New American Standard Bible 1995

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Isaiah

7

:

16

"For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
"For before not yet, ere, before that Prepostion H2962 בְּטֶ֨רֶם be·te·rem
the boy a boy, lad, youth, retainer Noun H5288 הַנַּ֛עַר han·na·'ar
will know to know Verb H3045 יֵדַ֥ע ye·da
[enough] to refuse to reject Verb H3988 מָאֹ֥ס ma·'os
evil evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity Adjective H7451 בָּרָ֖ע ba·ra
and choose to choose Verb H977 וּבָחֹ֣ר u·va·chor
good, a good thing, benefit, welfare Adjective H2896 בַּטֹּ֑וב bat·to·vv;
the land ground, land Noun H127 הָאֲדָמָה֙ ha·'a·da·mah
whose who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁ֣ר a·sher
two two (a card. number) Noun H8147 שְׁנֵ֥י she·nei
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

kings king Noun H4428 מְלָכֶֽיהָ׃ me·la·chei·ha.
you dread to feel a loathing, abhorrence, or sickening dread Verb H6973 קָ֔ץ katz,
will be forsaken. to leave, forsake, loose Verb H5800 תֵּעָזֵ֤ב te·'a·zev

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.
King James Bible "For For before the boy will child shall know enough to refuse evil the evil, and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken.forsaken of both her kings.
Hebrew Greek English "For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.