New American Standard Bible 1995

Back to Reader

Exodus

4

:

9

"But if they will not believe even these two signs or heed what you say, then you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground."

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
"But if if Conjunction H518 אִם־ im-
they will not believe to confirm, support Verb H539 יַאֲמִ֡ינוּ ya·'a·mi·nu
even also, moreover, yea Adverb H1571 גַּם֩ gam
these these Pronoun H428 הָאֵ֗לֶּה ha·'el·leh
two two (a card. number) Noun H8147 לִשְׁנֵ֨י lish·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 

signs a sign Noun H226 הָאֹתֹ֜ות ha·'o·to·vt
or heed to hear Verb H8085 יִשְׁמְעוּן֙ yish·me·'un
what you say, sound, voice Noun H6963 לְקֹלֶ֔ךָ le·ko·le·cha,
then you shall take to take Verb H3947 וְלָקַחְתָּ֙ ve·la·kach·ta
some from Prepostion H4480 מִן־ min-
water waters, water Noun H4325 מִמֵּימֵ֣י mim·mei·mei
from the Nile stream (of the Nile), stream, canal Noun H2975 הַיְאֹ֔ר hay·'or,
and pour to pour out, pour Verb H8210 וְשָׁפַכְתָּ֖ ve·sha·fach·ta
it on the dry ground; dry land, dry ground Noun H3004 הַיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה hai·yab·ba·shah;
and the water waters, water Noun H4325 הַמַּ֙יִם֙ ham·ma·yim
which who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁ֣ר a·sher
you take to take Verb H3947 תִּקַּ֣ח tik·kach
from the Nile stream (of the Nile), stream, canal Noun H2975 הַיְאֹ֔ר hay·'or,
will become to fall out, come to pass, become, be Verb H1961 וְהָיָ֡ה ve·ha·yah
blood blood Noun H1818 לְדָ֖ם le·dam
on the dry ground." dry land, dry ground Noun H3006 בַּיַּבָּֽשֶׁת׃ bai·yab·ba·shet.

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "But if they will not believe even these two signs or heed what you say, then you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground."
King James Bible "But And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe even also these two signs or heed what you say, then you shall signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take some of the water from of the Nile river, and pour it on upon the dry ground; land: and the water which you take from thou takest out of the Nile will river shall become blood on upon the dry ground."land.
Hebrew Greek English "But if they will not believe even these two signs or heed what you say, then you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground."