What is Adonai Tzevaot?
God is referred to as the “Lord of Hosts” Adonai Tzevaot (יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת) over 200 times in the Hebrew Bible. The word Tzevaot (Sabaoth) is the plural of tzava צבא meaning “army”. But the armies are not merely the Hebrew soldiers fighting earthly wars against enemy nations. Who exactly are the soldiers of this army?
Who helped Joshua?
In the book of Joshua (5:13), there is a strange story that takes place before Joshua conquered Jericho. Joshua meets a man, who approaches him with a drawn sword and asks him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”. The man presented himself as a commander of the army of the Lord, Sar tzva adonai (שַׂר-צְבָא-יְהוָה), so Joshua fell to his knees recognizing him as a messenger of God.
Learn to see the Hebrew connection
The ancient Israelites conceived of God as the commander of various brigades of celestial soldiers: angels, stars, and the forces of nature that make up the universe. When we can see the connection between God’s name Adonai tzavaot and the words sar tzva in Hebrew, we understand how the army of God is not just made up of human soldiers, but of divine beings who dominate the upper echelons of the universe. Enroll in our live online Biblical Hebrew course and unlock the deeper connections of the Bible that ring out to you.
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At the Israel Institute of Biblical Studies, you'll experience immersive, live video conferencing sessions in which you'll learn Biblical Hebrew alongside a community of passionate learners, all from the comfort of your own home. Join us today and start your journey towards fluency!
