Hewn
Unhewn stone
Different Hebrew words are translated hewn:
gaziyth[1]
machtseb[2]
chatsab [3]
Exodus 20:25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone<01496>[1]: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
Why does hewn stone pollute the altars?
Altars of stone
- “And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.” Exodus 20:25-26
The Hebrew word rigmah [המגר][4] is translated into council in Psalms 68[5], but actually means literally a “heap of stones”, or “gathering of stones”.[4]
It is from the Hebrew word Regem [םגר] which means friend[6] and is the same three letters of ragam [םגר] defined stone.[7]
Both words have as a common origin [בגר] regeb which means a clod (of earth).[8]
Why would the same letters and word for stone also mean friend?
And why would a council of men be represented by the word for a gathering of stones?
The idea that the term for stone might represent a man or that a gathering of stones might compose a living altar of men or a living stone temple should be a readily acceptable metaphor.
- “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5
Were the altars of clay and stone always meant as metaphors for men who gather for a particular purpose?
Of we read these words in context what are these altars really about and what purpose do they serve?
Was Abraham able to raise an army over night to defeat invaders because the people burned up sheep on altars?
How does that bind people together?
Have we been deceived through Sophistry?
There are several chapters in the book Thy Kingdom Comes that deal with the sacrifices on stone and earth altars. An altar of earth was simply a metaphor for each family being a living altar of earth. The word earth here is from adamah which is also translated “husbandman”. This adamah is the red earth from which Adam was made. The sons of Adam are to be the husbandmen of the earth and commanded to “dress it and keep it”.
In our modern language we may express someone's character as rock solid, or ask what metal a man is made of. No one imagines that someone is actually made of stone or metal. These are simply metaphors.
In Hebrew the four letter word for naked, aruwm(םורע)[9] is also seen as aruwm(םורע)[10] but translated prudent, crafty, subtle.
So what does the word aruwm mean, naked or prudent?
It is from the word ‘aram [עָרַם][11] which is translated subtilty, crafty, prudent, beware, very, and craftiness, but also is translated gathered together and heap.
How do we determine what these words mean if they may have so many different meanings?
Is there a key to understanding the meaning of these words?
Who can tell us?
How can we know?
Have we been left clues to assist us in unraveling the mysteries of language and words written thousands of years ago?
Who will reveal the truth in the written text?
We know the Pharisees did not understand the scriptures correctly, though they were fluent in Hebrew.
Who wrote their dictionaries and defined the terms of their text?
The Hebrew language is full of symbols, metaphors and conceptual imagery. All languages are ways to represent ideas with symbols.
Is there a clue in the symbols that form the words?
Unlike the languages of the West, Hebrew letters have meaning, and those meanings are used to produce the words themselves. This is not possible with any language based upon a phonetic alphabet. Most alphabets, unlike Hebrew, are designed to represent sounds not ideas.
If a clod of clay can be a man and a stone can be a friend and a gathering of stones can be a council of men then what does it mean to build an Altar of stones that are not hewn?
If the stones are men then how would you hew those men?
Does this mean that you shall not regulate or exercise authority over these men who are the servants[12] of the people providing the table of the LORD for your welfare through charity rather than what the Pharaoh had provided in Egypt which was a snare?[13]
What Moses was saying they should not do about steps and hewn stones is the same thing Christ said when he forbid[14] his disciples to be like that form of government. He told us not to make the Fathers of the earth our Benefactors nor eat their dainties served at their tables because Proverbs, Paul and David said they were a trap.
There is rank in the kingdom and even an hierarchy but not one of men ruling over men accept by consent. Christ is clear that your rank in the kingdom is dependent upon your service[12] to others and not upon any authority of man over his fellow man.
Other verses
Isaiah 51:1 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock [whence] ye are hewn<02672>[3], and to the hole of the pit [whence] ye are digged.
Lamentations 3:9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone<01496>[1], he hath made my paths crooked.
