Lev_11:44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy:
Lev_11:45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
"In the beginning" . What does YHWH mean by that PHRASE?
By MBPSTB
Shabbat, 3 August, 2013
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
H7225
ראשׁית
rê'shı̂yth
ray-sheeth'
From the same as H7218; the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically a firstfruit): - beginning, chief (-est), first (-fruits, part, time), principal thing.
Exo 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
H7218
ראשׁ
rô'sh
roshe
From an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literally or figuratively (in many applications, of place, time, rank, etc.): - band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief (-est place, man, things), company, end, X every [man], excellent, first, forefront, ([be-]) head, height, (on) high (-est part, [priest]), X lead, X poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.
THE BEGINNING OF MONTHS
3. A new starting point was needed for Israel. Trapped in bondage to Egypt, they had lost sight of their heritage, their God, their Torah and YHWH's appointed days. Since the Egyptians made them work hard, most likely they had to work on the seventh day and as time progressed and new generations were born, they were accustomed to working every single day with no rest and so did not know about YHWH's commandment for the seventh day rest. Why would their parents tell them? It would only cause more grief and possibly uprising which would have made life even harder for them while in captivity.
So then, YHWH's bringing them into the wilderness was to RE-TEACH them. To reacquaint them with His TORAH and His Appointed Days and Times. A few scholars bring up the point that if Israel was in the wilderness of which most was desert, their would be no ABIB barley to grow and even if they could grow it, YHWH was making them move constantly. We have become accustomed to looking for ABIB barley, yet is this phrase found in scripture? In fact, it cannot be found stated that barley is what is used to determine the "Beginning of months".
Exo 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
Here YHWH DECLARES the BEGINNING by His Word. Not the sun, not the moon and not the barley. NONE of those things came into being when YHWH created the FIRST DAY in Genesis. It was BY HIS WORD that everything began. WHY would He have us use the sun when He did not? WHY would YHWH use the moon, when He did not?? WHY would YHWH use Aviv barley when HE did not???
(Exodus 13:4) This day came ye out in the month Abib.
(Exodus 23:15) Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)
(Exodus 34:18) The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.
(Deuteronomy 16:1) Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.
The above verses speak quite plainly of Aviv or Abib, being the name of the first month and there is no reference to Barley in any of these verses. Yet, when looking at the Hebrew word "Abib" H24 , again there appears to be a possible misleading as we find mention twice that it refers to grain being green and tender. Yet, in the middle of those two references is indeed what YHWH declared: It is the name of the first month! And NOT the barley being referred to!
H24 “abib”
אביב
'âbı̂yb
aw-beeb'
From an unused root (meaning to be tender); green, that is a young ear of grain; hence the name of the month Abib or Nisan: - Abib, ear, green ears of corn.
Delving further into the mystery of Abib, lets also break it down. ABIB. AB-IB. The first part appears to be connected to the name of "Father". It is also defined by the words: "chief", "principal".
We find the use of "chief" in the Young's Literal Translation:
(Exo 12:2 - YLT) `This month is to you the chief of months--it is the first to you of the months of the year;
H1
אב
'âb
awb
A primitive word; father in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application: - chief, (fore-) father ([-less]), X patrimony, principal. Compare names in “Abi-”
Exo 13:4 This dayH3117 came ye outH3318 H859 in the monthH2320 Abib.H24
Exo 23:15 Thou shalt keepH8104 (H853) the feastH2282 of unleavened bread:H4682 (thou shalt eatH398 unleavened breadH4682 sevenH7651 days,H3117 asH834 I commandedH6680 thee, in the time appointedH4150 of the monthH2320 Abib;H24 forH3588 in it thou camest outH3318 from Egypt:H4480 H4714 and noneH3808 shall appearH7200 beforeH6440 me empty:)H7387
Exo 34:18 (H853) The feastH2282 of unleavened breadH4682 shalt thou keep.H8104 SevenH7651 daysH3117 thou shalt eatH398 unleavened bread,H4682 asH834 I commandedH6680 thee, in the timeH4150 of the monthH2320 Abib:H24 forH3588 in the monthH2320 AbibH24 thou camest outH3318 from Egypt.H4480 H4714
Deu 16:1 ObserveH8104 (H853) the monthH2320 of Abib,H24 and keepH6213 the passoverH6453 unto the LORDH3068 thy God:H430 forH3588 in the monthH2320 of AbibH24 the LORDH3068 thy GodH430 brought thee forthH3318 out of EgyptH4480 H4714 by night.H3915
It appears then, unmistakably, quite clear, that the "beginning of months" has NOTHING to do with barley being "Abib". It is and has been declared by YHWH, a MONTH and indeed, in FACT, the FIRST MONTH, that is “the head of the year”.
More breakdown of the meaning of "the BEGINNING"
Looking at this same verse in several other translations:
Exo 12:2
(ASV) This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
(Brenton) This month shall be to you the beginning of months: it is the first to you among the months of the year.
