Chapter 3. The Altar of Abraham

Part 3 The Artifice of Sophistry

Why did people turn out of the way so quickly and what is the way? How do we find that way and distinguish it from the ways of the world? God is the same today, and man has not changed much either, so it is likely that the same error and solution has remained consistent throughout history. We may also assume that the adversary has remained the same and is still using, or misusing, words, and twisting their meaning in order to lead mankind astray.

“But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the LORD commanded Moses. Leviticus 9:10 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth [the inwards], and the kidneys, and the caul [above] the liver:” Leviticus 9:19

If we examine these verses we shall discover that words may be given more than one meaning. The word “fat” is from the Hebrew word cheleb, blx, [Chet, Lamed, Beit], given the Strong's number 2459, translated “fat, fatness, best, finest, grease, marrow”; and is defined “fat... choicest, best part, abundance (of products of the land).”

A thousand years ago, the same three letters, blx ,were split, altered, or interpreted by some translators and eventually was assigned the Strong's number 2460, appearing as the name Heleb. It also became the word numbered 2461, translated “milk, cheeses, and sucking”.

The Masoretic Old Testament didn't exist until 600 to 1000 years after Jesus was proclaimed King in Judea. Vowel points were added to the text along with cantillation marks. The people who did this were obviously influenced by what they believed were trope¹ and rhetorical schemes.² Their sense of religion and their personal interpretation of a Biblical message guided them to their creative conclusions.

This division of meanings seems somewhat harmless with this first example, but, if we look at the word “bullock”, we find it is from the Hebrew word showr, rwv [Shin, Vav, Reish], which is given the Strong's number 7794. It is said to be from the word shuwr, which is numbered 7788. Both words consist of the same three Hebrew letters rwv, and are translated “went” and “sing”, but is said to mean “to travel, journey, go”.

In fact, the same three letters in Hebrew are also given several other Strong's numbers, from 7786 to 7794. These words are translated into “ox, bullock, cow, bull” and even the words “enemy”, “cut,” and “wall”. And, when proclaimed to be a verb, it is translated “behold”, “see”, “look”, “observe”, “lay wait”, “regard”, and “perceive”. Strong's 7786, consisting of the same three Hebrew letters, rwv, is said to mean “to be or act as prince, rule, contend, have power, prevail over” and is translated “reign, have power”, and “made prince”. Can the same word that means “bullock” also mean “given power to rule”?

In fact, the common word for “bullock” is par, rp, [Pei, Reish], numbered 6499, translated that way 127 times and does not appear as showr, rwv [Shin, Vav, Reish].

What authority the Jewish translators and clerics of the past have exercised over our thinking today by making one word mean so many different things! Their election becomes the foundation of our belief and understanding, and not necessarily the intent of the authors.

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.”

“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you may make words mean so many different things.”

“The question is: which is to be master - that's all.” from Alice in Wonderland.

This power to modify or even mutate language is the power to master the minds of men. Take the Hebrew word “ram”, ayil, lya [Alef, Yod, Lamed], which has the Strong's number 352, and is translated “ram” 156 times, but is also translated “post” 21 times, “mighty (men)” 4 times, “trees” twice, “lintel” and “oaks” once each. It is also identical to 353 and 354, which are translated “strength” and “hart”, as in a “hart deer”. This word ayil is said to be the same as 193, lwa [Alef, Vav, Lamed] and defined “prominence... nobles, wealthy men”, and is translated as “mighty” and “strength”.

One of the more interesting words in the short text above is “rump”, from 'alyah hyla [Alef, Lamed, Yod, Hei] and is numbered 451. The word 'alyah, is consistently translated “rump”, but it is identical to the word 452, which is the name Elijah and is supposed to mean “Yah is God” or “God is my strength”.

We may now understand that the word “bullock” can mean “rein over the offering” or “the power to decide”. While “ram” may mean that someone is given the authority over an offering, which is given entirely [burnt or given entirely up by the grantor], does the word we see as “rump” actually mean that we are trusting in God and His ways of freewill sacrifice under the perfect law of liberty?

The Bible is supposed to be precept upon precept. God did not change His mind as much as men have changed their opinion of God. The Pharisees failed to understand the Old Testament and found themselves in conflict with Christ. In fact, Moses and Christ were in agreement, but the Pharisees had already twisted the meaning of the sacred text. There were those who knew the truth and preached against the animal immolation of these pagan altars within Herod’s temple. They found themselves in accord with the gospel of Christ.

In Leviticus 9:19, the phrase “and that which covereth [the inwards]” comes from a single word mcacceh, hokm, numbered 4374, and is translated “that which covers twice, cover” or “clothing”. It is said to be from 3680 kacah, meaning “to cover, conceal, hide” and is identical to 4372 and 4373, which is said to mean “covering” or “valuation” or “worth”.

Since the Garden of Eden, we have had a problem with covering. Even the Levites, who were the ministers of the sacrifices, were supposed to have the people make their underwear. They were also not to go up by steps, lest the people see the priests' nakedness. Nakedness deals with reference to a lack of authority. Making underwear had nothing to do with cloths and going up by steps had nothing to do with stairs.

What are these sacred text concerned with, underwear or exercising authority?

The word kilyah, hylk [Kaf, Lamed, Yod, Hei], numbered 3629, is translated “kidney” 18 times, but it is also translated “reins” 13 times. The word “reins” and “heart” are often mentioned together, as denoting the whole moral constitution of man. If we say that someone has a lot of heart, we know that we are referring to his capacity to love, not his ability to pump blood.

The word kilyah, as an example, is from kily, ylk, translated “vessel” 166 times, “instrument” 39, and “weapon” 21 times, but also “jewel” 21 times, “stuff” 14, “thing” 11, “armour” 10, “furniture” 7, “carriage” 3, “bag” twice with 13 other miscellaneous translations. It is also from the word kalah, hlk, translated “consume” 57 times, “end” 44, but also, “finish” 20 times, “fail” 18, “accomplish” 12, “done” 9, “spend” 8, “ended” 7, “determined” 4, “away” 3, “fulfil” 3, “fainteth”, “destroy”, “left”, “waste” twice each, again with 13 other miscellaneous translations.

Other words formed from these letters are kol, lk, said to mean “all” ; and koll, llk, defined as “perfect”. Hebrew letters have meanings. Words were composed based on these original concepts in a language created to be written, not spoken. If you replace the letter Hei in “reins” with an Alef, the word becomes “imprison”. So, the word kilyah, hylk, has to do with “reins”, the power of choice or control.

The Phrase “and the caul” is translated from yatharth, trty [Yod, Tav, Reish, Tav], numbered 3508 in Strong's, and is said to have the meaning “appendage”, “overhang”, “protrusion”. It is from the word yathar, rty, numbered 3498, 3499, and 3500 translated “leave”, “remain”, “rest”, “remainder”, “remnant”, “reserved”, “residue”, but also “plenteous”, “behind”, “excel,” “much”, “preserve”, “excellency”, “with”, “cord”, “exceeding”, “excellent”, “more”, “plentifully”, and “string” and is the same as the name “Jethro”, said to mean “abundance”.

The word “caul” appears to be the leftovers or extra remaining from the liver, which is yet to be discussed, and may reveal the key to understanding what the text is trying to impart.

The word we are told means “above” appears in several different forms: Nm , ynm [ Mem, Nun or Mem, Nun, Yod]. These letter combinations are translated as “among”, “with”, “from”, “that” “not”, “since”, “after”, “at”, “by”, “whether”, “of”, “part”, and even “I”, “me”, “before”, “after”, “because”, “therefore”, “out”, “for”, “than”, and “partly”. In fact, these words appear as “stringed instrument”, “whereby”, and 19 other miscellaneous words. Such flexibility in interpretation should give cause for concern, if not alarm. How much influence do translators have over our modern interpretation of the text? Did God ever intend for us to burn up dead animals, removing liver and kidneys? For what purpose and to what end? Or was that a distortion of the Pharisees’ rituals and superstitions that plagues our thinking today?

The word “liver” is from kabed, dbk, [Kaf, Beit, Dalet] identified with the Strong's number 3516, is translated “liver” 14 times. The same three lettered word, kabad, dbk, numbered 3513, is translated “honour” 34 times, “glorify”, “honourable” 14 times each, “heavy” 13 times, “harden” 7, “glorious” 5, “sore” 3, “made heavy” 3, “chargeable”, “great”, “many”, “heavier”, “promote” twice each, with 10 other miscellaneous translations. It is given the meaning “to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured.”

This word kabad, dbk, is the same word that we see in f Exodus 20:12 or “honor”:

“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”

All these words are the same exact Hebrew letters, dbk [Kaf Beit Delath].³ Kaf is said to mean “The Power to Actualize Potential”. Beit is attributed with the meaning “God’s Dwelling Place”, and Dalet denotes “Selflessness or Charity”. The word has to do with giving, abundance, enriching, increasing wealth with charity. It has to do with thanksgiving.

The same exact three letter word we see as “liver”, dbk, which appears as Strong's numbers 3514 and 3515 is translated “heavy”, “great”, “sore”, “hard”, “much”, “laden”, “thick”, “slow”, and “grievousness” or “great number”. They are defined as “weight, heaviness, mass, great... massive, abundant, numerous, dull, hard, difficult, burdensome, very oppressive, numerous, rich.”

How is it that the same three letter word can be translated so many different ways? How can the same word that means “liver” also mean “heavy, hardened, honour, glorious, chargeable, sore, grievous, slow or thick”, etc.? Let us trudge on through this maze of sophistry and free our minds of any strong delusion that may have us in its grip.

The phrase “of the sin offering” comes from Strong's 2403 and is said to appear as both hajx and tajx [Chet, Tet, Alef, Hei and Chet, Tet, Alef,Tav] and is translated “sin” 182 times, but it is also translated “sin offering” 116, punishment 3 times, “purification for sin” twice, and “purifying”, “sinful”, “sinner” once each. These words are from 2398, ajx, which is translated “sin” 188 times, but “purify” 11 times, “cleanse” 8 times, “sinner” 8, “committed” 6, “offended” 4 times, “blame” and “done” twice each, and “fault, harm, loss, miss, offender, purge, reconciliation, sinful, trespass” once each.

This book is not meant to be a lesson in the Hebrew language, but a pattern should be evident from the multiple words that are used in place of the original Hebrew. The room for deception and altering the original intent is broad. The possibilities are mind boggling.

Even the word “the burnt” is from the Hebrew word qatar, rjq, [Kuf, Tet, Reish], given the Strong's number 6999, and is translated “incense” 59 times, and “burn” 49 times, but also translated “offer” 3 times, “kindle”, and “offering” once each, with 4 other miscellaneous translations. It is said to be a primitive root, but is identical with Strong's number 7000, qatar, rjq, and other Strong's numbers 7001 and 7002, which are translated doubts, joints, incense, and joined, and given the definitions of to “shut in, enclose, join, knot, joint”, and even “problem”.

Another word for “burnt offering” is `olah, 5930, hle, which is translated “burnt offering”, “burnt sacrifice”, but also translated “ascent” and “go up”. The same word, hle ,is also numbered 5927 and 5929, but translated “up” 676 times, “offer” 67, and more than a hundred other times as “come, bring, ascend, go, chew, offering, light, increase, burn, depart, put, spring, raised, arose, break, exalted” and another 33 other miscellaneous ways. The latter is translated “leaf” and “branch”. One must ask, does the original word have anything to do with fire and burning things up at all?

Even the Hebrew word, mizbeach, xbzm [Mem, Zayin, Beit, Chet], given the Strong's number 4196, is always translated “altar”. It is from zabach, xbz [Zayin, Beit, Chet], Strong's number 2076, which is translated “sacrifice” 85 times, “offer” 39, “kill” 5, “slay” 5, but as Strong's 2077 xbz, is translated “sacrifice” 155 times, “offerings” 6, and “offer” once. It also appears as the name Zebah, said to mean “deprived of protection”.

What is the Truth? Each of us must develop new eyes with which to see and new ears with which to hear , working out our own salvation with fear and trembling, striving to know and do the will of God. There is a standard; it is the Holy Spirit. It is our comforter and guide by which we may see and hear the truth of the scriptures and the words of God the Father, as they are written upon our hearts and our minds.

Large numbers of people knew at different times in history that there was no call by God for burning up dead animals and that the altars and temple were to be made of living earth and living stones. They knew that justice and mercy, freely given with charity and hope, is for what God has been calling from the beginning. They knew that men should not covet their neighbors’ goods nor the wealth of those families, nor their sons and daughters through the agencies and institutions they devise for themselves.

“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5

The sophistry of language has mislead men from the simple truths of God's ways. The authors may have been inspired. The translators, however, are often lacking that inspiration, but not their own imagination. The word “heart” may represent an organ or the “capacity for virtue”. “Kidney” may be and organ or the “power of choice”. And a “liver” may be an organ or the “honorarium given” to a minister.

A “stone” may be a chosen friend who is to minister this freewill offering and a “gathering of stones” may be a council or network of such friends to assist in a national necessity of charity and hope. A “burnt offering” may be something simply given up entirely by the contributor.

The simple instructions of the kingdom and how they make their freewill contributions may have been twisted into a superstitious, pagan, and mindless ritual of trauma and bloodletting by altering the meaning of words.

Were these ancient verses trying to say:

“The power of choice over the distribution of the honorarium are given freely to the living ministers of God’s altar, and the surplus of that offering is their covering to take care of their needs according to their own power of choice; as the LORD commanded Moses. This is the strength of God’s way”?

This is the kingdom of God. Ministers of that government are servants, chosen by the people through the granting of their contributions. They are tithed to only according to their service. It is a government where the power of choice to make contributions remains with, of, and for the people, and coveting your neighbors’ goods through the agency of institutions created by men is against The Law. The people are bound by faith, hope, and charity and everyone lives under and by the perfect law of liberty.

 

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