Ezekiel 40:42 And the four tables [were] of hewn stone<01496>[1] for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice.
Amos 5:11 Forasmuch therefore as your treading [is] upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone<01496>[1], but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 01496 גָּזִית gaziyth [gaw-zeeth’] GimelZayinYodTav from 01491 GimelZayinHey to cut, cut off, from 01468 גּוּז GimelVavZayin to pass over... cut off from 01494 גַּזָז gazaz GimelZayinZayin "shear or cut off"; n f; [BDB-159a] [{See TWOT on 335 @@ "335a" }] AV-hewn 10, wrought 1; 11
- 1) a cutting, hewing
- See turtledove
- ג Gimel Reward and Punish, Cause and effect, 'justified repayment'. Do to others as they should do. Written like a Vav with a Yod as a "foot". Camel, [throwstick, pride, to lift up] (Numeric value: 3)
- זָ ז Zayin The "Crowned" head. The Service and Valor, cut and bread, war and nourish. [weapon.... Cut, to cut off, manacle] (Numeric value: 7)
- י Yod The Infinite Point of essential good. Divine spark hidden in the ט Tet. Spark of spirit. [closed hand... Deed, work, to make] (Numeric value: 10)
- ת Tav is a Seal of a Higher kingdom or realm through faith. The paradigm keter–malchut “The Crown of Sovereignty” from the Tree of Life spiritually linking worlds or realms through an unseen doorway of faith. The Aleph & Tav are the first and last letters. [door sign cross seal] (Numeric value: 400)
- ↑ 04274 מַחְצֵב machtseb [makh-tsabe’] from 02672; n m; [BDB-345a] [{See TWOT on 718 @@ "718a" }] AV-hewn 2, hewed 1; 3
- 1) hewing, hewn
- 1a) of stones
- 1) hewing, hewn
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 02672 חָצַב chatsab [khaw-tsab’] or חצב chatseb [khaw-tsabe’] a primitive root; v; [BDB-345a] [{See TWOT on 718 }] AV-dig 5, hew 4, hewers 4, hew out 4, mason 3, cut 1, divideth 1, graven 1, hewn 1, made 1; 25
- 1) to dig, cleave, divide, hew, make, cut out, dig out, cut down, quarry, hewer, mason
- 1a) (Qal)
- 1a1) to hew out, dig
- 1a2) to hew
- 1a2a) stone
- 1a2b) wood
- 1a3) to hew in pieces (metaph.)
- 1a4) to divide, cleave
- 1b) (Niphal) to be cut, be hewn, be engraved
- 1c) (Hiphil) to hew into pieces, cut up into pieces
- 1d) (Pual) to be cut from, be hewn from
- 1a) (Qal)
- 1) to dig, cleave, divide, hew, make, cut out, dig out, cut down, quarry, hewer, mason
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 07277 רִגְמָה rigmah [rig-maw’] ReishGimelMemHey from the same as 07276 רֶגֶם Regem meaning "friend"; n f; [BDB-920b] [{See TWOT on 2114 @@ "2114a" }] AV-council 1; 1
- 1) heap (of stones)
- 1a) of crowd (fig)
- 1) heap (of stones)
- ↑ Psalms 68:27 "There [is] little Benjamin [with] their ruler, the princes of Judah [and] their council <07277>, the princes of Zebulun, [and] the princes of Naphtali."
- ↑ 07276 רֶגֶם Regem [reh’-gem] from 07275 רָגַם ragam stone or even certainly; n pr m; [BDB-920b] [{See TWOT on 2114 }] AV-Regem 1; 1
- Regem= "friend"
- 1) son of Jahdai and descendant of Caleb
- ↑ 07275 רָגַם ragam [raw-gam’] a primitive root [compare 07263 (רֶגֶב regeb clod of clay), 07321(^עור^ ruwa‘ to shout, raise a sound, cry out,), 07551(רָקַם raqam mix color) and 07276 ( רֶגֶם Regem meaning "friend")?]; v; [BDB-920b] [{See TWOT on 2114 }] AV-stone 15, certainly 1; 16
- 1) to stone, slay or kill by stoning
- 1a) (Qal) to stone
- See 7277 rigmah council;
- 1) to stone, slay or kill by stoning
- ↑ 07263 רֶגֶב regeb [reh’-gheb] from an unused root meaning to pile together; n m; [BDB-918b] [{See TWOT on 2111 @@ "2111a" }] AV-clod 2; 2
- 1) clod (of earth)
- ↑ 06174 עָרוֹם ‘arowm [aw-rome’] orערם ‘arom [aw-rome’]from 06191 subtle, crafty (in its original sense); adj; [BDB-736a] [{See TWOT on 1588 @@ "1588c" }] AV-naked 16; 16
- 1) naked, bare
- ↑ 06175 AyinReishVavMem עָרוּם ‘aruwm [aw-room’] pass. part. of 06191 עָרַם v be shrewd, be crafty; adj; [BDB-791a] [{See TWOT on 1698 @@ "1698c" }] AV-prudent 8, crafty 2, subtil 1; 11
- 1) subtle, shrewd, crafty, sly, sensible
- 1a) crafty
- 1b) shrewd, sensible, prudent
- ע Ayin also U. Divine Providence "eye" or "fountain" of five states of kindness or severity. AlefYodNun or nothingness as opposed to AlefShin something [eye, watch] (Numeric value: 70)
- ר Reish Process of Clarification The "head" or "beginning". Life's revelation. [Head... Person head highest] (Numeric value: 200)
- ו Vav Connection, Connecting realms and worlds or the dividing veil between them. [nail... And, Add, secure, hook] (Numeric value: 6)
- מ ם Mem Fountain of water, a flow, a fountain of the Divine Wisdom [massive, overpower chaos] (Numeric value: 40)
- 1) subtle, shrewd, crafty, sly, sensible
- ↑ 06191 עָרַם ‘aram [aw-ram’] a primitive root; v; [BDB-791a] [{See TWOT on 1698 }] AV-subtilty 1, crafty 1, prudent 1, beware 1, very 1; 5
- 1) to be subtle, be shrewd, be crafty, beware, take crafty counsel, be prudent
- 1a) (Qal) to be crafty, be subtle
- 1b) (Hiphil) to be crafty, be or become shrewd
- 1) to be subtle, be shrewd, be crafty, beware, take crafty counsel, be prudent
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Heirs of service
- The hierarchy of the kingdom of God does not go up by steps nor exercise authority one over the other but come as he that serves:
- Matthew 20:27 "And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
- Matthew 23:9 "And call no [man] your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, [even] Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."
- Luke 22:26 "But ye [shall] not [be] so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. 27 For whether [is] greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? [is] not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth."
- Mark 9:35 "And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, [the same] shall be last of all, and servant of all."
- Galatians 5:13 "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."
- ↑ Table as a snare
- Psalms 69:22-23 “Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake."”
- Romans 11:9 “And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:”
- Proverbs 23:1 "When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what [is] before thee: 2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. 3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat."
- Exodus 23:32 "Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee."
- Exodus 34:12 "Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:"
- Deuteronomy 7:16 "And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that [will be] a snare unto thee."
- Judges 2:2 "And ye shall make no league [covenant] with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?"
- Proverbs 1:10 "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."
- Proverbs 6:2 “Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.” Swear not
- Luke 21:34 "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth."
- 1 Timothy 6:9 "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
- "Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?" Isaiah 40:21 is about the message of John the Baptist who was "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God" Isaiah 40:3 to avoid the "snare" of the legal charity of the welfare state which which makes the word of God to none effect bringing man back into captivity as human resources.
- ↑ Not exercise authority
- Matthew 20:25 "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you:..."
- Mark 10:42 "But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you:..."
- Luke 22:25 "And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye [shall] not [be] so:..."