(HOT+) החדשׁH2320 הזהH2088 לכם ראשׁH7218 חדשׁיםH2320 ראשׁוןH7223 הואH1931 לכם לחדשׁיH2320 השׁנה׃H8141
(JPS) 'This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.
(KJV+) ThisH2088 monthH2320 shall be unto you the beginningH7218 of months:H2320 itH1931 shall be the firstH7223 monthH2320 of the yearH8141 to you.
(The Scriptures 1998+) “This month is the beginning of months for you, it is the first month of the year for you.
Looking at the Scriptures98 verse, it could be two separate thoughts being declared:
“This month is the beginning of months for you, AND ALSO,
it is the first month of the year for you.
In other words, not only is it the beginning of you're counting MY days and months, but it will also be for each year, the first month of each year.
(YLT) `This month is to you the chief of months--it is the first to you of the months of the year;
In the Young's Literal Translation above we find the word BEGINNING translated as CHIEF. The HEAD, not only of each year, but of this FIRST MONTH a NEW, RENEWED, REPAIRED, REBUILT, A FRESH NEW THING as ALL these meanings are found within the family of this Hebrew Word definition. Again, sometimes the actual more true meaning can be found by FOLLOWING the WORD TRAILS we are given within the definitions. Sometimes it can be found also, just by looking at the "FAMILY" of words that have sprung from the original Hebrew word. We look at "beginning" first, then at "month".
See below:
(KJV+) ThisH2088 monthH2320 shall be unto you the beginningH7218 of months:H2320 itH1931 shall be the firstH7223 monthH2320 of the yearH8141 to you.
H7218 "Beginning"
ראשׁ
rô'sh
roshe
From an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literally or figuratively (in many applications, of place, time, rank, etc.): - band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief (-est place, man, things), company, end, X every [man], excellent, first, forefront, ([be-]) head, height, (on) high (-est part, [priest]), X lead, X poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.
In Exodus 12:2, the "primary" definition of "month" is Strong's H2320, with a reference to H2318.
Put aside what we have been told, open our minds and seeing ALL the words that define this translated word:
(KJV+) ThisH2088 monthH2320 shall be unto you the beginningH7218 of months:H2320 itH1931 shall be the firstH7223 monthH2320 of the yearH8141 to you.
PLEASE look carefully at the actual Hebrew words for BOTH H2320 and H2318. They are EXACTLY the SAME.
H2320 "Month"
חדשׁ
chôdesh
kho'-desh
From H2318; the new moon; by implication a month: - month (-ly), new moon.
H2318
חדשׁ
châdash
khaw-dash'
A primitive root; to be new; causatively to rebuild: - renew, repair.
Could it be that YHWH wanted Israel to START OVER??? A fresh NEW BEGINNING from that point forward? Aligning them correctly to His Calendar and His Holy days and Appointed Times?? (Dan 7:25)
After all, Israel had been in Egyptian captivity for hundreds of years, losing their knowledge, their traditions, all things that defined them as Israel. Immersed in pagan gods and culture of Egypt, it is very easy to see that they would have needed reteaching. Even Moses had to escape Egypt in order to be taught things, in preparation for his mission.
Let's also look at one more definition. Why, does the very first definition, H2320, point us to H2318?
It skips H2319. Let's look at H2319:
H2319
חדשׁ
châdâsh
khaw-dawsh'
From H2318; new: - fresh, new thing.
Not only does H2319 show that it also points back to H2318, but it builds on and supports the more accurate meaning of BEGINNING FRESH; STARTING OVER; A NEW STARTING POINT.
This was YHWH's FIRST LESSON to ISRAEL. It was the BEGINNING of His RE-TEACHING Israel His TORAH, His TRUTH.
Within ALL THREE connected words, there is more to define it meaning something new, rather than meaning anything to do with the moon. As a matter of fact, if we look up the word for "moon", this is what we find:
H3394
ירח
yârêach
yaw-ray'-akh
From the same as H3391; the moon: - moon.
Note that it points to H3391:
H3391
ירח
yerach
yeh'-rakh
From an unused root of uncertain signification; a lunation, that is, month: - month, moon.
Is there a difference between the words "Lunation" and "Month"?
Would it be easy to confuse the two? Is it possible that those who came back from Babylon (to include others who were not of Judah, but "converted" to Judaism to save their lives (see Esther) did so, also bringing with them the traditions of the Babylonian lunar calendar?
Lunation is the mean time for one lunar phase cycle (i.e., the synodic period of the Moon). It is on average 29.530589 days, or 29 days 12 hours 44 minutes and 3 seconds. The length of this cycle is linked to many phenomena in nature, such as the variation between spring and neap tides (the extreme highest and lowest tides, respectively).
In a lunar calendar each month corresponds to a lunation.
Individual lunations vary in length by several hours, because of the eccentricity of the orbits of the Moon and Earth. However, the lunation is never more than 15 hours behind or ahead of a mean lunation. Each lunar cycle is assigned a unique Lunation Number to identify it.>>
As we can see, the word "Lunation" is tied directly to things of the moon.
Daniel 7:25 could be seen to apply also to those who came out Babylon, returning to Judea as fitting this description.
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