How many words for “Love” in the Hebrew language? There are three in Greek. Agapao=to deeply love; Phileo=to like, admire. Eros=physical, sexual love (Not in the NT).

But in Hebrew there is only one word: A'hav=love, like, love between man and wife, love between people.

Why is there only one word in the Hebrew language for love? That is a good question that seems to be impossible to answer. However, there is only 600 common words in Hebrew, so the vocabulary is limited. Because there are different forms in Hebrew for each verb, this may be part of the answer. There are four parts or translations for the Hebrew verb. This gives a wide spread for interpreting the word “love.” (1) He loved. (2) He definitely love with intensity. (3) He was loved. (4) He made himself love.

Those of us who teach Hebrew have no problem translating Hebrew as it is. In some ways, I love translating Hebrew even above translating Greek, though I do more Greek than Hebrew translating. Hebrew is so rich and colorful!

I'm now doing translation work in Esther. We read “The king love Esther above all the women in his harem” (2:17). Without a doubt he fell for her. This makes the story and the plot thicken up! —Dr. Mal Couch

Ezekiel 37:14: “I will put My Spirit in you.” That is, within the Jewish people. Or, with the Hiphil form, “I will deposit, leave, provide” My Spirit within you.”

And, “I will place you on your own land.” “Will place” is the Hebrew word Na'Can meaning: with the Hiphil form: “I will come down and settle, lower you in your own land.”

The amillennial guys, and covenant guys, try to defuse the meaning of this incredible verse. The verse is telling us what God will do when the Davidic kingdom begins.

The orthodox Jewish Rabbis tell us: “When the miracle of Israel's national revival is performed, the people's faith in God will be firmly established. This is the explanation of the breath entering the bones of Israel to revive them. Israel's restoration could not be achieved by human power, but only by the Spirit of God.”

It is great being a premillennialist who takes the Bible at face value! The Word of God is plain and clear and requires no hard work to accept all that it is saying. But the poor amil guys keep getting it wrong. For example, Ellicott writes: “These promises prepare the way for the prophecy of the great and final attack of the enemies of the Church.” What? How in the world could Ellicott write that? —Dr. Mal Couch

Have you heard of NASA? The National Aeronautical and Space Administration? The Hebrew word Na'Sah means “to go up.” This is no accident. Someone in that space agency had a bit of humor. In some other contexts it can mean “to lift up, raise up,” or “to be exalted.”

The Hebrew word M'aR means “bitter” as in “bitter or salty water.” It is a feminine word in Hebrew. The name Mary comes from this word. The word filtered into Japanese. Japanese ships are named “Something Maru” in reference to the salty sea! The planet “Mars” is red!

The Hebrew word Ad'am is a reference to the first man. The word Ad'amah means “ground, dirt.” Adam was created from the dirt. The word Ad'am can also refer to “people.” Because soil is often red, the word can sometimes mean “red” and “blood.” --Dr. Mal Couch

The sons of Tobiah are mentioned in Ezra 2:60. We know little of this personality. Others may have also been named Tobiah.

The name means “God is good.” The Tob or Tov means “good” in Hebrew and the “iah” is part of the name of God “The EverExisting One.” Thus, “God who is the EverExisting One is good!” Goodness is one of the attributes of the Lord.

The word for grace is Ch'an. It means “to show favor, give pleasure, be kind, to protect.” In fact, the word to put up a protective encampment has the word grace in it. You are gracious if you put up a camp that gives protection. The name Hannah has the word grace in it: Han, or Ch'an. To be friendly or kind is to be gracious: Ch'an'uh. “God is gracious (kind) and compassionate and righteous” (Psa. 112:4).

Che'Nam means to receive something good undeservedly, without payment, or without compensation. Jacob said to Esau: “Please take my gift because God has dealt graciously (shown undeserved kindness) with me, and because I have plenty. Thus Jacob urged him and Esau took the gift” (Gen. 33:11). —Dr. Mal Couch

Psalm 103:1-5 is an outstanding section of verses. It begins with “Bless the Lord, O my soul” (v. 1). “Bless” is “barak.” It comes from the Hebrew word that means “to kneel” or “knee.” To bless is to kneel down before God. Another related word is to “barak” is “fat cattle” (“Be' Ree”). Fat cattle are a blessing to the farmer that means more food on the table.

