Chapter 1

1 After Israel was captured and Jerusalem was desolated, Jeremiah sat down and cried, wailing this lamentation over Jerusalem. He said:

How the city that was once filled with people, now sits all alone; among the nations she’s now a widow; she is now ruled and [pays] tribute.

2 She cried and she wept all through the night, as tears rolled down her cheeks; for no one is left to offer her comfort, among all those who once loved her. Those who once cared have now left her, and now they too are her enemies.

3 Judea was humiliated, for [her people] were [removed], and now she is just a slave. She finds no rest, for she [belongs to] the nations. All those who pursued her have caught her, and [she lives] among those who oppress her.

4 The roads to Zion now mourn, for no one comes to celebrate her feasts. All of her gates have been broken… her Priests are groaning and her virgins are captives, so inside herself she is bitter.

5 Now her head is those who opposed her, because her enemies [have won]. She’s been humbled by Jehovah, for all the irreverence within her. Her young were led out as captives, before all of those who oppressed her.

6 The daughters of Zion (her beauty) are now gone, [and others have become] their rulers. As rams without pasture they left without strength, in front of those who pursued them.

7 Jerusalem remembers her days of humiliation, and she’s repulsed [by the thought]. All her beautiful things [are now lost] – the things that they had from ancient times – when her people fell into the hands of oppressors, and no one came to her aid. Then her enemies laughed when they saw her displaced.

8 Because Jerusalem had sinned, she was allowed to be battered. She was humbled by those whom [loved], for they saw how indecent she became. So, now she [just sits and] moans, and all she does is look back.

9 Her filth lies there at her feet, for she forgot how things had to work out. So, she has now been brought down, and there’s no place where she can find comfort. [She cries]: Behold my humiliation, O Lord, for my enemy has become [my leader]!

10 He who oppressed her has spread out his hand, upon her desirable things. She watched as the nations entered her [Temple]… those who I said should not enter, among the assembly [of My people].

11 Now all of her people are groaning, because they are searching for bread. They traded her desirable things just for food, in order to save their own lives. Look upon this, O Jehovah, for she has now been disgraced!

12 All those who draw close and turn to Your way, will see if there’s pain like the pain that I feel. I am humbled by the One who’s speaking to me… the Lord in the day of His anger and rage.

13 From out of the heights He sent fire! Upon my bones He sent it all down, then He opened and spread out a net for my feet. He turned me back and made me retreat. He’s appointed me to go into hiding, for the rest of days because of my grief.

14 He was keenly aware of my godless deeds, for they were close to my hands, and then they ascended to my neck. So all of my strength has now left me, for the Lord has put grief in my hands, and I am unable to stand.

15 All my strong men are gone, because Jehovah has left me. For, the time arrived when He came to visit, and to break all my best men. Jehovah has trodden the winepress, of the virgin daughter of Judah.

16 It’s over such things that I weep, and my eyes are now filled up with tears. For, those who offer comfort are so far away… those who would bring back my life. All of my sons are now gone, for by my enemy I’ve been conquered.

17 Zion has opened and spread out her hands, but there’s no one to offer her comfort. For, Jehovah gave warning to Jacob, that he’ d be encircled by those who oppress him. But Jerusalem was a woman who was sitting apart, from all the [nations] who are unclean, while she existed in their midst.

18 Jehovah is righteous, for it is I who made His mouth bitter. So, hear all you peoples and look at my pain… all my virgins and young men are gone, taken away as captives!

19 I called to my lovers but they all misled me. My Priests and the elders of my city have failed, for they just sought food for themselves, so they could save their own lives.

20 Behold, O Lord, how afflicted I am! My stomach is upset and my heart rolls within me. I [became sour] and greatly embittered, for the sword has left me without children… it’s as though there is death in my house.

21 Listen indeed to my moaning, and there’s no one to offer me comfort. All of my enemies have heard of my badness, and they rejoice at the things that You’ve done. But, You’ll bring the day and the time, when they will also be like me.

22 May the evils before You come upon them… glean them the way they gleaned me for my sins! For, [they are the cause] of my moaning, and the concern in my heart.

Chapter 2

1 O how dark is the rage of Jehovah, when it came to the daughter of Zion. From the heavens He tossed the glory of Israel, onto [the face of] the earth. He forgot the stool for His feet, in the day of His rage.

2 [He] didn’t hold back, nor did He spare, the beautiful things of Jacob. In His rage He demolished all the forts, of the daughter of Judah. He cut her down to the ground, and profaned her rulers and king.

3 He broke them to pieces in anger and rage… He removed all of Israel’s strength… He turned His hand from the enemy’s face, then He lit Jacob ablaze, and consumed all the things round about.

4 As an enemy He stretched tight His bow; as an opponent he stiffened His hand, and killed all the desires of my eyes, in the tent of the daughter of Zion… He poured out the flames of His rage.

