Scriptures where יהוה swears by Himself!6 [6 See Genesis 22:16, Isaiah 45:23, Jeremiah 22:5, Jeremiah 49:13.] In each case He uses the Hebrew phrase “In Me I swear,” whereas the English says “I swear by Myself.” You might also find it interesting to consider where the courts got the idea to “raise your right hand and swear” before testifying. It clearly reflects the biblical practice of taking oaths. In English you will see many examples of יהוה saying “I swore.” The two words in Hebrew that are translated into English as “I swore” are very informative in helping us understand the Third Commandment. The two words are נשא (nasa) to take up and יד (yad) hand. Let’s notice two examples: I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham. . . . EXODUS 6:8 Also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them. . . . EZEKIEL 20:23 What יהוה is saying in Hebrew means “I lifted my hand.” Do you understand where we are going with this yet? The following passage shows us another way that vows were made: Who may ascend into the hill of יהוה ? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. PSALMS 24:3–4 This verse might be one you just quickly read and leave the understanding to someone else. That would really be unfortunate, because you would miss the dance that is coming. In biblical times a person making a vow often swore by someone’s “soul.” We see this when both Abigail and Uriah swore by David’s life/soul and Abigail also swore by יהוה : Now therefore, my lord, as יהוה lives, and as your soul lives . . . 1 SAMUEL 25:26 By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing. 2 SAMUEL 11:11 Let’s review the last part of Psalms 24:4. This is what it says in the Keith Johnson Version based on the Hebrew Scriptures. Who has not lifted [נשא , nasa] My soul in vain [שוא , shav] and has not sworn deceitfully. PSALMS 24:4 (Keith Johnson Version) Thus to “take my soul in vain” means to make a false vow by someone’s soul! Here is a great opportunity to check my version against two other English versions. Many English Bibles incorrectly translate the Hebrew word נַפְשִי (nafshi), which means my soul, as his soul (see BHS and note).7 [7 BHS stands for Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (edited by K. Elliger and W. Rudolph, et al, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft Stuttgart, 1967/77, 1983). To date BHS is the most precise printing of the Hebrew Scriptures, only rarely deviating from the Leningrad Codex.] This little exercise was for you “Bereans”8 [8 Acts 17:11.] who are checking to see if what I am saying is in the Scriptures. This verse also shows us that taking a soul in vain (i.e., vowing falsely) is equivalent to swearing deceitfully. Now you be the rabbi or the preacher and tell the world what the Third Commandment means so that they can nod their head, shout amen, and join the dance! To take the name יהוה in vain means to lift up His name with a vow that comes out of your mouth even though you have deceit in your heart! You can swear to a god if you want to and take your chances. Just don’t ever include the name יהוה in a false or deceptive vow! Now compare your English Bible with my translation of the Third Commandment: You shall not lift up the name יהוה your Elohim in a vow as a lie, because יהוה shall not leave unpunished anyone who makes a false vow in His name. EXODUS 20:7 (Keith Johnson Version) I now know where the “vows” of my boyhood friends came from when they would say “I swear on my mother’s grave/soul” or “I swear to God.” I am glad they never swore by the name יהוה ! Before you think that I am claiming some new and revelatory interpretation of this verse you should know that this interpretation has existed for a very long time. In fact, Nehemia and I, in our book A Prayer to Our Father: Hebrew Origins of the Lord’s Prayer, give four examples of both ancient and modern interpretations that confirm what I have presented here.9 [9 Gordon, N. and Johnson, K. A Prayer to Our Father: Hebrew Origins of The Lord’s Prayer. Hilkiah Press, 2009, pages 104-105.] The truth is that the oldest known interpretations of this verse by the Targum Onkelos, the official catechism of the Catholic Church, Protestant reformers, and modern Jewish translators all agree that this commandment is forbidding false oaths. They just choose to tell you that it means the name should not be spoken. If I have not convinced you with this detailed study and you still need more biblical examples that shed light on the Third Commandment, here is another one to consider: You shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your Elohim; I am יהוה . LEVITICUS 19:12 Many readers may be surprised to learn that we are actually commanded twice in the book of Deuteronomy to swear by the name יהוה . You shall fear only יהוה your Elohim; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. DEUTERONOMY 6:13 You shall fear יהוה your Elohim; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name. DEUTERONOMY 10:20 I have one simple question about these two almost identical verses. How can I swear (make an oath) by the name יהוה if I am prohibited from pronouncing His name? The prophet Jeremiah takes this one step further and invites Gentiles to learn from Israel how to swear by the name יהוה : Then if they will really learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, “As יהוה lives,” even as they taught My people to swear by Baal [Lord], they will be built up in the midst of My people. JEREMIAH 12:16 If we can overcome our fear of the ban on the name and learn to swear by the name יהוה , we can become a built-up people in the midst of Israel. You might want to reread this section before moving on. Take some time to reflect on why so much effort has been expended to keep us from seeing and knowing the name .יהוה Excerpt from: Johnson, Keith. His Hallowed Name Revealed Again. iBooks. This material may be protected by copyright.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 13:28:28 +0000
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