ARAMAIC WORD STUDY – GIFT – YAHAV – יהב
James 1:17: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
“God’s gifts put mans’ best dreams to shame.” Elizabeth Barrett Browning
So what are these “good” and perfect gifts that God gives out? The word in Greek that is used for gift is dorema which means a gift or bestowment which is another word for gift. So is God some sort of Santa Claus who distributes gifts and if so what determines whether someone gets a gift from God? Does God keep a list, checking it twice to find out who is naughty or nice? If you have a bad year do you get a lump of coal?
The Book of James is traditionally credited to James the brother of Jesus to a Jewish, Aramaic speaking, audience. James was uneducated likely bilingual with Greek and Aramaic only in the sense of Greek being a second language, in other words, he wasn’t that good at Greek. It is very possible this was written in Aramaic or at least translated from the Aramaic into Greek by a scribe.
The Aramaic word used for gift is yahav which is the granting of a provision. This provision is good or tawa similar to the Hebrew word tov and means it is in harmony with God. God’s provisions are all in harmony with Him and they are perfect. The word perfect is mashmalim that is it is complete, all one needs to do what he loves the most in building God’s kingdom and sharing the Word of God.
I say to build God’s kingdom because that is what yahav is all about. In the Aramaic this doesn’t mean gift as we consider the English word gift, it has more of the idea of a provision to carry out some work. For instance, I am given a bus to drive the disabled to doctor appointments. It is not a gift, I do not own that bus and cannot use it for personal use. I can only use it to carry out my employer’s mission. A soldier is given a rifle by the country he is defending. It is not a gift, he does not own the rifle it is a provision a yahav. He is also given all the provisions he needs to defend his country which includes rations, clothing, transportation etc.
All the provision we need to carry out God’s calling in our lives are good or in harmony with God. What God gives us is expected to be used for his pleasure and what we get is perfect or complete, it is everything we need to bring God pleasure.
There are many who do not have good or perfect gifts. They want the gifts that bring them honor like preaching, teaching or providing music. They end up embarrassing themselves and the church. They are tone deaf but try to sing or play a musical instrument. They can’t connect sentences to hold an audience’s attention yet they try to preach. They lack the discipline to gain the knowledge to teach but try to teach.
Having Asperger’s Syndrome I spent my life imitating normal people. I have become so good at imitating normal people that I fool a lot of people into thinking I am normal. However, there are always those who ask Laura: “What’s up with that Chaim fellow.” On top of that, I am not comfortable nor do I enjoy acting normal, but I do it because I must.
I don’t like the word gift for yahav, because that English word does not convey what yahav is. Gift suggest someone receiving some sort of favor. God does not favor one person over another. He creates everyone with certain abilities. The problem is that our culture honors certain abilities over others. One who can sing or play a musical instrument is honored where someone who fixes a light fixture or a furnace is just appreciated. For the furnace, guys want honor more than appreciation he is going to imitate the musician who gets the honor. Anyone can play a musical instrument, but only those enabled by God can play it to bring honor to God.
Are you an imitator who ignores God’s provision because it does not bring you the honor you wish or are you one who just enjoys doing and being what God created you to be. What is God’s yahav for you, it is simple, whatever you enjoy doing and are really good at doing it. Because everyone was created for a purpose and God has given you a provision that is in harmony with Him to carry out that purpose and the provision He gives is complete.
What about the one who cannot play or sing but brings glory to God when they do? It could be the imitators are the ones who are excellent in playing and singing but are trying to imitate the one who is truly bringing glory to God who can’t hold a note.
What about the one who cannot sing or play an instrument but brings more glory to a God than one who can play and sing?
Amen, I have also been praying for more teaching of Scripture to the children and with such a loving Teacher as Jesus, how wonderful for the children. Oh that God would and has given them the desire for His Truth and nothing less! Out of the mouths, out of imaginations, God’s Spoken Word will go forth. One mind…one accord! Holy Spirit have your way in all of God’s children…young and old! Thank you Chaim and Laura for your continued obedience to the LORD.
Thank you Chaim, an answer to a prayer. Actually, I’m doing catch up and two of the word phrases where right on!
God Bless.
Beautifully explained!! It answers all my suspicions of this gift meaning.. I knew it was right!
Fascinating. However the very next verse seems to imply favor is precisely the point. I think a loving, personal Abba does indeed not only favor His children, He delights in doing so. I don’t see how it also being for His work and purpose detracts from that.
James 1:18 (NLT)
He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
James 1:18 (Passion Translation NT)
God was delighted to give us birth by the truth of his infallible Word so that we would fulfill his chosen destiny for us and become the favorite ones out of all his creation!
Thank you
I love snowflakes…they’re beautiful, and every single flake is created diffrent from the other…
How can we appreciate the uniqe “querks” of someone else if we were all alike? Heaven forbid.
God creates masterpieces…. not duplicates!
Thank you for that. I too am a bus driver. I can help and love and comfort people who are doing it tough. And show compassion. It comes pretty easy to me.
I struggle with wanting to make more money, live a richer lifestyle, leading to big discontentment.
Perhaps I should really consider what God has given me to do, and not try to be something else.
Thank you for the food for thought here.
What a wonderful word. Thank you so much.
Laura and Chaim, Please find a way to get this understanding of this message into a format for children!!! At 70 years old, I can look back at a dream in which I saw the risen Jesus. Emotionally I felt very rejected. No matter how hard I tried, I was not accepted – like Leah – not even my husband. I felt there had to be something very wrong with the way that I was – so much so, that Jesus came to me. I could see that Jesus knew my heart, but He did not speak to me audibly. He spoke to my heart and my heart understood what you said in this last word study. Please, please Laura, Chaim or anyone else that reads this and works with children get this understanding out to more children!!!
Thank you so much Hannah for that beautiful suggestion. A number of years back I did actually run this idea past a few people but didn’t get a good response but maybe now is the time. Please pray that if it’s God’s will for me that He would give me the wisdom and creativity needed for a children’s “how to” book.
I am praying wisdom for you. I love the Hebrew Word Studies and I sure would like to have my grandchildren have a Word “study” of Hebrew with me.
Thank you for your prayers Juliet, they are much appreciated :)
Thank you Chaim. Beautifully written, well said. This gives God glory, understanding and appreciating all, seeing value in all. Life is good. I appreciate you.