The word “covenant” is also related: Ba'Ret. To make a covenant or a contract brings about a blessing between individuals, and it brings security. A blessing comes forth from someone, but specifically, a blessing is created. Only God can create something out of nothing, and this is a blessing! So the word Ba'Rah means to create, as creating the heaven and the earth (Gen. 1:1). The word is used only of the Lord who created all things that have come into being. Using the Participle, Solomon wrote “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.” To create you is a blessing. We should remember the Lord, our Creator, “before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, 'I have no delight in them (that is, in the evil days)'” (Eccl. 12:1).

103:2-5 tell us why we should be blessing the Lord. We should “bless His holy name,” We should forget “none of His benefits,” He “pardons all our iniquities,” He “heals all our diseases,” He “redeems our life from the pit,” He “crowns us with lovingkindness and compassion,” and He “satisfied our years with good things.” What a God we have who blesses us continually, thus our souls should be blessing Him! --Dr. Mal Couch

One of the most common names for God is EL. Elohim is three Hebrew words put together. El=God, oh=comes from the Hebrew word “To be,” or Ha'Yah. And the im=the plural. Thus, it could mean “God exists in a plural!” This then would open the door for the trinity. Other related words:

Elohim can mean “the Superior, the supreme, the mighty God.” “Kho-seed” is translated as “Towards God.” The Old Testament has many names for God. The New Testament has basically only two names: Theos, the most common name, and, Lord, Kurios.

In the New Testament there is also the Greek name for God: “Despotees.” Or, “Despot.” It is usually translated as Lord or Master. God is the Despot over His creation and over all men on the earth! This means He is the sovereign and the all ruling One. The references for Despot: Luke 2:29; Acts 4:24; 2 Thess 2:21; 2 Peter 2:1; and Rev. 6:10.

In 2 Peter 2:1 Despot is translated as “the Master” and it is referring to Christ, who is “the [rejected] Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.” By the way, this is a verse that flies in the face of Limited Atonement. Christ is the Master who paid even for the sins of those who reject Him! --Dr. Mal Couch

The Lord told Abraham that he would be a great nation and a blessing to all mankind (Gen. 12:2). The main reason of course is that he would bring forth salvation through the Messiah. But in the secular way, Israel has also been a blessing to all the peoples of the earth, though few really know or understand this.

Some incredible facts:

The Jews created the cell phone working with Motorola in Israel. The AOL Instant Messenger was developed in 1996 by four young Israelis. Voice mail technology was developed in Israel. Most of the Windows NT and XP operating systems were developed by Microsoft-Israel. The Pentium mocroprocessor was most likely made in Israel. Israel has the highest percentage of home computers per capita in the world. Israel has the largest number of startup companies in the world. Israel is ranked #2 in the world for venture capital funds, behind the U.S. Israel designed the airline industry's most impenetrable flight security systems.

Twenty-four percent of Israel's work force holds university degrees ranking third in the industrialized world. Israel leads the world in the number of scientists and technicians in the work force. Israel produces more scientific papers per capita than any other nation on earth. The Weizmann Institute of Science is one of the most important research centers on the globe. Israel's Givun Imaging developed the first ingestible video cameras the size of a small pill. An Israel company was the first to develop and install a large scale solar-powered and fully functional electricity generating plant. Israel's $100 billion economy is larger than all of its immediate neighbors combined. Israel also gives more for charity, per capita, to the backward nations of the earth. (From the magazine “Maoz Israel,” December 2010)

Yet, Israel's enemies want to drive her into the sea! Besides bringing to us the Messiah, what would the world do without Israel? I saw much of her blessings myself from twenty-three trips to Israel, even being there and under fire during the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

Ma'oz in Hebew means “the strong mountain,” the “Place of Refuge.” God is Israel's Ma'oz as given in Jeremiah 16:19, and He is “The defense of the Psalmist's life” (Psa. 27:1). Jeremiah 16:19 is a Messianic kingdom passage and reads: “O Lord, my strength and my STRONGHOLD (Ma'oz), and my refuge in the day of distress (the Tribulation), to You the nations will come (at the end of the Tribulation) from the ends of the earth ...”

The Rabbis say about this verse: “This Messianic vision is a distinguished feature of Biblical teaching. All the nations will acknowledge the One True God!” --Dr. Mal Couch

Deuteronomy 4:39 is a great verse of Scripture. It reads “Know therefore today, and take it to heart, that the Lord; He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.” What an awesome truth! There is only One God, not two, three, or more. To avoid Him, to ignore His presence is absolutely foolishness.

The passage reads: “You know, perceive ...” Or, “become acquainted with ...” “This day ...” better reads “THE Day ...” During this day you need to become aware of and not forget ...” Moses exhorts the people to gratitude towards God (the orthodox Rabbis).

