The Ram Abraham saw in Moriah
When reading in English the story of Abraham several details can be missed. Exploring the original hebrew version expands the message and allows discovering some details missed by the translators.
Jewisheyes.org produced the article titled “Abraham time traveler” (October 13-19, 2013). This article presents a very interesting topic. It’s about the reason why in John 8:56 is reported that Jesus stated: “Abraham saw my day”. The Author, Rabbi Daniel Thomson, presents a very well articulated argumentation, explaining that Abraham had a vision during the preparation for the sacrifice of his only son. His argumentation uses portions from the Torah, other books of the Bible and
This article is extremely rich and enlightening. I really recommend reading it. Among other issues, Rabbi Thomson explains how in the original Hebrew of Genesis 22, it is clearly understood that Abraham had a vision. He had a vision of the future. This vision is presented on Genesis 22:13. While reflecting on some of the asseverations presented, it called my attention some of the words which have a very wide range of meaning. I will explain in more detail. The translation in English of this verse reads:
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. Genesis 22:13
The phrase highlighted in bold font above is transliterated “vayyar vehinneh ayil ahar ne’ehaz bassebakh beqarnaw”. I’d like to drag your attention and explain the meaning of the following words:
- Behind
- Ram
- Thicket
- By his horns
As Rabbi Thomson explains the word “behind” is actually the word “Ahar” in Hebrew. This word can literally mean behind or in the future. Jeff Brenner explains in the video titled "A History of Hebrew: Introduction" (1*) that in the Jewish culture the future is perceived to be behind us. This is quite the opposite to the western culture where I grew up; we consider the future to be ahead of us. The reason in the jewish mind the future is perceived as behind us, is because we don’t know the future. Hence why the word used for “future” in Hebrew (maher, from the root ahar) means behind as well. So there is compelling grammatical reasons to understand that Abraham saw something in the future.
What did then Abraham see in the future? The word ram in the original Hebrew is "Ayil", which also means "a strong man, a leader or a chief"(2*). This is because the root from which this word is derived literally means twisting (implying strength). So, this may indicate that Abraham saw a ram, or a mighty man. Now it’s important to highlight that the Strong’s lexicon clarifies that the ram defined by the word "Ayil" is actually a red dyed skin type of ram(2*).
The word “thicket” is “sebak” in Hebrew. Specifically is a ticket of interwoven thorns (3*). The word “qeren” means horns. However Gesenius indicated that Semitic languages qeren is also understood as the “part of a man’s head where horns are in beasts, corner, extremity” (4*).hence we can infer it as the part between the forehead and the temples.
So you can do a mental picture. Abraham raised his eyes, and he looked, and behold! in the future a mighty man with red dyed skin grasped in a crown of thicket of spines in his forehead and temples. The description matches incredibly close to the account in the gospels about Jesus covered in blood and with a crown of spines on his head. Hence we understand now what Jesus meant in John 8:56
“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad”
Abraham saw how Jesus was being sacrificed for humanity, almost 2000 years before it happened.
I just can't describe the sense of awe I'm feeling when discovering yet again how deep is The Word Of God #GodIsBig #bible
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Foot notes
(1*) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR5GQ--YNpI&list=PL8z4SxaOFThRONsuKBxTrgM1zRfuGtNbw time 2:15 to 3:00
(2*) Strongs lexicon
(3*) according to the Genesius Hebrew English Lexicon, page 687
(4*) Genesius Hebrew English Lexicon, page 901
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