How God blessed Israel
Biblical Hebrew unveils the real blessing
-
A greater promise than first realized
The story of the patriarch Abraham, in the book of Genesis, has many intimate conversations between Abraham and God. The first time they speak, God promises Abraham that if he leaves his home in Mesopotamia and moves to Canaan, “I will make of you a great nation…I will bless those you bless you and curse him who curses you.” This seems fairly straightforward, but what do the words “bless” and “curse” mean exactly in Hebrew?
Bless those who serve
In Hebrew, the verb “to bless” is levarech (לברך). This is based on the root BRK ברך which means "knee", implying rendering service to someone, by bending your knee to them. This is no simple benediction. God is not talking about saying nice words. The literal meaning of this verse is, "I will minister to those who show solidarity to you by serving you".
Understand the profound meaning of the Bible
The opposite is true for those who curse Abraham. The first word for curse mekalelcha (מקללך) comes from a root meaning to make light of someone heavy. The second word for curse a’or (אאר) means "to utterly destroy.” So, the literal meaning is “the one who makes light of you I will utterly destroy". God’s promise is made clear through a deeper understanding of the Hebrew words. Enroll in our live online course and understand the profound meaning of God’s words through the original Hebrew.
What Our Students Say About Us
"Yes, I'm very satisfied, the teaching method is excellent and the teacher too"
"Absolutely love the course. It is challenging but in a good way. Very well structured. Shannon Schaffer is an excellent teacher and communicator and very patient."
"I enjoy the multinational classrooms with Hebrew speaking teacher & his great sense of humour. Very skilled teaching."
"It has been fun, good materials, excellent teacher and a learning environment!"
