New American Standard Bible 1995

Back to Reader

2 Kings

7

:

13

One of his servants said, "Please, let some men take five of the horses which remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it; behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who have already perished, so let us send and see."

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
One one Adjective H259 אֶחָ֨ד e·chad
Analysis:

One: God

Refers to HaShem (God), Who is One. This number can also refer to unity. The first place the number "one" occurs is in Genesis 1:5. There one reads, "And there was an evening and there was a morning— one day". Later on in this same book of Genesis, it is stated concerning the man and his wife, "And they became one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It is very significant that in both of these examples there was a multiplicity for the subject. In the first example, the evening and the morning became one day and in the second example, it was Adam and Eve who became one flesh.

One of the most famous passages in the Torah concerning HaShem is Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, "Hear O Israel the Lord your God the Lord is One." The question that a person must ask himself is what is the connection between the use of the Hebrew word אחד "one" which identifies a multiplicity being one and the fact that the Lord God of Israel is One? The answer is that the Hebrew word אחד can relate to the concept for one as in "unification". There is another Hebrew word that would have been possible to be used if the author wanted to refer to an absolute oneness or singleness. This is the Hebrew word יחיד. In fact, there is a well-known prayer in Judaism which states, "אחד ואין יחיד כיחודו". This phrase should be translated as, "(God is) One and there is no singularity as His singularity." The idea that is being expressed in this prayer is that the Lord God of Israel is One; but not an absolute One; rather there is a uniqueness and a complexity to His Oneness.

The number one is frequently employed to express in the Scriptures one object, such as one man or one tabernacle. This usage would be the simple or common purpose that the number one or for that matter any number, would appear in a Biblical text. Often the appearance of a number does not contain any of the significance that Hebrew numerology might offer. Therefore, the reader must always consider when coming across a verse which contains a number, that the number only expresses an amount and no additional significance. 

Because the number one is often associated with God, there is a unique phenomenon in the Scriptures concerning this number. Sometimes the number one is employed to express a unique relationship that the object has to HaShem. For example,

"And it will be one day, it will be known to HaShem..." Zechariah 14:7

In the text above, Zechariah could have stated simply, "And it will be a day…" The fact that the prophet said "one day" is to convey that this day is uniquely related to God. Similarly, it is stated by the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 37, "one King", "one nation" and "one Shepherd" (see Ezekiel 37:22, 24). Each of these objects—King, nation and Shepherd—has a connection to HaShem. The King and Shepherd is Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the one nation is Israel, the people of God.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

of his servants slave, servant Noun H5650 מֵעֲבָדָ֜יו me·'a·va·dav
said, to utter, say Verb H559 וַיֹּ֗אמֶר vai·yo·mer
"Please, I (we) pray, now Interjection H4994 נָ֞א na
let some [men] take to take Verb H3947 וְיִקְחוּ־ ve·yik·chu-
five five Noun H2568 חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה cha·mi·shah
Analysis:

Five: Incompletion or lacking

For a person to understand the meaning of the number “five”, one must first realize that the meaning of the number ten is completion or wholeness. Since five is half of ten, the idea is that the number five represents incompletion or that which is lacking. A Scripture that expresses this idea is found in the book of John. At a place called Beit Chesed (Bethesda), there was a pool whose waters healed the sick. The reader is told that around the pool there were five porches. It is stated that on these five porches laid individuals who were not whole. Some were paralyzed and the rest of them had a variety of health problems. It is not a chance happening that these people who were lacking their health were on five porches. Another well-known passage that contains the number five is found in I Samuel 17. In the account of David and Goliath, David picks up five stones (see I Samuel 17:40). Why is the reader told the specific number and not simply that David had gathered a few stones? The answer is to assist the reader in understanding that the stone, which David hurled at Goliath, was not the source of victory. Rather, this was only the means that God used to accomplish His victory. In other words, the stone and even David, who hurled this stone at Goliath, were insufficient to bring about this victory.

One of the first places where the idea of "lacking" or "incompleteness" is seen regarding the number five is in the book of Genesis. In chapter 18, two angels are sent to Sodom to destroy the city. God tells Abraham that if 50 righteous people are found in the city, then the city will be free of this punishment (We will learn that the number 50 is related to freedom when this number is studied). This is revealed to Abraham and he responds saying, perhaps the city will lack 50 righteous people by five. It is significant that Abraham uses the number five when referring to the city lacking enough righteous people. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016

of the horses a horse Noun H5483 הַסּוּסִים֮ has·su·sim
which remain, to remain, be left over Verb H7604 הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִים֮ han·nish·'a·rim
which who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁ֣ר a·sher
are left to remain, be left over Verb H7604 נִשְׁאֲרוּ־ nish·'a·ru-
in the city. Behold, lo! behold! Particle H2009 הִנָּ֗ם hin·nam
they [will be in any case] like all the whole, all Noun H3605 כְּכָל־ ke·chol-
the multitude a sound, murmur, roar, crowd, abundance Noun H1995 (הֲמֹ֤ון ha·mo·vn
of Israel "God strives," another name of Jacob and his desc. Noun H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ yis·ra·'el
Analysis:
Read more about: Israel
who who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁ֣ר a·sher
are left to remain, be left over Verb H7604 נִשְׁאֲרוּ־ nish·'a·ru-
in it; behold, lo! behold! Particle H2009    
they [will be in any case] like all the whole, all Noun H3605 כְּכָל־ ke·chol-
the multitude a sound, murmur, roar, crowd, abundance Noun H1995 הֲמֹ֥ון ha·mo·vn
of Israel "God strives," another name of Jacob and his desc. Noun H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל yis·ra·'el
Analysis:
Read more about: Israel
who who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁר־ a·sher-
have already perished, to be complete or finished Verb H8552 תָּ֑מּוּ tam·mu;
so let us send to send Verb H7971 וְנִשְׁלְחָ֖ה ve·nish·le·chah
and see." to see Verb H7200 וְנִרְאֶֽה׃ ve·nir·'eh.

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

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 One of his servants said, "Please, let some men take five of the horses which remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it; behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who have already perished, so let us send and see."
King James Bible One And one of his servants answered and said, "Please, let Let some men take take, I pray thee, five of the horses which that remain, which are left in the city. Behold, city, (behold, they will be in any case like are as all the multitude of Israel who that are left in it; it: behold, I say, they will be in any case like are even as all the multitude of Israel who have already perished, so the Israelites that are consumed:) and let us send and see."
Hebrew Greek English One of his servants said, "Please, let some men take five of the horses which remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it; behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who have already perished, so let us send and see."