5 Like an enemy Jehovah became… He sunk Israel and all its palatial homes, and He destroyed all its forts… those of the daughter of Judah. He multiplied those who were humbling, as well as those being humbled.

6 He opened and spread out His Tent like a grapevine; He corrupted His holiday feasts. Jehovah forgot what He appointed in Zion… the holiday feasts and the Sabbaths. Because He was provoked, He threatened the king and the priests in His rage.

7 [He] thrust away His own Altar; His Holy Place He brushed aside. By the hand of the enemy He broke her palace walls, with a crash [that was heard] in the House of Jehovah, as though it was a festival day.

8 Jehovah made plans to ruin the walls, of the daughter of Zion. First He stretched out His ruler, then He didn’t stay His hand from the trampling. So, there was mourning around all the walls, for all the walls were then damaged.

9 Her gates were cut to the ground; He broke and destroyed the bars for her gates. Now among the nations her king and her rulers are scattered, there is no longer a Law, and her prophets see no visions from Jehovah.

10 They sat on the ground and kept silent… the elders of the daughter of Zion. They threw dust on their heads and wore sackcloth, as they laid the virgins of Jerusalem to the ground.

11 The tears in my eyes soon failed, because my heart was very disturbed. My glory was poured to the ground, over the destruction of the daughters of my people… the [murder] of babies and their nursing mothers, in the squares of the city.

12 To the mothers they asked, ‘Where’s the grain and wine?’ while they were as weak as wounded men. In the squares of the city they poured out the lives, onto the breasts of their mothers.

13 What more can I say, O daughter of Jerusalem; to what can you be compared? Who can save you, O virgin daughter of Zion? The cup of destruction was made larger for you, so by whom will you then be healed?

14 Your prophets saw your foolishness and folly, but they refused to uncover your sins, and turn you from this captivity. They had great concern for your foolishness, and they saw your need to be purged.

15 Now all clap their hands as they pass, then they shake their heads and they whistle, over the daughter of Jerusalem. They ask, ‘Is she the city that was called the crown of glory… the joy of the whole earth?’

16 All your enemies opened their mouths; they whistled and ground their teeth. They said; ‘We have swallowed her down! This is the day we expected to do it… we found it and saw it [all happen]!’

17 Jehovah did what He’d thought of… He finished the things that He said He would do… the instructions He gave long ago. He spared not and He demolished. He made the enemy glad over you. He raised high the horn of those who attacked you.

18 Their hearts yelled out to Jehovah, ‘O tear down the walls of Zion; may they stream tears day and night! Let them not become sober, or the pupils of their eyes stay still!’

19 During the night awaken and think! At the start of each watch pour out your hearts, before the face of Jehovah! Lift up your hands before Him, on behalf of your infants who lie starving, on all the corners of your streets!

20 Behold, O Lord, and see what You’ve gleaned! Shall the women eat the fruit of their bellies? Shall the babies be murdered as they’re nursing on breasts? Will you kill the priests and the prophets, inside the Holy Place of Jehovah?

21 Young boys go to bed in the streets, along with old men and virgins. My young men were all taken captives… You killed them with broadswords and famine. On the day of Your rage You slashed and spared not.

22 As a festival day (as no other day), You called those who stayed round about here. From the rage of Jehovah no one was saved… there were none left behind. [You] won and all my enemies were filled.

Chapter 3

1 I am a man who is helpless, for the rod of His rage is upon me. 2 He took me and led me away, into the darkness (not to the light). 3 He’s turned [the back of] His hand, against me throughout the day. 4 My flesh and my skin He’s made old; He’s broken [all of[ my bones. 5 He’s built [siege mounds] against me, and encircled my head with great trouble. 6 Inside a dark place He has put me, as though I was dead through the ages.

7 He built [siege mounds] against me, so I am unable to escape. He weighed me down with brass chains, 8 and indeed, though I cry out and yell, He has shut out of my prayers… 9 He has blocked all my ways and obstructed my roads.

10 He’s a bear that is lying in wait… [He’s] a lion that is in hiding. 11 After I rebelled He chased after me, and caused me to no longer be… He established me for wiping away. 12 He stretched tight His bow, and set me on a stone as a target for [His] arrows.

13 Poison to my kidneys He brought from His quiver, 14 and to all my people I was a reason for laughter, and a psalm throughout the whole day. 15 He filled me with bitterness and made me drunk bile.

16 With a small stone He knocked out my teeth, and then He gave me ashes to eat. 17 He pushed away peace from my life, and [soon] I forgot all the good things. 18 So, I said that my victory had perished, as well as the hope that I had in the Lord.

19 Then I remembered that despite my helpless state (yes, despite my persecution, bitterness, and bile), 20 I will be remembered and my life will continue. 21 This I have kept in my heart, and this is the reason why I’ll wait.

22 The mercies of Jehovah haven’t ended, nor have His compassions ever failed. 23 Each morning they’re new and He can be trusted. 24 ‘My portion is Jehovah,’ said my soul, ‘and because of this, I’ll wait for Him [to act].’

25 Jehovah is good to all those who’ll wait, and seek Him with their lives. 26 It’s good to be still and await the salvation of Jehovah, 27 and it’s good for a man to carry his yoke, from [the time] of his youth.

28 He’ll sit all alone and be quiet, as he lifts up his load. 29 He’ll put his mouth to the dust, in his belief that there is still hope. 30 To the one who slaps him he’ll turn the other cheek, and he’ll accept all their scorning. 31 For [his heart] he knows that Jehovah, wouldn’t push [him] away through the ages. 32 Those who are humble He’ll pity, in the abundance of His mercy. 33 Harsh answers have never come from His heart, when the sons of man He has humbled. 34 For, under His feet He has humbled, all the prisoners of the earth. 35 He has turned aside the judgment of man, from before the face of the heights. 36 For, Jehovah never said that He’d bring, condemnation upon all of mankind.

37 Who said such a thing and had it come to pass, without Jehovah saying it is so? 38 From out of His mouth in the heights, comes both the bad and the good. 39 So, why does living man ever grumble, at another concerning his sins?

40 Our ways are stretched out and examined, so we should turn to Jehovah. 41 We should lift up our hearts with our hands, to the Most High in the sky. 42 For we have all sinned and we’ve been irreverent, and this You haven’t forgiven, 43 so we’ve been wrapped up in rage.

We left You so You sent us away… You’ve killed and You have spared not. 44 Then You wrapped Yourself with a cloud, and closed Your eyes to our prayers, 45 then pushed us away among [the nations].

46 Then against us our enemies opened their mouths, 47 and we became fearful and stunned… then devastation and destruction came upon us. 48 So, tears have pour from my eyes, because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49 I’ll [drink the tears] from my eyes, and not be quiet or restrained, 50 until the time that I can look through, and see Jehovah in the heavens. 51 My eyes will look on my life in rage, because of [what’s happened to] the daughters of the city.

52 My enemies have been free to hunt me like a sparrow; 53 they’ve ended my life and tossed me in a grave, then covered it over with a stone. 54 [Soon] water dripped down on my head, and I said, ‘I’ve been just thrown away.’

55 So, I called on Your Name, O Lord, from out of the lowest of pits. 56 Don’t hide Your ears, for You heard my voice, and the things for which I’ve begged. 57 Then You came to my aid in the day that I called You, and You told me; ‘Don’t be afraid!’

58 O Lord, You forgave all the punishments, which my soul [truly deserved], and then You ransomed my life. 59 You saw my disturbance, O Lord, and then You [paid attention to] my case. 60 You beheld all their vengeance against me, and all the plans that they plotted. 61 You heard all their scorn and saw their devices against me… 62 the lips of those rising against me, and the things that they thought throughout the whole day. 63 When they sit down and when they get up, You can see it all through their eyes!

64 You’ll pay them what they deserve, O Lord, according to the works of their hands. 65 Curse them for all the trouble they’ve caused, 66 then pursue them in rage and remove them, from under the sky, O Jehovah.

Chapter 4

1 O how the gold’s lost its luster, and all the silver is dull, for the [Temple’s] holy stones were thrown down on the streets.

2 The sons of Zion esteemed, and gained all their courage from gold. So, they’re considered as earthenware pots; works of the hands of the potter.

3 Then beasts stripped their cubs from the breasts that they nursed from, [to feed] the daughters of my people, who were lost like a sparrow out in the desert.

4 As the tongue sticks to the one who gives nursing, so the thirst in its throat can be quenched, babies have cried out for bread, but from them it has been snatched away.

5 Those who ate the best foods were taken away, and those who were raised wearing purple, were found in the streets embracing manure. 6 For, the lawlessness of the daughter of my people, was greater than the lawlessness of Sodom (the place that was wiped away, and which no one tried to prevent). 7 But, her Nazarites were [whiter] than snow… they radiated and were whiter than milk… they were better than pieces of sapphire. 8 But then their appearance got darker than lamp soot… they couldn’t be recognized in the streets. Their skin then stuck to their bones, and they were dried up like wood.

9 It was better for those who were killed by the sword, than for those who were pierced by starvation, and in want of the produce of the fields. 10 For the hands of the women [who were known for their] pity, then boiled their own children as food, in the destruction of the daughter of my people, 11 as Jehovah completed His rage… as He poured out the rage of His anger. He lit a fire throughout Zion, and it devoured all her foundations.

12 The kings of the earth could not believe it (all those who were living during the time), that an enemy could enter the Jerusalem’s gates, and bring so much devastation.

13 It’s because of the sins of her prophets, as well as the failures of her priests, and the shedding of innocent blood in her midst. 14 So, in her streets her watchmen were shaken, for they were then [spattered] with blood, and they were unable to stop this, for the clothes that they wore had to touch it.

