New American Standard Bible 1995

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1 Kings

8

:

9

There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
There was nothing nothing, nought Particle H369 אֵ֚ין ein
in the ark a chest, ark Noun H727 בָּֽאָרֹ֔ון ba·'a·ro·vn,
except thin, only, altogether, surely H7534    
the two two (a card. number) Noun H8147 שְׁנֵי֙ 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 

tablets a tablet, board or plank, a plate Noun H3871 לֻחֹ֣ות lu·cho·vt
of stone a stone Noun H68 הָאֲבָנִ֔ים ha·'a·va·nim,
which who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁ֨ר a·sher
Moses a great Isr. leader, prophet and lawgiver Noun H4872 מֹשֶׁ֖ה mo·sheh
Analysis:
Read more about: Moses
put to rest H5117    
there there, thither Adverb H8033 שָׁ֛ם sham
at Horeb, "waste," a mountain in Sinai Noun H2722 בְּחֹרֵ֑ב be·cho·rev;
where who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁ֨ר a·sher
the LORD the proper name of the God of Israel Noun H3068 יְהוָה֙ Yah·weh
made to cut off, cut down Verb H3772 כָּרַ֤ת ka·rat
a covenant with the sons son Noun H1121 בְּנֵ֣י be·nei
of Israel, "God strives," another name of Jacob and his desc. Noun H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל yis·ra·'el,
Analysis:
Read more about: Israel
when they came to go or come out Verb H3318 בְּצֵאתָ֖ם be·tze·tam
out of the land earth, land Noun H776 מֵאֶ֥רֶץ me·'e·retz
of Egypt. a son of Ham, also his desc. and their country in N.W. Africa Noun H4714 מִצְרָֽיִם׃ mitz·ra·yim.
Analysis:

Egypt is often associated with the secular world. We become enslaved to our worldly desires, such as job, money, cars. In other words the world or (Egypt) looks good and very tempting until we get so wrapped up in it that we become a slave to it.

Read more about: Egypt

Locations

Egypt

EGYPTe'-jipt:I. THE COUNTRY1. The Basis of the Land 2. The Nile Valley 3. Earliest Human Remains 4. Climate 5. Conditions of Life 6. The Nile 7. The Fauna 8. The Flora 9. The Prehistoric RacesII. THE HISTORY1. 1st and 2nd Ages: Prehistoric 2. 3d Age: Ist and IInd Dynasties 3. 4th Age: IIIrd through VIth Dynasties 4. 5th Age: VIIth through XIVth Dynasties 5.... View Details

Israel

ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF" I. THE FIRST PERIOD1. The Two Kingdoms2. The Ist Dynasty3. The IInd Dynasty4. Civil WarII. PERIOD OF THE SYRIAN WARS1. The IIIrd Dynasty2. World-Politics3. Battle of Karkar4. Loss of Territory5. Reform of Religion6. Revolution7. The IVth Dynasty8. Renewed Prosperity9. AnarchyIII. DECLINE AND FALL1. Loss of Independence2. Decline3. Extinct... View Details

Put

PUTput (puT; Phoud, in Genesis and Chronicles, variant for Genesis Phout, for Chronicles, Phouth):1. Renderings:In consequence of the identification at the time, the prophets have "Libya" (Libues), except Nab 3:9, where the Greek renders the word as phuge, "flight." The Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) has "Phut," "Phuth," and in the Prophets "Li... View Details

People

Put

a son of Ham, also his desc. and their land

Moses

Moses, a leader of Israel who led the Israelites out of Egypt.

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

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Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
King James Bible There was nothing in the ark except save the two tablets tables of stone stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, where when the LORD made a covenant with the sons children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
Hebrew Greek English There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.