What is it that YHVH values most or what is His treasure? What about us and our treasure? Do we share His values and interests? What will the ancient pictographs reveal to us about the deeper meaning of the word treasure and about the character and nature of the LORD? Let’s investigate and find out.
There are at least five different Hebrew words that may be translated into English as treasure.
Each of these has a slightly different meaning. We most often think of treasure as consisting of valuable objects like gems, gold, or silver that are usually stored or hidden for safety.
The most frequently used word for treasure in our scriptures is first found in Deuteronomy Chapter 28 verse 12 where Moses writes:
The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
The word treasure used here is the Hebrew word Otsar. This word Otsar is most often used with the meaning of a storehouse for treasure rather than the treasure itself, so in this verse we see that the LORD or YHVH is opening His storehouse of treasure in order to bless His people.
Otsar is also found in Proverbs Chapter 15 verse 16 describing us and our storehouse of treasure:
Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
We can see in this that our Otsar is likely to bring us trouble and that we should do well to fear the LORD and be content with whatever He chooses to grant us from His storehouse of blessing. What can the ancient pictographs now explain to us about this word for treasure? Otsar is spelled Aleph Vav Tsade Reysh.
Aleph is the picture of the ox and means the strong leader, the first, or God the Father.
Vav is the picture of the iron nail or the wooden hook or peg and means to secure, to add, or join two things that are separated from one another.
Tsade is the picture of the fishhook and means to catch, to have a strong desire, or a harvest.
Reysh is the picture of the head and means the leader, the master, or the prince.
Ancient Language
Modern Hebrew
The ancient pictographs for Otsar show us that the strong leader, God the Father, is joined to the harvest found in the prince. What prince? That would be Jesus the Christ, Yeshua Ha-Mashiach. This is the same Jesus who declared in the Gospel of John Chapter 14 verse 6 that:
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jesus and the Father both share the same Otsar or treasure which is the harvest of the lost for eternity.
There is something else to learn here. The Vav connects what is on one side of the word to what is on the other. We have already discovered that the strong leader, God the Father is on one side, but what about the other? The letters Tsade Reysh form the word sorry or can be translated narrow. What does this tell us? We are reminded sadly that not everyone will choose to be connected to the Father and be included in His treasure. The Gospel of Matthew tells us in Chapter 7 verse 14:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Isaiah also writes of this Otsar of the LORD. In Chapter 33 verse 6 we are told:
And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is is his treasure.
The word treasure here is again Otsar. This is our second verse that connects the fear of the LORD with Otsar. In our last article, we discovered that the Yirat or the Fear of the LORD is something that belongs to Him, it is His. Isaiah reveals just how valuable it is to the LORD for us to view Him with the awe and respect that His majesty deserves. Not only are those that choose Him His treasure, but how those that choose Him view Him is also part of His Otsar.
You didn’t notice it, but there was another word for treasure in Isaiah’s verse 6. The word strength is the Hebrew word Chocen and is translated wealth, riches, strength, and treasure.
In this passage, Hezekiah, the King of Judah, is faced with an invasion by the Assyrians but refuses to make a foreign alliance with Egypt for safety. He instead trusts in the LORD for deliverance. Isaiah describes something very revealing for our benefit.
Out of the treasure, or the Otsar of the Fear of the LORD, will come the source of wisdom and knowledge that will provide stability for Judah. There will be deliverance from the Assyrians and strength or Chocen of salvation. What is meant by that?
Chocen is spelled Chet Samech Noon.
Chet is the picture of the fence and means to protect, to separate, a sanctuary, or a private place.
Samech is the picture of the prop and means to support.
Noon is the picture of the fish and means activity or life.
Ancient Language
Modern Hebrew
Hezekiah is promised that out of the treasure of Otsar will come the treasure of Chocen which is that Judah will be protected and supported resulting in life for them. The Assyrians will be destroyed, but the treasure of YHVH, His people, will be saved.
The real treasure, or Otsar of the LORD, is not what blessings He showers upon us, but that His fear brings us to a place of trust where the Father and the Prince unite for the purpose of the great harvest. We can be protected, supported, and given life if we will just trust in Him.
Like this article? Share it using the social sharing links. Subscribe to The Living Word Discovery and get amazing Hebrew Word Studies delivered to you every week! | Get the book and start your own journey into the Hebrew Language! |
Subscribe! | Get it Now! |
Love your site, keep up all that you do in the name of YAH
CAN YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO MT.MORIAH, ABRAHAM’S SACRIFICE TO OUR FATHER AND GOLGATHA AS PART OF MT. MORIAH, OUR FATHER’S SACRIFICE FOR US. IT MAY BE THAT BOTH HAPPENED ON THE EXACT SAME SPOT. IS THERE ANY CLUE FROM HEBREW THAT SHOWS THIS TO BE SO?