15 Get away from all the unclean! Call out: ‘Get away; get away; do not touch them! For, they were shaken and then they were [burned].’ Tell it out among the nations… there’s no way they should go there! 16 For their portion was the person of Jehovah, and He looked not [with favor] upon them, because they disrespected their Priests, and showed no mercy on their elders.

17 ‘Inside ourselves our eyes failed, for we could offer no aid as we watched. And we watched a nation with no one to save them.

18 ‘Stay away from our squares, for they’re hunting our small ones. Our time has approached; our days are all fulfilled; and our end is finally at hand!

19 ‘Those who pursued us were more agile, than eagles on the mountains in the sky… they sat and waited for us, from their high perches in the desert.

20 ‘It was by the Breath from [His] face, that Jehovah’s anointed were seized; for in our corruptions we said about Him, We will live in His shadow among the nations.

21 ‘So, rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, she who lives within the land of Uz! Yet, you too will go into the cup of Jehovah, where you will get drunk and then be poured out.’

22 O daughter of Zion; your lawless acts have now vanished, and He will not go to the place you were taken. And you, O daughter of Edom; He’s  also seen your lawless deeds, and revealed your impious acts.

Chapter 5

1 Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us! Look down upon us and see all our scorn! 2 Our inheritance was [given] to alien peoples, and our houses were given to strangers.

3 We don’t have a father, so we are now orphans, and all of our mothers are widows. 4 So now we must pay for our water, and we must barter for wood.

5 Close on our [heels] we were pursued; we had no rest and were tired. 6 So, to Egypt we held out our hands, and to the abundance of Assyria.

7 Our fathers had sinned and no longer exist; they paid the penalty of breaking the Law. 8 As the result, we are now slaves, and have no one to ransom us from their hands. 9 We now carry bread at the risk of our lives, before the broadsword in the desert. 10 Our skin has been darkened as though by an oven, and it has shriveled from famine. 11 They degraded the women of Zion, and the virgins in the cities of Judah. 12 Rulers were hung by their hands, and the elders could not be recognized.

13 The chosen men took up weeping, and from carrying wood their young men were weak. 14 Their old men no longer sit at the gates, and the chosen stopped singing their songs. 15 The joy and dance in our hearts turned to mourning, 16 and because of our sins, the crowns of our heads turned to woe; 17 the grief in our hearts was more grievous; and our eyes are now dark.

18 Mount Zion was destroyed as though foxes ran through it. 19 But You, O Lord, live through the ages, and through generations of generations Your throne still exists.

20 Why have You forgotten to bring us victory? Will You forsake us through the rest of our days? 21 Turn back to us, O Jehovah, and then we’ll return and make our days new, as they were long ago!

22 We were pushed away and rejected by You, for You were provoked to great rage.

Notes

Soul or?

The Greek word psyche (as in psychology) has been translated many ways, including soul, life, etc. However, psyche actually means something that breathes. It is used in the Bible to describe both breathing animals and breathing humans. So, by definition, a soul cannot leave the body, because a soul is what the living body (whether human or animal) is (see Genesis 2:7).

In ancient Greece, philosophers eventually added another meaning to psyche: The inner person (as opposed to the person that others see and come to know). And with time, the pagan religion of Greece started to teach that this inner person is its own entity and can never die (is immortal). Over the centuries, this pagan Greek doctrine crept into the Christian religions.

However, such Greek philosophical thought never influenced Jesus and his Apostles. So, they consistently used psyche to indicate a living person or animal. The teaching that the soul is immortal stands in direct conflict with Jesus’ promise of a resurrection, because, if a person is immortal (can never die) he/she can never be resurrected (brought back to life).

In addition, the teaching of the immortality of the human soul is totally without support from the Bible. The word immortal(ity) (Gr: athanasia or undying) is only mentioned in the Bible in two places, and it isn’t used with or applied to the word soul in either case. Both of these scriptures show that immortality is only given by God as a reward for righteousness. And as Ezekiel 18:4 says, ‘The person (gr. psyche or ‘soul’) that is sinning will die (gr. apothaneitai).’

Of course, there are places in the Bible where the word soul means more than just a living, fleshly body. For example, God is recorded to have spoken of ‘My Soul’ in several places. Obviously, God is much more than just a ‘soul’ as most people think of that term, and He surely wasn’t talking about His having a human body. So, we must conclude that what He was referring to is His life.

Then there are Jesus’ words found at Matthew 10:28, which read, ‘Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the person (psyche). Rather, be afraid of him who can destroy both the person and the body in the garbage dump.’ Here, Jesus is using the word psyche (soul) to refer to the value of life that remains with God until the resurrection. And he obviously isn’t referring the soul as immortal here, because he says God will destroy (gr. apolesai) the [unrighteous] soul or person.

Another interesting application of the word psyche can be found in several places in the Greek Septuagint. For example, at 1 Chronicles 22:7, King David said to his son Solomon, ‘My child, it has been in my soul (gr. psyche) to build a house to the Name of Jehovah God.’ However, as you can see, the common expression today is that this desire was in his heart, not his inner person, so in these cases we have rendered psyche as heart.

