265Yada Yahowah
‘Adam
…The Story of Man
7
Noach | Guide
Preparing for Departure…
The six-thousand-year countdown to our return to the Garden commenced the moment ‘Adam and Chawah were beguiled by Satan into disregarding Yahowah’s guidance. Through His instructions and interactions with mankind, God developed and conveyed the means for us to come home.
Although there would be bumps in the road – all of our making – the path would be as straightforward as it has been well-delineated and dependable. Along the way there would be benchmarks in time and milestones to help us maintain our bearings.
The first increment of time we are given along the way is found in Bare’syth / Genesis 5:3. The Towrah says…
“When (wa) ‘Adam (‘adam – the first man created in God’s image) had lived (chayah – had existed after being revived and restored to life) 130 (shalowshym wa ma’at) years (shanah – change and repeat of the seasons), then (wa) he fathered a child (yalad) in (ba) his likeness (damuwth huw’ – image, pattern, and model); similar to (ka – after and in the pattern of) his image (tselem huw’ – resemblance as if a model or shadow of himself).
And he called (wa qara’) his name (‘eth shem huw’) Sheth (Sheth – Basic Principles, 1) the essential elements which define something, denoting the foundational precepts of a society or civilization, 2) defiant, rebellious, and haughty, 3) buttocks, or 4) six; from shyth – to put, 266place, set, station, appoint, constitute, impose, set forth, or demand, and/or a prickly garment of thorns).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 5:3)
By naming the fifth individual conceived in God’s image, ‘Adam’s third son and the heir to the Covenant, “Six,” and by having this name also mean “Basic Principles, Foundational Precepts, and Essential Elements,” Yahowah was revealing that His redemptive solution would be based upon His formula of six-plus-one (man-plus-God-equals-perfection).
And while that is strongly inferred, the inference of another “130 years” is curious. Did ‘Adam receive his neshamah 130 years previously, or was he expelled from ‘Eden that long ago, having camped out with Yah for over five decades in the Garden and then worked apart for some 70 additional years? By using hayah | existed, Yah seems to be implying the former, even though the measurement of time would have been meaningless to ‘Adam in paradise.
We know that before Sheth | Seth was born, Qayn | Cain and Hebel | Abel had grown to become a farmer and a shepherd, and one had killed the other in a frustrated and ignorant rage. So, it would be safe to say that at least 30 years transpired prior to the murder of Hebel and perhaps another 30 to the arrival of his long-awaited replacement.
This interpretation seems consistent with the next two verses.
“The days (wa yowmym – time) ‘Adam (‘Adam – the first man created in Yah’s image) existed (hayah) after (‘achar) he fathered (yalad) Sheth (Sheth – Basic Principles, 1) the essential elements which define something, denoting the foundational precepts of a society or civilization, 2) defiant, rebellious, and haughty, 3) buttocks, or 4) six; from shyth – to put, place, set forth, station, appoint, or constitute) were 800 (shamoneh me’ah) 267years (shanah – repetitions of seasons). And (wa) he fathered (yalad) other sons (ben) and daughters (bath). (Bare’syth 5:4)
Therefore (wa), all (kol) the days (yowmym – time) ‘Adam (‘Adam) lived (chayah – was restored and kept alive) to show the way to the benefits of the relationship (‘asher – to lead to the correct path to get the most out of life) were 930 (tesha’ me’ah shanah wa shalowshym) years (shanah – repetitions of seasons) and he died (wa muwth – he perished (qal imperfect – actually engaged in the process of dying with ongoing implications)).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 5:5)
With an eighth day added to the seven-day celebration of Sukah | Camping Out, Yahowah is painting a picture of the perfect result enduring forever. I suspect that this is the reason ‘Adam lived another 800 years after fathering Sheth | Basic Principles. God does not share numbers unless they are relevant and informative.
Since 930 is a rather odd number, we are compelled to consider how many years ‘Adam enjoyed the Garden before he was ousted. One would assume that since freewill was paramount in the Garden of ‘Eden account, Yahowah would have had no influence regarding the timing of ‘Adam’s and Chawah’s decision to disregard His advice. But in actuality, He did. Yahowah not only consciously chose to let Satan slither into ‘Eden, but He also chose the timing of the Adversary’s advance. Therefore, it is likely that ‘Adam’s tenure in paradise would have been short of sixty (the number of mankind) years.
There are many who scoff at this portion of the Towrah, primarily because it depicts such long lives. If you are one of them, I would encourage you to read Genetic Entropy & the Mystery of the Genome by Dr. J.C. Sanford, a Cornell University professor with a Ph.D. in genetics. He not only demonstrated that the human genome is degrading 268rapidly (thereby proving macroevolution wrong), but also that the genealogies presented in Bare’syth / Genesis depict the precise rate of decay in longevity one would expect based upon the adverse consequence of genetic mutation over time.
The reason Yahowah gave us this detailed information regarding the passage of time between successive heirs to the Covenant is so that we would understand His timeline and be able to establish important dates – past and future. So, let’s consider what He had to say.
“When (wa) Sheth (Sheth – Basic Principles, 1) the essential elements which define something, denoting the foundational precepts of a society or civilization, 2) defiant, rebellious, and haughty, 3) buttocks, or 4) six; from shyth – to put, place, set forth, station, appoint, or constitute) had lived (chayah – existed) 105 years (shanah – cycle of the seasons and times of renewal), he fathered (yalad ‘eth) ‘Enowsh (‘Enowsh – mortal man, generic of humankind).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 5:6)
While Seth would go on to live 912 years, it is the duration between generations which is germane to the timeline. But a word of caution: there is no place in all of the Towrah or Prophets more prone to scribal error than numbers, especially large ones over two significant digits, and especially here in Genesis. This is because the oldest Towrah manuscripts relied on the Egyptian method of accounting which used a horizontal line above an alpha-numerical representation to convey what we write today in the ten-based numbering system replete with numerals and decimal places.
This is the system with which Moseh and the Yisra’elites were familiar. But the original format was problematic because, while most surviving scrolls were written on parchment, upon leaving Egypt papyrus would have been more plentiful. And it was woven such that the 269fibers formed horizontal ridges and indentations. With the ink and writing instruments of the day, and with constant unfurling of scrolls, horizontal lines quickly became difficult to read as the ink faded into the shadows and cracked off the papyrus fibers. So over time, they became virtually invisible in all but the best light and circumstances.
As evidence of this, it appears that Hebrew scribes, thousands of years distant from Sheth’s time, left out the hundreds’ place in six post-flood and pre-Abraham generations. And by implication, they may have inadvertently added a similar quantity of time into six antediluvian generations to balance the ledger.
If the concept of errors in the Masoretic Text is new to you, be aware the oldest manuscript dates to the 12th century CE. It was written in Babylonian Hebrew, not paleo Hebrew, which is the alphabet and language of revelation. And its history dates back to Mesopotamia rather than Yisra’el. Men, not God, chose how to vocalize a text that was already replete with five vowels, and in many cases, it is obvious that they chose poorly, thereby altering the message. Further, the rabbis who compiled the Masoretic Text considered the Aramaic Targum, also of Babylonian origin, to be preferable to Hebrew. This was not unlike the Catholics preferring their Latin Vulgate.
Hebrew had been a dead language for 2,000 years before it was reconstituted in 1948 with the establishment of the modern State of Israel. Moreover, the Aramaic Targum was not just a translation from Hebrew to Aramaic, but instead an interpretive paraphrase. This text was routinely altered by religious zealots, and each time there was a doctrinal disagreement between Yahowah and the rabbis, the text was ratified in favor of religion. Heavy doses of Midrashic interpretation are common in the Targum. Therefore, suspicion is warranted with regard to the Masoretic Text interpretation in general, and 270specifically when evaluating numbers beyond two significant digits in the Towrah – that is unless we have access to the same text among the Dead Sea Scrolls.
From this perspective, I would like you to consider the specific example I alluded to in a previous chapter. In the Septuagint, which was prepared between 200 BCE to 200 CE, and is unfortunately even less reliable, there are six generations between Shem and ‘Abraham which are each one hundred years longer. And there is a seventh which is twenty years longer – most of which are confirmed by the Samaritan Pentateuch (first prepared 100 BCE with the oldest extant MSS dating to 1008 CE).
Unfortunately, when it comes to the first five chapters of Bare’syth / Genesis, the Dead Sea Scrolls are of nominal value in resolving this debate. The early chapters of the Towrah are badly deteriorated, and so only fragmentary evidence is extant in the otherwise reliable Qumran collection. However, the unified position during the prehistory of the Septuagint and Samaritan Pentateuch is compelling and once we move past the flood, we enter the period of written history where people, nations, and dates can be confirmed independently of the Towrah.
Acknowledging this post-flood deficiency, in order to balance the ledger, and to square the Towrah’s accounting with the dates which are known (the time of ‘Abraham, the Exodus, and the construction of the Temple under Solomon), we must subtract some of the additional 620 years presented in the Septuagint and Samarian sources from the antediluvian Masoretic Text accounting. How much, I cannot be certain, so we will consider all reasonable possibilities as we move through the Towrah.
Also, please understand, while the year of the flood varies based upon which text is being considered – the extant portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Septuagint, or the Pentateuch, our dating is accurate and certain for all of 271the most important events. These include ‘Adam’s and Chawah’s estrangement from ‘Eden in 3968 BCE, ‘Abraham’s affirmation of the Covenant on Mowryah with Yitschaq in 1968 BCE - year 2000 Yah. Dowd is commemorated in the 89th Mizmowr as the Cornerstone of Yahowah’s Home in 968 BCE. Then the Son of God returns to fulfill Pesach, Matsah, and Bikuwrym, also on Mowryah, in 33 CE – year 2000 Yah. On the happiest of days, Father and Son will arrive on Yowm Kipurym on October 2nd, 2033, to reconcile their relationship with Yisra’el and Yahuwdah. We will be allowed back into the Garden on Sukah | Camping Out five days later, also in year 6000 Yah, so that we can camp out with our brother and Father.
