HEBREW WORD STUDY – GOLD OF BEAUTY – PAZAZ   פזז

Psalms 19:10: “More to be desired are they than gold, more than fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”

David is speaking here of the Torah.  For David, the entire Bible was just the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. I don’t know, some people are surprised to learn this.  I guess they assume David had a KJV of the Bible just we do today and addressed everyone as thee and thou.

Many Christians find Genesis to be interesting as well as of Exodus but when you get into Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, their determination to read through the Bible in one year gets a little stymied.  There are a lot of begats, dimensions for the tabernacle, and of course numbers that seem to have very little spiritual value.  However, David found such value in these five books that he said it was sweeter than honey and worth fine gold. It wasn’t until I started to study with rabbis that I discovered what a treasure these first five books of the Bible were and that every verse, even the begats were filled with spiritual lessons.

I understand what David meant when he said he found the Word of God to be more desirable than gold or fine gold. The fine gold is referring to refined gold verses gold that has not been refined.  What is curious is that there are two words in the Hebrew for refined gold.  The most commonly used word is zakak.  This word has its root meaning being poured out.  This is just gold that was taken in its raw state and refined into gold bullion.  The second word for gold is a less commonly used word which is pazaz.  This has as its root meaning, to be brilliant or bright. It is the word pazaz that David chooses here.  The difference lies in gold that has been refined with its impurities removed and gold which has not only been refined but also polished to show it’ brilliance and beauty.

Gold was prized in ancient times, not only because it was scarce, but for its beauty and its adaptability to being molded and fashioned.  Every metal you place in your hands will grow warm as you hold it, except for gold.  It remains cool and aloof, like the gods.  Gold was believed to be the skin of the gods and thus was held sacred.

As civilization developed so did the refining process for gold. The first refining process was to obtain its purity for use in the monetary system.  The weight was given a monetary value.  But the second process was to obtain its beauty.  It was pazaz gold that was used in the tabernacle and later in the temple.   The word pazaz is where we get the word pizazz which in English means attractive, stylish, or flashy and is spelled with a double Zayin preceded by a Pei.   This is showing involvement with God through the speaking of one’s heart.   The Word of God is to be more highly prized than even our words to Him which joins ourselves to Him.

It is sweeter than honey or the drops of a honeycomb.  The word honeycomb is suph.  This has the idea of overflowing and again we have a Pei and Zayin showing involvement with God through our words.  Honey right from the comb is much sweeter honey which has been processed out of the comb.   

For many years I have studied the word of God in the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic three to four hours a day as a minimum.  Like David, I have found the Word of God so sweet like honey off the honeycomb and I start to feast and feast on the Word of God until I cannot eat another bite.  If someone offered a pound of gold if I agree to never read the book of Numbers again in my life, I would not take it. In fact, I would not give up the Book of Numbers for any amount of gold.

The more I read and study the Word of God the more precious it becomes, yes more precious than refined gold, zakak, and more beautiful than pazaz ornamental gold. As the honey from the honeycomb so is the Word of God to me.

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