Introduction:
 
This chapter concludes the opening prophetic indictment against the nations with words spoken against Moav (one of Israel’s greatest historic enemies). The last nation to be charged is, Y’hudah and Yisrael. No, this isn’t a grammatical error, Judah and Israel, in spite of their being divided into two separate kingdoms at this point in history, are nonetheless am echad, one people, a complex unity. So complex in fact as to be a divided unity. This in part is what God is addressing through the prophet Amos.
 
Reconciliation to God means reconciliation to one another. Through destruction and exile (Assyria, Babylon) God will unite and return Israel to the land as a whole people. That people will return to Judea to the remnant of the tribe of Judah and thus from the conclusion of the Babylonian exile onward all the tribes of Israel become known colloquially as “Y’hudiym” (Jews), from their association with Y’hudah (Judea).
 
Effectively the opening words of indictment expressed in the scroll of Amos (Ch. 1 & 2) have addressed the neighboring enemies of all Israel [all 12 tribes] (many of whom Israel had formerly been charged with eradicating from the land) in descending order, from the then most recently active to that first and perhaps most notorious of enemies Moav, who came against Israel seeking to curse and annihilate her as she wandered out of Egypt toward the land of promise (Num. 22-25).
 
The litany of charges (Ch. 1 & 2) addresses first the sin of the nations’ regarding universal moral law and then the sin of Judah and Israel regarding their violating of the sacred covenant made between God and their forebears.
 
The charges against Judah and Israel are more detailed and have far reaching consequences. However, ultimately the final consequences of Israel’s discipline are her redemption, reconciliation, and restoration. This, because YHVH (Mercy) the God of Israel has purposed in the love that radiates from His holiness, to redeem Israel and the nations by His own everlasting blood through the King Messiah Yeshua (Who is fully God and fully man).
 
Amos Chapter Two (Author’s translation)
 
1 Here is what YHVH, the Lord says: “Upon three rebellions of Moav, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon his burning bones of a king of Edom to whitewash. 2 And I will send fire in Moav and it will eat the citadels of Keriyot; and death in an uproar will come to Moav amid the sounding of judgement in the voice of a shofar. 3 And I will cut off a judge from her inner part and all her princes will be slain with him,” says YHVH the Lord. 4 Here is what YHVH, the Lord says: “Upon three rebellions of Y’hudah, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon their rejecting the Instructions YHVH of the Lord and the prescribed limits they have not guarded; and astray they wander because of lies which their fathers walked in. 5 And I will send fire upon Y’hudah, and it will eat the citadels of Yerushalayim.” 6 Here is what YHVH, the Lord says: “Upon three rebellions of Yisrael, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon their selling for silver a righteous one and the needy in order to get a pair of sandals. 7 That breathe heavily upon dust of the land on the head of the ones who are low, and the way of the humble they have bent, and a man and his father enter the same servant girl with intent to pollute My Holy Name. 8 And upon clothing bound in pledge stretched out near every altar (of slaughter), and the wine of those condemned, fined, they drink in a house of their God. 9 “And I, indeed I destroyed the Amorite from before their faces, whose height was like cedars height and strong was he, like oaks, yet I destroyed his fruit from higher up still and his roots from beneath. 10 And I, yes I caused you all to ascend from the land of Egypt and you all walked in the desert forty years to take possession of the land from the Amorites. 11 And I raised up from your children some to be prophets, and from your young men some to be Nazirites. Is this not so, children of Israel?” declares YHVH the Lord. 12 “And you forced the Nazarites to drink wine, and you placed upon the prophets, orders saying, ‘You shall not prophesy!’ 13 Behold, now, pay attention! I am making a rut beneath you, like that which is made by the pressing of the cart when it’s filled with sheaves of grain. 14 And escape will perish from the swift, and the strong will not be strengthened because of his power, and the mighty will not deliver his soul. 15 And the one who grasps the bow will not stand, the swift in foot will not slip away, and the rider of the horse will not save his soul. 16 And the mighty of heart among the mighty ones, will flee naked in that day,” declares YHVH the Lord.
 
Amos Chapter Two: Line Upon Line
 
1 Here is what amar YHVH (Mercy), the Lord says: “Al Upon sheloshah three pisheiy rebellions of Moav (from his father), ve'al and upon arba’ah four, lo ashiyvenu I will not turn away, al upon sarfo his burning atzmot bones of Melekh a king of Edom (red: descendants of Esau) lasiyd to lime, whitewash.
 
A heinous root of sin was established in Moab (a people related to Israel being descended from Lot Abraham’s brother) from conception. Moab being the son born to Lot’s eldest daughter through incest (Gen. 19:30-38).
 
Moab later became notorious as a people for their hatred of Israel and their calling on the false prophet Bala’am (not of the people) to curse Israel as she journeyed out of Egypt toward the land of promise (Num. 22-25).
 
Moab’s many sins included horrific idolatrous practices in worship of the false gods Chemosh (Subduer) and Ba’al Peor (husband, master, lord of the cleft/gap [2 Kings 11:7, 33]). Hosea, one of the contemporaries of Amos writes:
 
“I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first ripeness in the fig tree in her first fruiting time: but they went to Baal Peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according to their love.” -Hosea 9:10
 
Israel, having been delivered by God from slavery in Egypt and brought out of the desert into the land of promise, had none the less rejected YHVH and gone after the demonic husband Ba’al Peor, God of the Moabites (enemies and haters of Israel).
 
Jeremiah (48:13) likens the shame of Moab’s worship of Chemosh to Israel’s apostate worship at Bethel. God is indicting Moab while pointing toward Israel’s syncretism. Thus, the indictment of Moab is also the beginning of the indictment against all of Israel.
 
It’s worth noting that Moav means “from his father”. This is significant because it points to the indictment against Judah in verse 4 which says that Judah has gone astray “because of lies which their fathers walked in.”
 
“upon his burning bones of a king of Edom to lime, whitewash.”
 
The Targum (a second century CE Aramaic translation of the Scriptures), and the Jewish commentators Yarchi and Kimkhi say that a ruler of Moab burnt the bones of a king of Edom until they became powder likened to lime, and then used the powder in a recipe for plaster which he used to plaster the walls of his palace in order to show contempt for Edom.* This is consistent with what we know of the ancient practice of using bone ash in formulas for paint and cosmetics.
 
* Scholia in Targum in loc.
 
Bone ash (called “lime” in English translations of the TaNaKh [OT]) “was used in ancient formulas for white paint and cosmetic pigments, and in the cupellation process to separate silver from lead.[1][2].”*
 
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_ash
[1]. Phosphate Minerals. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. 2010. p. 3.
[2]. Charvat, Petr (2003). Mesopotamia Before History. Taylor & Francis.
 
It appears highly likely that the king in question was the heir to the throne of Edom whom the king of Moab offered as a burnt sacrifice to his gods on the wall of Edom’s defences, as recorded in 2 Kings 3:26-27.
 
While in many cases the bone ash used to whitewash tombs and that utilized in ancient cosmetics was derived from the calcination of animal bones, the indictment used here infers the use of the ash of the bones of a king of Edom as whitewash. This is a vile desecration of moral law concerning the sanctity of human life and the honouring of human remains. The Torah says that blood guilt remains on the land and cannot be atoned for except by the blood of the one guilty of shedding that innocent blood (Num. 35:33).
 
This reference to whitewash may also further illuminate the meaning of Yeshua’s words:
 
“27 Alas, Oiy, a warning to you, scribes and Perushiym (Set apart ones), hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed (limed) tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 In the same way, you appear outwardly righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and devoid of law (without Torah).” -Mattitiyahu (Matthew) 23:27-28 (Author’s translation)
 
2 Veshilachtiy And I will send eish fire bemoav in Moab ve’achlah and it will eat armenot the citadels of ha-Keriyot (literally “cities”: specifically a city in the territory of Moab); umeit and death beshaon in an uproar will come to Moav bit’ruah amid the sounding (teruah: shofar sound of warning and judgement) bekol in the voice shofar of a ram’s horn.
 
“And I will send fire in Moab and it will eat the citadels of ha-Keriyot”
 
Ha-Keriyot can be understood as both “all the cities” and as a specific city of Moab (Jer. 48:24). Either way, destruction against the entire people of Moab is denoted.
 
Just as Moab had offered a king of Edom on the walls of Edom’s defences, as a burnt sacrifice to their false gods (2 Kings 3:26-27), so now God will burn Moab and devour its cities.
 
“and death in an uproar will come to Moav amid the sounding (teruah: shofar sound of warning and judgement) in the voice of a ram’s horn.”
 
It’s not a “trumpet” as many English translations mistranslate (a trumpet is usually made of silver, brass etc.), but a shofar (ram’s horn) that is sounded in this verse. The symbolic significance of the ram’s horn finds its origin in Ha-Akeidah (the Binding of Isaac Gen. 22).
 
The shofar warning of coming judgement through warfare which is sounded from the beginning of the scroll of Amos (in the name of his town), is here reiterated against Moab. In the midst of battle and destruction she will hear again the warning call of the shofar of God, a reminder that she had every opportunity to repent and did not. In like manner the final great shofar blast (Tekiah Gedolah) announcing Yom Ha-Din (the Judgement Day) will strike terror into the hearts of those who have rejected God’s warning and offer of redemption.

3 Vehichratiy And I will cut off (kill) shofeit a judge mikirbah from her inner part vekol-sareyah and all her princes eherog will be slain imo with him,” amar says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord.
 
“And I will cut off (kill) a judge from her inner part and all her princes will be slain with him,” says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord.”
 
Most scholars agree that the judge in question is probably the king of Moab who acted as judge over the people. This is supported by the following clause which alludes to the princes or sub-rulers of Moab being slain. This took place five years after Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem (589-587 BCE).*
 
* Josephus Antiquities of the Jews l. 10. c. 9. sect. 7. 
 
4 Here is what amar YHVH (Mercy), the Lord says: “Al Upon sheloshah three 
pisheiy rebellions of Y’hudah (Praise), ve'al and upon arba’ah four, lo ashiyvenu
I will not turn away, al upon mo’osam their rejecting et-torat the Instructions YHVH (Mercy) of the Lord vechukayv and the prescribed limits lo shamaru they have not guarded; vayat’um and astray they wander kizveiyhem because of lies asher-halechu avotam achareiyhem which their fathers walked in.
 
“Upon three pisheiy rebellions of Y’hudah, even upon four”
 
Having addressed all the neighbours of Israel and Judah, the prophet now speaks the word of the LORD to the chosen people Israel, beginning with the tribe of Judah (including Benjamin) and concluding with the northern tribes, here called Israel as distinct from Judah. We note that God is just, judging Judah with the same formula used in judgement of the heathen nations that neighbour her.
 
“upon their rejecting the instructions of the Lord and the prescribed limits, they have not guarded;”
 
The indictment against Judah differs in regard to the specific laws that Judah has broken. Being ignorant of the specific laws of distinction commanded to Israel the nations had nonetheless sinned in regard to the universal laws of morality contained in the Torah as an indictment against all sin. Judah on the other hand had sinned not only in regard to general morality but also in regard to the very specific laws given by God to His chosen, set apart people. Laws relating to identity, purity, cleanliness, worship etc.
 
Judah has rejected “et-torat” the instructions contained within the wealth of holy Scriptures which were accessible to them at that point. Including, but not limited to the Torah, parts of the record of the kings, the writings of Solomon, the psalms of David, and numerous early prophetic works.
 
We note that while many claim “torat”, (teachings), refers to the Torah alone, they can’t explain why the text uses “et-torat”, meaning the instructions or teachings, rather than “Ha-Torah”, which refers specifically to the five books of Moses. The Torah is of course part of the greater number of instructions being alluded to, but it is not the only instruction that had been given to Israel by that time in her history.
 
The Hebrew “vechukayv” translated “and commands” in most English versions of the Bible, does not carry the same meaning as the Hebrew “mitzvot” but is from the root “chok” meaning “limit”, denoting prescribed boundaries, portions, and civil conduct. It is specifically used to point toward the social injustices being committed within the framework of God’s justice.
 
“and astray they wander because of lies which their fathers walked in.”
 
Judah hasn’t just wandered, she continues to wander. She has gone astray because of generational sin. Her father’s, forebears, having adopted the idolatry of the inhabitants of the land and syncretised (mixed it into) their worship of YHVH the God of Israel, have passed on their sin to the subsequent generations.
 
The Jewish commentator Kimkhi notes that the “lies” referred to were those of the false prophets. Regardless of the origin of the lies, the point is that Judah had traded the truth of HaShem for lies.

5 Veshilachtiy And I will send eish fire bey’hudah upon Judah (Praise), ve’achlah and it will eat armenot the citadels of Yerushalayim (Flood of Peace) Jerusalem.”
 
“And I will send fire upon Judah, and it will eat the citadels of Jerusalem.”
 
“God is no respecter of persons”, meaning, He shows no partiality. Thus the punishment against Judah mirrors that of her neighbours (Aram [1:4], Gaza [1:7], Tyre [1:10], Edom [1:12], Amon [1:14], Moab [2:2]).
 
The temple of the most High God (YHVH), and the palaces of the king of Judah and his princes were burned with fire when Jerusalem was taken by the Babylonian army, approximately two hundred years after this prophecy (589-587 BCE).
 
6 Here is what amar YHVH (Mercy), the Lord says: “Al Upon sheloshah three pisheiy rebellions of Yisrael (overcomes in Elohiym), ve'al and upon arba’ah four, lo ashiyvenu I will not turn away, al upon, michram their selling bakesef for silver tzadiyk a righteous one ve’evyon and the needy ba’avur, in order to get na’alayim a pair of sandals.
 
“Upon three rebellions of Yisrael, and upon four”
 
While Israel in the form of the northern tribes is being delineated as a unique entity, the pursuant allusion to the deliverance from Egypt draws on the united experience of the twelve tribes of Israel. Therefore, in part, the judgement against the northern tribes is also an indictment against Judah. This is of course not the case where specific northern locations and sin practices are referred to.
 
