Read Exodus 25:1-22 at Bible Gateway.
Hebrew paragraph divisions
Exo 25:1-9 {s} The offering commanded to build the Tabernacle
Exo 25:10-22 {p} The pattern for the ark of the covenant
Hebrew root words
“Speak to the children of Israel, that they take for Me an offering; of every man whose heart makes him willing, you shall take My offering.” Exo 25:2
Offering is Strong’s H8461, terumah, a concrete noun meaning, “offering, contribution;” from Strong’s H7311 רום ruwm, a primitive root meaning, “to rise up, to be exalted.” The ancient pictographs are resh + vav + mem.
resh ר = the head of man, thus head, first, top, beginning, man
vav ו = the tent peg, thus add, secure, hook
mem מ, ם = the water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
The story the ancient pictographs are painting is of pre-eminence (resh) secured (vav) by might (mem), i.e., to be exalted. The connection to terumah is that an offering is lifted up in service to God or because of devotion to God.
Heart is Strong’s H3820, leb, a concrete noun meaning, “heart, the inner man;” from Strong’s H3823 לבב labab, a primitive root meaning, “to be hollow.” The ancient pictographs are lamed + bet + bet.
lamed ל = the shepherd’s staff, thus teach, yoke, to, bind
bet ב = the house, thus house, household, family, in, within
bet ב = the house, thus house, household, family, in, within
The story being told by the ancient pictographs is of being yoked (lamed) within (bet) the house (bet); i.e., the heart is a hollow organ (as a house is hollow), and is meant to hold something within it (as the house holds the family within it); that is, the life-giving blood, which it then distributes to all corners of the body. In the same way, the spiritual heart or inner man is hollow and is meant to hold something within it that it distributes to all corners of the person.
YHVH admonishes us to be sure that His words are what fills our hearts. They are life-giving, and the heart will distribute that life from the inner man to all corners of the person.
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. Deu 6:6
Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart. Job 22:22
Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psa 119:11
Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears.” Eze 3:10
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching, and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col 3:16
To be continued …
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