It is amazing what we can learn when we do our homework. There is no need or sense in blindly relying on often errant and always superficial English translations of the Bible (prepared 1384 CE through 1975), or on the Masoretic Text (drafted 1100 CE through 1550).
Beyond the issue of the way numbers were recorded, beyond even the way aspects of the process faded into the papyrus fibers and pores of leather surfaces, even if we could be certain of the value of numbers greater than two significant digits, on average we’d still need to add six months to each generation, since there is no indication that an heir was fathered on the predecessor’s birthday. Seth, for example, would have been 105 for 365 days and could have fathered Enowsh at any time during that period. This realization is especially important when it comes to the more numerous generations between the flood and ‘Abraham.
However, from ‘Abraham, and especially Yowseph in Egypt, and then to Moseh during the Exodus, including the conquest of the Promised Land through the kingdoms of Dowd and Solomon, the accounting presented in the Towrah and Prophets syncs perfectly with recorded history 272and archeology. Since many people claim otherwise, as we press forward in our study, we will consider the evidence. Of particular interest will be that which was compiled by David Rohl in A Test of Time—The Bible from Myth to History.
Lastly, there is the issue of yalad. It can mean “conceived” as in “fathered,” or “gave birth to,” the first of which would require the addition of nine months per generation.
Therefore, the bottom line is that there just is not enough dependable data to accurately determine the time which transpired from the fall to the flood. That said, there is a plethora of interesting insights provided along the way to make the journey worthwhile. And fortunately, by using the generational accounting in the Septuagint, we are able to work backward from Moseh to reestablish the record stolen from us by time, especially when we are cognizant of Yah’s plan of six-plus-one.
“When (wa) ‘Enowsh (‘Enowsh – Mortal Man, generic of humankind) had lived (chayah – had lived) 90 (tish’iym) years (shanah), he conceived (wa yalad – he fathered) Qeynan (‘eth Qeynan – to Lament One’s Nest).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 5:9)
“Qeynan (wa Qeynan – Sorrowful Nest) had lived (chayah – was alive) 70 (shib’iym) years (shanah), and he conceived (wa yalad – he fathered) Mahalal’el (‘eth Mahalal’el – Question God’s Radiance; from ma – to ponder, halal – the shining radiance, and ‘el – of God).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 5:12)
“Then when (wa) Mahalal’el (Mahalal’el – Question God’s Radiance; from ma – to ponder, halal – the shining radiance, and ‘el – of God) had been alive (hayah – lived) 65 years (chamesh shanah wa shishym shanah), he fathered (yalad) Yered (‘eth Yered – Descent; from yarad 273– to descend and go down).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 5:15)
From the perspective of the parade of names, we have gone downhill: Enowsh (Mortal Man), Qeynan (Sorrowful Nest), Mahalal’el (Question God’s Brilliance), and Yered (Descent). Along the way, the time from conception to conception has declined from 130 to 105 to 90 to 70 to 65 years. Based upon this pattern, it’s likely that the hundreds place was inadvertently added into the Masoretic Text (circa 1100 CE) in the next generation. Now under Babylonian, then Greek, Roman, and European influences, the rabbis wrote it as shanaym wa shishym shanah wa me’ah shanah.
“When Yered (wa Yered – Descent; from yarad – to descend and go down) had lived (chayah) 162 years (shanaym wa shishym shanah wa me’ah shanah – 162 or more likely: 62 years), he fathered (wa yalad – he conceived) Chanowk (‘eth Chanowk – Dedicated and Favored; from chan – to be fondly and favorably received and chanak – to inaugurate and consecrate training and dedication; commonly transliterated Enoch).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 5:18)
Finally, a name with a positive attribute. Let’s discover why.
“Chanowk (wa Chanowk – Dedicated and Favored; from chan – to be fondly and favorably received and chanak – to inaugurate and consecrate training and dedication; commonly transliterated Enoch) lived (chayah – was alive) 65 years (chamesh wa shishym shanah) and he conceived (yalad – he fathered) Mathuwshelach (‘eth Mathuwshelach – Man who Branches Out and Departs; from math – man or male and shalach – to depart and be sent away, but also sprout, shoot, or branch). (Bare’syth 5:21)
274Chanowk (wa Chanowk – Dedicated and Favored; from chan – to be fondly and favorably received and chanak – to inaugurate and consecrate training and dedication; transliterated Enoch) walked (halak – traveled, followed, and journeyed) with the Almighty (‘eth ha ‘elohym – alongside the Mighty One) after (‘achar – beyond the time) he fathered (yalad huw’ – he conceived) Mathuwshelach (‘eth Mathuwshelach – Man who Branches Out and Departs; from math – man or male and shalach – to depart and be sent away, but also sprout, shoot, or branch) 300 years (shalowsh me’ah shanah) and conceived (wa yalad – fathered) other sons and daughters (ben wa bath). (Bare’syth 5:22)
Thus all (wa kol) the days (yowm – time) Chanowk (wa Chanowk – Dedicated and Favored; from chan – to be fondly and favorably received and chanak – to inaugurate and consecrate training and dedication; commonly transliterated Enoch) lived (hayah –- existed) were (hayah) 365 years (chamas wa shishym shanah wa shalowsh me’ah shanah). (Bare’syth 5:23)
Accordingly (wa), Chanowk (wa Chanowk – Dedicated and Favored; from chan – to be fondly and favorably received and chanak – to inaugurate and consecrate training and dedication; transliterated Enoch) journeyed (halak – traveled, followed, and walked) with the Almighty (‘eth ha ‘elohym – alongside the Mighty One) and he vanished (wa ‘ayn huw’ – then he was not, absent or naught as an exception, allowing us to ponder where he has gone).
For indeed (ky – because surely by contrast, denoting an exception), God (‘elohym) grasped hold of him and took him (laqach huw’ – selected, accepted, laid hold of, received, collected, obtained, and acquired him (qal perfect – actually at that moment)).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 5:24)
275We should all strive to walk with God. And we should all hope for Yahowah to grasp hold of and accept us. Therefore, ‘ayn, translated as “vanished,” was written from our perspective here on earth. Chanowk | Enoch was removed from the material realm to be with God.
It was the first of seven harvests. And not so coincidentally, Enoch was the seventh name on this list.
Beyond God wanting to be with Chanowk | Enoch, there was another reason for this to have occurred. Yahowah wanted to impress upon us the importance of walking with Him. There is no better way to make this point than by telling us that the first man who did so was “grasped hold of, selected, accepted, received, and acquired by God.”
Therefore, Chanowk’s name means “dedicated,” indicating that he took his relationship with Yahowah seriously. It means “to inaugurate,” indicating that he may have been representing harvests of other souls which would follow. He was “consecrated,” which conveys that he was comfortable being set apart from that which was popular and common – such as religion and governance. And for these things, Chanowk was “treated favorably” by God and thus removed from a world corrupted by men.
To stress the importance of this point, after revealing that ‘Abraham’s decision to leave Babylon served as a prerequisite for their initial meeting, Yahowah asked the patriarch of the Covenant “to walk with Him.” Man walking with God is the essence of what God desires, our very reason for being – the purpose of the Covenant Family. He is seeking an engaged and uplifting relationship where we stand upright and are willing to explore in His presence.
Second, everything Yahowah does follows His six-plus-one plan. There are seven harvests of souls. The first was Chanowk | Enoch – symbolizing a selective acceptance 276of someone whose company God enjoys. Two: Lowt from Sodom – symbolizing the removal of a family prior to the towns’ destruction in Bare’syth / Genesis 18 and 19. Three: ‘Elyah | Elijah (Yah is God) – symbolizing Yisra’el’s return from Ba’al’s Babylon, their restoration and harvest in Melekym / 2 Kings 2. Four: Dowd’s role in the fulfillment of the Miqra’ey of Pesach, Matsah, and Bikuwrym in Qara’ / Leviticus 23 and Mizmowr / Psalm 22. Five: The upcoming harvest of the children of the Covenant prior to the worst of Ya’aqob’s Troubles. This will signify the fulfillment of the Miqra’ of Taruw’ah, which is what makes it unique among the seven. Six: Upon Dowd’s return with Yahowah on Yowm Kipurym | the Day of Reconciliations in year 6000 Yah we will celebrate the ultimate family reunion. And then seventh, we will return to ‘Eden, beginning an eternity with God.
Before we leave the statement, which depicts the harvest of the first human soul, let’s do a quick accounting. At face value, the years from ‘Adam and his fall to Chanowk and his ascension total 987. Adding an average of six months per generation, we arrive at 990 years and could go as high as 995 depending upon how we deal with the timing of conception and birth. This is near a millennial marker – especially considering the unreliability of early numbering systems. There are very few things as important to Yah as bringing His Family members Home.
