Shemesh (sun)

[cizz]

www.ancient-hebrew.org/emagazine/034.doc



By: Jeff A. Benner

This Hebrew word is first found in Genesis 15:12;

As the sun (sms shemesh - Strong's #8121) was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram; and lo, a dread and great darkness fell upon him.

This word is also found in another verse which is often interpreted with difficulty because of its difficult use of the word.

But for you who fear my name the sun (sometimes written as 'Sun' in some translations) of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go forth leaping like calves from the stall. (Malachi 4:2)

When read quickly, or when spoken, many read, or hear, this as 'son of righteousness.' What, or who, is this is sun? In the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible the vowel sounds are added to the text by placing dots and dashes underneath the Hebrew letters. But since the orignal Hebrew Bible did not have these letters all that originally existed as שמש (sh.m.sh). In Aramaic, a sister language to Hebrew and often very similar in its vocabulary, the Hebrew word shamash (same Hebrew spelling - sms) means 'servant.' Could this have been the word intended by the author - 'servant of righteousness?'

There is a possible cultural connection between shemesh (sun) and shamash (servant) in that the Ancient Hebrews may have seen the sun as the servant to the earth as it is necessary for all life to exist.

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Is this what Jesus meant when he said, "the greatest among you will be the least" ?

What does it mean "he emptied himself and came in the form of a bondservant"  ?

What does it mean "let us make mankind in our image" ?

A servant is forever given their image away and because of this they have no "image"...