Bread from the Basket: Your Daily Slice

IYAR 18

With Understanding

“And I HEARD, but I did NOT UNDERSTAND …” (Dan 12:8, emphasis mine)

The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘heard’ in our opening verse is one most of us are familiar with: “Sh'ma” (Strong’s H8085). Sh'ma is a verb, and not only means to hear and listen intently, but it also carries the meaning of being obedient and DOING what was heard. The word translated as ‘understood’ is the word “bı̂yn” (Strong’s H995), and is also a verb, requiring an action. It means to perceive, discern, be attentive to, to have understanding, and to act upon what is understood. When these two words are used in the same sentence, the implication is that one must not only listen and HEAR, but must also develop a FULL UNDERSTANDING of what is being heard in order to act accordingly and correctly.

However, how can I hear and DO if I don’t fully understand, or if the version of the Scriptures that I am hearing/studying is not accurate, or even correct? I learned many years ago that it is the “truth that you KNOW[1] that sets you free” (John 8:32). If I am to ‘rightly handle the Word of Truth’ (2Tim 2:15), should I not accurately know and understand what it means?

I began my relationship with my Creator (in 1981) reading The Living Bible, and within several years I ‘upgraded’ to the KJV. From there I went to The Amplified Bible, and the NEW King James Version. When I first embarked on this Torah walk, I started with the Complete Jewish Bible, and I now go back and forth between The Scriptures(ISR) and The Hebrew-Roots Version Scriptures, together with numerous other translations on my Bible study program (e-sword). Imagine my shock when I discovered that NONE of these translations and versions are 100% accurate. Enter the world of lexicons and Hebrew/Greek word studies.

And then I learned that it is not enough to take a verse of Scripture apart, learning what the individual words in Hebrew or Greek really mean. Enter the journey into exploring the context of the verse being studied (who, what, when, where, why), as well as incorporating the study of the culture and customs of the time it was written in. The more that I learn, the more I love, appreciate, and respect the Word that Elohim has given to us. And the more that I learn, the more I realize just how little I truly know.

It is not enough to simply hear (sh'ma) the Word of our Elohim without obtaining the full understanding of what we are listening to. When I hear a conversation spoken in French, I may recognize the language for what it is, but have no understanding of what is being said. The same applies to our ‘instruction manual’; if we do not choose to make an attempt at understanding what our Elohim is speaking to us through the pages of His Word, we will never know the full truth, and we will never walk in complete freedom.

‘Nuff said.

“Ezra the kohen brought the Torah before the assembly, which included men and women and all who could UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY HEARD … They read from the Torah scroll of God, distinctly explaining it and giving insight. Thus they understood what was read.” Neh 8:2, 8 Tree of Live Version, emphasis mine)