King James Bible

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1 Kings

12

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28

Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Whereupon the king king Noun H4428 הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ ham·me·lech,
Analysis:
Read more about: So
took counsel advertise Verb H3289 וַיִּוָּעַ֣ץ vai·yiv·va·'atz
and made accomplish Verb H6213 וַיַּ֕עַשׂ vai·ya·'as
two both Noun H8147 שְׁנֵ֖י 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. 

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[of] gold gold Noun H2091 זָהָ֑ב za·hav;
calves bullock Noun H5695 עֶגְלֵ֣י eg·lei
and said answer Verb H559 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר vai·yo·mer
unto them It is too much in abundance Adjective H7227 רַב־ rav-
for you to go up arise Verb H5927 מֵעֲלֹ֣ות me·'a·lo·vt
to Jerusalem Jerusalem Noun H3389 יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם ye·ru·sha·lim,
Analysis:
Read more about: Jerusalem
behold behold Particle H2009 הִנֵּ֤ה hin·neh
behold thy gods angels Noun H430 אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ e·lo·hei·cha
O Israel Israel Noun H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל yis·ra·'el,
Analysis:
Read more about: Israel
which brought thee up arise Verb H5927 הֶעֱל֖וּךָ he·'e·lu·cha
out of the land common Noun H776 מֵאֶ֥רֶץ me·'e·retz
of Egypt Egypt 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

Jerusalem

JERUSALEMje-roo'-sa-lem:I. THE NAME1. In Cuneiform2. In Hebrew3. In Greek and Latin4. The Meaning of Jerusalem5. Other NamesII. GEOLOGY, CLIMATE AND SPRINGS1. Geology2. Climate and Rainfall3. The Natural SpringsIII. THE NATURAL SITE1. The Mountains Around2. The Valleys3. The HillsIV. GENERAL TOPOGRAPHY OF JERUSALEM1. Description of Josephus2. Summary of the... View Details

Parallel Verses

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King James Bible Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Hebrew Greek English Whereupon So the king took counsel, consulted, and made two calves of gold, golden calves, and he said unto to them, It "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: Jerusalem; behold thy your gods, O Israel, which that brought thee you up out of from the land of Egypt."
New American Standard Bible 1995 Whereupon So the king took counsel, consulted, and made two calves of gold, golden calves, and he said unto to them, It "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: Jerusalem; behold thy your gods, O Israel, which that brought thee you up out of from the land of Egypt."