“upon, their selling for silver a righteous one”
 
In this context, given that disregard for God’s et-torat (instructions) is the premise for the judgement, it is likely that the plain meaning “selling for silver a righteous one” alludes to the sale of a man who is without debt, this being akin to slavery and contrary to Torah (Deut. 15:7-11; Lev. 25:39-43).
 
The singular phrasing “a righteous one” seems intentional and looks back to the sinful actions of Joseph’s brothers and forward to the sinful actions of Judah Ish-kariyot. Notice that Judas Iscariot is Judah “ish” a man from “keriyot”, Judas who betrayed Messiah was from the chief city of Moab (which in the first century C.E. was no longer a Moabite city).
 
The rabbis who arranged Amos 2:6-3:8 as the Haftarah (completion/fulfilment of instruction) portion for Va-yeshev [And dwelt Jacob] (Gen. 37:1-40:23) [the Torah portion that recounts the selling of the righteous man Joseph into slavery] clearly understood this phrase to have prophetic significance.
 
“and the needy, in order to get a pair of sandals.”
 
This describes the heinous act of selling on an indentured poor person for a pitiful sum, thus openly devaluing that person. This is also in direct opposition to the command concerning those poor who have no other choice but to sell themselves into indentured service. The Torah requires justice in these circumstances and the release of that person at the end of their term of service (Lev. 25).

7 Hasho’afiym That breathe heavily al upon afar-eretz dust of the land berosh on the head daliym of the ones who are low, vederekh and the way anaviym of the humble yatu they have bent, ve’iysh and a man veaviv and his father yelechu enter el-hana’arah the same servant girl lema’an with intent to chaleil pollute et-sheim kadshiy My Holy Name.
 
“That breathe heavily upon dust of the land on the head of the ones who are low”
 
This is a Hebrew idiom that speaks directly to the oppression of those in the community who are suffering. Again, this contradicts the Torah, which states:
 
“You shall not pervert the justice that is owed to your needy brother in his dispute. 7 Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty.” -Shemot (Exodus) 23:6-7
 
“and the way of the humble they have bent”
 
The humble are not synonymous with the poor as some wrongly conclude. This is in fact referring to the righteous remnant who walk humbly before God (Micah 6:8). This particular indictment therefore, regards the intentional harming of the livelihood and future of the righteous ones living among the community.
 
“a man and his father enter the same servant girl”
 
Not only is the sharing of the same woman by father and son considered repugnant universally, it is also very specifically outlawed by Torah (Lev. 18:7-8, 15; 20:11-12). Additionally, using any woman in this way, be she a servant or otherwise, was strictly forbidden. According to the Torah, women were to be honoured and cared for in the ancient Israelite community. Where a man received sex from a woman he was obligated to marry and provide for her in a age when survival as an abandoned woman was difficult (Ex. 22:16; Deut. 22:28-29).
 
“with intent to pollute My Holy Name.”
 
While many read this phrase as being a separate indictment against idolatry which is unrelated to the sexual sin named in the previous clause, I understand it as being related.
 
The sexual sin in the previous clause is made more heinous due to the fact that the man and his son in question are performing these acts as part of a syncretised worship practice which names the God of Israel. It is an abhorrent desecration of the Holy Name that unites the immoral sexual sin act with the worship of false gods, and links the entire practice to the worship of the God of Israel.
 
As modern believing men we may look upon this vile sin retrospectively from our position in history and say, “Thank God that I haven’t done anything that terrible”. And yet, today, believing men and their sons lust after the same actresses, sportswomen and models. Yeshua says:
 
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 And I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” -Matthew 5:27-28
 
Rather than smugly tutting our tongues at Israel, we would do well to repent and rely on Messiah’s strength to maintain our walk with integrity.
 
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” -Exodus 20:17 KJV
 
8 Ve’al-begadiym And upon clothing chavuliym bound in pledge yatu stretched out eitzel near kol-mizbeiach every altar (of slaughter), ve’yiyn and the wine of anushiym those condemned, fined, yishtu they drink in Beit a house Eloheiyham of their God.
 
We note that this is speaking of the ten northern tribes, so that when the text says “Beit Eloheiyham”, (a house of their God), it is not speaking of the temple in Jerusalem, something that is wrongly inferred by the standard English translation, which reads “in the house of their God”.
 
The northern tribes were not worshipping God at the appointed place (the temple on Mt Zion in Jerusalem) according to the command of Torah (Deut. 12:5-12; Josh. 21:41-43), but were instead worshipping Him, and or other deities along with Him at various high places in the north, one of the chief locations being Beit-El (Bethel). Therefore, God is commanding punishment upon the northern tribes regarding their practice of syncretism, the assimilation of heathen practices into their worship of the God of Israel. Which is one of the reasons HaShem has said “a man and his father enter the same servant girl with intent to pollute My Holy Name”.
 
“upon clothing bound in pledge stretched out near every altar”
 
This refers to withholding the garments taken from poor people in pledge (Deut. 4:17; Job 22:6, 24:3-4, 9) and compounding the sin by laying the garments out in worship of either false gods or in hypocritical worship of the God of Israel in syncretism with false gods (Ex. 22:26). Thus the poor are left shivering in the night while their garments are used as an offering to God by wicked people who have plenty.
 
“the wine of those fined, they drink in a house of their God.”
 
The Hebrew allows for the readings “in a house of there god”. In other words, they are not necessarily even worshipping the God of Israel.
 
The wine can be understood as the wine that should have been given to the poor, suffering and the dying as a means of pain management (Proverbs 31:6-7), or it can be understood as wine gained by fining innocent people. Either way, and whether or not they are drinking the wine in worship of the God of Israel or some other deity, their sin is a vile desecration of the Torah.
 
9 “Ve’anochiy And I, indeed hishmadtiy I destroyed et-ha’amoriy the Amorite (public speaker) mipeneiyhem from before their faces, asher whose kegovah height was like araziym cedars gaveho height vechason and strong hu was he ka’aloniym like oaks va’ashmiyd yet I destroyed piryo his fruit mi’ma’al from higher up still (above) vesharashayv and his roots mitachat from beneath.
 
What follows is a summary of Israel’s journey. Throughout God is faithful, and throughout Israel is rebellious, unfaithful, in need of discipline.
 
We note that this is a reference to Numbers 13 and 14 which record the sending of the spies and the rebellion of Israel, born of a fearful report concerning the inhabitants of the land (Num. 13:33). Therefore, this rebuke likens the rebellion of the northern tribes to that of all Israel in approaching the land of promise, a rebellion that resulted in their wandering for another 40 years.
 
The metaphor used points to the fact that when a people gives in to the fear of anyone or anything other than YHVH, that people are prone to rebel against Him. Instead of trusting in YHVH, they have trusted in the strength of the false gods of the land, gods which HaShem has and will uproot and remove. We remember that the fear of YHVH is an end to fear and its fruit.
 
The metaphor of the mighty oaks is meant to show that even something as strong and enduring as the oak is subject to God’s might. Where the Cedars of Lebanon are high, they are nonetheless vulnerable to strong winds, whereas the oak is both high and strong (thick), able to withstand strong winds. However, God is higher and stronger, and His Spirit (wind) can tear up even the strongest tree. Thus, the intimidating Amorites whom Israel feared when told of their stature (Num. 13:28), were uprooted, that is the source of their strength was removed.
 
10 Ve’anochiy And I, he’eleiytiy etchem I caused you all to ascend mei’eretz from the land mitzrayim (double distress) of Egypt va’oleich etchem and you all walked bamidbar (in and from the Word) in the desert arbaiym shanah forty years lareshet to take possession et-eretz of the land from ha’emoriy Amorites.
 
This is a reminder of the consequences of Israel’s rebellion, as well as being a reminder of God’s faithfulness. In spite of Israel’s rebellion God made the defeat of the Amorites possible.

11 Va’akiym And I raised up mibeneichem from your children lin’viyiym some to be prophets umibachureiychem and from your young men lin’ziriym some to be Nazirites (consecrated ones). Ha’af eiyn-zot Is this not so, beneiy-Yisrael children of Israel?” neum declares YHVH (Mercy) the Lord.
 
“And I raised up from your children some to be prophets”
 
Throughout Israel’s history up to that point in time God had raised up prophets, from Joseph the son of Jacob to Moses, Joshua, Samuel and so on. All Israel is included here. At this point in the indictment Judah and Benjamin are implicitly included in the phrase “beneiy-Yisrael”.
 
Upon hearing these words from Amos few Israelites would have been able to forget the following words of the Torah:

“15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. 16 For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.” 17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. 19 I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.” -Deuteronomy 18:15-19 NIV

“from your young men some to be Nazirites”
 
The Hebrew “nazir” (Nazarite) from the root “nazar”, means “consecrated”. Numbers 6:1-21 explains that the Nazarite vow was one that a person chose as an act of their freewill and out of a desire to set themselves apart as devoted to God (Judges 13:5).
 
“Is this not so, children of Israel?” declares YHVH (Mercy) the Lord.”
 
To paraphrase, “Have I not given you ample warning children of Israel?”
 
12 “Vatashku et-hanezitiym yayin And you forced the Nazirites to drink wine, veal-haneviyiym and you placed upon the prophets, tziviytem orders leimor saying, ‘lo tinaveu You shall not prophesy!’
 
In spite of the goodness of God in giving Israel righteous ones to direct them toward Him, Israel rebelled by defiling those righteous ones, either by tempting or by forcing violation of their vows upon them. In the case of the prophets Israel had hated what they heard and had told the true prophets of God to be silent while inviting the false prophets to speak.
 
Ironically, Amaziyah the apostate priest of Bethel would later tell Amos to go away and prophesy to Judah (7:12-13). Following this Amos speaks the word of the LORD which quotes the people of Israel as saying:
 
“You say, ‘Don’t Prophesy against Israel’, and ‘Don’t drop the Word against the house of Isaac’.” -Amos 7:16b (Author’s translation)
 
Therefore, for the duration of the ten years of the prophetic ministry of Amos, Israel had wilfully ignored his warning to repent for their having demanded that the prophets of God be silent, and instead, nearing the end of his ministry, they repeated this sin like children with their fingers in their ears yelling “La, la, la…”

13 Hineih Behold, now, pay attention! Anochiy I am mei’iyk making a rut tachteiychem  beneath you, ka’asher like that which is made ta’iyk by the pressing ha’agalah of the cart hamleiam lah when it’s filled amiyr with sheaves of grain.
 
“Hineih” is a wakeup call. “Pay attention now!”, would be a better modern translation than the old English “Behold”.
 
The metaphor of the heavily laden cart at harvest time is poignant. At this time in history Israel was heavily laden with riches and success, just like the overloaded cart at harvest time. However, her successes would soon weigh her down so as to make a rut beneath her that she will not be able to climb out of. This is essentially a metaphor describing the fruit of the love of worldly wealth (1 Tim. 6:10). The love of worldly wealth being a form of idolatry. Israel had planted the seed of rebellion in the soil of her abundance and would soon reap the fruit of rebellion. Destruction.
 
14 Veavad manos And escape will perish mikal from the swift, vechazak and the strong lo-ye’ameitz will not be strengthened kocho because of his power, vegibor and the mighty lo-yemaleit will not deliver nafsho his soul.
 
Although Israel considered herself strong at this point in history, she would nonetheless be unable to escape. Her strong men will be unable to overcome in the coming fire of judgement in spite of their strength, they will not even be able to deliver themselves.

15 Vetofeis And the one who grasps hakeshet the bow lo ya’amod will not stand, vekal the swift beraglayv in foot lo yemaleit will not slip away, verocheiv and the rider of hasus  the horse lo yemaleit will not save nafsho his soul.
 
The bowman will fail to have an effect in the coming battle that will topple the northern kingdom, and the fastest runners will not be able to escape, nor will the rider on the swiftest horse be able to save himself.
 
16 Veamiytz And the mighty libo of heart bagiboriym among the mighty ones, arom yanus will flee naked bayom-hahu in that day,” neum declares YHVH (Mercy) the Lord.
 
The most courageous of Israel’s warriors will flee naked, meaning “unarmed”, shaking like terrified children in that promised day when God brings the fire of His discipline against the northern tribes. This is something God declares through Amos as a foregone conclusion. Will He relent? The answer is “Most certainly not!” Because He is holy He is loving, because He is loving He is just, because He is just He cannot allow injustice to go unaccounted for.
 
We know that “God is love”, good! Now let’s go and learn what love is. We don’t define love, God does. Any love founded in the temporal fallen emotion of humanity is false love. We know that “God is love”, good! Now let’s go and learn Who love is.
 
Copyright 2022 Yaakov Brown

Author (Human Writer):
 
According to the first verse of the scroll of Amos, Amos whose name means “Burden, load, carry”, prophesied over Israel during the reigns of Uziyah (My strength is YHVH) [king of Judah 792-740 BCE, a.k.a Azariyah 2 Kings 15:1] and Yeroboam II (People of contention) [king of the northern tribes 793-753 BCE].
 
The text tells us that Amos was a resident of Tekoa (Trumpet blast), a small town situated in the allotment of the tribal land of Judah 15 kilometers south of Beit-Lechem (House of Bread) [Bethlehem], and 27 kilometers from Yerushalaiym (Flood of Peace) [Jerusalem].
 
Amos, unlike his contemporaries, was not a professional prophet. Answering Amatziyahu the qualified (by way of appointment among the northern tribes), albeit apostate priest of Beiyt-El, Amos says:
 
“I wasn’t a prophet or the son of a prophet, but I was a sheep herder, and I also took care of fig trees. But Adonay (YHVH) took me from following the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” -Amos 7:14b-15 (Author’s translation)
 
Amos was a lay person and a manual labourer who prophesied in obedience to the call of Hashem. This encourages us to ask, “Have I allowed myself to be defined by my work, or am I owning my identity as a child of God, understanding that my vocation is the outworking of His redemptive purposes?” There is no such thing as an unqualified child of God.
 
Note that Adonay took Amos from following the flock (literal sheep) and positioned him to direct the flock (metaphorical sheep) of Israel.
 
