When God speaks, you listen

http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Sephar.html#.Tq1cjTuyMZM

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis%2010:30&version=ASV - Genesis 10:30 - in honor of the fact that in America, the day is October30, 2011.

Genesis 10:30

American Standard Version (ASV)

30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest toward Sephar, the mountain of the east.

I've heard people say not to randomly open the Bible and expect God to speak, a person needs to have a plan. Well, I know that isn't true. While everyone should read the Bible everyday, making it fun or a puzzle enhances it.

Well, I did just that. Since today was 10/30, I am looking up references in the Bible that have a tenth chapter and a thirtieth verse. I began in Genesis 10:30. That's the above verse.

Here Mesha and Sephar defined:

Sephar

The name Sephar comes from the verb Sephar (sapar) meaning count, or any general mathematical activity. Some derivatives: Sephar (seper), meaning writing, book, sipra (sipra), meaning book, Sephar (soper), scribe, Sephar (separ), census, sipra (seporah), number, mispar (sapar), number.

The derivative Sephar (separ), census, is identical to the name Sephar and occurs only in 2 Chronicles 2:17. There Solomon numbers the foreigners who help built the Temple, following the census satan had made David take (1 Chronicles 21:1). After this census, and after the penalty, the location of the Temple was designated and foreigners were set to hew out the stones for the Temple (1 Chronicles 22:2).

The name Sephar means Counting or Calculating. NOBS Study Bible Name List and Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names both read Numbering.

(http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Sephar.html#.Tq1cjTuyMZM)

Mesha:

Mesha I (Mesha - indeed pronounced as Mesha).

This version of the name Mesha is ascribed twice in the Bible. It's the name of a port city on the Red Sea, and mentioned first as a border of the territory of the sons of Joktan (Genesis 10:30). Mesha is also the name of a Benjaminite, a son of Shaharaim and Hodesh (1 Chronicles 8:9).

This version of the name Mesha comes from the verb mush (mush) meaning depart, remove. The verb occurs 20 times in the OT, denoting how God will not depart from Israel (Exodus 13:22), or the removal of sin from Israel (Zech 3:9). The form mush (mush) also means to feel, as in touch and recognize (Genesis 27:21; Psalm 115:7; Judges 16:26). Note the similarities with the names Mash and Moses.

For a meaning of this name Mesha, both NOBS Study Bible Name List and Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names both read Retreat.

(http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Mesha.html#.Tq1d4TuyMZM)

Here's the verse re-written:

"The territory they occupied extended from Mesha [retreat [from sin], remove sin, God will not be removed] all the way to Sephar [counting, calculating, writing, book, scribe [education]] in the eastern mountains."

WOW! That is a punch in the stomach (in a good way). That's where I'm trying to be, retreating from sin and knowing that God will never leave me. "If God is for me, who can be against me?"


Praying you have faith, hope, and love always,

Rachel