Unfortunately, no single word that can be used to translate psyche in every possible Bible application, so various terms are used herein, depending on the circumstances, but always in an attempt to harmonize with the meaning.

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The Heavens or Sky, the Earth or the Land?

Throughout the Scriptures, we find all the realm of creation divided into three entities, the heavens (or sky), the earth (the land or ground), and the seas (the waters). Now, in contemporary English we understand that there is a difference between the heavens and the sky, the earth and the land (or ground), and the seas and waters. However, in both Hebrew and Greek, these fine distinctions that we accept because of our modern technology, can’t be found. So, Genesis 1:1 could literally be translated as, ‘In an ancient time God made the sky and the ground.’

This is accurate, because it was the view of man from the earth. There was the land that he stood on, the sky above, and the water. There was no technical understanding of the earth as a planet because, men didn’t view the earth as we do today, as a ball in space… it just wasn’t necessary at the time. However, because of these distinctions that we understand so well today, translators must choose the proper words to provide the right nuances in English, so readers can grasp the proper meaning of each text.

This is why you’ll find the Greek word ourano translated as both heaven(s) and sky herein, depending on the context. You’ll also find the Greek word ges translated as earth, ground, or land, depending on the context. So, the symbolic words at Romans 3:5, for example, are translated herein as, ‘The ancient earth and sky weren’t covered by water. However, (obeying God’s instructions) they stood together between the water [that was above and below].’

Notice that the ‘earth and sky’ were located ‘between the water.’ So, although other Bibles translated this verse as speaking of the ‘heavens and earth,’ the reference is to that portion of the heavens that are close to the earth, or the sky. Likewise, at Matthew 5:5, where Jesus spoke of the ‘gentle’ as inheriting the earth; since he was talking about people receiving an ‘allotment’ on the earth, we have chosen to translate ges as earth, not ground.

In the case of where EliJah was taken in a celestial chariot, most people think he was taken to (as their Bibles put it) ‘heaven,’ where he went to live with God. This isn’t true, because King JehoRam later received a letter from Elijah (see 2 Chronicles 21:12). So, God had apparently used the celestial chariot to take him to another place here on the earth. For more information on this, see the linked document, ‘The Hereafter.’

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Age

The Greek word aionos is what the English word eon is derived from. It means an indefinite period. However, there is no exact English word to translate it. The best equivalents are age(s) or era. Please note that where the plural form of the word (ages) is used, it refers to a long time, at least multiple generations. However, where the singular form is used (age or era), this appears to mean a much shorter period, such as a lifetime, generation, or era. And where the term ‘ages of ages’ is used (such as at Ephesians 3:21), which is usually said in reference to God, we would assume that this truly means forever.

It is noteworthy that aionos is the word that is used in the Greek Septuagint in place of the Hebrew word ohlam, which is also translated as forever and time indefinite in popular versions of the Hebrew Scriptures. So, this one word (aionos) is translated as forever, everlasting, eternal, system of things, time indefinite, [end of] the world, long ago, from of old, etc. Obviously, something is very wrong here, because the word can’t mean a period having a definite end in one place and infinity in another.

The ancient Hebrews viewed everything (and rightly so) as having a beginning and an end. For that reason, you will only find three places in the Bible where words are used that imply no end and none that imply no beginning. An interesting possible insight on the reason for this can be found at Hebrews 1:10-12, which says:

‘Long ago, O Lord, You laid the foundation of the earth and Your hands made the heavens. They will destroy themselves, but You will remain. They will grow old just like clothes do. Then, as [You would do to] a robe, You will wrap them up and repair them like clothes. Yes, You are the One, and Your years will never run out.’

The problem with most Bible translations is that when they encounter the word aionos in all its different tenses, they interpret it according to accepted doctrine, not according to the way that Jesus and his disciples used it. So, the common renderings forever, eternal, and everlasting are used even when the word is in its singular form (aioni, aiona, aionos, aioniǒn, aionian, aionios, aioniou), and this totally distorts the meaning of the text.

Take for example, the scripture at John 5:24, where Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth; the one who hears what I say and believes in the One that sent me will have life in this age. He won’t have to be judged, but has crossed over from death to life.’

Most Bibles translate Jesus as saying that those who believe in the One who sent him will have everlasting life (or the equivalent). However, the words that Jesus used there were, zoe aioniŏn (life age – singular), not zoe aioniōn (life ages – plural).

Notice how Jesus explained the meaning of these words with his next statement, ‘He won’t have to be judged, but has crossed over from death to life.’

So, what Jesus was saying here, wasn’t that they would have everlasting life, but that they would (in their current life) be considered among the ‘living,’ not among the ‘dead’ (see Revelation 20:12). This doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t live forever; it’s just that Jesus wasn’t really saying that.