Ministry:
 
The main part of the ministry of Amos is presumed by some to have taken place between 760 and 750 BCE, only 30 years before the Assyrian captivity of the northern kingdom (722-721 BCE). Amos, whose contemporaries were Hoshea (He saves) [Hosea], Yonah (Dove) [Jonah], and Yishayahu (YHVH, He has saved) [Isaiah], ministered to Israel at a time when both kingdoms were enjoying prosperity (2 Kings 14:23-15:7; 2 Chronicles 26). A time when both the northern tribes and, Y’hudah (Praise) [inclusive of Benyamin (Son of my right hand)] were practicing idolatry, immorality, injustice and oppression of the poor.
 
Rav Avraham Zacut*, and Rav David Ganz**, suggest that the ministry of Amos followed on from that of Hosea, and was prior to that of Isaiah. They say that Amos received (was taught) the Torah from Hosea, and Isaiah received (was taught) the Torah from Amos.
 
*Yuchasin, fol. 12. 1. **Tzemach David, fol. 13. 1. 2.
 
Although Amos was from Judah, he was sent by God to pronounce judgement on the northern kingdom (10 tribes) of Israel, and is likely to have ministered primarily out of Beit-El (House of God, Judge) [Bethel] (7:10-13 ref. Genesis 12:8). One of the main centers of apostate worship in the north.
 
It's interesting to note that three of Israel’s latter prophets, Joel, Jeremiah and Haggai all quote the prophet Amos (Amos 1:2-Joel 3:16; Amos 4:9-Jeremiah 25:30; Amos 9:13-Haggai 2:17 & Joel 3:18).
 
The Scroll:
 
The scroll of Amos is set during the period of divided monarchy when Bethel was used by the northern kingdom as a central location for cultic worship in direct contradiction to God’s instruction (the instruction to center all worship of Adonay in Jerusalem is found in Deut. 12:10).
 
The illegitimate worship rites conducted at Bethel are condemned by God through Amos. Thus, the primacy of Jerusalem is implied. Israel’s unique relationship to God and her position among the nations is emphasized (2:6-3:2; 9:7), and as is the case with numerous prophetic works of the Nevi’im (Prophets of Israel), moral living is given primacy over the offering of vain sacrifices.
 
With regard to modern rabbinical practice as it relates to the yearly Torah cycle, it’s worth noting that Amos 2:6-3:8 is the haftarah (completion/fulfilment of instruction) read alongside parashah (portion) Va-yeshev [And dwelt Jacob] (Gen. 37:1-40:23), and in Ashkenazi tradition Amos 9:7-15 is read as haftarah for parashah Acharei Mot [After the deaths] (Lev. 16:1-18:30). The former passage tells of Joseph being sold into slavery and the latter of the events following the deaths of Aron’s two sons after they had offered foreign fire before the Lord, that is fire of human origin or fire used for idolatrous worship. Both Torah portions have significant thematic connections to the scroll of Amos. However, a comparative study of the portions in question is beyond the scope of this introduction.
 
As is always the case we remember that the scrolls of Scripture in their original languages do not have chapter and verse divisions. While for scholarship reasons and ease of locational referencing, chapter and verse distinctions are of some value, and while we ourselves have chosen to teach the text using the commonly used divisions, it is nonetheless of great importance that we view the scroll of Amos as a whole document and do not become guilty of de-contextualizing it in order to promote preconceived modern notions based on the use of secular scholarship practices.
 
One modern example of a popular false conclusion adopted from the scroll of Amos relates to an oversimplification of justice by those who promote secular “social justice”, using it as a means for political gain. This form of “social justice” is based on a misreading and de-contextualizing of chapter 5 verse 24.
 
Such is the influence of the secular counterfeit of social justice upon both contemporary Jewish and Christian scholars, that some introductions to the book of Amos, citing 5:24 go so far as to say that “social justice” is the primary theme of this work. Frankly, that’s utter nonsense! Amos 5:24 does not diminish justice by confining it to one part of its whole (social justice), rather, within the context of the scroll of Amos justice in its fullness as an attribute of God is being taught. Thus, we read “Let justice roll on like a river…” and not, “Let social justice roll on like a river…” When we qualify the text of Scripture by insisting that it placate our modern political leanings, we disqualify ourselves as teachers of sound doctrine.
 
Themes:
 
Justice is one of the primary themes of the scroll of Amos, alongside repentance, righteousness and reconciliation.
 
The scroll begins with the pronouncement of God’s judgement against the nations, the last of whom are Judah and Israel God’s chosen people. Through Amos God calls for repentance and warns of the Day of the Lord. However, as is the case with many of the prophetic writings, a rhythm of blessing, rebuke, punishment, repentance and restoration once again shows that God’s mercy both precedes and is the result of His judgement. Thus, the scroll of Amos begins with blessing in the form of a warning (1:1-2) and ends with the promise of Israel’s redemption, reconciliation and restoration (9:11-15).
 
Names and Their Meanings:
 
It’s important to note that the people named in the text are historical figures and the towns and cities are historical locations, likewise the peoples named are historical peoples. In addition to this each proper noun has a meaning that denotes the prophetic outcomes being discussed. From before the beginning God saw the end of these people, peoples and places and forenamed them accordingly. God’s foresight does not negate human freewill. Human sight is limited to time and space while God’s sight is unlimited.
 
Amos 1 (Author’s translation)
 
1 Words of Amos, who was among the sheep herders from Tekoa, which he saw, perceived, beheld, prophesied upon Israel in the days of UziYah king of Y’hudah, and in the days of Yeroboam son of Yoash, king of Yisrael, two years before the shaking. 2 And he said, “The Lord from Zion will roar, and from Yerushalayim has set in place His voice; and there is mourning in the pastures of the shepherds’, and the head of Ha-Carmel withers, dries up.” 3 Thus, says the Lord: “Upon three rebellions of  Damascus, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon the threshing in the sledges of the iron specifically Ha-Gilead. 4 And I will send My fire into the house of Hazael and it will devour the citadels of Ben Hadad. 5  I will break the bar of Damascus, and I will cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven, and he who holds a sceptre, from Beiyt Eden; and they will go into captivity, the people of Aram to Kiyrah,” says the Lord. 6 Thus, says the Lord: “Upon three rebellions of Gaza, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon them is the removal into captivity of those dwelling in peace to imprisonment to Edom. 7 And I will send My fire on the wall of Gaza and it will devour the citadels. 8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and he who holds a sceptre, from Ashkelon; and I will turn My hand upon Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” says Adonay the LORD. 9 Thus, says the Lord: “Upon three rebellions of Tyre, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon the imprisonment of captivity of those dwelling in peace to Edom, and he did not remember a covenant of brothers. 10 And I will send My fire on the wall of Tyre, and it will devour the citadels.” 11 Thus, says the Lord: “Upon three rebellions of Edom, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon his pursuit of his brother with the sword and destroying his compassion; his anger also tears apart continually, and his wrath is guarded, kept maintained perpetually. 12 And I will send My fire on Teman and it will devour the citadels of Botzrah.” 13 Thus, says the Lord: “Upon three rebellions of the children of Amon, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon their ripping open the pregnant women of Gilead, in order to enlarge their territories. 14 And I will kindle My fire on the wall of Rabbah, and it will devour the citadels amid soundings of alarm on the day of battle, in a raging storm on the day of gale force winds. 15  Their king will go into captivity, he and his princes together,” says the Lord.
 
Amos 1. Line Upon Line:
 
1 Divreiy Words, essences, substances of Amos (Burden, load, carry), who was among va-nokediym the sheep herders (Heb. root. nakod: speckled, marked sheep & goats) from Tekoa (Trumpet blast), which he chazah saw, perceived, beheld, prophesied al upon Israel in the days of UziYah (My strength is YHVH) [Uzziah] king of Y’hudah (Praise) [Judah], and in the days of Yeroboam (People of contention) Jeroboam son of Yoash (YHVH’s fire) [Joash], king of Yisrael (overcome in Elohim/Judge/God) Israel, two years before ha-ra’ash the shaking (earthquake).
 
1 Words of Amos, who was among the sheep herders from Tekoa, which he saw, perceived, beheld, prophesied upon Israel in the days of UziYah king of Y’hudah, and in the days of Yeroboam son of Yoash, king of Yisrael, two years before the shaking (earthquake).
 
“Words of Amos”
 
A number of Jewish commentators suggest that Amos was named “Burden” due to an impediment of the tongue. His tongue being burdened, he stammered*. There are of course other prophetic characters of Scripture who suffered speech difficulties. Moses refers to himself as aral sefatayim “I am a man of impeded lips” (Ex. 6:12), and some of those who despised Rav Shaul (Paul the Apostle) said of him “His letters are weighty and strong, but in person he is unimpressive and his speech contemptible” (2 Cor. 10:10).
 
However, in seeking to understand the name of the prophet Amos we look to the context of his scroll which infers that his name relates to the “burden” of the LORD, a weight of God’s living words (divreiy)v.1. Words he could not keep from coming forth, like the fire in the belly of Jeremiah (Jer. 20:9).
 
*Vayikra Rabbah, sect. 10. fol. 153. 3. Abarbinel Praefat. in Ezek. fol. 253. 3.
 
“who was among the sheep herders from Tekoa”
 
Unlike the prophet Yishayahu (YHVH He is my Salvation) [Isaiah] who was a member of the royal court, and the prophet Yeremiyahu (Exalted by YHVH) [Jeremiah] who was a priest, Amos was a lowly herdsman (noked [sheep raiser 1:1, from nakod: speckled, marked], a boker [cattle herdsman 7:14, from bakar: enquire, seek, consider]) and an orchardist (a tender of figs)7:14.
 
It's possible that Amos was a wealthy man. The Hebrew noked is elsewhere translated “Sheep Master” (2 Kings 3:4), however, its meaning is elevated in 2 Kings by the fact that the person being spoken of is himself a king, Mesha the king of Moab.
 
Needless to say, Amos was a hardworking member of the am ha’aretz (common people of the land). Amos was called to prophecy, but it was not his profession. Among his contemporaries he was the country hick at the prophets’ guild meetings.
 
The home town of Amos, Tekoa shares its root (taka, “blow, sound”) with the verb tekiyah, the long blast sounded at the beginning and end of the shofar liturgy of Rosh Hashanah. This is a blast of the shofar that calls Israel to listen, hear, and gain understanding from God, and is followed by shevarim the wailing blasts of repentance. Teruah the 9 staccato blasts of alarm are next and precede the final blast of judgement tekiah gedolah (great long blast). Thus, the first tekiah blast points to the tekiah gedolah (great long blast) and final judgement. It is significant that the name of the home town of Amos denotes the calling and judgement of God announced by the tekiyah blast of the shofar. Amos is called of God to proclaim judgement against the nations, and against Judah and Israel. Following the rebuke to the nations he continues his scroll with a detailed rebuke of Israel and a call to repentance. He announces the judgement of God and concludes with a promise of future redemption and restoration.
 
It's worth noting that the Mishnah mentions Tekoa the home town of Amos as being famous for its olive oil production (Mishnah Menachot, c. 8. sect. 3.). Thus, there is a symbolic connection to the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit).
 
“He saw, perceived, beheld, prophesied upon Israel”
 
What Amos perceived of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) is prophesied “upon” Israel as an indictment that must be addressed. The “burden” or weight of the words of Amos will be heavy upon the people of Israel if they remain unrepentant, whereas in repentance the burden becomes light (9:11-15 ref. Matt. 11:28-30).
 
We note that although the scroll begins by pointing out that these words are spoken upon Israel, the prophet nonetheless starts by pronouncing judgement on the neighbouring nations. Ultimately God is concerned with the redemption of all peoples.
 
“Israel in the days of UziYah king of Y’hudah, and in the days of Yeroboam son of Yoash, king of Yisrael,”
 
At the time of his prophesying Jeroboam II (called Jeroboam son of Joash in order to distinguish him from Jeroboam son of Nebat) the northern king had been victorious in conquest and successful in accumulating riches. Thus, those over whom he reigned enjoyed prosperity and as a result of their comfort became inclined toward idolatry and depravity.
 
Both the kingdom of Judah under Uziyah (a.k.a Azariyah 2 Kings 15:1) and the northern kingdom under Yeroboam II, were idolatrous, prideful, rebellious, complacent, gluttonous, unjust and forgetful people. Through Amos God threatens discipline if they do not repent. In fact, knowing that they won’t repent God promises discipline and as a result of His sacrificial love, deliverance and restoration.
 
“two years before the shaking (earthquake).”
 
This earthquake was a memorable one and therefore anchors the prophecy to a certain period in Israel’s history prior to the captivity of the northern kingdom. Zechariah speaks of it many years later (520 BCE), explaining that the earthquake occurred in the days of Uziyah (Zechariah 14:5). Based on the chronology of the kings (2 Kings 14:23; 15:1), the earthquake would have had to have taken place in the earlier half of Uziyah’s reign and not as some suggest in the latter part of his reign when he attempted to enter the Temple and was struck with leprosy.
 
Interestingly Amos 9:1-6 can be understood as describing an earthquake. Throughout Scripture there is a connection between the shaking of the earth and the judgement of God (Exodus 19:18, Judges 5:4, 2 Samuel 22:8, Psalm 18:7, Psalm 68:8, Isaiah 14:16, Habakkuk 3:6, Matthew 27:51, Hebrews 12:26).
 
2 And he said, “YHVH (Mercy) The Lord mitziyon from Zion will roar, umiyerushalayim and from Jerusalem yitein has set in place kolu His voice; ve’avelu and there is mourning in the pastures of ha’roiym the shepherds’, and the rosh head (summit) of ha-carmel (garden, orchard) the Carmel veyaveish withers, dries up.” 3 Thus, says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord: “Al Upon sheloshah three pisheiy rebellions of Damesek (Silent sackcloth weaver) Damascus, ve'al and upon arba’ah four, lo ashiyvenu I will not turn away, al-dusham upon the threshing bacharutzot in the sledges habarzel of the iron et ha-gilead (Witness heap, memorial) specifically the Gilead.
 
