Category Archives: Prophet Pearls

Prophet Pearls with Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson: Exploring Biblical prophecy for yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Prophet Pearls #43 – Masei (Jeremiah 2:4-28; 3:4)

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Prophet Pearls Masei ,anatot, cisterns in israel, E’evod, Ein Perat, haftarah, jeremiah, Jeremiah 2:4-28; 3:4, Keith Johnson, makor, makor hebrew foundation, masei, Masei – Jeremiah 2:4-28; 3:4, nehemia gordon, parashah, Parsha, parshas, parshat, Prophet Pearls, prophets, Qere Ketiv, Tetragrammaton, Yehovah, אעבדIn this episode of Prophet Pearls, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson discuss the Prophets portion for Masei covering Jeremiah 2:4-28; 3:4. Gordon gives eyewitness accounts of the springs and cisterns of Israel—springs that are sources and fountains of living water and man-made cisterns that can be rendered worthless. We learn that the “makor” (mem, qoof, reish), the “spring” with which Jeremiah was most familiar, still exists today. Continue reading →

Prophet Pearls #42 – Matot (Jeremiah 1:1-2:3)

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Almond branch in the Valley of Elah. Photo by Nehemia Gordon. In this episode of Prophet Pearls, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson discuss the Prophets portion for Matot, covering Jeremiah 1:1-2:3. Gordon and Johnson provide copious context for the life and times of Jeremiah and the heart-wrenching message he delivered to Jerusalem. The word-of-the-week is “shoked” (shin, qoof, dalet). Its expressions of “almond branch” and “diligence” provide a lesson in creative destruction and an example of a classic Hebrew word pun. Gordon closes with a prayer based on the last verse of the portion—thanking Yehovah for protecting the first fruits of his harvest in Jerusalem, in Israel, and throughout the world. Continue reading →

Prophet Pearls #41 – Pinchas (1 Kings 18:46-19:21)

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Prophet Pearls Pinchas, 1 Kings 18:46-19:21, 1 Kings, elijag mount horeb, elijah and jezebel, elijah mount carmel, elijah mt carmel, elijah mt horeb, etbaal, haftarah, jezebel baal, jezebel sidonian princess, Keith Johnson, mount horeb, Mt. Horeb, nehemia gordon, parashah, Parsha, parshas, parshat, prophets, spirit of jezebel, still small voice, this silent voiceIn this episode of Prophet Pearls, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson discuss the Prophets portion for Pinchas covering 1 Kings 18:46-19:21. Following the smack-down at Mount Carmel, Elijah flees to the desert. But was he “afraid” or did he just “see” what he needed to do? Gordon parses “ra’ah” (reish, aleph, hei) and explains why this word could be translated “afraid” or “saw.” Continue reading →

Prophet Pearls #40 – Balak (Micah 5:7[6]-6:8)

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Prophet Pearls Balak, Micah 5:7[6]-6:8, balak, biblical idolatry, haftarah, hebrew paragraph divisions, Yehovah, yhvh, Keith Johnson, micah 6:8, nehemia gordon, obedience sacrifice, paragraph divisions, samech pei, parashah, Parsha, parshas, parshat, prophet micah, prophets, remnant, samech pei, what the lord requiresIn this episode of Prophet Pearls, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson discuss the Prophets portion for Balak covering Micah 5:6-6:8. The portion begins with Micah drawing from the song of Moses to illustrate what the remnant of Jacob will look like—“as showers upon grass.” The prophet also provides a list of things that will be cut off “in that day.” And lest we think biblical idolatry is obsolete, Gordon and Johnson provide modern day examples that masquerade as piety. We learn the uses of the paragraph divisions of “samech” and “pei” and Gordon scours the Tanakh for other uses of “in that day.” Continue reading →

Prophet Pearls #39 – Chukat (Judges 11:1-33)

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In this episode of Prophet Pearls, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson discuss the Prophets portion for Chukat covering Judges 11:1-33. Gordon and Johnson draw parallels between events in this portion and current diplomatic strategies over the land of Israel. For a clearer understanding of Jephthah, the exiled son of a prostitute who brings deliverance to Israel, Gordon provides a summary of the history, religions, and geography of the Ammonites and Moabites. This portion provides an example of properly translating “malach”—where only context determines if it’s “angel” or “messenger.” Gordon and Johnson point out the striking word play found with the word-of-the-week yihyeh “he will be” (yud-hei-yud-hei). Gordon reads from Deuteronomy concerning the seriousness of vowing to Yehovah and provides rabbinical interpretations of Jephthah’s tragic vow. Continue reading →