From consideration of the evidence found in the bulk of Jesus’ words about life, the conclusion might be logically reached that he never taught the hope of ‘life eternal,’ ‘everlasting life,’ or ‘immortality,’ in those specific words. However, the concept is still there. What he taught was that (unlike those whom God considers to be ‘dead’) living people would receive ‘life in the age,’ meaning, they will be considered worthy of life by God during their lifetimes. How long these ages will last is unclear from the references. Yet, as Jesus said, everyone who puts faith in him will be given this life.

Two words imply infinity in the Bible. One is the Greek word athanasia, which means undying or immortal(ity) and is only found in two places, 1 Corinthians the Fifteenth Chapter (where it mentions resurrected ones as clothing themselves with immortality) and at 1 Timothy 6:16 (where it speaks of Jesus as having received it). The other Greek word, aidios, which is found at Romans 1:20 and at Jude 6, is used to describe God’s Power and Might as eternal.

For more information, select the linked document, The Hereafter.

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Breath

The Greek word pneuma (as in pneumonia, a breathing disease) means breath or wind – the movement of air. In other Bible translations, this word is often translated as spirit or ghost – as in Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. However, spirit is just a shortened form of the Latin word espiritu, which just means breath in Latin. And ghost conveys another meaning altogether.

The most common use of the word pneuma in the Bible is to imply an unseen force (such as breath or wind). And the problem with translating it as spirit or ghost is that many people have started believing that the unseen force that is called [God’s] Holy Breath herein, is another God-like person and part of a Divine ‘Trinity.’ This can’t be true, because the only scripture that can be used to support this theory (that is, where the Father, the Son, and the Holy Breath are supposed to be ‘one’) is found at Matthew 28:19, which simply says that baptism should be done ‘in the name of’ (or, in recognition of) these three. All other scriptures that are used to prove the Trinity theory fail to mention the Holy Breath as part of that group. And the King James wording of 1 John 5:7 (which was used for years to attempt to prove the Trinity) is spurious (something that was added to the Bible).

So to prevent confusion, the Greek word pneuma is usually translated as breath here. The only exceptions would be in instances where the Bible refers to demons as ‘spirits.’ Translating pneuma as breath in these cases, although correct, might just be confusing.

Another important use of the word pneuma is in the phrase, ‘Breath of Life.’ This phrase means more than just breathing, it refers to the entire mechanics of life itself. It’s the unseen force of life for all creatures. It’s what makes each cell alive. However, nowhere does the Bible describe the ‘pneuma’ as immortal, nor is it the same as the soul (a breathing thing), so it can (figuratively) ‘return to God’ at death,’ because all hope of future life depends on God and His promise of a resurrection.

Note in particular how the term Breath is used at Job 27:3, where Job spoke of God’s Breath or Spirit. For there he asked, ‘Does the Breath of the Divine One remain in my nose?’ As you can see from his application of this word, pneuma obviously referred to God’s Breath in this case, not to a person or to an unseen force. He was talking about that which comes from God and caused him to breathe… the Breath of Life

For more information, see the attached link, The Powers of God’s Holy Spirit.

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Jehovah

The existing modern copies of the Greek Septuagint (Greek translation of the ‘Old Testament’ or ‘Ancient Scriptures of Israel’) don’t use the Name of God (Jehovah) at all. We know that the reason why the Name was removed from all later copies of the Hebrew versions, was because Jewish scribes had become so awed with God’s Name that they refused to write it or say it, so they started substituting the term ‘the Lord’ (the Master) or ‘Theos’ (God), wherever it was found. And since most existing versions of the Septuagint come from the second century or later, it isn’t surprising that God’s Name has been omitted from modern texts.

That the Name Jehovah (which means, He who Causes to Be, or, The Creator) was originally in the Bible, is documented in all ancient Hebrew texts. And it is most likely that the Septuagint translation which Jesus and his Apostles used (most quotations they gave seem to have come from an ancient Septuagint) carried that Name, but probably in the four Hebrew characters that represent the English consonants YHWH.

Notice this comment by Robert Hanhart, who contributed the Introduction to ‘The Septuagint as Christian Scripture.’ He stated therein that, ‘All Greek biblical texts of Jewish origin found to date, whether from pre-Christian or Christian times, transmit the name יהוה Jehovah not in the form κύριος [Lord] encountered in all the LXX [Septuagint] manuscripts of Christian origin, but in some form of the Tetragrammaton.’ (See: ‘The Septuagint as Christian Scripture,’ 2002, book, p.7, by Martin Hengel. Introduction by Robert Hanhart, published by Baker Academic. ISBN 0-8010-2790-X).

You will see how in the book of Isaiah, for example, God is often referred to in Greek as Kyrios ho Kyrios, or, Lord the Lord (see Isaiah 48:16 LXX). And these are obvious examples of texts where God’s Name was omitted, for such sentences should clearly read Jehovah the Lord, or Lord Jehovah.

Since the words God and Lord both appear to have been substituted in the text wherever God’s Name originally appeared, it is difficult to know where to reinsert the Name for the titles. We could refer to the Hebrew texts and insert it wherever the Name appears there, but that would be out of harmony with the purpose of presenting this translation of the Septuagint on its own merit. So, wherever the term the Lord appears in reference to God, we have decided to insert the Name Jehovah.