2 And he said, “The Lord from Zion will roar, and from Jerusalem has set in place His voice; and there is mourning in the pastures of the shepherds’, and the head of the Carmel withers, dries up.” 3 Thus, says the Lord: “Upon three rebellions of  Damascus, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon the threshing in the sledges of the iron specifically the Gilead.
 
“The Lord from Zion will roar, and from Jerusalem has set in place His voice”
 
The judgement of God is seen by the nations and the tribes of Israel as being spoken forth from the place where God has made His Name to dwell (Deut. 12:5-12; Josh. 21:41-43). God has firmly established His voice in Jerusalem the eternal capital of Israel God’s people. This reads as an instant rebuke to both the neighbouring nations who seek to conquer Jerusalem and to the northern tribes who have turned their backs on the Temple in Jerusalem and have set up apostate worship practices in Samaria, in Dan, and in Bethel.
 
The roaring imagery may reflect the coming earthquake described in the first verse (Iben Ezra).
 
We note that the nations mentioned are neighbours Israel rather than distant enemies. Assyria and Egypt for example are not mentioned. The nations are indicted for breaking universally moral law (Noachide), whereas, in the next chapter following the rebuke of Moab, Judah and Israel are charged against the breaking of God’s covenant of distinction specifically made with Israel. This remains the modus operandi of God’s judgement as it is outworked throughout history to this very day. In terms of human allegory, the blood born son is held to a higher standard because it is his example that reflects upon the Father’s character.
 
“and there is mourning in the pastures of the shepherds’”
 
Amos is a shepherd but the text of the first chapter uses the Hebrew noked (sheep herder) in referring to his vocation whereas the Hebrew roiym (plural of ra’ah) is used when the Lord’s voice first speaks His judgement against the shepherds of the nations, and of Judah and Israel.
 
The mourning within the pastures, that is the habitations of the shepherds has obvious significance. Mourning occurs following absence or death. Thus, the absence and death of the shepherds is the intended meaning of the mourning pastures. Additionally, mourning denotes repentance. To use a mashal (parable) In light of the deaths of false shepherds the sheep repent.
 
“the head of the Carmel withers, dries up”
 
Carmel simply means “fruitful” and therefore is a fruitful mountain in the land of Israel. There were at least two mountains by this name at that time, one in the tribe of Judah, near where Nabal lived (1 Sam. 25:2), and the more well-known one in the tribe of Asher, near Akko north-west of Tekoa on the west coast of Israel. Some think the former is meant, because it is nearer Tekoa, and therefore more familiar to Amos. However, this seems unlikely given that first of all the Hebrew does not read as “carmel” but as “ha-carmel”, which denotes the primacy of the mountain in question and its significance to all Israel, and secondly because the message of Amos is primarily given to the northern tribes and is meant to indict Israel from top to bottom. The rosh “head” or top of the mountain is said to wither and dry up and thus, signifies the demise of the northern kingdom. 
 
“Upon three rebellions of  Damascus, and upon four, I will not turn away,”
 
We note that the root action that proceeds from idolatry and informs all sin behaviours, pesha from pasha, rebellion is emphasised here. What follows is an indictment against the surrounding nations and ultimately against Israel God’s chosen. The threefold repetition “Upon three rebellions” which points to the wilful and perpetual nature of the sins of the nations is sealed with the fourth indictment “and upon four” which makes their coming punishment a forgone conclusion.
 
God, Who sees all things and the end from the beginning, Who exists outside of time and space and in Whom all things exist and have their being, speaks into time and space through His servant Amos the things that have already occurred from God’s perspective.
 
This does not mean that the freewill of the nation’s unto repentance has been revoked, rather, it means that God has already seen the outcome of the chosen actions of the nations.
 
Put concisely God is saying “I will not allow wonton rebellion to go unpunished!” We should remember with fear and trembling that those who enable the sin of the unrepentant become participants in that sin, and those who have it in their power to punish the unrepentant and fail to do so are guilty of compounding the suffering of their victims. The practice of neglecting justice under the guise of practicing social justice, which has become all too popular in the modern church, is abhorrent to God. “For three examples of rebellion… even for a fourth”, He will not withhold discipline, how much more so against the global rebellions of the modern church.
 
The indictment begins with Damascus the then capital of Aram (modern Syria), and her continuing attacks against Ramot Gilead in the tribal land of Manasseh. The Jewish commentator Kimkhi understands “Upon three rebellions of  Damascus, and upon four”, to refer to specific seasons in which the Arameans (Syrians) oppressed the people of Israel: first in the times of Baasha, then in the times of Ahab, a third time in the days of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, and the fourth in the times of Ahaz. Thus, the head of Aram (Syria), Damascus, will not escape the certain punishment of God.
 
“upon the threshing in the sledges of the iron specifically the Gilead.”
 
This is a description of the threshing of grain which used to be threshed out by iron teeth protruding from a wooden block, the top of which was filled with stones to weight it down. It was drawn over the sheaves in order to beat and separate out the grain on the threshing floor. This is a metaphor for the way Hazael of Aram (Syria) treated the Reubenites and Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh (2 Kings 7:12; 10:32).
 
4 Veshilachtiy And I will send My eish fire bebeiyt into the house Chazaeil of Hazael (Sees, perceives – God, the Judge) ve’achelah and it will devour armenot the citadels (mountain top fortresses) of Ben (Son of) Hadad (mighty, proper noun of a false deity).
 
4 And I will send My fire into the house of Hazael and it will devour the citadels of Ben Hadad.
 
“I will send My fire into the house of Hazael and it will devour the citadels of Ben Hadad.”
 
As is so often the case in Scripture, the fire of God’s wrath is not pictured here as a warm campfire but as a blazing inferno of wrath. Those within the modern church context who foolishly ask God to consume them with His fire would be wise to repent before the fire comes.
 
Hazael and Ben Hadad are kings of Aram (Syria) [2 Kings 8:7-15; 13:22-25]. Aram being the nation indicted in the previous verse. The fire of God will destroy the house and kingly succession of Hazael’s progeny and will devour the legacy built by Ben Hadad.
 
5 Ve’sharvartiy I will break beriyach the bar (of the gate) of Damesek (Silent sackcloth weaver) Damascus, vehichratiy and I will cut off yosheiv the inhabitant mibikat-aven from the Valley of Aven (vanity), vetomeich and he who holds sheivet a sceptre (staff), from Beiyt (House of) Eden (Pleasantness, delight, luxury); vegalu and they will go into captivity, am-Aram (Exalted, fortress) the people of Aram (Syria) to Kiyrah (Wall, a fortress of Moab),” says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord.
 
5  I will break the bar of Damascus, and I will cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven, and he who holds a sceptre, from Beiyt Eden; and they will go into captivity, the people of Aram to Kiyrah,” says the Lord.
 
“I will break the bar of Damascus”
 
This refers to the bar that both locks and strengthens the main gate of the city as protection against invaders.
 
The gods of the Arameans were gods of the valleys (1 Kings 20:23), thus, Aven may refer to a specific deity.
 
The wordplay in the Hebrew names Aven (vanity, delusion) and Beiyt Eden (house of pleasantness) is clear. Those within Aram who dwell in the vanity and delusion of idolatry will be cut off and the ruler (sceptre) who enjoys the luxury born of the house of pleasantness (pointing to the east and toward kiyrah the place the Arameans came from) will go into captivity. The Assyrians exiled the Arameans to Kiyrah after they had put an end to the kingdom of Aram (2 Kings 16:9).
 
6 Thus, says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord: “Al Upon sheloshah three pisheiy rebellions of Aza (Strong) Gaza, ve'al and upon arba’ah four, lo ashiyvenu I will not turn away, al upon them is haglotam the removal galut into captivity shelemah of those dwelling in peace lehasgiyr to imprisonment le-Edom (Red, of Esau, opposed to Jacob [Israel]) to Edom. 7 And I will send My eish fire bechomat on the wall of Aza (Gaza) ve’achelah and it will devour armenotayah the citadels (high fortresses).
 
6 Thus, says the Lord: “Upon three rebellions of Gaza, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon them is the removal into captivity of those dwelling in peace to imprisonment to Edom. 7 And I will send My fire on the wall of Gaza and it will devour the citadels.
 
Gaza here is mentioned as the head over all the Philistine cities of that time. The three others mentioned by name are Ashdod, Ashkelon and Ekron. Just as judgement was coming against all of Aram, so too it was coming against all of the Philistines. These same Philistine cities are mentioned in the same order in Zephaniah 2:4
 
“upon them is the removal into captivity of those dwelling in peace to imprisonment to Edom.”
 
This refers to the Philistines carrying away all the wealth of the house of Jehoram king of Judah, along with his sons and his wives, leaving behind only one son, the youngest, Jehoahaz, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 21:17.
 
“7 And I will send My fire on the wall of Gaza and it will devour the citadels.”
 
The fire of God’s judgement is sent upon “the walls”, that is to tear down the defences of Gaza. This prophecy has multiple historical fulfilments from Uziyah (2 Chronicles 26:5), to Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:8), and on to the secular tyrant Alexander the Great, who, after he had taken Tyre, besieged Gaza.

8 Vehichratiy and I will cut off yosheiv the inhabitant maashdod from Ashdod (Powerful destroyer), vetomeich and he who holds sheivet a sceptre (staff), maashkelon from Ashkelon (Fire weighed out); vahashivotiy and I will turn yadiy My hand al upon Ekron (Torn up by the roots), veavedu she’eiriyt Pelishtiym and the remnant of the Philistines (Immigrants) will perish,” says Adonay YHVH (Mercy) the Lord, the Unpronounceable Name (Mercy).
 
8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and he who holds a sceptre, from Ashkelon; and I will turn My hand upon Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” says Adonay the Lord.
 
Ultimately the remnant of the ancient Philistines was wiped out leaving no connection to a modern people group. Some think that this was finally accomplished during the time of the Maccabees (1 Maccabees 10) [167-37 BCE].
 
9 Thus, says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord: “Al Upon sheloshah three pisheiy rebellions of Tzor (Flint rock) Tyre, ve'al and upon arba’ah four, lo ashiyvenu I will not turn away, al upon hasgiyram the imprisonment of galut captivity shelemah of those dwelling in peace le-Edom (Red, of Esau, opposed to Jacob [Israel]) to Edom, velo and he did not zacheru remember beriyt a covenant of achiym brothers.
 
9 Thus, says the Lord: “Upon three rebellions of Tyre, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon the imprisonment of captivity of those dwelling in peace to Edom, and he did not remember a covenant of brothers.
 
Tyre is the ancient coastal Phoenician merchant Island city that was allied to Israel by a treaty “of brotherhood” during the reign of King David (1 Kings 5:1). This relationship continued through the reigns of Solomon (1 Kings 5:12) and Ahab, whose father in law ruled Tyre and Sidon (1 Kings 16:30-31).
 
The specific sin of the Phoenicians was that they took captives of the northern tribes and sold them to Edom. However, the greater sin was that they had broken a covenant of brotherhood with Israel that had been long established. With regard to covenant, this indictment reflects the indictment that God brings against Israel and Judah.

10 And I will send My eish fire bechomat on the wall of Tzor (Flint rock) Tyre, ve’achelah and it will devour armenotayah the citadels (high fortresses).”
 
10 And I will send My fire on the wall of Tyre, and it will devour the citadels.”
 
Tyre was an Island port that was extremely difficult to conquer, and yet God promises to destroy by fire her walls and devour (dismantle) her citadels. Alexander the Great conquered Tyre in 332 BCE by constructing a causeway between the mainland and the Island.
 
11 Thus, says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord: “Al Upon sheloshah three pisheiy rebellions of Edom (Red, of Esau, opposed to Jacob [Israel]), ve'al and upon arba’ah four, lo ashiyvenu I will not turn away, al upon radefo his pursuit of his brother va’cherev achiyv with the sword veshichet and destroying rachamayv his compassion; vayitrof la’ad-apo his anger also tears apart continually, ve’evrato and his wrath shemara is guarded, kept netzach maintained perpetually.
 
11 Thus, says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord: “Upon three rebellions of Edom, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon his pursuit of his brother with the sword and destroying his compassion; his anger also tears apart continually, and his wrath is guarded, kept maintained perpetually.
 
Edom, the nation descended from Esau (Gen. 25:23-30; 27:39-40; 36) was a brother to Israel (Jacob). In spite of Jacob’s reconciliatory actions toward Esau, Esau never truly forgave Jacob*, nor did his descendants. The nation of Edom was a perpetual thorn in the side of Israel. Thus, God commands punishment against Edom for her unrelenting persecution of His chosen people Israel.
 
*For further study read my article on Genesis 33: https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary/genesis-33-jacob-goes-out-to-meet-esau

12 And I will send My eish fire beteiyman on Teman (Southward) ve’achelah and it will devour armenotayah the citadels (high fortresses) of Botzrah (enclosure, sheepfold).”
 
12 And I will send My fire on Teman (Southward) and it will devour the citadels of Botzrah.”
 
This denotes a purging fire throughout the kingdom of Edom from the then capital Teman to Botzrah.
 
13 Thus, says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord: “Al Upon sheloshah three pisheiy rebellions of benay the children of Amon (Peoples), ve'al and upon arba’ah four, lo ashiyvenu I will not turn away, al upon bikam their ripping open harot the pregnant women of Gilad (Witness heap, memorial) Gilead, lima’an in order to harchiyv enlarge et-gevulam their territories.
 
13 Thus, says the Lord: “Upon three rebellions of the children of Amon, and upon four, I will not turn away, upon their ripping open the pregnant women of Gilead, in order to enlarge their territories.
 
Notice that benay “children” are added to the indictment against Amon. The Hebrew benay is not used in the previous indictments against other nations nor in the indictments that follow.
 