The man named after the primary symbol for the source of eternal life, Mathuwshelach / Methuselah lived longer than anyone in human history – 969 years…
“When (wa) Mathuwshelach (Mathuwshelach – Man who Branches Out and Departs; from math – man or male and shalach – to depart and be sent away, but also sprout, shoot, or branch) had lived (chayah – existed) 187 years (shib’athaym wa shamonym shanah wa me’ah shanah), he fathered (wa yalad – then he conceived) 277Lemek (‘eth Lemek – to learn and then teach).” (Bare’syth 5:25)
“When Lemek (wa Lemek – to learn and then teach) had been alive for (chayah – had lived) 182 years (shanaym wa shamonym shanah wa me’ah), he conceived (wa yalad) a son (ben). (Bare’syth 5:28)
And he called (wa qara’ ‘eth – he designated and proclaimed, read and recited, welcomed and invited, announcing) his name (shem huw’), Noach (Noach – Guide and Leader, to direct to a safe and peaceful place, from nachah – to lead and guide creating an opportunity for a more favorable state which is reliable and can be trusted, and nuwach – to provide a place for the spirit to settle down, rest, abide, and remain), saying (la ‘amar), ‘This one (zeh) shall change our minds and bring us comfort and relief (nacham ‘anachnuw – he will cause us to reconsider and to relent, encouraging and consoling us) from (min) our practices, customs, and deeds (ma’aseh ‘anachnuw – our work, occupations, and labor, our pursuits, habits, and conduct, even fate (piel imperfect – object enjoys the ongoing benefits)), and also from (wa min) the vexing nature and suffering (‘itsabown – the physical sensations, aches and pains, and displeasing worship) of our hands (yad ‘anachnuw – our endeavors and influence (a metaphor for individual power, capacity, and control)), away from the earth (min ha ‘adamah – from the soil and ground as well as from this world where mankind dwells) which because of the relationship (‘asher) Yahowah (Yahowah – written as directed by His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence) has cursed it (‘arar hy’ – has placed a scourge on it).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 5:29)
Noach’s name defines his purpose, which is that we need to be led away from mankind’s thinking, away from our societal customs and religious practices, for there to be any hope of a better life. Just because everyone else is 278doing it, it does not make it right. This was a time for man to relent from the vexing nature of the suffering he was imposing upon himself. It still is. But for those who elect to follow this guide, there will be comfort and encouragement. And according to the dates presented in the Masoretic Text, Noach would have been born in year 1000 Yah / 2968 BCE – ushing in a new day and along with it the means to chart a new course back home to Yah.
Also be aware that this passage confirms that Yahowah did what He told ‘Adam He would do. Remember…
“To ‘Adam (wa la ‘adam – then approaching man), He said (‘amar – He explained based upon this one time), ‘Because (ky – as a consequence of it being true and for the reason) you have listened (shama’ – you heard and paid attention) to the voice (la qowl – verbal expressions) of your woman (‘ishah ‘atah – and female companion) and have eaten (‘akal – continued to consume, being fed and nourished) from (min) the tree (ha ‘ets) which, for the benefit of the relationship and to get the most joy out of life (‘asher), I instructed (tsawah – I had communicated clearly and audibly to) you (‘atah), saying (la ‘amar – approaching to convey), “Do not make a habit of eating (lo’ ‘akal – do not consistently or continually consume food) from it (min huw’), the earth (ha ‘adamah – the ground and land) has been cursed and has become annoying (‘arar – has been inflicted, injured, and harmed and will be vexing and infuriating (qal passive participle – the earth as a result has become perturbing and worrisome)) in this way because of you (ba ‘abuwr ‘atah – with regard to you and as a result of you).
You will labor, engaging in strenuous work (‘itsabown ‘atah – you will be stretched physically, and suffer aches and pains as you expend considerable energy and toil) to eat of it (‘akal hy’ – to consume nourishment 279and be fed by it) all the days (kol yowmym) of your life (chayah ‘atah). (Bare’syth 3:17)
Thornbushes (wa qowts – detestable and loathsome non-fruit bearing vegetation and abhorrent, disgusting, and irritating plants, twisted and splinter-like) and thistles (wa dardar – prickly plants which are of no value and are used to goad) it will produce (tsamach – it will sprout and grow) as you approach (la ‘atah) and consume (‘akal) the plants (‘eth ‘eseb – the vegetation including grains, vegetables, herbs, and fruits) of the open environs (sadeh – of the expansive cultivated fields outside the walled enclosure). (Bare’syth 3:18)
By the sweat (ba ze’ah) of your brow (‘ap ‘atah), you shall feed yourself (‘akal lechem – you will eat bread) until you return (‘ad shuwb ‘atah) to the ground (‘el ha ‘adamah – to the earth), because (ky – for this reason) from it (min hy’) you were taken (laqach – you were grasped and obtained, collected and received).
This is because (ky) you are a collection of particles comprising matter (‘apar ‘atah – you are little more than dust) and into the elements which comprise the earth (wa ‘el ‘apar – onto dust, dirt, and fine particulate) you shall return (shuwb – you will be transformed).’” (Bare’syth / Genesis 3:19)
Upholding consequences and fulfilling promises is Yahowah’s trademark. We, therefore, know what to expect from Him.
As mentioned, based upon the Masoretic Text, and largely confirmed within the Dead Sea Scrolls, Noach’s birth becomes a candidate for the first millennial marker. The man who would come to symbolize the engaging and protective nature of the Covenant is indeed a worthy nominee.
280“When Noach (wa Noach – Guide and Leader, to direct to a safe and peaceful place, from nachah – to lead, guide, and direct, creating an opportunity for a more favorable state which is reliable and dependable and can be trusted, and nuwach – to provide a place for the spirit to settle down, rest, abide, and remain) had existed (hayah) 500 years (ben chamas me’ah shanah – as a son for 50 years), Noach (wa Noach) fathered (yalad – he conceived) the sons, Shem (‘eth Shem – Name, personal and proper designation), Ham (‘eth Ham – Sweltering Hot), and Yepheth (wa ‘eth Yepheth – I Am Open, errantly transliterated Japheth).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 5:32)
With this in mind, the 12th-century-CE Masoretic reads:
“When (wa) Noach (Noach – Guide and Leader, to direct to a safe and peaceful place, creating an opportunity for a more favorable state which is reliable and can be trusted) was a son (ben) for six hundred seasonal cycles (shesh me’ah shanah) then (wa) the flood (ha mabuwl – the deluge of inundating and overwhelming waters) occurred (hayah – happened) of waters (maym) over (‘al) the (ha) region (ha ‘erets – land, area, or territory).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 7:6)
If we accept the genealogies from the expulsion to the flood as retained in the Masoretic Text at face value, exactly 1,000 years would have transpired from the commencement of our countdown to Noach’s birth. Then it would be 600 additional years to the flood.
And while those numbers speak more of planning and happenstance, keep in mind that the millennial intervals, or 20 Yowbel periods (20 x (7 x 7 + 1 = 50)), do not appear particularly meaningful to God. They serve as confirmation dates, not fulfillment periods. The Ark upon the waters is a confirmation of Yahowah’s plan of salvation, not an 281enactment of it. Forty Yowbel, not twenty, is the prescribed number of completion. This theme is repeated throughout the Word, starting with it raining for 40 days and 40 nights during the flood.
Forty Yowbel | Jubilee (meaning Yah’s Lamb is God) periods, or 2,000-year increments, underscore three of the Towrah’s most important events: the confirmation of the Covenant with ‘Abraham on Mowryah | Moriah, Dowd’s Passover Sacrifice opening the door to life on Mowryah, and Yahowah’s return with Dowd to Mowryah on Kipurym to reconcile the remnant who have come to embrace the Covenant. The first two events occurred in 1968 BCE and in 33 CE respectively, and the last will occur in 2033.
Moving past Noach’s birth, the other confirming event which marked the odd-numbered millennia included laying the foundation of the first Temple in 968 BCE on Mount Mowryah. And there is some evidence that the next was reflected in the poisoning of the water under Mowryah in 1033 CE in accordance with the Bamidbar / Numbers 5 divorce decree.
As we open the sixth chapter of In the Beginning, we find that far too many Bible translators ignore hayah, render ky “when” rather than “indeed,” and then pass over chalal as if it were not there. As a result, they typically say: “When man began to multiply…” While that may be what happened, the text actually says:
“It came to pass (wa hayah – it occurred, happened, and existed (hifil perfect)) that, indeed by contrast (ky – that truly there was a clear distinction, emphasizing the idea that there was an alternative, because), humankind (ha ‘adam – that mankind) became common and 282contemptible (chalal – was no longer special, becoming defiled, desecrated, and profane, dishonorable and lacking integrity, prone to inflicting injury and wounding by stabbing) while increasing in numbers and influence (la rabab – becoming prolific and dominant) upon (‘al) the face (paneh) of the earth (‘adamah – land, ground, and soil). Moreover (wa – in addition), daughters (bath – female offspring) were born (yalad) to them (la hem).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:1)
Hayah, meaning “to be or to exist,” and by implication “to happen or occur,” is unique among Hebrew verbs because it has the distinction of serving as the basis of Yahowah’s name. He explained to Moseh…
“God explained to Moseh, ‘Hayah ‘any ‘asher hayah ‘any – I am who I am,’ and then He said, ‘Therefore, you should say unto the Children of Yisra’el, “Hayah ‘any – I Am has sent me onto you.”’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 3:14)
This declaration was immediately followed by and explained: “Therefore, you should say unto the Children of Yisra’el, ‘Yahowah, the God of your fathers, the God of ‘Abraham, the God of Yitschaq, and the God of Ya’aqob has sent me unto you. This is My name forever. And this is the only way I want to be remembered and known for all generations.’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 3:15)
As such, hayah holds the honor of being the most uniquely relevant and profoundly unique word in the Hebrew lexicon. Like all things Yahowah values, it is set apart, and thus uncommon – as are those who choose to spend eternity with Him.
Ky | indeed by contrast, chalal is the inverse of hayah. It is “contemptible and profane because it is common.” Humankind began well. We were conceived in Yahowah’s image and lived in a perfectly satisfying and tremendously 283joyous place. But with the knowledge of bad, we moved precipitously in that direction. And as a result, humankind had become rabah | increasingly chalal | common and contemptible – which is to say religious, political, and militaristic. Defiled and profane, dishonorable and lacking integrity, we were no longer special. Then we became ever more unappealing to the Creator of life when we “chalal – became prone to inflicting injury and wounding others by stabbing them.”