Prophet Pearls #38 – Korach (1 Samuel 11:14-12:22)

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In this episode of Prophet Pearls, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson discuss the Prophets portion for Korach covering 1 Samuel 11:14-12:22. Gordon and Johnson’s insight into the language, history, and context surrounding Samuel’s trip to Gilgal not only inform the portion at hand, but other passages in the Torah as well as extra-biblical sources from the times of the Judges. Gordon reveals the possible identities of Jerubbaal and Bedan. The name of the king of the Ammonites, Nahash (serpent) illustrates that metaphors need to be studied carefully. The study of the word-of-the-week, “witness/ed” (ayin-dalet), includes an explanation of hollow verbs—where not all letters of the root appear. Continue reading →

Prophet Pearls #37 – Shlach (Joshua 2:1-24)

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Prophet Pearls Shlach, Yehovah, Nehemia Gordon, Keith Johnson, Prophets portion, Shlach, Joshua, prostitute, Rahab, spies, Jericho, faith, Canaanite, Elohim, Septuagint, rabbis, tikvah, cord, hope, HaTikvah, national anthem, Israel, peace, Jerusalem, torah pearls, torah portion, torah portion shlach, torah pearls shlachIn this episode of Prophet Pearls, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson discuss the Prophets portion for Shlach covering Joshua 2:1-24. In the story of the prostitute Rahab hiding the spies, Gordon and Johnson agree to disagree on their interpretations for Joshua’s motives for sending spies to Jericho. Was it simply prudent reconnaissance, or did it show a lack of faith? And how did a Canaanite prostitute know that Yehovah is Elohim? Continue reading →

Prophet Pearls #36 – Beha’alotecha (Zechariah 2:10[2:14]-4:7)

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In this episode of Prophet Pearls, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson discuss the Prophets portion of Beha'alotecha covering Zechariah 2:10[2:14]-4:7. Gordon and Johnson bring their best scholarship along with their best guesses to decipher Joshua’s emotive vision of the angel of the Lord, a satan, a stone with seven eyes, a gold lamp-stand, two olive trees and a brand plucked from fire. Continue reading →

Prophet Pearls #35 – Naso (Judges 13:2-25)

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Prophet Pearls Naso, angel, Yehovah, Judges, Nehemia Gordon, Keith Johnson, Prophets, Samson, Torah portion, vow, Nazarite, Nazir, unclean, Palestine, Palestinian, hoshiah, to save, Manoah, religious, Zorah, Tanakh, torah pearlsIn this episode of Prophet Pearls, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson discuss the Prophets portion of Naso covering Judges 13:2-25. This portion concerns the birth of Samson and corresponds to the Torah portion which includes the vow of the Nazarite or "Nazir." Gordon explains what made Samson unique as a Nazir as well as different meanings for “unclean.” We learn the history of the name Palestine as well as the “Palestinian” people. Continue reading →

Prophet Pearls #34 – Bamidbar (Hosea 1:10-2:20[2:1-22])

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Prophet Pearls Bamidbar, betroth, Yehovah, Hosea, Nehemia Gordon, Keith Johnson, Prophets, Northern Kingdom, Jezreel, Jeroboam, Gomer, prostitute, Lo-ruhamah, Lo-ammi, Israel, syncretism, hishbati, aras, symbolic, spiritual, Torah, torah portion, torah pearlsIn this episode of Prophet Pearls, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson discuss the Prophets portion of Bamidbar covering Hosea 1:10-2:20 [2:1-22]. Gordon and Johnson begin by establishing a place and time: The Northern Kingdom, its capital Jezreel and the days of Jeroboam II. Enter Hosea, a prophet who offers his whole life as a witnessing tool, his wife Gomer the prostitute, their children: Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah (Not Pitied), and Lo-ammi (Not My People). We learn that the rebuke to Gomer/Israel for “adorning herself with jewelry” is an example of the dangers of syncretism—the spiritual mixing of seed (see link below). Word studies include “hishbati / I will cause to cease” and its root shin-bet-tav and “aras / I will betroth you” with its symbolic spiritual meaning. Gordon and Johnson close by discussing the legalities of betrothal in the Torah as well as the wonderment of being eternally betrothed. Continue reading →