The murder of unborn children was a means for enlarging territory for a period of at least two generations. It was a heinous premeditation, which is why in the “rebellions” three and fourfold the “children” of Amon are added to the indictment. God’s justice meted out against the sin of a single generation of those mentioned previously, will be meted out twofold against the twofold generational sin of Amon. This due to the exalted depravity of the actions of the people of Amon.

14 And I will ve’hitzatiy kindle My eish fire bechomat on the wall of Rabbah (Great) [Rabbah-Ammon], and it will devour armenotayah the citadels (high fortresses) amid bitruah (in teruah) soundings of alarm beyom on the day milchamah of battle, besa’ar in a raging storm beyom on the day of gale force winds. 15 Ve’halach malkam Their king bagolah will go into captivity, hu vesarayv he and his princes yachdav together,” says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord.
 
14 And I will kindle My fire on the wall of Rabbah, and it will devour the citadels amid soundings of alarm on the day of battle, in a raging storm on the day of gale force winds. 15  Their king will go into captivity, he and his princes together,” says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord.
 
Rabbah Ammon (2 Sam. 12:26) was the capital of the kingdom of the Ammonites and therefore symbolises the destruction of their rulers, and subsequently the entire kingdom (Jeremiah 49:2).
 
The use of the Hebrew yatzat “kindle” here in relation to the fire of God’s wrath, rather than the previously used shalach “send”, denotes an act of destruction by fire that the Lord is kindling in their midst as opposed to sending via His hand. This kindling may refer to the raising up of Nebuchadnezzar, who is referred to by Jeremiah as God’s servant (Jeremiah 25:9; 27:6; 43:10).
 
The Hebrew bit’ruah a contraction meaning “in sounding”, refers specifically to the shofar sound denoting alarm (9 staccato blasts), which is used to draw connection between the prophet’s hometown (Tekoa), and his calling and role*.
 
*See notes on verse 1.
 
15  Their king will go into captivity, he and his princes together,” says YHVH (Mercy) the Lord.
 
This refers to Baalis the last king of Ammon, who was an accessary to the murder of Gedaliah, (Jer. 40:14) whom the king of Babylon had set over the remnant of the Jews left in Judea. This provoked the king of Babylon to send Nebuzaradan his general against Baalis, putting Ammon to fire and sword, destroying the capital city Rabbah Ammon, and carrying Baalis and his nobles into captivity (cf. Jer. 49:3).
 
Copyright 2022 Yaakov Brown

Introduction:
 
Psalm 51 is perhaps the most commonly known of the Tehillim (Psalms) of repentance is widely used, and forms a blueprint for the order of approach of a truly repentant believer. It is however, therefore, often decontextualised. It’s use as an order of repentance is admirable and should be encouraged, but without disregard for its context. 
 
Certain phrases from Psalm 51 have become popular mantras among believers, and for the most part are employed to godly effect. However, the decontextualization of these phrases has in some cases led to false or at very least misleading theological conclusions. One such phrase “Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me” has been sorely abused by some Christian theologians who wrongly conclude that this phrase conveys the possibility that one can lose one’s salvation. Something Scripture utterly refutes. God our Deliverer, saves and makes eternally secure all who come to Him through Yeshua the King Messiah.
 
“27 My sheep hear, listen to, receive My voice (sound), and I know them intimately, and they follow Me; 28 and I give to them life without end, and they will never be destroyed into the unbroken age; and no one will seize them out of My hand. 29 The Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to seize out of the hand of the Father. 30 I and My Father we are one, a complex unity.” - John 10:27-30 (Author’s translation)
 
Those whom He has made secure He fills with His Spirit as a guarantee of their eternal security (Eph. 1:13-14).
 
“13 And you also were included in Messiah when you heard the message of truth, the good news of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is deposited as a guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” -Ephesians 1:13-14 (Author’s translation)
 
Therefore a contextual Hebraic understanding of this Psalm is much needed in order to clear up the misunderstandings which have resulted from the presumptive interpretation of certain mainstream Christian theologians.
 
Tehillim (Psalms) 51: Author’s Translation
 
(1) For the preeminent director. A Psalm, melody of David, (2) when came Natan the prophet to him, after he had gone in to Bat-sheva. 1 (3) Be gracious, pity, show favour to me, Elohim Judge, according to Your faithfulness, kindness, goodness; According to the greatness, abundance, multitude of Your womb (compassion); wipe out, obliterate, exterminate my rebellion (transgression). 2 (4) Wash (by treading) me numerous times (thoroughly) from my perversity (depravity), and from my habitual sinful condition (missing the mark) cleanse, purify me. 3 (5) For my rebellion I acknowledge, and my habitual sin is before me continually. 4 (6) Against You, You only, I have missed the mark, habitually sinned and what is evil in Your sight I have done, so that You are justified when You speak, blameless, pure, translucent when You judge. 5 (7) Behold, in perversity I was brought forth, and in sin my mother conceived me. 6 (8) Behold, truth You desire in the innermost being, and in the secret (close to the chest) place, wisdom You make known to me. 7 (9) Purge me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash (tread) me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 (10) Make me hear, listen, obey joy, and transcendent gladness; may the bones, self, substance You have broken rejoice. 9 (11) Hide, conceal Your face (gaze) from my habitual sins, missing the mark and all my depraved deeds, wipe out, exterminate, obliterate. 10 (12) A heart, core being, centre of purity create (from scratch) in me, Elohim, Judge, and renew a right, willing, free, steadfast spirit within me. 11 (13) Not, Never (won’t) cast me away from Your face (a position of intimacy face to face), and the Spirit of Your holiness not, never (won’t) snatch from me. 12 (14) The turning of me is the joy of Your salvation, and a spirit willing, noble and generous uphold in me. 13 (15) I will teach rebels (wrongdoers) Your way, and sinners (those who miss the mark set by Your holiness) toward You will turn. 14 (16) Deliver (snatch away) me from the guilt of bloodshed, Elohiym, Judge, Eloheiy, God, Judge of my salvation; My tongue will overcome with a cry, proclaiming the joy found in Your righteousness. 15 (17) Adonay, open my lips, and my mouth will make known Your praise. 16 (18) For You don’t take pleasure in a sacrifice, and the giving of a whole burnt offering You do not take pleasure in. 17 (19) The sacrifices of Elohiym, Judge, are a broken spirit; a heart broken and contrite, Elohiym, Judge, You will not despise. 18 (20) Do good in Your favour to the Tziyon; build the walls of Yerushalayim. 19 (21) Then You will delight in sacrifices of righteousness, burnt offering and whole burnt offering; they will ascend, offering upon Your altar, calves.
 
A Summation of Tehillim (Psalms) 51:

1. Context is given [0 (1-2)]
2. Calling on Elohim the Judge, for Mercy [1-2 (3-4)]
3. Acknowledgment of human sin nature (habitual sin) [3-5 (5-7)]
4. Recognition of what God requires [6 (8)]
5. Blood atonement, the forgiveness of all sins [7 (9), 9 (11)]
6. Transformation of the human soul [8 (10), 10-12 (12-14)]
7. Sharing the Good News of Salvation from sin and death [13-14 (15-16)]
8. Praise God [15 (17)]
9. Discerning true sacrifice and offering [16-17 (18-19)]
10. A request for corporate blessing in light of a king’s repentance [18 (20)]
11. A return to the sacrifices of repentant hearts [19 (21)]

 
Tehillim (Psalms) 51 Line Upon Line
 
(1) (Lamnatzeiach) For the preeminent director. (Mizmor) A Psalm, melody (ledavid) of David [beloved], (2) when came (Natan) Nathan [giver] (Hanaviy) the prophet to him, after he had (ba el) gone in to (Bat-sheva) Bathsheba (daughter of seven, blessing, covenant).
 
(1) For the preeminent director. A Psalm, melody of David, (2) when came Natan the prophet to him, after he had gone in to Bat-sheva.
 
It's unfortunate that the Christian tradition of numbering of the Psalms and the positioning of the introductory phrases prior to the main text (making them preamble, or a sort of supplementary title as is the case in many English translations) often detracts from the importance of the introduction.
 
The introductory phrasing of the Psalms has a unique role as part of the whole and is deserving of its own numbering. While the Holy Spirit is the author of Scripture, the writers and their stories also inform the text and give it context. We should not brush over the introductory verses.
 
The Jewish publications of English translations rightly number the introductory verses, giving them position within the Psalm’s whole and thus emphasising their unique role and importance. Therefore, I’ve added the Jewish numbering in brackets, knowing that the majority of our community are English speakers who are more familiar with the Gentile Christian system of numbering.
 
“For the preeminent director” That is, the director over the priests assigned to the music worship service. This intimate Psalm of desperate repentance concerning David’s private sin was intended for use in public worship as both an individual and corporate cry of penitence.
 
In repentance David exposes his sin and the grief he feels over his sinful state before the entire nation of Israel. A person of noble character is not only proved in right action but also in the way he repents of wrong action. For the disciple of Messiah there is no such thing as secret sin.
 
Our identity in Messiah informs our actions. When our actions contradict our identity they are not cause for changing our identity, rather they are a sign that we have forgotten who we are. The misuse of something does not define it. Our actions do not define us, we define our actions. In Messiah we have become children of God. Our identity is firmly established in eternal blood.
 
“A Psalm, melody of David” This Psalm was composed by David.
 
“when came Nathan the prophet to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.” David composed this Psalm following the rebuke of God through Nathan the prophet concerning David’s adulterous act in going in to (having illicit sexual intercourse with) Bathsheba and his subsequent role in the murder of Uriyah [My light is YAH] Bathsheba’s husband, in an attempt to cover up his initial sexual sin (2 Samuel 12:1-25).
 
We note that by his adulterous and murderous actions David sinned against God (v.4 [6]), the nation of Israel over whom he ruled as king (v.18 [20]), his own soul (1 Cor. 6:18-20), Bat-sheva (daughter of blessing), and therefore, against the blessing of God over his life, and against Uri-yah (my light is YAH), and therefore, David blinded himself to God’s light. Thus, for some time following the act of adultery, David was numb to the conviction of God’s Spirit. As evidenced in his need to receive the rebuke for his sin directly from Nathan the prophet, who spoke by the Holy Spirit.
 
The composing of this Psalm is likely to have taken place while David besought the LORD regarding the life of the child that had been seeded by his adultery. A child that remains nameless in the text but is nonetheless a child of the daughter of blessing [Bat-sheva] (2 Samuel 12:16).
 
1 (3) (Choneiniy) Be gracious, pity, show favour to me, (Elohim) God, Judge, (kechasdekha) according to Your faithfulness, kindness, goodness; (kerov) According to the greatness, abundance, multitude of (rachameykha) Your womb, compassion, (mecheih) wipe [blot] out, obliterate, exterminate (fesha’ay) my rebellion, transgression.
 
1 (3) Be gracious, pity, show favour to me, Elohim Judge, according to Your faithfulness, kindness, goodness; According to the greatness, abundance, multitude of Your womb (compassion); wipe out, obliterate, exterminate my rebellion (transgression).
 
Hebrew Poetic Groupings (emphasising meaning*):
 
*Hebrew poetry uses repetition rather than rhyme. Synonyms are used to emphasize key points.

• Grace + Faithfulness + Compassion are feminine (not female) attributes of God
• Judge + Extermination + Removal of Rebellion, are masculine (not male), a role, and actions of God
• Both groupings relate to God’s judgement (Elohim)

 
“Be gracious, pity, show favour to me, (Elohim) God, Judge” David, being convicted of sin does not run from God but toward Him. David is familiar with God’s character and appeals to His grace and favour. It’s important to note that David does not call on God using the Holy unpronounceable Name YHVH, which denotes mercy, rather he calls on God as Elohim the Judge of all. This is because David has become aware of the injustice of his actions and the rightful punishment he deserves in accordance with the moral standard set by God’s holiness. When on trial a repentant criminal asks the Judge (Elohim) for Mercy (YHVH).
 
The repetition of Elohim (x5) in this Psalm points to the just nature of the Creator and inspires the necessary awe that must accompany repentance. The proper noun YHVH is not used even once in the entirety of this Psalm, while Adonay, the generic title meaning Lord, or Master, is used only once.
 
“according to Your faithfulness, kindness, goodness” Knowing that God is faithful, good, and kind, David does not appeal only to the common grace of God which allows “the rain to fall upon the wicked and righteous alike”, he also appeals to the saving grace of God for the eternal forgiveness of sin. This is evidenced in the specificity of the confession of David (it is also pointed to by the introduction which places the context firmly in the aftermath of a particularly heinous sin act).
 
“According to the greatness, abundance, multitude of Your womb, compassion,” In Hebrew this line is powerful. It’s a tragedy that English translations fail to convey it. The Hebrew “racham”, womb, is used metaphorically to denote mercy. Thus, both God’s womb (figuratively) and the mercy that it conveys, are the intended meaning.
 
The use of the word “racham”, womb, is of great importance because in relationship to God it is the counterpoint to the womb of the human mother which exists in a sin affected world (v.5[7]).
 
“wipe [blot] out, obliterate, exterminate my rebellion, transgression.” By the Spirit of God David shows that he has come to understand that all sin is the result of the idolatrous root “pasha”, rebellion. Further, David does not only request “kaparah” covering alone, but seeks “machah”, a complete and everlasting blotting out of his rebellion.
 
Rebellion here is seen as the foundation for “chata”, missing the mark set by God’s holiness. Therefore, David is seeking salvation from his sin nature (a tendency toward the yetzer hara [evil inclination]), and not just forgiveness of the specific sin of adultery and the related sins that followed.

2 (4) (Herev kabeseiniy) Wash [by treading] me numerous times [thoroughly] (mei’avoniy) from my perversity, depravity (umechatatiy) and from my habitual sinful condition [missing the mark] (tahareniy) cleanse, purify me. 3 (5) For (fesha’ay) my rebellion (aniy eida) I acknowledge, (vechatatiy) and my habitual sin (negdiy tamiyd) is before me continually.
 
2 (4) Wash (by treading) me numerous times (thoroughly) from my perversity (depravity), and from my habitual sinful condition (missing the mark) cleanse, purify me. 3 (5) For my rebellion I acknowledge, and my habitual sin is before me continually.
 