There are places where we have deviated from this rule. For example, there is the instance when Abraham was talking to three ‘men,’ one of whom he referred to as the Lord. In this case, Abraham was obviously speaking to a messenger from Jehovah (likely His representative, Michael), because, as God told Moses, ‘No man can see God and live.’ So, in such instances we have left the term ‘Lord’ unchanged, because that is likely the actual word Abraham used.

Also, in the writings of many of the Prophets, you will notice that they were often spoken to by God’s messengers, who the Prophets referred to as the Lord. And these messengers thereafter went on to give them messages from Jehovah. So, you’ll see an interspersing of the term the Lord, when referring to the angel messenger, and Jehovah, when referring to God. For example, notice the wording of Jeremiah 16:5 as an example: ‘And the Lord told me, Jehovah says:’ As you can see, the Lord was speaking of Jehovah in the third person. So, the Lord must refer to the messenger, who was likely a prominent one such as GabriEl or MichaEl.

By the way, notice that the term for pagan gods (Baal, Beel, and Bel) simply meant ‘the Lord.’ So, all the pagan peoples in Bible times referred to their gods as ‘the Lord.’ Then they might have added the name of that ‘Lord,’ to show which one they were referring to. So, if the Israelites, Hebrews, and Jews had simply referred to their God as ‘the Lord’ without giving His Name, then no one among the surrounding nations would have known which ‘Lord’ they were talking about. So, from the context (and from its use in all ancient Bible texts) we can see that the name Jehovah once appeared throughout the Bible to show which ‘Lord’ the Israelites worshiped.

And where you find the exclamation HalleluJah, which is the original Hebrew rendering of this word, understand that this word means ‘Praise Jehovah!’ (Hallel means praise, u implies second person, and Jah is a shortened form of Jehovah). So, even in most Bibles where God’s Name has been omitted, it usually still appears in this Hebrew exclamation, as well as in most Bible names of faithful men.

But, is using God’s Name really all that important? Yes, because He Himself said concerning the nations, as recorded at Jeremiah 16:21, ‘Because of this {Look!} I’ll show them My hand, and in that time I’ll show them My power. Then they will know that My Name is Jehovah.’

It has long been argued that the Name Jehovah wasn’t used before God revealed it to Moses on the mountain, because He said (at Exodus 6:2-4), ‘I am Jehovah. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I was their God. However, I didn’t show them My Name Jehovah when I established My Sacred Agreement with them [and promised] to give them the land of the Canaanites, the land they were visiting and living in as strangers.’

While many disagree with this view and argue that God was actually referring to His revealing the power behind His Name (which could be true), the fact that His Name is missing from inclusion in the names of His followers until after the time of Moses, and then it becomes so commonly used, would seem to indicate that the Name Jehovah wasn’t actually known prior to that time, and was inserted by later writers, such as Moses.

Perhaps Christians would more deeply appreciate the need to use the Name Jehovah, rather than the title ‘Lord,’ when referring to God, if they understood that the term ‘the Lord’ in the language of the Canaanites was ‘Baal’ or ‘Beel.’ And the same term in modern day Arabic is ‘Allah.’

Then, what of those who prefer a more exact Hebrew pronunciation of the Name (Yahweh, Yahwah, or Yehwah)? That is commendable if their reasons are consistent. For if their concern is to properly pronounce Bible names (not a hatred for God’s Name as it is pronounced in English), then they will also be found promoting the proper Hebrew pronunciation of His son’s name, Ieshuah, or Iehoshuah… or at least the proper pronunciation of his name in Greek, Iesous (Yeh-sous).

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Dragon

That the Bible speaks about what is translated as dragons (gr. drakonta) several times, raises some interesting questions. The dragon (although supposedly a mythical animal) is one of the world’s most widely recognized creatures. It is highly regarded in the Buddhist religion and is seen in ancient religious carvings from around the world. This testifies that people have believed in the existence of dragons for as far back as human records go. Why?

Note that dragons are thought of as animals with the bodies of snakes (gr. orphis), but they also have feet and legs.

What was the dragon? Revelation 12:9 tells us, when it says, ‘So, the huge dragon was thrown out. He is the first snake, the one who is called the Slanderer and Opposer, who is misleading the whole earth.’

So, from the above, we see that the vision identifies the dragon as ‘the Opposer’ and ‘the Slanderer,’ and it says that he was the first snake, the one who seduced Eve in the ‘Paradise of Delights’ (see Genesis 3:2).

The fact that the dragon is viewed as a snake with legs in religious legends throughout the world, testifies to the fact that people everywhere once believed in the Bible account in Genesis, and they also believed that when God cursed the snake to ‘travel on its chest and belly,’ it lost its legs.