The Rabbis: “Know, become acquainted this day and LAY it to your heart ...” The heart represents the emotions. The Jews were to sense with their feelings the truth of what Moses is about to write. “THAT the Lord (the Everexisting One, HE is THE ELOHIM (“The God Who Is Plural”) in the Heavens!” This means that He transcends the entire universe and His rule encompasses all of Creation!

He is in Charge!

“From Above.” “The Upward, the Higher and Higher, the Ascent!” From the highest! “And upon the Earth that is beneath” the heavens!

“There is None yet, still, besides NO MORE!” There is then no other god. This summarizes the lesson to be learned from all that has gone before. This is a solemn warning of the dangers of idolatry that threatens the Jews upon their entering the Promised Land. Verse 39 leads to verse 40: “So you shall keep His statutes and His commandments which I am giving you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may live long ON THE LAND WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GIVING YOU FOR ALL THE DAYS (Forever)!” Eternity is for “All the Days!” The land belongs to the Jews eternally, forever, even though they have been unfaithful. Their restoration is certain! —Dr. Mal Couch

Proverbs 12:8 is a powerful verse that tells us of the damage done by sin in the life. It reads “A man will be praised according to his insight, but one of perverse mind (heart) will be despised.”

To be smart and wise will bring honor and respect but the one who is continually seen as a gross sinner will pay a price! The Rabbis translate “praised” as “commended.” They write: “Ability to form a sound judgment in everyday matters, common sense. The proverb is a tribute to intellectual clearness, without special reference to, but doubtless with inclusion of, the moral and religious sides of life.”

The word “perverse” is a word in Hebrew that means “wrecked, rubble, disturbed.” The sinner is wrecked and ruined in his sin. He is like a heap of rubble, or, he is like one disturbed in the mind. It is in the Niphil form in the grammar. It could read “He is himself wrecked and disturbed.” The word mind is actually the Hebrew word for the heart (L'ev). The persistent sinner is like one who has a destroyed and perverse heart. His heart is like a discarded heap of rubble! It is good for nothing except for sinning! --Dr. Mal Couch

I am blessed with owning every Greek lexicon one can have, and also, every major Greek commentary that is worth owning. I put these great works “to work” in dealing with 1 Timothy 2:12, the passage that reads: “I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.” Paul argues from the perspective of doctrine not from the direction of culture, as the modern feminists would try to claim.

So here is a thorough study on the passage, and especially the expression “to exercise authority.” This is a Present Infinitive from “authenteo.” “To authenticate, to have absolute sway, authority over.” The clause then reads: the woman is not to be continually having authority over a man. The context has to do with pastoral leadership. She is not to be a pastor! She is also not “to teach” (Present Infinitive) of “didasko,” or “didactic.” She is not to be teaching with pastoral authority over men!

The “why” is an issue we won't go into here, though Paul gives his reasons.

The key lexicons show that the word “authenteo” is used only once in the NT and that is here. Balz & Schneider translate the word “to rule over.” The Classical Greek Lexicon translates the word “to take in hand,” with the idea that the woman reaches for a role that she should not have. She bullies her way into this place of authority. Nicoll translates the word here as “to have dominion” over the men with her grabbing misplaced teaching authority. She is acting on her own authority, he adds, or she is autocratic!

The feminist movement was to a degree alive and well in NT days. Thayer indicates that the woman wanted to be absolute master over men in the church.

The great Greek scholar A. T. Robertson puts it this way: The woman is not permitted to have this authority in the church. He points out that in the 1920s and 1930s many churches were allowing women to teach mixed groups in the Sunday school which was wrong, he further noted.

Women can teach a woman's class and especially a class for younger women as to how they can love their husbands and their children biblically (Titus 2). But they are forbidden to teach a mixed study. Feminine Christian women today ignore the 1 Timothy passage. They claim it was a cultural mandate by Paul that is out of vogue today, but this is not so. This rule still stands.

Elicott writes: “The whole purpose of these weighty admonitions of the great founder of the Gentile churches relegates Christian women to their own legitimate sphere of action and influence—the quiet of their own homes. Paul shows what is the only proper sphere in which women should work, and to which she should exercise her influence and power; while man's work and duties lay in the busy world without, woman's work was exclusively confined to the quiet stillness of home.” The BKC adds: “The females of the congregation should receive instruction from the male leadership with quietness and full submission. They should not attempt to turn the tables by clamoring for the office of congregational teacher or by grasping for authority over men.”

While this is not popular today, it stands as what is right from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit upon the Word of God. The Lord has His purposes from these directives. --Dr. Mal Couch