Hebrew Poetic Groupings (emphasising meaning):

• Washing + Cleansing/Purification are an ongoing process, hence “numerous times”
• Depravity + Habitual Sin, are fruit of Rebellion

 
“Wash [by treading] me numerous times [thoroughly] from my perversity, depravity and from my habitual sinful condition [missing the mark] cleanse, purify me.” “Wash me” acknowledges that David cannot wash himself clean of his sin. “Treading” means that the process of cleansing is violent and “Numerous times” acknowledges the need for the purification process to be ongoing within time and space.
 
Three different Hebrew words are used to describe sin in these verses:
 
a. avon (depravity)
b. chata (habitual sin, missing the mark set by God’s holiness)
c. pasha (rebellion). The former two are fruit of the sin of rebellion which is the progeny of idolatry.
 
“For my rebellion I acknowledge,” Idolatry is the root of all sin (1 Tim. 6:10) and is manifest in rebellion. This is why in spite of the use of three different Hebrew words for sin within the first few verses, “pasha” meaning rebellion is mentioned as the primary cause and the root that must be acknowledged in order for it to be rooted out. Rebellion informs the habitual sin nature “yetzer hara”.
 
“and my habitual sin is before me continually.” Those whose hearts are soft toward God cannot continue to function in peace while carrying the weight of unrepented sin. The Spirit of God plagues the mind and heart of the believer unto repentance and freedom. The grief of the Holy Spirit purposes sanctification in the believer.
 
David is seeking freedom from what he knows to be fallen human nature, a tendency toward evil in spite of God’s goodness. He realises that as much as he loves God and desires right relationship in Him, he is unable to achieve reconciliation with God in his own strength.

4 (6) (Lecha) Against You, (levadecha) You only, (chatatiy) I have missed the mark, habitually sinned (vehara) and what is evil (be’eiyneycha) in Your sight (asiytiy) I have done, so that (titzdak) You are justified (bedavrecha) when You speak, (tizkeh) blameless, pure, translucent (ve’shafetecha) when You judge.
 
4 (6) Against You, You only, I have missed the mark, habitually sinned and what is evil in Your sight I have done, so that You are justified when You speak, blameless, pure, translucent when You judge.
 
Hebrew Poetic Groupings (emphasising meaning):

• Against You + Your sight + You judge, emphasise God’s omniscient (all knowing), omnipresent (all existing) and omni-potent (all powerful) character
• Habitual Sin + Evil, are fruit of Rebellion, the progeny of idolatry
• Justified + Blameless, reference the character attributes of God, Justice and Purity

 
“Against You, You only, I have missed the mark, habitually sinned” In God all things exist and have their being, therefore, all sin is ultimately against God alone. This does not negate David’s obligation to make restitution to the specific human beings affected by his sin, and to the nation he rules over, rather it addresses sin at its root as a systemic problem within fallen creation.
 
“and what is evil in Your sight I have done,” In the same way that all sin is ultimately sin against God, all sin is seen by God. There is nowhere to hide from God’s just judgement.
 
“You are justified when You speak, blameless, pure, translucent when You judge.” God’s nature qualifies Him as Judge over His creation. His judgement is pure, blameless, so much so that in terms of comparison to the seen created things it is described as being translucent, so pure as to be clear, see through, undefiled (Rom. 3:4; 3:25).
 
5 (7) (Hein) Behold, (beavon) in perversity (cholaltiy) I was brought forth, (uvecheitiy) and in sin (imiy) my mother (yachematniy) conceived me. 6 (8) (Hein) Behold, (emet) truth (chafatzta) You desire (vatuchot) in the innermost being, (uvesatum) and in the secret [close to the chest] place, (chochmah) wisdom (todiyeniy) You make known to me.
 
5 (7) Behold, in perversity I was brought forth, and in sin my mother conceived me. 6 (8) Behold, truth You desire in the innermost being, and in the secret (close to the chest) place, wisdom You make known to me.
 
Hebrew Poetic Groupings (emphasising meaning):

• Perversity + Sin, are a systemic human condition
• Brought forth + Conceived in sin. All human action leans toward sin as a result of sin entering the world
• Truth + Wisdom, are intrinsically connected, wisdom is never untrue, truth never unwise
• Innermost being + Secret [close to the chest] place. Intimacy is a key aspect of relationship in God
• You desire + You make known. God is in control of and orders all things and acts according to His will, subject to none

 
“Behold, in perversity I was brought forth, and in sin my mother conceived me.” We note that both this verse and the following verse begin with the Hebrew “Hein”, pay attention, now, listen up!
 
None of the many and varied attempts to impugn the character of David’s parents hold up to critique, nor do any of the suppositions regarding practical reasons for any perceived prenatal sin of David.
 
David was born of legitimately married parents and in accordance with pure sexual conduct. We note that elsewhere David acknowledges “I sinned” (4 [6]), but here he speaks of being conceived and brought forth from the womb in a general environment of depravity (avon) and habitual sin (chata).
 
Therefore, this verse speaks of the sin affected creation, the world in which David was conceived and birthed. It is an acknowledgement that not only has “sin entered the world… and death through it” (Rom. 5:12) but also that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”(Rom. 3:23).
 
In short, David was not conceived in a sinful sex act, nor did his pre-conscious inception sin, but he was conceived and born into a sin affected world. Thus, “in perversity (a society prone to sin) I was brought forth, and in sin (a world where the habitual missing of the mark set by God’s holiness is the norm) my mother conceived me.”
 
“Behold, truth You desire in the innermost being, and in the secret [close to the chest] place, wisdom You make known to me.” Where the former verse says “Behold, all have sinned”, this verse says “Behold, God desires to reconcile all to himself”, making Himself known through the redeeming work of His son our King Messiah Yeshua. “The secret place close to the chest” denotes divine intimacy.

7 (9) (Techate’einiy) Purge me (ve’eizot) with hyssop, (ve’ethar) and I will be clean; (techabeseiniy) wash [tread] me, (umisheleg albiyn) and I will be whiter than snow. 8 (10) (Tashmiyeiniy) Make me hear, listen, obey (sason) joy (vesimshah) and transcendent gladness;  (tageilenah atzamot dikita) may the bones, self, substance You have broken rejoice.


7 (9) Purge me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash (tread) me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 (10) Make me hear, listen, obey joy, and transcendent gladness; may the bones, self, substance You have broken rejoice.
 
Hebrew Poetic Groupings (emphasising meaning):

• Purge + Wash + Broken, are all godly actions that lead to redemption and life everlasting
• Clean + Whiter than snow + rejoicing, are all fruit of purging redemption
• Hearing + Self, link the inner person to the need for obedience to God’s voice
• Joy + Transcendent gladness + Rejoicing, are the ultimate fruit of hearing and committing self in obedience to God

 
“Purge me with hyssop, and I will be clean” Ancient tribes of the Levant are thought to have used Hyssop as a cure for digestive and intestinal problems, infection of the airways, poor circulation, skin problems, and other conditions. While its use in the healing of these conditions is not supported by empirical scientific data, it nonetheless gives context regarding the symbolism being employed by Scripture.
 
The Torah refers to hyssop three times in relation to cleansing:

• The sprinkling of the blood of the Pesach (Passover) lamb on the door posts of the Israelites in Egypt for the redemption of the firstborn (Exodus 12:22)
• The cleansing of the leper (Leviticus 14:4)
• The purification of one made unclean by touching a dead body (Numbers 19:6)

 
In all three instances Messiah Yeshua and His substitutionary atoning blood sacrifice as Lamb of God is prefigured.
 
Messiah the Pesach Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7):
 
Exodus 12 details the redemption of life of the first born sons of Israel purchased by the blood of the Pesach lamb, which is painted on the door frames of Israel’s homes using a branch of hyssop. The meaning is clear, the blood of the lamb redeems the lives of Israel’s first born.
 
Messiah the Reconciler of Community (2 Cor. 5:18):
 
Leviticus 14 details the process of the ritual cleansing of a leper. The Torah infers that sin as a present entity which causes all disease, suffering and death, and is therefore, ultimately the cause of leprosy, though this does not mean that an individual’s personal sin is necessarily the cause of his leprosy, or any other disease for that matter.
 
We note that the inclusion of hyssop in these purification rites for leprosy, is just one aspect of the process. In addition to the hyssop, two birds are used, one sacrificed and one set free. After the rites are performed and the leper has shaved and washed, he may enter the camp of Israel but must remain outside his family tent for seven days, at which point a lamb is offered as a trespass offering and its blood placed on the right ear (hearing, understanding), the right thumb (actions, strength) and the big toe of the right foot (balance, direction, the way we walk). This is done as a symbolic gesture showing the desired restoration of the entire soul of the leper who has been cleansed.
 
The ultimate goal of these rites is to reconcile the leper, who has been an outcast (having been outside the camp of Israel), to the community of Israel and to the Mishkan (Tent of meeting) where Israel worships God. Therefore, the goal is to reconcile the leper to God Himself (both symbolically and literally).
 
Messiah the Resurrection and the Life [Who Separates the Redeemed unto God] (John 11:25):
 
Numbers 19 details the cleansing rites of the ashes of the Red Heifer and the water of separation and purification. The combined ashes and water are used for the ritual separation and purification of one who has touched a dead body.
 
Death is the result of sin and the touching of the dead body a reminder of the fruit of all sin. Therefore the sacrificial ashes of the Red Heifer and the water of separation are symbolic of cleansing the living of the touch of death, a living metaphor of resurrection and eternal life.
 
In summation, David is calling on every cleansing, redemptive and life giving aspect of these three instances of the use of the hyssop and the atoning blood it carries, which is painted upon Israel, as a symbol of atonement (both individual Israelites and Israel as a community).
 
“wash [tread] me, and I will be whiter than snow” These words of David used in personal repentance and given for use in corporate repentance (v.0 [1]) are later employed by Isaiah as an admonishment to the people of Israel.
 
‘“Come now, and let us debate your case,”
Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet,
They shall become as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be like wool.”’ -Yishayahu (Isaiah) 1:18 NASB
 
“Make me hear, listen, obey joy and transcendent gladness” As a result of God’s redemptive work in Messiah Yeshua and through His substitutionary blood, David’s ears are opened to the transcendent joy of God. A joy and practice of gladness in God’s spirit that is applied through obedience through Salvation (Yeshua).
 
“may the bones, self, substance You have broken rejoice” In context the plain meaning here is that of transformation of the broken sin affected human soul into the transcendent rejoicing, redeemed person of eternity. God has brought David to a point of brokenness and repentance in order to redeem him and bring him into life everlasting, an outcome of great rejoicing.
 
“The light of the eyes rejoices the heart: a good report makes the bones healthy.” -Mishlei (Proverbs) 15:30
 
9 (11) (Hasteir) Hide, conceal (Paneycha) Your face [gaze] (mechata’ay) from my habitual sins, missing the mark (vechol-avontay) and all my depraved deeds (mecheh) wipe [blot] out, exterminate, obliterate. 10 (12) (Leiv tahor) A heart, core being, centre of purity (bera-liy) create [from scratch] in me, (Elohim) God, Judge, (veruach nachon chadeish) and a new, right, willing, free, steadfast spirit (bekirbiy) within me.
 
9 (11) Hide, conceal Your face (gaze) from my habitual sins, missing the mark and all my depraved deeds, wipe out, exterminate, obliterate. 10 (12) A heart, core being, centre of purity create (from scratch) in me, Elohim, Judge, and renew a right, willing, free, steadfast spirit within me.
 
Hebrew Poetic Groupings (emphasising meaning):

• Conceal + Wipe out, explain how it’s possible for God to no longer see sin in David. By removing it entirely
• Habitual sins + Depraved deeds, are stains on the human soul
• Heart + Spirit, are intrinsically connected while being unique parts of a whole
• Purity + Rightness, are both the identity and fruit of a heart transformed by God
• Create from scratch + and new (in this context), are works only God can do. “Bara” to create from nothing

 
“Hide, conceal Your face [gaze] from my habitual sins, missing the mark” How is it possible for any deeds to be hidden from the all-knowing, all-seeing God of creation? The answer is in the following clause…
 
“all my depraved deeds wipe [blot] out, exterminate, obliterate.” God alone has the ability to blot out sin. He created the possibility of sin knowing that love could not exist without freewill. However, In Himself He manifested the obliteration of sin and death before the creation of the worlds. “The Lamb slain before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:19-20; Revelation 13:8).
 
We note that in addition to the metanarrative of redemption, these verses also convey David’s desire for intimate connection with His Creator. David is aptly named “beloved”, a man after God’s own heart. God’s desire being to reconcile humanity to Himself.
 
“A heart, core being, centre of purity” The Hebrew “Lev”, Heart, is the convergent centre of being rather than the seat of emotion. The seat of emotion in Hebrew thought is the gut or lower abdomen.
 
It is not pure emotions David is asking for but a state of being that can only be received from God. Purity of the entire being, a purity created by God alone, at its convergent centre of human existence.
 
“create [from scratch] in me, Elohim, God, Judge,” The Hebrew “bera-liy” from the root “bara” refers to a type of creation that only God can enact. Ex Nihilo (from nothing). In this case it refers to a transforming work that changes the stony heart of sin affected man into the soft heart of an eternally redeemed new creation through Messiah Yeshua the King. David is requesting the saving work of Messiah 1000 years before Yeshua’s birth into time and space.
 
“Therefore, if anyone is in Messiah that one is a new creation; the old has gone; behold, the new has come.” -2 Corinthians 5:27
 
“and a new, right, willing, free, steadfast spirit within me.” While the Hebrew can be rendered “renew”, and in one sense the believer is constantly being renewed of spirit, the better and more literal translation is “and a new spirit within me”. Once again David, speaking by the Spirit prophecies the work of Yeshua which will give every believer, past, present and future, unbroken access to the present filling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit being the “new Spirit” that transforms the fallen spirit of the sin affected human being.

11 (13) (Al-tashliycheiy) Not, never (won’t) cast me away (milefaneycha) from Your face (position of intimacy face to face), (veruach kadshecha) and the Spirit of Your holiness (al-tikach) not, never (won’t) snatch from me. 12 (14) (Hashivah) The turning (liy) of me is (seson) the joy (yishecha) of Your salvation, (v’ruach) and a spirit (nediyvah) willing, noble and generous (tismecheniy) uphold in me.
 
11 (13) Not, Never (won’t) cast me away from Your face (a position of intimacy face to face), and the Spirit of Your holiness not, never (won’t) snatch from me. 12 (14) The turning of me is the joy of Your salvation, and a spirit willing, noble and generous uphold in me.
 
Hebrew Poetic Groupings (emphasising meaning):

• Cast me away + Snatch from me. The One sinned against has the right to take back what they have given in trust, and to turn from the offender. Both these ideas convey a desire not to lose intimate connection
• Your face + Spirit of Your holiness + Salvation, reflect an intimate relationship reconciled through redemption
• The turning (or returning) + Uphold, are combined to express strength in repentance
• Me + a Spirit, unite the person and the spirit which births the persons action
• Joy + Willing, go hand in hand. Righteousness is enacted by a willing heart filled with transcendent joy

 
“Not, Never (won’t) cast me away from Your face (position of intimacy face to face), and the Spirit of Your holiness not, never (won’t) snatch from me.” The Hebrew can be translated “Don’t cast me away…” and “don’t take Your Holy Spirit”. However, it is just as accurate to render it “Won’t cast me away” and “won’t take Your Spirit of holiness”. The latter being more consistent with the context and goal of the Psalm.
 
David is describing what will happen following the transformation of his soul and not as some wrongly interpret, inferring that somehow the salvation established by God’s blood could ever be reversed by human weakness. A curse on that lie!
 
David is once again affirming prophetically that God our Deliverer, saves and makes eternally secure all who come to Him through Yeshua the King Messiah (John 10:27-30). Those whom He has made secure He fills with His Spirit as a guarantee of their eternal security (Eph. 1:13-14).
 
“The turning of me is the joy of Your salvation,” This is the literal reading of the Hebrew text and conveys the meaning that the receipt of God’s offer of salvation by a repentant human being is the joy of God’s Salvation (Yeshua). In short, the transcendent joy of salvation is the convergence of the joy of God and the joy of the soul transformed in God through Messiah Yeshua.
 
“a spirit willing, noble and generous uphold in me.” The continued security of David’s salvation and the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit is upheld by God.
 
God upholds the redeemed. The redeemed do not uphold themselves.

13 (15) (Alamedah) I will teach (foshe’iym) rebels [wrongdoers] (Deracheycha) Your way, (vechataiym) and sinners [those who miss the mark] (eilecha) toward You (yashuvu) will turn. 14 (16) (Hatziyleiniy) Deliver [snatch away] me (midamiym) from the guilt of bloodshed, (Elohiym) God, [Judge] (Eloheiy) God [Judge] (teshuatiy) of my salvation; (teranein leshoniy) My tongue will overcome with a cry, proclaiming the joy found (tzidkatecha) in Your righteousness.
 
13 (15) I will teach rebels (wrongdoers) Your way, and sinners (those who miss the mark set by Your holiness) toward You will turn. 14 (16) Deliver (snatch away) me from the guilt of bloodshed, Elohiym, Judge, Eloheiy, God, Judge of my salvation; My tongue will overcome with a cry, proclaiming the joy found in Your righteousness.
 
Hebrew Poetic Groupings (emphasising meaning):

• Rebels + Sinners. Rebellion is the act of idolatry that precedes all forms of sin
• Your way + Turn (Teshuvah). Turning to God and walking in His way everlasting is the redemptive goal of Scripture
• Deliver + My Salvation. Firmly establishes salvation
• God the Judge + Your Righteousness. God’s character outworked in the lives of the believer

 
“I will teach rebels [wrongdoers] Your way, and sinners [those who miss the mark] toward You will turn.” Because You have saved me, says David, I will share the Good News of how you offer salvation to all those willing to repent. As a result many will turn to God and enter eternal life through the King Messiah Yeshua.
 
“Deliver [snatch away] me from the guilt of bloodshed, Elohim, God, [Judge] Eloheiy God [Judge] of my salvation;” David acknowledges that his rightful punishment for the murder of Uriyah is death. Therefore, he asks of a repentant heart to be delivered from the temporal death that should be meted out in punishment (something God has already established for him in mercy). David has now also been delivered from eternal death through his acceptance of God’s redemptive work in Messiah (the resurrected and transcendent Messiah unbound by time and space).
 
David makes his request to Elohim the Judge and God of Yeshua (Salvation), Who is God with us.
 
“ My tongue will overcome with a cry, proclaiming the joy found in Your righteousness.” The mourning of David’s repentant mouth will overcome in God’s redemptive provision and proclaim the joy found in God’s righteousness.

15 (17) (Adonay) Lord, (sefatay tiftach) open my lips, (upiy) and my mouth (yagid) will make known (tehilatecha) Your praise. 16 (18) For (lo-tachpotz) You don’t take pleasure in (zevach) a sacrifice, (ve’eteinah) and the giving (olah) of a whole burnt offering You (lo) do not (tirtzah) take pleasure in.
 
15 (17) Adonay, open my lips, and my mouth will make known Your praise. 16 (18) For You don’t take pleasure in a sacrifice, and the giving of a whole burnt offering You do not take pleasure in.
 
Hebrew Poetic Groupings (emphasising meaning):

• Open lips + Mouth + Make known + Praise, are the counterpoint to…
• Don’t take pleasure in sacrifice + A whole burnt offering. These being necessary for blood atonement, whereas the praise and proclamation of God’s saving work is evidence of redemption for which there is no longer need of temporary sacrificial practice

 
“Adonay, open my lips, and my mouth will make known Your praise.” The more intimate title “Adonay” is used only here in Psalm 51. It follows David’s confession, genuine repentance, receipt of God’s judgement and mercy, and his commitment to being upheld in God’s Spirit. Having been transformed from a child of humanity (ben adam) into a child of God (ben Elohim) through Messiah, David now uses the intimate title “Lord”.
 
God accepts and takes pleasure in the praises of a truly repentant mouth.
 
“For You don’t take pleasure in a sacrifice, and the giving of a whole burnt offering You do not take pleasure in.” This must be understood contextually and weighed against the pleasure that God clearly takes in the sacrifices and offerings of verse 19 (21).
 
Some time had passed between David’s adulterous act with Bathsheba, his plotting to kill Uriyah, the death of Uriyah and the receipt of the prophet Nathan’s rebuke from God.
 
In the interim David likely offered sacrifices and whole burnt offerings in accordance with his custom of keeping Torah. However, they were the sacrifices and offerings of a man who was attempting to hide his sin and at one point even plotting to commit greater sin (Uriyah’s murder). Thus, they were the sacrifices and offerings of a hypocrite, sacrifices that God takes no pleasure in, nor do the unrepentant find merit in them.

17 (19) (Zevacheiy) The sacrifices of (Elohiym) God, Judge, (ruach nishbarah) are a broken spirit; (leiv) a heart (nishbar) broken (venidkeh) and contrite (Elohiym) God, Judge, (lo tivzeh) You will not despise. 18 (20) (Heiytiyvah) Do good (virtzoncha) in Your favor (et Tziyon) to the Zion [parched land]; (tivneh) build (chomot) the walls (yerushalayim) of Jerusalem.
 
17 (19) The sacrifices of Elohiym, Judge, are a broken spirit; a heart broken and contrite, Elohiym, Judge, You will not despise. 18 (20) Do good in Your favour to the Tziyon; build the walls of Yerushalayim.
 
Hebrew Poetic Groupings (emphasising meaning):

• Sacrifices of God + Broken spirit + Contrite heart, are connected to show the need for a heart change over a mere physical show of religious practice
• God the Judge x2. God is seen as Judge (Elohiym) throughout this Psalm, referred to as Adonay (Lord) once but not once as YHVH
• Do good + Build, show that God’s favour is outworked spiritually and physically upon repentant Israel
• Zion + Jerusalem, connect Israel’s land, capital and national ethno-religious identity

 
“The sacrifices of Elohim, God, Judge, are a broken spirit; a heart broken and contrite Elohim, God, Judge, You will not despise.” David returns here to using Elohim (Judge) because in showing the difference between vain sacrifices and true sacrifices David is recalling his heinous sin in offering sacrifices while planning murder.
 
However, the Merciful (YHVH) Judge (Elohim) has shown David that He accepts the sacrifices of a broken (repentant) spirit, a broken (repentant) and contrite (mournfully grieved) heart (core being). These sacrifices offered by David have been accepted by God, Elohim has not despised them but has instead welcomed David as a son through the blood of His own Son the King Messiah Yeshua.
 
“Do good in Your favor to the Zion [parched land]; build the walls of Jerusalem.” David, as King over Israel, realises that his sin has not only affected him, Bathsheba, Uriyah, their households and neighbours, but also all of Israel, both in the hearing of it and by way of the practical and spiritual ramifications (repentance does not always negate the practical outcomes of sin in this temporary world). As head of the people David carries authority over the nation. Therefore, by defiling his own head (authority over his body) he has defiled the entire nation.
 
Thus, David asks God’s favour upon Israel, her land and her people (Tziyon denotes both), and asks that God build walls (both physical and spiritual) of Flooding Peace (Jerusalem). We note that through God’s grace and mercy Tziyon, parched land, receives Yerushalayim, floods of peace.

19 (21) Then (tachpotz) You will delight (zivcheiy-tzedek) in sacrifices of righteousness, (olah) burnt offering (vecholiyl) and whole burnt offering; (Ya’alu al mizbachacha) They will ascend, offering upon Your altar (pariym) calves.
 
19 (21) Then You will delight in sacrifices of righteousness, burnt offering and whole burnt offering; they will ascend, offering upon Your altar, calves.
 
Hebrew Poetic Groupings (emphasising meaning):

• Sacrifices of righteousness + Whole burnt offerings + Offering upon Your altar. These sacrifices are acceptable because the heart of the worshipper has already repented prior to the offering of them according to the Torah prescription

 
“Then You will delight in sacrifices of righteousness, burnt offering and whole burnt offering” A truly repentant people are able to offer sacrifices prescribed by Torah in righteousness. Sacrifices that will be accepted.
 
Iben Ezra and Kimkhi suggest that the “olah” sacrifice, burnt offering, refers to the daily sacrifice and the additional ones of various beasts and birds (Lev. 1), while the “choliyl”, whole burnt offering refers specifically to the meat offering of the priests which was to be completely consumed (Lev. 6:22). Therefore, both the people of Israel who in repentance brought their sacrifices to the priests, and the repentant priests who received their portion from the people as representatives of the people, and subsequently offered them before God, are represented here together in a corporate repentant practice of sacrifice and offering before HaShem (YHVH).
 
“They will ascend, offering upon Your altar calves.” 150 years after this psalm was composed this same imagery is employed by Hosea the prophet 14:2 (750-722 BCE)
 
“Take with you words, and turn to the YHVH (Mercy): say unto Him, ‘Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the (pariym) calves (sacrifices) of our lips.”
 
Therefore, Hosea connects the imagery of the Torah prescribed sacrificing of calves to the figurative application used by David in this Psalm, as being “the sacrifices of repentant lips”.
 
All of this points to the heavenly Mishkan (Tent of meeting) and the transcendent altar of God upon which no earthly animal may be sacrificed. The altar which has been sprinkled with Messiah’s eternal blood for the redemption of all who repent (Hebrews 13), always firstly and continually for the Jewish people and also continually for the nations (Rom. 1:16).
 
Applying the Principles of the Summation of Tehillim (Psalms) 51:

1. Context is given [0 (1-2)]
2. Calling on Elohim the Judge for Mercy [1-2 (3-4)]
3. Acknowledgment of human sin nature (habitual sin) [3-5 (5-7)]
4. Recognition of what God requires [6 (8)]
5. Blood atonement, the forgiveness of all sins [7 (9), 9 (11)]
6. Transformation of the human soul [8 (10), 10-12 (12-14)]
7. Sharing the Good News of Salvation from sin and death [13-14 (15-16)]
8. Praise God [15 (17)]
9. Discerning true sacrifice [16-17 (18-19)]
10. A request for corporate blessing in light of a king’s repentance [18 (20)]
11. A return to the sacrifices of repentant hearts [19 (21)]

 
From the summation of this Psalm we can glean an order of repentance and reconciliation, and employ it in practice for working out our faith in Yeshua with fear, awe and trembling before God, Who has made us immutably secure.

1. When repenting of sin, I acknowledge its context and those who have been affected by it, committing myself to restitution wherever possible in God’s strength
2. I Call on God the Judge and petition Him for Mercy (YHVH)
3. I Acknowledge guilt
4. I Recognise what God requires
5. I Accept the atoning blood of Yeshua as all purging, past, present, and future
6. I Accept that in Messiah I have already passed from death into life everlasting
7. I choose to share the joy of God’s Salvation (Yeshua) with others
8. I praise God
9. I listen to God’s Spirit and make the sacrifices He requires
10. I request blessing upon the community, knowing that my sin has affected the community
11. I join with the community in offering the sacrifices of a truly repentant heart (core being)

 
“5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that Elohim the Judge is Light, and in Him there is no darkness. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yeshua His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” -1 Yochanan (John) 1:5-10 (Author’s translation)
 
Copyright 2022 Yaakov Brown

Our Calling:

• We are called to share the Jewish Messiah with the Jewish people (ethnic, religious, empirical)
• We are called to feed the sheep [Jew and Gentile] of Yeshua [Jesus] the King Messiah

​Our Vision:

• To see the redemption of the entire remnant of Israel (the Jewish people: ethnic, religious, empirical, chosen) [Romans 11:25-27]
• To see all [Jew and Gentile] talmidim (disciples) of Yeshua (Jesus) equipped with a contextual Hebraic understanding of the Scriptures (TaNaKH [OT], Habrit Hachadashah [NT])

Our Mission:
We are a Messiah following Jewish community which seeks to pass on a Messianic Jewish faith and worship tradition to future generations of Jewish and Gentile followers of Yeshua the King Messiah. We are unashamedly a Messiah essential community.
 
