Any Hebrew Scholars out there?

soladogg5 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-29-2004, 03:09 PM

My church did a study on Isaiah, but since I am now at school I wasnt present for chapter 59. In NASB vs. 16, "And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, and His righteousness upheld Him."

Can anyone tell me about the word astonished in Hebrew?

C. Matthew McMahon · #2 (**permalink**) 09-29-2004, 03:29 PM

Its in the Hiphal and is a participle. Literally it means "to cause to light upon" or "to cause to entreat, or make entreaty, and interpose."

The meaning surrounds "doing justice, and to remedy the things that were so far out of order."

MurrayA · #3 (**permalink**) 03-19-2006, 11:29 PM

Dear Molly,
Begging Matthew's pardon, but the word is a finite verb, as follows:

wayyishtomem: a verb in the hithpa'el (or in this case with a geminate verb, a hithpolel), consecutive imperfect, from shamam (hithp) : "to be driven to astonishment or consternation" (see KB), or "was appalled"
Thus: "He was astonished/appalled that there was no-one who (could) intercede"

I think Matthew is dealing with maphgia': intercede or entreat.

As Motyer comments, it is the language of anthropomorphism which depicts God as being taken by surprise (in a manner of speaking), but we are enabled to see sin as God sees it, but equally we see God acting decisively for salvation.