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  • From: ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk (Ben Crick)
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] PQD in English in 1 Sam 15
  • Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 23:59:55 +0100

On Thu 28 Apr 2005 , tladatsi AT charter.net wrote:
> How do we translate *paqadetiy*? I will punish, I will visit iniquity
> upon, I will settle accounts, I will pay attention to, I will charge
> guilt, I have remembered, I have marked, I have considered - are all
> options that have been offered. Does changing the translation of the
> this one verb change the general thrust of the story any?

I must confess that I have not been following this thread very carefully,
so others may have already made the point which I am making now.

The point is not that the Amalekites have committed this or that sin in the
past, but that they presented an ongoing threat to Israel. God placed a "ban"
on them, a XeReM (Deuteronomy 25:17-19; 1 Samuel 15:3). This meant that the
whole tribe was to be devoted to destruction unto the LORD. It was given to
Saul to execute the ban, and he failed: although rightly he took care that
the Kenites were not involved in the slaughter (Numbers 24:20-21). Saul
was the one commanded to "visit" PQD the Amalekites with destruction in the
name of the LORD.

XeReM is the opposite to CaDDiQ. Whereas Israel was CaDDiQ unto the LORD,
Jericho (for example) was a XeReM unto the LORD, and had to be totally
destroyed. Only the family of Rahab the harlot was saved alive. But Achan
took a garment, some gold and some silver for himself, and hid them under
his tent (Joshua 7:21). This caused big trouble to Joshua and his army until
Achan confessed and was dealt with. He too came under the Jericho ban, as did
Hiel the Bethelite who tried to rebuild Jericho later (Joshua 6:26, 1 Kings
16:34).

Compare the destruction of all the earth in the Flood. Noah and his family,
and a representative menagerie of animals were carefully spared. Methuselah
the oldest of all had to die before it happened. All that time the ark was
a-building, to save all who would heed the invitation to enter it and be
saved. Only eight did so.

Compare the destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim. Righteous Lot
preached to them until finally some angels were sent to conduct Lot and his
immediate family to safety. Lot's wife and two sons-in-law failed to make it.

Finally God will visit his wrath upon the objects of the XeReM. His mercy
waits many years before the blow falls; there is a way of salvation for those
who will take it. In wrath God remembers mercy; but now in 1 Samuel 15 time
is up for Amaleq. Saul failed; it was an Amalekite who claimed to have killed
him (2 Samuel 1). Saul also came under the Amalekite XeReM for his failure.

Ben
--
Revd Ben Crick, BA CF ZFC Lu
<ben.crick AT NOSPAM.argonet.co.uk>
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