Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Bryan Rocine" <596547 AT ican.net>]

Dear Eric,

Maybe you're looking for $ekon yhvh ("the (verbal) dwelling of YHVH").  The
root shin-koph-nun is often used to express the special presence of the
Lord into which the worshipper would hope to come.  See Exo 29:46 which
expresses the purpose of the mi$can ("tabernacle" = same root), Exo 24:16
which associates the glory of YHVH and the verbal activity of $KN, Num 9:22
which associates the "cloud"-manifestation, Deu 12:5, 12:11, 14:23, etc.
which associate the special place of the Lord's choosing at which to meet
Him and bring gifts to Him.  See also 1Ki 8:10-12, 2Ch 6:1, Neh 1:9, Psa
68:19, Psa 85:10.  

Shalom,
Bryan


----------
> From: Eric Weiss <eweiss AT gte.net>
> To: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> Subject: The "presence" of the Lord
> Date: Sunday, February 28, 1999 6:32 AM
> 
> In Charismatic Christian circles, in which I have often moved, a frequent

> expression is "the presence of the Lord" (or "the presence of the Holy 
> Spirit"). This is used to refer to that palpable "feeling" (whether real
or 
> subjective - but it is real to those who sense it) of a change (usually)
in 
> the "atmosphere" of the meeting room - a kind of "heaviness" or
"thickness" 
> or "warmness" or "closeness" of SOMETHING, which is connected with the
idea 
> that God has somehow drawn closer or come into the room or expressed 
> Himself in a way which can be "felt."
> 
> My question is whether "presence of the Lord" is the proper terminology. 
> For "presence" in the Hebrew Bible (this phrase doesn't seem to occur
much 
> in the New Testament) seems often to be a translation of PaNaH or LiFNeY
- 
> "face" or "to/before the face of (someone)." Yet those saying that "the 
> presence of the Lord is here" don't usually mean that we are before the 
> face of the Lord or that He is with us in the same sense as when the
Bible 
> says LiFNeY YHWH. My guess is that something closer to KeBoD - 
> "glory/heaviness" (equivalent to the Greek DOXA?) - may be a better term 
> for what is meant, though when Charismatics speak of "the glory of the 
> Lord," they are probably referring to something that manifests itself 
> visibly, not just to the sense of touch.
> 
> Any thoughts or help?



B. M. Rocine
Associate Pastor
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13208

315-437-6744(w)
315-479-8267(h)