Our Practice:

• Yaakov and Julia share Yeshua with Jews in Aotearoa, N.Z. and in Israel, through right action, genuine friendship, and by clearly explaining the freedom found in Israel’s Messiah
• Our Friday evening kabbalat Shabbat yeshivah focuses on teaching talmidim shel Yeshua (disciples of Jesus), both Jews and Gentiles, a contextual Hebraic understanding of the Scriptures (TaNaKH [OT], Habrit Hachadashah [NT]), guided by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit)

 
Our Founder:
Our founder and spiritual leader Yaakov Ben Yehoshua (Brown) spent seven years under the tutelage of Rabbi Michael Terret of B'nai Chayim, our sister congregation in Alberta, Canada.

During that time Yaakov Brown chanted the Torah prayer service as chazan, expounded Dvar Torah and studied in the B'nai Chayim Yeshivah at the feet of Rebbe Michael ben Yochanan. 

Yaakov Ben Yehoshua Brown is a descendant of the Israel and Isaacs families, some of Aotearoa, New Zealand's first Jewish immigrants, founding members of the Sha'arei Tikvah synagogue in Auckland during the mid-eighteen hundreds, and later members of Beth Israel (now Auckland Hebrew Congregation). 

Yaakov Brown's family continue to seek to perpetuate a Messianic Jewish tradition for future generations. A tradition that acknowledges and advocates for the authenticity of the promised, present and coming  Jewish Messiah Yeshua Ha-Mashiyach. 
 
https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakov-ben-yehoshua-a-concise-life-story.html
 
Our Servant Leadership Community:
 
Aotearoa, NZ Kehilah:

• Greg Hutana – Innovation and Missions Advocate
• Julia Gibbs-Brown – Finance and Children’s Ministry (Shabbat School)
• Yaakov Brown – Vision, Evangelism and Teaching

 
www.bethmelekh.com

https://www.facebook.com/bethmelekhnz
 
Our Long Island, NY, USA Kehilah:

• Baruch Hudkins – spiritual leader
• Carrie Dye-Hudkins – hospitality

 
https://www.bethmelekh.com/beth-melekh-ny.html
 
https://www.facebook.com/BethmelekhNY/
 
Our Sister Community:
B’nai Chayim (Children of Life) congregation Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. B’nai Chayim is a Messianic Jewish congregation of Jews and Gentile followers of the King Messiah Yeshua that acknowledges Yeshua as the promised Messiah of Israel and explores His fulfilment of Torah in a Jewish lifestyle: seeking to bridge the gap between Jewish and Christian communities. B’nai Chayim is led by Rav Michael Ben Yochanan (Mike Terret) and his wife Patricia Terret.
 
www.bnaichayim.com
 
Finance:

• We do not ask for money
• We accept freewill offerings
• We are a registered N.Z. charity* and are able to offer charitable tax receipts for giving within Aotearoa, NZ.
• If you choose to give, you may place an offering in the Terumah (offering) box at the entrance to our Shul (meeting place). Alternatively, Julia can give you our Beth Melekh bank account details. International givers can use the PayPal link on our website or private message us for bank details. For those wishing to give directly to our Long Island community we ask that you contact Baruch and Carrie via private message on the Beth Melekh Long Island Facebook page

 
*NZ Charity Commission guidelines require us to issue receipts for money collected between January and December. However, receipts for charitable donations may be kept for up to 2 years and claimed against income for tax purposes according to the NZ financial year.
 
Our Core Values:

• We practice a Messiah essential faith
• Messiah is King, we do not make Him King of our lives, He is King, we accept Him and choose to submit to His Kingship in God
• We believe on and teach the freedom found in Messiah
• We accept the unity of the Living Word (Davar [Yeshua]) and the written Word (Ketuvim [Scripture])
• We practice the use of godly Jewish tradition and symbolism in worship, and the perpetuation of the godly aspects of the Jewish culture
• We affirm the unity of Jew and Gentile in Messiah
• We guard the identity of Jewish believers within the body of believers by encouraging others not to usurp or appropriate Jewish identity, but rather to guard their own cultural, ethnic identity in Yeshua
• We are assured that in Messiah we are echad (one, a complex unity) but we are not the same

 
“Stand firm therefore, in the freedom for which Messiah has made us free, and do not become entangled again in the yoke of slavery to bondage.” -Galatians 5:1
 
We Refute Popular Falsehoods Within the Messianic Movement:
 
An idolatrous focus on “Law Keeping” has become a prolific problem within the Messianic movement.
 
As one example of many a prominent “Messianic” Twitter account posted:
 
“The Torah is the heart of the Messianic Movement”
 
This is an idolatrous statement that gives God’s written word (Ketuvim) pre-eminence at the expense of God’s grace and is in direct opposition to the Living Word (Davar), Yeshua.
 
Yeshua is the heart of the Messianic movement. The Torah points to Him. Torah observance is not the goal, the goal is Yeshua. We advise all not to forsake freedom in Messiah in order to seek approval in the empty promises of Torah observance. Those who break the spirit of Torah in order to keep the letter of Torah are Torah breakers.

The Latest Manifestation of the Ancient Lie Concerning Torah Observance:
Within the modern “Messianic” movement (predominantly among Gentile “Messianics”), the lie concerning Torah Observance has taken on a subtle but equally blasphemous new twist. It has become popular to say “Obeying Torah is the fruit of salvation”.

Those who teach the lie "Obeying Torah is the fruit of salvation" mis qualify both Torah and salvation. "Messiah is the goal of Torah" unto works of righteousness. Torah observance is not the goal, nor is it the end, or fruit of Messiah. If it were, Messiah would be subject to Torah, but instead He is the Author and Goal, and therefore, the fruit producer of it.

It is not Torah observance that is the fruit of the redeemed but right action (righteousness). Ezekiel 36:26-27 explains that by the Spirit of Life (Holy Spirit) in Messiah Yeshua (Rom.8:2), we are empowered to act according to His (YHVH) prescribed (בקרבכם) [b’kirbechem] way of living and according to His judgements (משפטי) [mishpatay]. Torah is not mentioned. Why? Because observance of the Torah of Moses is not the goal, or end, nor is it the fruit of salvation. Thus, we are "set free from the Torah of sin and death (the result of a failure to observe the unkeepable Mosaic Torah)" [Rom.8:2]. This is Messiah essential living 101. Those who teach otherwise are grievers of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) and are in opposition to Scripture.

Rav (rabbi) Kefa (Peter) explains that no one can "bear" the "burden" of Torah observance (Acts 15:10). The early Jewish Fathers of the body of faith along with Peter, agreed that therefore Gentile believers should not be taught Torah observance but to simply refrain from all forms of idolatry in accordance with the universal moral commandments of God (10 commandments minus Shabbat, which is a sign on ethnic Israel, the Jews [Ex.31:16-17]). Peter said this as a Spirit filled Messiah follower, not as an unsaved pre-Messianic Jew. This message of Peter and the early Jewish Fathers of the Body was sent to the Gentile believers as a halakhic (practical application) for walking in fruitfulness. Therefore, Peter and the early Jewish Fathers of the Body of believers agree that Torah observance is not the fruit of salvation. To the contrary, Messiah in us bears the fruit of righteousness, something over which the Torah of Moses has no dominion.

We add to this the teaching of Yeshua (Jesus), Rav Shaul (Paul the Apostle), and the Kohen (Priest) who wrote the Book to the Hebrews: Rom. 3:20; 4:14; 4:15; 5:20; 6:14; 7:1-13; 8:2-3, 1 Cor. 15:56, 2 Cor. 3:7; 3:9; 3:10; 3:12; 3:14-17, Gal. 2:16; 2:19; 2:21; 3:1;3:10; 3:11-12; 3:13; 3:16 & 19, (ref. Matt. 11:12-13, Luke 16:16), Gal. 3:21; 3:23; 4:24; Eph. 2:15, Philp. 3:4-8; 1 Tim. 1:8-10 (Torah was given to expose the unrighteous, and not in order to bring the righteous under the bondage of a lifestyle based on law keeping.); Heb. 7:18-19; 8:7-8; 8:13; 10:1.

By the Holy Spirit Rav Shaul HaShaliach writes:

“8But we know that the Torah is good if one uses it legitimately, 9 knowing that the Torah is not given for a tzaddik (righteous person) but for the lawless and rebellious (persons), for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and worldly, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,10 the sexually immoral, practitioners of homosexuality, slave-traders, liars, perjurers, and for anything else that opposes sound teaching.” -1 Timothy 8-10
 
So we see that Torah was given to expose the unrighteous, and not in order to bring the righteous under the bondage of a lifestyle based on law keeping.

Are we who are saved unrighteous? The Scripture says we are new creations made righteous through Yeshua, the old (unlawful) person we were has gone, the new person in Messiah has come (2 Cor. 5:17).

Therefore, Torah used legitimately or properly (lawfully) means to understand Torah as pointing to the Goal of Torah. Yeshua the King Messiah. Improper, illegitimate or unlawful use of Torah seeks to make Torah observance the goal or outcome of salvation. Given that Salvation Himself Yeshua is the lawful Goal of Torah, to improperly use Him as a means to return a believer’s focus to Torah observance is abhorrent, ungodly, apostate. As the scripture says, it “opposes sound teaching”.
It is wrong to say that Torah is done away with, it is equally wrong to say that Torah observance is the goal, end, fruit or otherwise. When using "Torah" as a proper noun we speak in general terms that lack the nuisance of the wider definition. This is why the writers of the HaBrit HaChadashah (NT) often use qualifying terms in relationship to Torah (Instruction).

Freedom and Torah:
Only a fool considers a book to be more important than its author. Without the author there is no book. Nor can a book ever be properly understood devoid of the author’s insight.

Far too many well-meaning Gentile Christians, have chosen to hold the title Christian in disdain, calling themselves “Messianics” they are making the Torah their focus and are losing sight of the Goal of Torah, Yeshua the King Messiah. Or worse, are submitting Yeshua to Torah observance. By making Torah observance their goal they are practicing one of the worst forms of idolatry and walking a path of bondage.
Does this mean we forsake Torah, of course not. We are guided by it as the Instruction of God. However, in Messiah we are motivated by grace and not by obligation.

Torah observance is us seeking to connect with God through obligatory action. Freedom in Messiah is God in us (Yeshua) directing our actions.
In Messiah we are free to do anything, except that which returns us to bondage.

“For Messiah is the Goal of the Torah (Instruction) for righteousness to everyone that believes.” -Romans 10:4

Notice that Messiah is the goal and the fruit of Messiah is righteousness (not Torah observance).

Have you become preoccupied with the keeping of rules? Repent, and instead, allow the Messiah to keep you.

Unity of the Word:
We seek the Goal of the Torah, Yeshua, and to live Messiah essential lives in Him (Rom. 10:4).

Therefore, our study of Scripture is not an exercise in intellectual scholarship. Rather, it is an opportunity for us to ask God to unify our understanding of the written and Living Word, through the Spirit of His Son, the Ruach HaKodesh, Who lives in us because we have accepted and opened the free gift of Yeshua’s redeeming sacrifice and life giving resurrection.

No ancient work can be properly understood outside of its historical, literal, literary, cultural and spiritual context. Therefore, we submit ourselves to the teaching of the greatest of rabbis, Yeshua HaRav our King Messiah, and utilize the relevant guidelines of sound Jewish interpretation. We see value in the rabbinic method PaRDeS, however, it is Yeshua’s teaching we seek above all else. Therefore, we reject any aspect of rabbinic teaching that contradicts Yeshua’s teaching.

“Faith without action is dead” -Yaakov (James) 2:14

Prior to the Hellenistic period (321-331 BCE) there was no word in the Hebrew language for “Theology”*.
*for ref. see the New Encyclopaedia of Judaism

This is because emunah (faith/trust) and halakhah (right action) are intrinsically linked in the Hebraic view. Through Aggadah (telling) we tell of God’s work and in telling we employ Halakhah (the way we walk) and walk in His path everlasting.

Symbolism and Tradition:
We use Jewish symbols and tradition in our worship as visual aids and in order to perpetuate a Messianic Jewish tradition for our children’s children.

Our policy regarding tradition is simple: we accept any symbolism and tradition that directs us toward Yeshua unto God, while rejecting any symbolism and tradition that causes us to take our eyes off Yeshua.

Jew and Gentile:
With regard to salvation through Yeshua there is no difference between Jew and Gentile. We have become echad (a complex unity).

However, with regard to ethnicity and religious observance there is a clear distinction between Jew and Gentile, a distinction that should not be compromised. The Jew and the Gentile each have a unique role to play in the outworking of God’s kingdom.

Culture:
We see great beauty and uniqueness in our Jewish culture, however, we worship God, not culture, all culture must submit to the authority and holiness of God. We uphold that which honours God and reject that which is of the yetzer hara (fallen nature).

Culture and Identity:
We believe that the physical and spiritual markers of Jewish identity belong to the Jews.
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We encourage you to honour and pursue all that is godly within your own culture and to participate in those aspects of godly Jewish culture that are for everyone, but do not seek to usurp of appropriate Jewish identity or pretend to be someone you are not. This is contrary to the freedom of Messiah. You were born into your own tribe and culture for the purposes of God. Do not despise your God given ethnic identity.
“Stand firm therefore, in the freedom for which Messiah has made us free, and do not become entangled again in the yoke of slavery to bondage.” -Galatians 5:1
 
Recent Themes of the Beth Melekh Community:
 
2018 – Chofesh (Freedom)
2019 – Echad/Yachad (Unity)
2020 – Simchah (Transcendent Joy)
2021 – Kaparah (Reconciliation)
2022 – Leiv tahor (A heart that is Pure)
 
Our Faith Statement:
 
https://www.bethmelekh.com/faith-statement.html
 
Copyright 2022 Yaakov Brown