Chalal is important because it reveals what was responsible for mankind’s fallen state. To defile is “to trample down and make unclean and impure.” It is “to corrupt that which was good; sullying, dishonoring, and contaminating it.”
To profane is “to abuse something valuable, to treat something good with irreverence and contempt.” It is to “debase, make unworthy, and vulgar.”
And to desecrate is “to violate the sanctity of something which was once good.” It means “to treat disrespectfully and irreverently.”
To show contempt is “to despise.” It stems from “a lack of respect or reverence.” Contempt is “willful disobedience.” Knowing Yah, trusting Yah, relying upon and loving Yah are predicated upon the opposite of chalal.
The most telling of chalal’s translations is its preferred rendering: common. We were conceived to be special, unique among all living souls, and yet we, like our genome, devolved as we desecrated and defiled ourselves through our most prevalent forms of pollution: religious and political schemes. Lies proliferated, becoming popular, while the truth became as scarce as it is in political and religious pronouncements.
In addition, to chalal is “to pierce, stab, wound, and injure.” Rather than celebrating life and cultivating it, we 284were destroying it. The surface of the earth had quickly become polluted and deadly. Nothing has changed.
The bath | daughters mentioned at the conclusion of the previous statement were conceived by men and born to women. They, too, would be ordinary, and thus universally corrupted and defiled.
At this point, Yah makes a distinction between two types of humans. And while He does not say so here, His conclusion of the flood story makes it obvious that there were people with and without a neshamah | conscience. Some of us were simply animals. Perhaps some still are.
In this declarative statement, the “sons of the Almighty” are the descendants of ‘Adam and Chawah, whom Yahowah conceived in His image to raise and enjoy as His children. The fact that God depicted them as the female offspring of “ha ‘adam – the man, ‘Adam,” singular and definite, should have made this obvious.
“And (wa – then) the sons (benym – the male descendants and masculine offspring conceived and parented, a term of endearment for those who have been in a loving, familial relationship) of the Almighty (ha ‘elohym – God) saw (ra’ah – they perceived and viewed, habitually envisioning, considering, and delighting (qal imperfect)) that, indeed and by comparison (ky – making a distinction and by contrast), the daughters (‘eth bath – the female offspring) of the man (ha ‘adam – of ‘Adam, the man created in God’s image (singular and absolute)) were beneficial and valuable (towb henah – they were perceived to be useful and thus desirable, beheld as attractive and good because they were pleasurable and fun, especially productive and pleasing).
So now (wa – it follows as a result that), they grasped hold of and took (laqach – they collected and obtained, selecting and seizing) for themselves (la hem) women (‘ishah – females) from any (min kol – out of all and from 285as many) which (‘asher – to reveal what they thought about relationships and the way to live one’s life) they chose and desired (bachar – they preferred and selected and they examined, tested, and probed (qal perfect – at that moment in time)).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:2)
In that Yahowah created ‘Adam in His image, blowing His neshamah | conscience into him, we would do well to consider ‘Adam as a “son of God.” The daughters of ha ‘adam | this man would represent the other Homo sapiens who were roaming around east of ‘Eden as ‘Adam’s and Chawah’s descendants. Therefore, these neshamah-equipped humans naturally wanted women who shared the overwhelming advantage that a conscience gave them over lesser-equipped people.
No doubt, Yahowah made Chawah “towb – beautiful and desirable” in addition to “beneficial and valuable.” In the Garden she was no doubt “pleasurable and enjoyable, even fun.” These attributes were transferred to her offspring, making them “considerably better, more useful and productive” than lesser endowed females outside of the Garden. In a world of men piercing and wounding other men and animals to survive, such women would have been exceedingly valuable. And that is why they were preferred and chosen, selected and seized.
If we were to devise a litmus test for human society, we would discover that in the most acidic of them, men have their way with women, treating them as inferior, even as property. As a salient example, it is the primary reason Muhammad was able to attract men into his ranks and turn them into savages. Without misogyny, Islam would not have prevailed. But Muslims are not alone. Man grabbing, examining, testing, and probing any woman he chooses, without consideration of her desires, has been prevalent throughout human culture.
286Profaning His creation, depriving women of freewill, and polluting the earth while wounding the living was not the course Yah had plotted. As such…
“Therefore (wa), Yahowah (YaHoWaH – an accurate presentation of the name of ‘elowah – God as guided by His towrah – instructions regarding His hayah – existence) said (‘amar – promised), ‘My Spirit (ruwach ‘any – My influence and source of empowerment, this projection of My nature (a feminine noun depicting the power, influence, and life-giving aspects of God breathed out and approaching as the wind to enable a response)) will not remain in, nor will She contend and plead with (lo’ duwn ba – will not abide alongside, dwell or live with, direct or vindicate), mankind (ha ‘adam – man) for an unlimited duration of time (la ‘owlam – forever).
As a result of (ba sa gam – in this regard also, because of) what he has preached and proclaimed as an animal (huw’ basar – his preaching on life, and as a result of him as flesh with a physical body, publishing a message), his time (yowmym huw’ – his days) will exist as (wa hayah – will be for a time (qal perfect)) 120 years (me’ah wa ‘esrym shanah).’” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:3)
Yahowah’s Ruwach | Spirit is feminine. As such, She represents the Maternal aspects of God’s nature. Without Her influence in our lives, without access to Her ability to enlighten and perfect, we would have no hope of finding or knowing Yah. Withdrawing Her from us after a time affirms that there is a limit to Yahowah’s willingness to plead with man to respond to Him.
Prior to the flood, the water vapor shield which Yah spoke about in Bare’syth 2:6, at least in this time and place, would have precluded the sun’s most damaging rays from eroding the elasticity of our cells. This would have enabled humans living then and there to renew and replace cells at 287a faster rate for a much longer period. This combined with a less disease-ridden and degraded genome would have enabled the perfectly designed humans who emerged from the Garden to live for a very long time. But that was all about to end. True to His word, from this time forward, 120 years has become the maximum extent of a human life.
That number is also important prophetically. Yahowah will go on to say that the generation which experiences the Holocaust (Mizmowr / Psalm 102) will be the last generation. The most you can add to 1932 through 1948 is 120 years, and even then, that’s stretching it. Reason tells us that we are looking at the millennial marker of 2033, which is exactly 40 Yowbel from Dowd’s fulfillment of Pesach in 33 CE to his return on Kipurym in 2033.
There is a theme here, one I doubt many, if any, have considered. As one man, ‘Adam was good. As a woman, Chawah was also good. Together, they had the capacity to be good or bad, and we know what they chose. And in doing so, neither took responsibility and each blamed someone else. When the two became four with the addition of Hebel and Qayn, it was not long before man began to covet, became enraged, learned to lie, and became a murderer. And outside of the Garden where men were many, man was basically bad.
As one became many and families became societies, cultures, and civilizations, men and women became increasingly evil. As an example, if I were to ask you to name a single civilization, from Sumer, Babylon, and Assyria, to the Hittites, Canaanites, and Egyptians, the Greeks, Spartans, Persians, Romans, or Carthaginians, or even the Aztecs, Incas, or Mayans to the Americans, Germans, Russians, and Chinese, which treated its citizens fairly and its neighbors appropriately, in all of human history, could you name one?
288The question, ‘Is man basically good or bad,’ is answered by another: ‘How many of them are there?’ Gang mentality, where an individual’s sense of right and wrong becomes collectivized, is the bane of religious and political institutions.
The first group of people Yahowah identifies, whether they be a community, culture, or civilization, were oppressive and murderous. They were also overtly religious, political, and militant.
An errant rendering of naphylym in the next verse is almost always translated to infer that “giants” were living on the earth. I can only assume that the Latin scholars who did so missed the religious and political connotations and assumed that physical prowess would be the only reason to mention such people.
“The Naphylym (ha naphylym – plural of naphal – those who prostrate themselves and will be cast down, those who have fallen away and will die, those who attack and oppress, representing a miscarriage of life) existed (hayah – were for a limited time (qal perfect)) in the land (ba ha ‘erets – within the region, territory, or area) in those days (ba ha yowmym ha hem – during that time), and also (wa gam) afterward (‘achar – thereafter at a later time).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:4)
From the beginning, religions have had their victims bowing down, prostrating themselves, often to Satan as a result of his desire to be perceived as their lord and god. As a consequence of having ignored Yahowah and His Word, out of apathy, ignorance, and/or convenience, the naphal have become victimized by religion and are oppressed in this life and then either die or are cast down in the next.
Today (read ‘achar | at a later time), the people best known for their repetitive prostrates are Muslims. That is significant because Naphysh was also the second-to-last son of Ishmael, Islam’s patriarch. And as you might 289suspect, the Naphysh were an “Arabian tribe.” That is to say that Islam, the Arabic word for “submission,” is not new. Satan has been corrupting men for a long time. His favorite strategy remains to present himself as God. It is the essence of the terrorist chant of “Allahu Akbar!” Allah is the Greatest!—or so the fallen messenger wants fallen man to believe.
“As a result (ken – therefore) of this relationship (‘asher – to reveal their way in life) the sons of God (beny ha ‘elohym – the offspring and children of the Almighty) came upon and pursued (bow’ ‘el – arrived and included themselves in association with) the daughters of the man, ‘Adam (bath ha ‘adam – the female children of ‘Adam (singular and absolute)), and they bore children to them (wa yalad la hem – so they became pregnant and gave birth such that they became fathers).
These were those (hem ha ‘iysh – male individuals) magnifying themselves, the victorious warriors who were powerful and acclaimed politically and militarily (gibowr – those considered influential and heroic from the upstanding to despots, the accomplished with ability to achieve, the rich and powerful) from the very beginning (min ‘asher min ‘owlam – and for a very long time, everlasting), the most renowned individuals (‘ysh ha shem – people whose names and reputations are known).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:4)
While bow’ is used on occasion to speak of sexual contact, it actually means “to come or go, to arrive and enter.” It speaks of “returning, pursuing, and being included relationally with others in a limited group.” There is nothing derogatory about bow’.
