Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

Hi Eric,

you wrote:

> (I Kings 8:11) and the priests couldn't stand upright and/or when the
place 
> the disciples were praying in was shaken (Acts 4:31) -- i.e., a physical 
> manifestation by or of God.

<snip>

> 
> "My best guess is still to call it the "glory" of the Lord -- since that
is 
> what filled the Temple so the priests couldn't stand."

I know that 1 Ki 8:11 (as well as 2Ch 5:14) is commonly interpreted as
meaning that the priests "couldn't stand upright" or fell down because of
the glory of the Lord.  I disagree.  The verb in both the above verses is
`md which has the meaning "take one's stand" and often has the sense
"remain" as opposed to qwm "stand up."  If instead, the text had read velo'
yoklu laqum, I would agree that the priest became unable to stand up.  As
it is, however, I read that they were not only still able to stand up, but
they walked or ran!  They *left* the Temple because they were not able to
endure the glory of the Lord.  2Ch 7:2 confirms that the priests had left
the Temple rather than fallen down, and state that the priest were still
not able to return because of the glory of the Lord. 

The Hebrew expression lo' yakol la`amod is used a handful of times to mean
"retreat," e.g. Jos 7:12, Jdg 2:14 or yakol `amod to mean "endure," e.g.
Exo 18:23, 1Sa 6:20.

Shalom,
Bryan



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

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