However, the unusual uses of the word dragon (gr. drakon) in the Bible reveals that it actually had another meaning to the people of the Third Century B.C.E. (when the Septuagint was translated). We draw this conclusion from the words found at Job 40:19, 20 (for example), where God was describing a wild ox and how it is captured by a man. It says there, ‘Then, when someone spies him and snares him, he drills a hole through his nose, and leads this terrible creature (gr. drakon) with a hook and a halter around his snout.’

As you can see, in this case the ox was referred to as a dragon, so we have translated it as terrible creature, and in other places as beasts, for that is the meaning implied by the verses. This well illustrates the problem that we often encounter when translating, for words that we assume to always have one meaning often turn out to have multiple uses in ancient languages. So, those who look at words in the Bible and wonder at their meanings shouldn’t be too hasty to think that they understand and then draw wrong conclusions. For here, where some may scoff at the Bible’s use of the word dragon, we see that it has another meaning that is totally consistent with what we know is true.

It is interesting that dragons are also part of the folklore of Europe, for who hasn’t heard the story of St. George and the dragon. Yet, if you read that story, you’ll see that it is actually an allegory about man’s fight against sin and the Slanderer. So in that case, it refers to the original dragon, or the first creature of terror.

Notice that Job 7:12 asks, ‘Am I the sea or the dragon that guards it?’ This view that a dragon guarded the edges of the seas was common throughout Europe until after the Sixteenth Century, for dragons were usually drawn at the edges of maps of seas during that time. Yet, as we can see, the actual reference may have been to animals and fish that men feared and didn’t understand, not snakes with legs.

However, notice how vividly Job described the Slanderer as the dragon at Job 26:12, 13, where we read, ‘By His strength He has settled the sea in its bed, and in His wisdom He’s filled it with whales. The bolts from the skies stand in awe of Him, and He’s ordered the death of the dragon that rebelled.’

We find a whole Chapter in Job (Chapter 41) that is obviously a description of the evil one, but has gone mistranslated for centuries, simply because its meaning has been misunderstood. Other Bibles speak of a leviathan here, and some of a crocodile. And in the Septuagint, we find no name at all or any explanation, leaving us to guess what is being described.

It is unusual that some translators have thought that this creature was a crocodile, for crocodile is a Greek word that is easily recognized, since it is spelled almost the same as in English. There is one place where that word is found in the Law of Moses, at Leviticus 11:25, when listing animals that shouldn’t be eaten, and in that place most Bibles also translate the word crocodile wrong.

If you read the text of Job 41, you’ll see an obvious reference to a fire-breathing dragon. For notice how verses 10 and 11 describe it, ‘When he sneezes, he brightens the sky, and His eyes are as the morning star. What comes from his mouth is like lamps that are lit, and they scatter like sparks from a grate. From out of his nostrils comes the smoke of a furnace, burning bright with the fire of live coals.’

At this point critics could say the Bible was talking about a mythical dragon. Yet, notice the further description in verses 22-24, ‘He breaks out of the abyss as from a brass cauldron, and he views the sea as an ointment jar. In dark places he lives as a captive, and he thinks of the pit as his promenade. There is nothing on earth that is quite like him, for he was made to be mocked by My messengers.’

If you examine these verses, you’ll see that God is using cryptic text to explain to Job just who is to blame for his problems. Yet, the use of the words Tartarus (which we translated as ‘In dark places’) isn’t found again in the Bible until the reference at 2 Peter 2:4, and the only mention of his coming out of his prison (pit or abyss) is found at Revelation 20:7. Also, why would God’s messengers (angels) mock an animal?

Clearly, this second-to-the-last Chapter in Job, as in any good writing, brings back into play all the characters that the book started with.

Then, why did Jewish scribes and translators have so much trouble understanding this Chapter that there are obvious deletions? There are four likely reasons:

• They didn’t believe in fire-breathing dragons

• They didn’t know that the Slanderer was the dragon

• They didn’t know of the Slanderer’s position in Tartarus or the pit

• A correct understanding would have linked the Book of Job to the Scriptures of the Christian era.

It is interesting that we again find mention of a dragon at Isaiah 27:1, where we read, ‘In that day, God will bring His great, holy, and strong sword against the dragon – the crooked and fleeing snake – and He will do away with the dragon, the one in the sea.’ This is an obvious reference to the destruction of the same dragon mentioned at Revelation 12:9 above, but it goes unnoticed in Hebrew texts, where the word leviathan is misunderstood.

What is particularly interesting about this scripture, is that it speaks of the dragon from the sea in the same words as found at Ezekiel 32:2, where the reference is obviously to the land of Egypt and to its destruction. And you will also find references to the land of Egypt in the song of Isaiah 26, 27. However, this song seems to speak of some future time when God’s people (Israel) are released from a symbolic Egypt at Armageddon, for notice the words of the prophecy found at Isaiah 26:18-21:

So, Egypt seems to be used here as a symbol of the godless nations that are destroyed in the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16), and the dragon that represents them appears to be the Opposer.

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