Yahowah has transitioned from referring to ha ‘adam | the one man created in His image, to ‘ysh | individual because He is now viewing people differently.
290In between these words we find gibowr, a word which can be interpreted positively or negatively depending upon the individual or circumstance. For example, in Bare’syth 10:8 we are told that the father of politicized religion, of human self-aggrandizement, Nimrod, was a gibowr. And in his case, it most definitely is not a compliment. Arrogant, self-aggrandizing men have used a caustic blend of religion and politics to start wars and set themselves up as tyrannical despots for a very, very, long time. It is the hallmark of human societal behavior – a fundamental precept of civilization – the thing we are best known for producing and remembering. If I were asked to consolidate human history into a single word, it might be gibowr – the story of men magnifying themselves, going off to war, and behaving like arrogant tyrants.
That said, there are heroic aspects of gibowr, especially as they pertain to God’s favorite Son, Dowd | David. He fought valiantly to protect his nation, keeping Yisra’el united, free, and safe. He was a great leader, with devotion to duty and strength of character. He was exceptionally brilliant, articulate, capable, confident, and accomplished – an inspired prophet and protective shepherd, even our Savior. He is, in God’s view, the most interesting and influential man in the history of gibowr.
In the case of the Naphylym, they embodied the worst aspects of gibowr. These were the first despots and tyrants, men with unquenchable military and political ambitions. We know of them because of their ruthlessness. They were good at intimidating and killing other men.
“Therefore (wa), Yahowah (Yahowah – a transliteration of , our ‘elowah – God as directed in His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence) saw (ra’ah – viewed, perceived, and recognized (qal imperfect – continually observing)) that indeed (ky – truly), the evil intent, the wickedness and depravity, the propensity to be wrong and the misery this inflicted 291upon (ra’ah – the deprivation and distress, the misfortune and immorality, the anxiety and calamity being wreaked on) mankind (ha ‘adam – the descendants of ‘Adam) in the land (ba ha ‘erets – within the region) was excessive, great in magnitude and quantity (rab – prolific, extensive, and abundant).
In addition (wa), every (kol) inclination (yetser – predisposition, perspective, propensity, and proclivity, part of framework from which the world is perceived and issues are framed, preoccupation with the imaginary and mythical) and thoughts (machashebeth – plans, plots, purposes, and schemes, the musings, desires, and reasoning, even the cunning devices) of his judgment and motivations (leb huw’ – his reasoning, decision-making, and ambitions) were exclusively (raq – only, distinctly, and single-mindedly, indeed inappropriately) bad (ra’ – undesirable and without merit or value, evil, wicked, and immoral, repugnant, miserable, and troubling, harmful and hindering) every single and solitary day (kol ha yowm – all of the time without exception).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:5)
It only takes a spark to get a fire raging, and all too suddenly, everything is consumed by the ensuing inferno. By this time, man had used his neshamah so poorly, creation had been for naught. Without our conscience, we had no hope in thinking our way to God. And with it, we acted as if we were gods with control over life and death, modeling imaginary deities after ourselves to perpetrate and justify the worst in human behavior.
One of the more interesting aspects of the Hebrew lexicon is the difference between ra’ah | to see and perceive and ra’ah | to be wicked and wrong. The observant ra’ah is scribed . In this case, the eyes of the observant individual are focused upon the Aleph and Hey, with the ram’s head being the first letter in / ‘ab / father and / ‘el / god. And with the depicting an upright man, 292in the observant ra’ah, our perspective on life and the world is mankind with God.
The evil ra’ah is written . It removes the influence of God as our Heavenly Father and replaces Him with the face focusing on man’s perspective – represented the / ‘ayn / eye. In fact, those three letters present a “raq – exclusively” human viewpoint. Whether it be the Eye of Horus atop an Egyptian pyramid, or emblazoned on U.S. currency, it is the “evil eye.” Man’s way is inferior to God’s way.
There is a tendency for us to assume that evil is an individual issue rather than a societal one. And yet, that isn’t how ra’ah and then ra’ are used here or any place else. The “ra’ah – wickedness and depravity, the propensity to be wrong and the misery the evil intent inflicted upon” mankind was “rab – prolific, extensive, and widespread.” There are only three human institutions capable of such pervasive mayhem and misery: religion, politics, and societal customs.
Also, Yahowah was explicit. Man’s “kol yetser machashebeth leb huw raq ra’ – every inclination and thought was inappropriate, his predisposition was to be immoral, his perspective was jaundiced, and his propensity for conjuring up religious myths and proclivity to plot evil schemes was exclusively and single-mindedly without merit or value, even repugnant.” It was not just everyone, but also “kol ha yowm – every single and solitary day without exception.”
We had gone from the religious- and political-free zone of the Garden to both being ubiquitous. As such, the much-touted “Fall of Man” occurred outside of the Garden, not within it. And it was because man became political and religious, and with them vicious, oppressive, and deadly.
Nacham, in the following statement, is one of those words in which the context of a sentence is required to 293properly convey the intended meaning. It can depict “being consoled and encouraged after finding relief from sorrow and distress” or it can convey “to reconsider, changing one’s mind in a sorrowful way, suffering from it and experiencing regret.” Based upon the situation which has developed, and upon the subsequent use of ‘atsab in the text, conveying “pain and distress,” the meaning is clear.
“Then (wa), Yahowah ( – a transliteration of YaHoWaH as instructed in His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence) truly (ky – genuinely, designating that this was an exception) grieved, regretting (nacham – He came to an accurate understanding regarding what had gone wrong and was genuinely sorry (nifal imperfect – God endured this sorrow for a prolonged period even though He had done nothing to deserve it)) that He had engaged with and acted on behalf of (‘asah ‘eth – performed in this way to make (qal perfect – at this moment in time)) ‘Adam (ha ‘adam – mankind) within this region (ba ha ‘erets – along with the earth).
And (wa) He was deeply hurt that He had been misinterpreted and that His intent had been deliberately twisted and distorted (‘atsab – He was displeased and disappointed He had been misconstrued, even grieved by the religious idolatry and perversions (hitpael imperfect – independently, He had come to rue the false representations regarding Him)) affecting His motivation and thinking (la leb huw’ – to His core, His heart and judgment).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:6)
It was the correct response. God considered what man had become and He was deeply hurt. From the very beginning, and just as Satan had done in the Garden, humankind deliberately twisted and distorted Yahowah’s message, misrepresenting His nature and misconstruing His intent. And the only thing which has changed over the 294past six thousand years is that the problem has become even more widespread and pervasive.
The reason God was grieved was that mankind was falsifying and distorting His guidance and instructions which is something that is done by the religious, even today. And based upon the previous statement, He was frustrated by man’s propensity to deceive, oppress, and kill – which is also the legacy of institutionalized human endeavors. These are societal problems, cultural issues, and the product of civilization.
The one thing that can cause God regret is misrepresenting His guidance and nature. People are abused and lives are squandered as a result.
This statement is important because it demonstrates that we are not subject to predestination. The future is not predetermined. We choose our fate, and that means we can and do choose poorly. We are free to do things God does not want us to do.
In addition, the realization that God experiences grief tells us that, for Him, love and relationships are very real. Life is not a game. But more than anything, this passage reveals that Yahowah is engaged, and that He cares deeply and personally about the souls who seek to know Him. And that is why He hates being misrepresented.
There are two, vastly different, ways to render Bare’syth 6:7 because mahah’s primary meaning is “to wipe away.” This can be applied to wiping out one’s presence or washing away an impurity. Based upon what has been said and will transpire, the cleansing connotations of mahah are the most adroit fit for the context. Furthermore, min can mean “from,” “out of,” or “because of,” and ‘ad can be translated as “forever,” “until,” “prey upon,” or “to a continuous extent demonstrate similarly.” Most English translations render it as “to” and then suggest that “the Lord” wants “to blot out…animals, creeping 295things, and birds” in addition to “man.” Since that does not make sense, and is inconsistent with what follows, I’ve chosen “because” to represent min and “has continuously become consistent with and prey upon” as the most rational and complete rendering of ‘ad in this context.
None of this means that I am smarter, or a better linguist, than other translators. But given the choice between rational and irrational, between consistent and inconsistent, I have elected to render the Word in the manner which makes the most sense in context, being true to the terms God chose while at the same time delivering a result which is in harmony with His nature. And I have made a point of providing you with the Hebrew terms upon which these translations are comprised so that you can readily affirm or challenge what I and others are reporting.
“So (wa), Yahowah (Yahowah – God’s name transliterated as guided by His towrah – instructions on His hayah – existence and His role in our shalowm – reconciliation as ‘elowah – Almighty God) said (‘amar – declared), ‘I will wash away, removing the impurities (mahah – I will extend the boundaries and then cleanse by wiping away the filth (qal imperfect – actually and continually)) with regard to the man (‘eth ha ‘adam – within the people) whom for the benefits of the relationship (‘asher – to reveal the proper way to get the most out of life) I have created (bara’ – I have conceived and fashioned, bringing into existence (qal perfect)) from (min – out of) upon (‘al – over) the face (paneh – presence) of the ground (‘adamah – of the earth as in dust, dirt, an soil), because (min – for the reason and by way of comparison) mankind (‘adam – humankind) has come to prey upon and has continuously become consistent with (‘ad – is forever plundering and spoiling, seeking another victim as an ongoing witness of the essential nature as) animals (bahemah – beasts), as far as (‘ad – to the same degree as) being a creature who is always moving 296around (remes – creeping about) while preying upon birds flying about (wa ‘ad ‘owph) in the sky (ha shamaym – atmosphere or heavens).
Indeed (ky – truly, making an exception and emphasizing this point), I am grieved (nacham – I have come to an accurate understanding regarding what has gone wrong and express sympathy and sorrow (nifal perfect – God felt this way due to no fault of His own and would soon be over it)) because (ky – for the express reason) I have engaged with them (‘asah hem – I have acted upon their behalf, expending considerable energy for them (qal perfect)).’” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:7)
As we shall soon see, Yahowah’s instructions to Noach, who appears next in this story, would be to save His creation. He was frustrated with man’s propensity to be wrong about Him and to be vicious toward others. He wanted a fresh start, something which could be achieved by wiping away the impurities. And the best way to achieve this would be to inundate the region where this was occurring with copious amounts of water. It has always been the most universal solvent. As such, we are on solid ground rendering mahah as “I will extend the boundaries and then cleanse by wiping away the filth.”
Further, based upon everything Yahowah has revealed thus far, from His perspective the man He had conceived in His image was now acting like an ordinary animal, albeit more disingenuous and treacherous. Just as the other animals were not suitable for ‘Adam, neshamah man was ill-suited for the relationship Yahowah envisioned.
As we make our way through Yahowah’s testimony, we will find that ‘asah is best understood when it is rendered “engaged with” or “acted upon.” Hebrew has much better words to express the concept of “made.” It is most comfortable presented in a relational sense whereby 297God performs on our behalf when we engage with Him and act upon His instructions. If anything, Yahowah was disappointed that He had taken ‘Adam out of the realm of the ordinary, placed him in a unique Garden, breathed His neshamah | conscience into him, and then developed a meaningful relationship. It was a case of unrequited love. It was the most debilitating endeavor: investing so much of Himself into this relationship only to see His contributions squandered such that man was now a source of sorrow rather than joy.
Bad was now so prevalent, so ubiquitous and pervasive, even God had nearly lost hope.
Elsewhere in the Towrah and Prophets, Yah tells us that His power (energy and ability) and His capacity for mercy (compassion and favor) are infinite. Therefore, we must conclude that His patience, His willingness to continuously witness evil, is limited. As such, we should again take note that Yahowah, Himself, does not profess unending tolerance of that which corrupts and deceives His creation, and face the reality that there is a limit to hope. And today, once again, mankind is on the precipice of exceeding those bounds.
Fortunately, there were then, as there are now, individuals who have found favor with Yah.
“And yet (wa – so then), Noach (Noach – Guide and Leader, one who directs to a safe and peaceful place: from nachah – a trustworthy leader and guide, reliably creating an opportunity for a more favorable situation, and nuwach – to provide a place for the spirit to settle, abide, and remain) found (matsa’ – discovered and obtained, learned about, came to possess, and experienced having gained information not commonly known (qal perfect)) favor (chen – a fortuitous response, acceptance, mercy, compassion, fondness, and kindness, a special and beneficial consideration which made him beautiful, 298charming, pleasing, and agreeable) in (ba) Yahowah’s (YaHoWaH – an accurate presentation of the name of ‘elowah – God as guided by His towrah – instructions regarding His hayah – existence) eyes (‘ayn – sight and presence, point of view, perspective, perception, and understanding).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:8)
Names mean a great deal to Yahowah. Most convey an essential and relevant truth. For example, since by this time, mankind had become more bad than good, more fallen than upright, God provided “a guide” to show us the way back home – to His secure and restful, joyous and good, home. And please take note, while we are still in the early days of the Covenant, the path to return is by way of Yahowah’s mercy.
Matsa’ explains how Noach came to find favor with Yahowah, and by example, how we should respond. Our Heavenly Father has always communicated with and revealed Himself to those who want to know Him, whether it be through an audible voice, an inner sense of purpose and direction, and/or through His Word and Spirit. Those who seek, find. Noach came to experience Yah’s mercy because He “discovered and obtained, learned about and came to possess, information not commonly known.” And so have we.
Further, matsa’ suggests that, once Noach took the initiative to know Yahowah, God responded in kind, engaging with Noach to keep him and his family informed and safe during a difficult time.
Chen, meaning “mercy,” is descriptive of Yah’s means of reconciliation. Merciful and compassionate, Yahowah has responded to man’s fallen condition by providing the restitution required to make us beautiful and acceptable again – at least in His eyes. The relationship severed by 299man’s poor choices would be restored by way of God’s capacity to love.
I find it interesting that chen is the base of chanah, which means “to rest while camping in a tent shelter.” It is through God’s chen that we get to celebrate the Miqra’ of Sukah and Camp Out with God throughout eternity.
In the context of what came before and what follows, God wants us to know that His focus is on delivering individuals and their families from the negative consequences of human malfeasance. Noach was chosen to pilot the ark because he was “tsadaq – right” about what was important to God.
“This is (‘eleh – adding perspective on this subject) a written record of the story and the genealogical record (towledowt – the inscribed account of the birth and descendants and family line) of Noach (Noach – Guide and Leader, one who directs to a safe and peaceful place).
Noach (Noach – Trustworthy Guide and Reliable Leader) was (hayah – actually existed in this moment at time as (qal perfect)) an upright (tsadyq – a correct thinking, right-minded, righteous, redeemed, innocent, and just) individual (‘ysh – person) of integrity (tamym – unblemished and unimpaired, completely correct and truthful, entirely sound and wholesome) in (ba) his generation (dowr huw’ – household, encampment, home, and dwelling place).
With the Almighty (‘eth ha ‘elohym – alongside God), Noach (Noach – Guide and Leader, a trustworthy and reliable individual) walked (halak – journeyed through life (hitpael perfect – independently and of his own initiative, completely devoid of societal influences at this time)).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:9)
Noach, like Dowd, was “tsadaq – right” regarding God. He was a man of integrity – someone unimpaired by 300society. This is what made him so exceptional that he was acceptable. Rather than bowing down and worshiping God, he walked with Him. In his generation, there was only one such individual – making him one in a million. In terms of God’s popularity, very little has changed.
Based upon this pronouncement, as well as what was revealed with ‘Abraham and Lowt | Lot, the supportive wives and engaged children of tsadaq individuals are afforded special dispensation regarding their approach to God. They can capitalize as did Sarah, or squander it, as was the case with Lowt, Lowt’s wife and daughters. This reveals that, from Yah’s perspective, relationships are personal, important, and familial.
In a fallen world, Noach was upright, standing tall in the presence of Yah. In addition to being correct and right, tsadyq, a variation of the more common, tsadaq, speaks of being “vindicated and acquitted.” These are specific forms of salvation. Set in a legal context, it means to be declared innocent of all charges – to be declared “not guilty.” And all it takes is to be right with God.
Yahowah walked in the Garden with ‘Adam and now is accepting Noach because he chose to walk with Him. Since God is repeatedly emphasizing the importance of being mobile and upright in His presence, I would like to share something we will repeat later in this volume. Yahowah never says “bow down in My presence,” so He is not asking us to worship Him. He does not demand that we “stand at attention,” which indicates that we are to be at ease with Him. He did not issue a command to “march,” so we are not following orders. God did not say “run,” therefore, He is not expecting that we keep pace. He did not say “fly,” which suggests that there is no particular skill required on our behalf. He did not even say “jump,” so we can take our time. God did not say “ride” either, indicating that He will provide whatever transport is required. He simply requested that we “walk to Him and with Him” 301which places us together, side by side, actively doing something together.
Yahowah has invited us to engage in a relationship with Him. He did not establish a religion. Further, this relationship with our Maker is to be on a first-name basis. We are to walk side-by-side, in His presence, conversing with Him.
“Noach (Noach – Guide and Leader, a trustworthy and reliable individual) fathered (yalad) three (shalowsh) sons (benym) named (shem) Shem (Shem – Name (describes Yisra’el and especially Yahuwdym, but may also include the Middle East)), Cham (Cham – Sweltering Hot and Enraged (symbolic of Egyptians and Africans)), and Yepheth (wa ‘eth Yepheth – He is Open and Easily Persuaded, enticed, or deceived; errantly transliterated Japheth (indicative of Europeans)).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:10)
This passage is one of many that helps explain why certain numbers are important to Yah. One represents God, for He is one. Two designates a relationship, such as being with God in the Covenant. Three is the number of family, of mother and father becoming one to have a child. Therefore, it should not be surprising that the most closely related words to shalowsh | three mean “acting as a unit” and “growing, becoming larger and more firmly rooted.” Emphasizing this point is why Noach had three, not two or four, sons.
Four and forty represent the completion of a time of testing as we shall soon discover during the flood. Five is the number of confusion. Six is the number of man, which is why Sheth was so named. And seven is perfection, serving as the basis of the Shabat. Seven is the result of combining God/one with man/six.
Following the flood account in Bare’syth 10, the genealogies of these three men, Shem, Cham, and Yepheth, 302were used to create a table of nations – or at least realms which would have some direct involvement with Yisra’el, either good or bad. Shem’s sons were Elam, Asshur, Arpakshad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. Cham’s sons were Cush, Mitsraym, Put, and Canaan. Yepheth fathered Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. God then says of these individuals: “Each had their own language, land, and nation.”
Shem’s sons migrated to Mesopotamia, forming Sumer and the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires. Cham’s sons journeyed to Canaan and Northern Africa. And Yepheth’s boys became Europeans, beginning with Greeks and Romans, but later fodder for Islam. Elements would remain in the Caucasus region of Eastern Turkey, between the Black and Caspian Seas. One of his sons, Gomer, shared a name with the temple prostitute Howsha’ | Hosea would marry to demonstrate Yisra’el’s unfaithfulness.
Thus far, Yahowah has spoken of the fallen state of humankind in unflattering ways. We have learned that man had become: “common and contemptible (chalal – no longer special, becoming defiled, desecrated, and profane, dishonorable and lacking integrity, prone to inflicting injury and wounding by stabbing) while increasing in numbers and influence (la rabab – becoming prolific and dominant).”
