New American Standard Bible 1995

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Deuteronomy

Note Journal Prayer

9

:

18

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"I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sin which you had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke Him to anger.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
"I fell down to fall, lie Verb H5307 וָֽאֶתְנַפַּל֩ va·'et·nap·pal
before face, faces Noun H6440 לִפְנֵ֨י lif·nei
the LORD, the proper name of the God of Israel Noun H3068 יְהוָ֜ה Yah·weh
as at the first, former, first, chief Adjective H7223 כָּרִאשֹׁנָ֗ה ka·ri·sho·nah
forty forty Noun H705 אַרְבָּעִ֥ים ar·ba·'im
Analysis:

Forty: Transition or change

Often people will speak of the number forty as a generational number. There is no evidence for such an interpretation from the Scripture. The number 40 expresses a change or transition. The examples for such a view are seen throughout both the Old and New Covenants. 

  • It rained for 40 days in the days of Noah (see Genesis 7:12). These rains brought about a transition; HaShem would begin the world again with the family of Noah. 
  • Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (see Exodus 34:28). Although this was the second time Moses went up to the mountain, it was this time that the Law was actually given to the Children of Israel and a transition was made to Israel being commanded to observe the Law.
  • Yeshua was tested in the mountains of Judah for 40 days and 40 nights (see Matthew 4:2) and afterwards He began His ministry. Hence, a transition was made from when Yeshua did not minister to the time when He began to fulfill His Father's will in a formal way.
  • After the resurrection, Yeshua appeared for 40 days (Acts 1:3) and He ascended into the heavens. Yeshua's earthly ministry had finished and there was a transition to His disciples carrying on His work.
  • In the account of Absalom, the reader is told that at the end of 40 years (see 2 Samuel 15:7), Absalom requested permission to go to Hebron from his father. Although he said that he wanted to pay his vows, this was said so he could depart and begin his rebellion against David, his father. Why is 40 years mentioned? To what does the 40 years refer? Some commentaries say the 40 years was from when Saul began the monarchy. Whether this is true or not is undetermined. However, what is for sure is that there was a transition in the leadership of Israel. The number 40 appears in verse 7 to assist the reader in identifying this change in leadership.

Numerous other examples could be provided, but these few sufficiently demonstrate the meaning and use of the number 40 in the Scriptures. 

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days day Noun H3117 יֹום֙ yo·vm
and nights; night Noun H3915 לַ֔יְלָה lay·lah,
I neither not Adverb H3808 לֹ֣א lo
ate to eat Verb H398 אָכַ֔לְתִּי a·chal·ti,
bread bread, food Noun H3899 לֶ֚חֶם le·chem
nor not Adverb H3808 לֹ֣א lo
drank to drink Verb H8354 שָׁתִ֑יתִי sha·ti·ti;
water, waters, water Noun H4325 וּמַ֖יִם u·ma·yim
because upon, above, over Prepostion H5921 עַ֤ל al
of all the whole, all Noun H3605 כָּל־ kol-
your sin sin, sin offering Noun H2403 חַטַּאתְכֶם֙ chat·tat·chem
which who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁ֣ר a·sher
you had committed to miss, go wrong, sin Verb H2398 חֲטָאתֶ֔ם cha·ta·tem,
in doing do, make Verb H6213 לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות la·'a·so·vt
what was evil bad, evil Adjective H7451 הָרַ֛ע ha·ra
in the sight an eye Noun H5869 בְּעֵינֵ֥י be·'ei·nei
of the LORD the proper name of the God of Israel Noun H3068 יְהוָ֖ה Yah·weh
to provoke Him to anger. to be vexed or angry Verb H3707 לְהַכְעִיסֹֽו׃ le·hach·'i·sov.

People

Lord

Lord [N] [B] [S] There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered.    Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form "Jehovah" is retained only in  Exodus 6:3 ;  Psalms 83:18 ;  Isaiah 12:2 ;  26:4 , both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.&nb... View Details

Lord

Lord [N] [B] [S] There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered.    Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form "Jehovah" is retained only in  Exodus 6:3 ;  Psalms 83:18 ;  Isaiah 12:2 ;  26:4 , both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.&nb... View Details

Lord

Lord [N] [B] [S] There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered.    Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form "Jehovah" is retained only in  Exodus 6:3 ;  Psalms 83:18 ;  Isaiah 12:2 ;  26:4 , both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.&nb... View Details

Lord

Lord [N] [B] [S] There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered.    Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form "Jehovah" is retained only in  Exodus 6:3 ;  Psalms 83:18 ;  Isaiah 12:2 ;  26:4 , both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.&nb... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sin which you had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke Him to anger.
King James Bible "I And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and nights; forty nights: I did neither ate bread eat bread, nor drank drink water, because of all your sin sins which you had committed ye sinned, in doing what was evil wickedly in the sight of the LORD LORD, to provoke Him him to anger.
Hebrew Greek English "I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sin which you had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke Him to anger.