Hebrew Word Study – Take Up Residence – Yashav – Yod Shin Beth

Zechariah 1:3: “Therefore say thou until them; Thus, saith the Lord of hosts, turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of Host, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of Host. 

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Is it just me or do you get the impression that it is the Lord of Host who is speaking?  So why is it so important to repeat the Lord of Host so many times?  This is a common phrase used by Haggai and Malachi.  The Lord here is the word Jehovah or YHWH.  The word host is tzaba’.  It could mean angels and mankind, it could also mean armies.  As a verb, it means to go forth or carry on war.  In the Aramaic the word it means determination, resolution, will, or simply a plea to please.  Perhaps we can say that the Lord of Host means the Lord who does what He pleases. 

So, if we turn to the God who does what He pleases, then we are a part of that pleasure of God. This raises the question as to what it means to “turn to” God.   First, let me point out the obvious.  We are the ones who must first do the turning before God will “turn to” us.  We have to push the button, turn the crank, and flip the switch before the lights of God turn on. 

Maybe we should take a closer look at this all-important word “turn to.”  In Hebrew the word used is shavab.  In reference to us, it is in an imperative form or a command.  In reference to God turning to us. This is in a Qal imperfect form which we would translate into English as a future tense. Simply put we would render this as “Turn to me and I will turn to you.”  Now other uses of shavab are to return or restore, all of which fit nicely into this verse. 

However, can we really be sure the root word is shavab? It does fit nicely into the context of the verse so why question it?   Well, for one thing, the root word could be yashav which means to dwell or take up residence.  Translators would tend to avoid this rendering, although it would be perfectly correct to use this root word because it would make our relationship with God a little too personal.  It is acceptable to most of Christianity to allow God to turn to us, but to have Him inhabit us, that is take up residence in us, well that is a little too much to swallow.  After all, we are talking about the Lord of host, the God of everything, who does just as He pleases.  Why would He want to inhabit a poor old sinner like me?  

Well, here again, a rendering comes down to one’s point of view about God.  If God is just too big, too powerful to actually inhabit us personally, you will use the root word shavab.  However, if you believe God is so loving, so personal that he wants to personally indwell you, then you can go with yashav.   I personally would go with yashav and thus I would render this verse as: “Return to the God of Host and He will dwell within you.”  As the Lord of Host dwelling within us, we will literally be driven by whatever pleases Him.  

This is really important to me personally because many years ago I wandered away from God ands ever since my return to Him, I have become obsessed with the study of His Word.  I mean every waking hour that I have free; I am digging into His word.  I carry my I iPad with my Hebrew Bible downloaded everywhere I go and in every free moment, I am looking up some passage of Scripture.  Now I have only two possible explanations for this obsession.  When I returned to the Lord I must have suffered some sort of stroke that which left me with a compulsive obsessive behavior. Regular visits to my doctor and one pacemaker later I am assured I suffered no such stroke. That leaves my only explanation which is that The Lord of Host has taken up residence in me and as the Lord of Host or the God who does what He pleases, is driving me to study His Word which pleases Him.   

Of course, there is an upside to all this.  If the God of Host whom I invited to dwell within me is happy and taking pleasure in my studies, it makes sense that I am happy and taking pleasure in my studies.  Now that sounds like a win-win situation for me.

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