Man had already begun treating women as objects to be taken and property to be owned and controlled: “So now (wa – it follows as a result that), they grasped hold of and took (laqach – they collected and obtained, selecting and seizing) for themselves (la hem) women (‘ishah – females) from any (min kol – out of all and from as many) which (‘asher – to reveal what they thought about relationships and the way to live one’s life) they chose and desired (bachar – they preferred and selected and they examined, tested, and probed).”
303His time on earth was constrained “as a result of (ba sa gam – in this regard also, because of) what he had proclaimed as an animal (huw’ basar – his preaching on life, and as a result of him as flesh with a physical body, publishing a message).”
Yahowah called the result “Naphylym – those who prostrate themselves and will be cast down, those who have fallen away and will die, those who attack and oppress, representing a miscarriage of life.” Of the Naphylym, He said: “These were those (hem ha ‘iysh) magnifying themselves, the victorious warriors who were powerful and acclaimed politically and militarily (gibowr – those considered influential and heroic from the upstanding to despots, the accomplished with ability to achieve, the rich and powerful) from the very beginning (min ‘asher min ‘owlam).”
Continuing to describe the fallen nature of humankind, “Yahowah saw that indeed, the evil intent, the wickedness and depravity, the propensity to be wrong and the misery this inflicted upon (ra’ah – the deprivation and distress, the misfortune and immorality, the anxiety and calamity being wreaked on) mankind (ha ‘adam – the descendants of ‘Adam) in the land (ba ha ‘erets – within the region) was excessive, great in magnitude and quantity (rab – prolific, extensive, and abundant).”
He assessed: “his every (kol) inclination (yetser – predisposition, perspective, propensity, and proclivity, the way he perceived the world and his preoccupation with the imaginary and mythical) and the thoughts (machashebeth – plans, plots, purposes, and schemes, the musings, desires, and reasoning, even the cunning devices) of his judgment and motivations (leb huw’ – his reasoning, decision-making, and ambitions) were exclusively (raq – only, distinctly, and single-mindedly, even inappropriately) bad (ra’ – undesirable and without merit, evil, wicked, and 304immoral, repugnant, miserable, and troubling, harmful and hindering) every single and solitary day (kol ha yowm – all of the time without exception).”
This disappointed Yahowah to the extent: “He was deeply hurt that He had been misinterpreted and that His intent had been deliberately twisted and distorted (‘atsab – He was displeased and disappointed He had been misconstrued, even grieved by the religious idolatry and perversions).” Man had devolved: “mankind (‘adam – humankind) had come to prey upon and has continuously become consistent with (‘ad – is forever plundering and spoiling, seeking another victim as an ongoing witness of the essential nature as) animals (bahemah – beasts), as far as (‘ad – to the same degree as) being a creature who is always moving around (remes – creeping about).”
To all of this, God added…
“Now (wa) the region (ha ‘erets – the territory, area, and land) in God’s (‘elohym) presence (la paneh – from His perspective and in His proximity) was perverted and corrupt (shachath – ravaged, rotten, and ruined, devastated and destroyed, becoming a putrid and polluted slime pit of corruption, oppression, and decay, not unlike a dungeon where captives are held against their will, with troubling lack of integrity).
Moreover (wa), the land (ha ‘erets – the region and territory) was filled (male’ – was replete and overflowing, satisfied and wholeheartedly in compliance with, was loudly proclaiming and occupied) with violence, cruelty, and injustice (chamas – destructive and maiming influences, terrorism as a result of everyone being wrong or wronged, brutality, killing, thievery, plunder, ferocity, malice, oppression, and looting without any moral restraint (often transliterated hamas)).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:11)
305Do you suppose it is a coincidence that Allah’s most popular terrorist organization in Israel is named “Hamas?” It is certainly fitting.
During the years I spent exposing and condemning the terrorist nature of Islam, I was often confronted with the rebuff: “The God of the Bible was also violent.” I would respond by saying that the ratio between nurturing and harsh, moral and immoral, verses in the 2,200-year-older text is more than 500 to 1 favorable, whereas in the Quran, that is reversed by a factor of less than 1 in 50. These books are opposites in this regard.
Beyond this realization, what I wanted to convey was unfortunately beyond the grasp of most people in the talk radio listening audience. However, the answer is exposed here. There is a consequence of being tolerant of deceitful, destructive, and deadly dogmas and of the people these politicized religions infect. It is not compassionate or caring, even forgivable, to show mercy to the merciless. Therefore, Yahowah exposes and condemns those who threaten the wellbeing of His people as an act of compassion. We should do the same, no matter how unpopular.
When corruption becomes sufficiently prevalent that it is accepted as the norm, as was the case here, those societies breed, even become satisfied and comfortable with, “chamas – terrorism, violent destruction, plunder and lawlessness, cruelty and injustice, without any moral restraint.” Everything they touch is doctrinally infected and physically affected by them – including their children and surrounding communities.
To drive this point home, let’s consider a modern perspective. Americans consider themselves peaceful and, yet, in the 400 years since Europeans began to systematically eradicate and displace native peoples, colonists turned citizens have fought over 100 wars. Since 306its founding, the United States has been at peace for one year in twenty. Recently, after making a mess of Vietnam, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Yemen, the US initiated, funded, and armed a proxy war with Russia – which is devouring credibility, starving the world, impoverishing people, and will likely result in nuclear conflict.
Americans condemn Saudi Arabia for the murder of one man, Jamal Khashoggi, while somehow forgetting that, since the nation began using drones on 19 June 2004 in Pakistan, the nation has murdered 33,000 civilians, nearly 1,000 children among them, raining death from the skies without tribunal 14,000 times. In particular, Barack Obama became like a god with the power of life or death. And let’s be clear, not even 1% of those killed were guilty of having killed an American, and none had the benefit of a trial.
And that’s just the beginning of America’s deadly outreach. The nation’s invasion of Afghanistan would place 175,000 people in graves – all to make a bad situation worse. The US military would kill another 300,000 in Iraq in the process of giving Iraq to Iran and destabilizing the world.
Prior to this, America’s dishonest and ill-fated invasion of Vietnam left 3,300,000 people dead, two-thirds of them civilians. Even worse, the nation would justify sacrificing 58,000 of its own sons and daughters in this political misadventure. And never once has the US apologized for its deadly and destructive engagements, nor has the nation learned anything from them.
As a result of having built the largest military and spy apparatus in the history of humankind, one currently larger than every other nation combined, there is an entire chapter of Yasha’yah / Isaiah devoted to exposing and condemning Americans as the merchants of death. And in due time, I will share it with you.
307The lesson here is that unchecked, if not properly exposed and condemned, the children within these societies will ingest the same poison, and they in turn will terrorize their neighbors. Innocent people will be adversely affected by belligerents so long as militancy is tolerated and esteemed – as it is throughout the Muslim world and in the West. And let’s be clear, while I’ve used America as a current example, as bad or worse could be said of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Rome, Asia, and Europe – which serves to prove the point God is making. And it is getting worse, with far more people dying at the hands of nations and their militaries and militants than ever before. This is particularly alarming because the overwhelming preponderance of people alive today in the summer of 2023 will be dead ten years from now. Without Yahowah’s intervention, life would be extinguished on Earth. Therefore, the narrative God is currently providing regarding what occurred at the dawn of recorded history is prophetic of the many reasons mankind is on the cusp of self-annihilation.
In His Towrah pronouncement, Yahowah recognized that deceitful, destructive, deadly, and damning dogmas had become pervasive. He realized that the consequence of unchecked corruption was: “chamas – terrorism, cruelty, and looting.” And He knew that if He did not stymie this religious and political malfeasance by eliminating the provocateurs, there would be no hope for anyone going forward.
Let’s put ourselves in God’s place for a moment. If you could slay Muhammad and his 100 most loyal companions in 622 CE, would you, knowing that Islam would ravage the world, terrorizing, killing, and plundering hundreds of millions – including the 3,000 murdered in the name of Allah on September 11th, 2001? If you could wipe out Hitler and the 1,000 most fervent Nazis in 1938, to spare the 50,000,000 victims of the Second World War, 308would you? In 1948, would you eliminate the 10,000 most loyal supporters of Mao to spare the lives of 40,000,000 otherwise innocent Chinese men, women, and children?
The reason Yahowah asked His Chosen People to destroy Yarychow | Jericho (meaning “of the moon”), ‘Ay | Ai (“heap of ruins”), Gib’own | Gibeon (“evil and idolatrous hill”), Lachysh | Lachish (“invincible individuals”), Chebrown | Hebron (“to associate with the occult”), Dabyr | Debir (“to fear or revere the word”), and Chatsowr | Hazor (“protected enclosure or castle”) in 1400 BCE, and to eliminate the population in these towns, is for the same reason He responded similarly 5,000 years ago.
Had these corrupt people and places been allowed to exist within the Promised Land, they would have infected and adversely affected the people chosen to be Yahowah’s witnesses. Had that occurred, you and I would not be reading the Word of God or be able to benefit from it. Using Yahowah’s parlance, “their iniquity was full,” meaning that like the people depicted during Noach’s day, there was no longer any hope that the Canaanites would be able to coexist in a civilized way with their neighbors, or any hope that their own children wouldn’t become equally corrupt. For the benefit of the many, to retain hope, to punish the perpetrators rather than allow them to chamas their victims, the corrupt were curtailed. It was the most reasonable and merciful thing to do.
