New American Standard Bible 1995

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1 Kings

16

:

21

Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; the other half followed Omri.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Then at that time Adverb H227 אָ֧ז az
the people people Noun H5971 הָעָ֥ם ha·'am
of Israel "God strives," another name of Jacob and his desc. Noun H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל yis·ra·'el
Analysis:
Read more about: Israel
were divided to divide, share Verb H2505 יֵחָלֵ֛ק ye·cha·lek
into two half Noun H2677 לַחֵ֑צִי la·che·tzi;
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 

parts: half Noun H2677 חֲצִ֨י cha·tzi
half half Noun H2677 וְהַחֲצִ֖י ve·ha·cha·tzi
of the people people Noun H5971 הָעָ֜ם ha·'am
followed to fall out, come to pass, become, be Verb H1961 הָ֠יָה ha·yah
Tibni a rival of Omri Noun H8402 תִבְנִ֤י tiv·ni
Analysis:
Read more about: Tibni
the son son Noun H1121 בֶן־ ven-
of Ginath, an Isr. Noun H1527 גִּינַת֙ gi·nat
Analysis:
Read more about: Ginath
to make him king; to be or become king or queen, to reign Verb H4427 לְהַמְלִיכֹ֔ו le·ham·li·chov,
the [other] half half Noun H2677    
followed the hind or following part Adverb H310 אַחֲרֵ֥י a·cha·rei
Omri. a king of Isr., also several other Isr. Noun H6018 עָמְרִֽי׃ a·me·ri.
Analysis:
Read more about: Omri

Locations

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

People

Ginath

an Israelite

Omri

a king of Isr., also several other Isr.

Tibni

a rival of Omri

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; the other half followed Omri.
King James Bible Then were the people of Israel were divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; the other and half followed Omri.
Hebrew Greek English Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; the other half followed Omri.