Harden not your heart
Have I mentioned how much I LOVE the Hebrew language before? It is so rich and deep; there is no other language like it. Whenever I get stuck on certain concepts in the Word, I look up the Hebrew meanings of the words and it opens up a whole new understanding for me.
Yesterday I was chewing on the idea of a hardened heart, asking myself what it meant exactly, and how a heart could be hardened. I never understood how Pharaoh could be so astoundingly stupid in the face of those 10 plagues. But after researching it in the Hebrew I now see what it’s all about.
The main Hebrew word used for “harden” and “hardened” is chazaq, spelled chet, zayin, kof. It means “to fasten upon; seize, be strong, cleave, obstinate; to bind, restrain, conquer; courage; encourage; force; lean; play the man; become mighty, wax mighty.” The gematria of this word boils down to 7, the number of completion, perfection. This seems to be the word most often used when referring to Yahweh hardening someone’s heart — it’s a complete hardening, that cannot be withstood until Yahweh lifts it.
Another Hebrew word for “harden” is ammiyts, spelled alef, mem, yud, tzadde. It means “strong, strength, courageous, might.” The value boils down to 6, the number of man. This word is used in Scripture where it says, “Harden not your heart…” So this hardening is voluntary and not yet complete, unless you choose it long enough in spite of Yahweh’s attempts to get through to you — then He will “give you over” to your wish and you’ll be solid as a monument… to idiocy.
Seeing these definitions really helps me to see how easily we can be hardened and miss the truth. It’s all about loyalties. It’s so easy to “fasten upon” or cleave to an exciting new idea, or an old, comfortable one. Our loyalty to various ideas, teachings, traditions, etc. ends up blocking our ability to connect with Yahweh if we are not careful. Especially when we are strong in the flesh, it’s easy to draw courage from the wrong sources — and this courage feels great, we feel powerful — but it is false and empty in the long run. We need to draw strength from and cleave to the Word, and the Word alone. All else is vanity.
We live in an extremely hard-hearted society. Most people get their information everywhere but Yahweh. They are loyal to their flesh, and ultimately to the father of lies. I pray that this hard-heartedness will not infect me. Yahweh, let my heart always cleave to you. You alone are my rock and my deliverance.
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So here is where you are posting stuff now huh…I love when you elaborate using the hebrew language it always shines light on things. I am in total agreement with that prayer. I do not want to be infected with that bug either. The consequences of not hearing Yah in daily life are too costly.
Neubela - October 21, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Where does it say harden not your heart using “amits”? In any case the root of the word is alef-mem-tsadik, without the yud, so the total value would rather be 140, which boils down to 5.
In Psalm 95:8 it says harden not your heart “al-takshu et levavchem”, so it’s “takshu” from the root kuf-shin-he. The word “kashe”, difficult comes from that. According to my dictionary (The analytical Hebrew and Chaldee lexicon by B. Davidson), the root kuf-shin-heh is “to be hard, harsh, severe, difficult. To use the same mysticism you’re using here (total gimatria of all the letters and then sum up the numbers they get, right? I know kabbalists do this), then this becomes kuf – 100 plus shin – 300 and heh – 5. Total 405, which boils down to 9.
I don’t really believe in this letter and numerical mysticism, but if we’re at it, what does 9 symbolize and how can you connect that?
thatdudeyouknow - October 21, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Oh, one more thing. Joshua chapter one. The Lord tells Joshua over and over “Be strong and courageous” – chazak ve’ematz. Rak chazak ve’ematz. Chazak ve’ematz.
חזק ואמץ
thatdudeyouknow - October 21, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Ok, never mind that you’re missing the whole point of my post… just because Kabbalists do it, does that mean it belongs to them? Yahweh is still the one who created the language and the numerical values, and their meaning stands. My Strong’s Concordance has ammiyts with and without the yud. 9 represents pregnancy/gestation, patience… so I would assume that means we should be careful what ideas, thoughts, dreams we become “impregnated” with, to be sure they are from Yahweh. And in Joshua they’re using the word in a different context, but it’s still Yahweh saying, be strong and courageous in Him, not in Joshua’s own strength.
chalklette - October 21, 2008 at 6:47 pm
The yud is not part of the root, it’s a grammatical addition. If I knew the verse so I could see the context, I’d tell you exactly which grammatical function it has. I know the adjective “amits” means brave, and there the yud is what makes the word an adjective. But that doesnt fit with “hardened hearts”, so I don’t know.
In any case, the language (most beautiful on earth), the alphabeth and their numerical values are man made.
thatdudeyouknow - October 21, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Deut. 15:7 But the Word says that in the beginning was the Word — which was Yahshua, but it was also the language — it’s His DNA. He is the living Word. He chose Hebrew speakers and thinkers to write every book of the Bible — that was not an arbitrary choice. The Jewish people are the chosen people because they carry the language, which is Him.
chalklette - October 21, 2008 at 8:54 pm