“And (wa) God inspected (ra’ah – looked upon and observed) the area (‘eth ha ‘erets – the land, region, and territory), and behold (hineh – pay attention, look intently and see), it was perverted and corrupt (shachath – ravaged, rotten, and ruined, devastated and destroyed, a putrid and polluted slime pit, a basin of corruption and decay, making it like a depressed dungeon where captives are held against their will, demonstrating a troubling lack of integrity), because (ky) the entirety of the animalistic nature of humanity, including their every religious 309proclamation (kol basar – flesh, animal nature, and public pronouncements of preachers which are perceived to be appealing), was perverted and corrupting (shachath – ravaged and rotten, putrid and polluted, slimy and decaying, a basin of the controlled and depressed), with their ways (‘eth derek huw’) superimposed upon (‘al – all over) the earth (ha ‘erets – the region and area).” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:12)
The earth was corrupted because man was corrupting it. It was polluted because man had become putrid. We were the cause, and it was ruined as a consequence.
There is far more to basar than “flesh.” Its Akkadian root suggests that the term conveys a “descendant,” a “blood relative,” or someone who is “near of kin.” The best etymological tools indicate basar’s primary meaning, however, isn’t flesh, but instead “to herald a proclamation and make public pronouncements which appeal to those at whom they are directed.” While the word is often translated as “living things and creatures,” even as “animals,” based upon the context in which it is used, basar can just as easily convey anything from mankind’s animalistic nature to his Pollyannish speech.
Yahowah was not pleased with His creation, so if He did not care about the consequence, He had a choice. He could ignore them, wipe them out, or prune them back.
“So (wa), God (‘elohym – Almighty) said (‘amar – declared) to (la – to approach) Noach (Noach – Guide and Leader, a trustworthy and reliable individual), ‘I am coming to pursue a time-constrained (bow’ – I will diligently and demonstrably in this location cause (qal perfect)) pruning, a cutting away and separating to place limits and restrictions (qets – I am restraining and restricting, diminishing by placing limitations; from qatsats – to cut off part of an extremity by shearing, making a clear distinction that there are two separate and distinct 310parts) on approaching My presence (la paneh ‘any – concerning My personal existence and appearance) for all mankind, including all of man’s religious proclamations (kol basar – humanity’s animalistic nature as if he were entirely flesh, along with the public pronouncements of preachers which are perceived to be appealing) because (ky) the earth (ha ‘erets – this area, region, and land) is filled (male’ – is overflowing and satisfied, wholeheartedly in agreement and loudly proclaiming, replete and preoccupied) with violence, cruelty, and injustice (chamas – terrorism as a result of everyone being wrong, maiming and malice, brutal killing, thievery and plunder, ferocious oppression, and looting without any moral restraint (transliterated hamas)) because of (min – as a result of) their presence (paneh hem – their existence and appearance).
Therefore, look, here and now (wa hineh – so behold, look up and pay attention), I will ravage their slime pit and destroy them and their perverse corruptions (‘any shachath hem – I will devastate them, causing them to decay and decompose in this basin, wiping them out by laying waste to their oppressive and enslaving nature) along with the ground within this region (‘eth ha ‘erets – within this area, land, and territory).’” (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 6:13)
It is a seldom considered fact, but it is nonetheless true: God seldom works alone. ‘Adam was at His side in the Garden when God engaged on behalf of the life He had created. And now Noach would build His Ark to rescue man and animal.
As we move forward, we will discover that without His seven meetings with ‘Abraham, there would be no Covenant. Had He not partnered with Moseh | Moses, an eighty-year-old shepherd, His family would not have been liberated from oppressive slavery nor returned to the Promised Land.
311He led His people and approached His Chosen with Shamuw’el | Samuel, through whom He anointed Dowd the Mashyach | Messiah. And it was with Dowd | David that He shepherded His flock, uniting and protecting Yisra’el. He used Solomon to build His Home on Mowryah | Moriah. He deployed prophets to speak to fallen men in hopes we would listen. He then fulfilled Pesach | Passover and Matsah | UnYeasted Bread leading to Bikuwrym | Firstborn Children through His Son. He even spoke of using a Choter | Sucker emerging from the root from which Dowd grew who would be a Nakry | Observant Foreigner to call His people home.
The most influential and powerful being in the universe, its Creator and the Author of life, chooses to work through implements of His choosing. It is, therefore, not only wise for us to consider why He engages through individuals like Noach and his family, ‘Abraham and Sarah, Yitschaq and Ya’aqob, Moseh and ‘Aharown, Shamuw’el and Dowd, but to also contemplate why He chooses these particular men and women.
If I were to answer either question now with depth and clarity, I’d do new readers a disservice because discovering these answers on your own is an important part of this journey. But please, consider why this man, who was walking with God apart from the naphalym, was tasked with building a ship that Yahowah could have provided instantaneously. As we approach them, think about what made ‘Abraham, Moseh, Shamuw’el, and especially Dowd uniquely desirable. And while doing so, appreciate that this is far more than a cerebral exercise. When we know what God likes, we become ever more like Him. We do not have to be perfect to approach Yahowah – just correctly assess what He wants and then be willing to go where His words lead.
Yahowah did not have to explain His rationale to Noach. God created man and the earth he was polluting, so 312it was well within His prerogative, even His responsibility, to clean up the mess we had made. However, since He shared His concerns and objectives, it is prudent for us to consider them.
Yahowah wants us to be informed, to know what is going to happen before it occurs. When life plays out exactly as He has foretold, we learn to trust Him over time. And in this relationship, there is nothing more vital than trust.
God wants us to understand His thinking. If we agree with Him, it is an opportunity to bond by sharing common objectives. If we disagree, it is probably best that we go our own way, because Yahowah is not going to change on our account.
He addressed Noach by name because doing so is the hallmark of a good relationship. We are unique individuals and Yah approaches us as such. Further, Noach’s name explains his purpose in this story. He is here to lead us away from what God dislikes and guide us safely to the Covenant.
By using bow’ in the perfect conjugation, we discover that Yahowah is “coming to pursue an objective at this moment in time.” He “will be diligent in demonstrating His intent in this particular location. And when His objectives are complete, He will depart.”
One of the more interesting words in this declaration is qets. It is derived from qatsats, meaning “to prune, cutting of an extremity so as to leave a clear distinction between the two now-separated and distinct parts – one detached and dying and the other attached and living.” This is the difference between the ways of man and the ways of God, between Gowym and Yisra’el, between the estranged and the Covenant. We are either with man or with God. There would be a clear distinction with one separated from the other – one dying, the other living. Those sheared away 313would be washed away, along with their putrid pollution and those pruned back would weather the storm and thrive. It is not unlike pruning a tree prior to a hurricane, making it more resilient without all of the dead wood getting spun around by the wind and toppling in the rain-soaked ground.
Further, there would be “qets – restrictions and limitations” placed on mankind with regard to “la paneh – approaching God’s presence.” We know these today as the terms and conditions of the Covenant. Completely and accurately translated, especially in light of its actionable root, qets becomes a treasure trove of insights explaining the intent of the impending deluge.
While we have considered the horrific implications of chamas and, therefore, understand that Yahowah is opposed to “violence, cruelty, and terror.” As a “ky – direct result” of man’s “basar – religious proclamations, and the way they were favorably received,” mankind had become “chamas – destructive, maiming with malice, brutally killing, and looting without restraint, while ferociously oppressing” others. These are things God despises, which puts Him at odds with the undercurrent of civilization and the controlling influences of religious and political institutions. It was “paneh – the appearance and presence” of man which had ushered in this plague.
Also, since God is fair, we get what we deserve. Those who had perpetrated shachath would suffer shachath. Those who had “devastated the earth with their perverse corruptions and putrid pollution” would “be ravaged in their own slime, decomposing along with all that was rotten and ruinous about them.” Those who had “oppressed and enslaved, curtailing the freedom of their captives” would have life and liberty taken from them. They would be washed away as God saw fit to clean house.
From this perspective, the “slime pit and basin” aspects of shachath are actually important, as are its 314resulting “corruption, pollution, and decay.” Keep them in mind as we move forward because it explains the nature of the flood.
Just as gardeners prune plants to cut out decay, and to promote healthy growth, God was prepared to remove corrupt humans for the sake of those who had not been contaminated. And while that is obvious, isn’t it also obvious that our world today is filled with terrorism, cruelty, violence, destruction, plunder, killing, thievery, injustice, and looting without moral restraint? And as such, might Yahowah’s future judgments, the pruning of humankind which will occur between 2030 and 2033, be similar? Are we seeing in the preamble to the deluge, a preview of what to expect in our immediate future?
Returning to the metaphor being used, having elected to prune mankind, Yahowah needed a way to keep the good plant safe. While He could have made the vessel Himself or found a much more straightforward way to protect Noach, his family, and the animals, as I’ve mentioned, God prefers doing things with us. And Yah never misses an opportunity to reinforce His message, giving us the opportunity to revel in the brilliance of His Word as He intertwines amazingly sophisticated and relevant metaphors. The very nature of the Ark is symbolic and there would be two of them, not one.
But more than this, by building a gargantuan vessel six hundred miles from the nearest ocean, God not only memorialized for our benefit how Noach engaged with Him, but also provided His critics and doubters with an overt last warning of “biblical proportions.” There is little doubt that Noach’s shipbuilding exploits were featured regularly in the Black Sea Gazette. Everyone in the ‘erets | region would have known about his seemingly crazed devotion. And that’s because God wants everyone, and that includes those who have turned their backs on Him, to be left without excuse.
315Further, Noach’s undaunted confidence and sense of purpose in the face of unending ridicule demonstrated the benefit of yada’ | knowing Yahowah. If you were open-minded, watching Noach’s fortitude and perseverance, you would be compelled to contemplate what, or Whom, he knew that you did not. As such, Noach’s example demonstrates the difference between faith and trust, between believing and relying. It was, therefore, a wake-up call that was missed by the mockers, just as Yada Yahowah goes unnoticed among those on the cusp of being swept up in another rising storm.
