Hebrew Word Study – Calamity – Part I

(36 Ratings)

Conventional

 

Calamity

Dalet   Yood  Aleph

4        10       1

     eyd

 

Primary Conventional Usage Calamity

 

The dictionary defines Calamity as “a great misfortune or disaster, as a flood or serious injury.” Also defined as a “grievous affliction; adversity; misery.”

 

In the 32nd chapter of the book of Deuteronomy, we have the recorded Song which Moses delivered to the Children of Israel as God delivered it to Moses. 

 

It is a song of warning to remind The Children of Israel that if they forsake God the consequences will be nothing short of a Calamity

 

In verses 16 and 17 of Deuteronomy 32, Moses describes the reasons for the admonition.  It is all about how Israel treated God.  Listen to what Moses says.

 

They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

 

The judgments which God promises to bring upon them if they continue to aggravate Him with their impieties and gross sin include a severe warning of what is to come if they abandon Him for the false, worthless idols and other so called gods.  They will be scattered and reduced to a remnant.  The remaining remnant He promises to provoke them to jealousy as they have provoked Him to jealousy.  Listen to what God says at the end of verse 21.

 

I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

 

The first time in Scripture that the word Calamity is used is in the Song of Moses found in Deuteronomy 32:35.  Listen to what God says:

 

 

To me belongeth vengeance and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. 

Deuteronomy 32:35

 

Listen to what it says in Deuteronomy 32:20:

 

20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.

 

Did you notice the root cause for this severe warning to the Children of Israel?  It is found at the end of verse 20.  The children of Israel are described by God as “Children in whom is NO faith.”

 

But the song of Moses found in Deuteronomy does not end with utter desolation and destruction.  In verses 36-43 God makes a promise that He cannot and will not break.  It is a covenant that is not based on the rebellious and sinful behavior of His people, a people God calls stiff-necked and unbelieving.  No, God makes a promise with no conditions, a promise based on His covenant with Abraham and in harmony with His love and kindness.  God promises to gloriously restore and deliver the remnant of Israel in the last days.

 

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2 Comments Add yours

  1. Patricia Moon says:

    This is a wonderful way to learn at least a little Hebrew, and to find that a word such as darkness can have deeper meaning.

  2. Lloyd Duncan says:

    I love this ! I really want to learn Biblical Hebrew because I want to have a more thorough understanding of the Word .

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