Ancient Hebrew Meaning of Punish

[gregoryfl]

The word punish in English is defined as:

inflict a penalty or sanction on (someone) as retribution for an offense, especially a transgression of a legal or moral code.

So someone who receives life in prison is being punished for his or her crime.

While this may be man's view of punishment, there is something missing in the definition that is revealed for us in the word that the Creator's created for punish and punishment.

The Hebrew word for punish is (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/shu.png)(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/na.png)(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/a.png). It comes from the marriage root (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/shu.png)(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/na.png), which means 'to shed' in the sense of sliding away.

Here are some related root words:

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/re.png)(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/shu.png)(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/na.png) means 'vulture' (erroneously thought to be an eagle by the American culture and translations) and it speaks of an animal who top (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/re.png) is shed (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/shu.png)(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/na.png) of feathers.

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/lu.png)(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/shu.png)(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/na.png) means 'to shed' and is used in scripture to refer to such things as removing one's shoes (Exo 3:5), an iron axehead sliding off the handle (Deu 19:5), and the removal of nations (Deu 7:1).

The (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/a.png), prefixing the root, conveys the action of an eye, which is to ascend. This is why the Hebrew idiom 'he lifted up his eyes' is used. It clues us in on the meaning of that letter. The word for ascend is (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/lu.png)(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/a.png), which is the action of the eye being led up to see. To look up is another say of saying 'to see', for when you look at the ground you are not looking. Anyway, sorry for that rabbit trail...

When our Father punishes (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/shu.png)(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/na.png)(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/a.png), he is doing so because we have, by our actions, shed (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/shu.png)(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/na.png) from where we should be, going down from where we are intended to be, and the punishment is designed to get us to (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5638259/ah/a.png), to ascend the eyes and see where we have shed away or slid away.

In summary, it is restorative and redemptive in nature.

Ronen

[lomarah]

 :thumbsup: Exactly!

[WhiteWings]

'he lifted up his eyes'

Makes me think of Rich man and Lazarus.

[Seth]

 :banana:

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: :thumbsup: :dsunny: