HEBREW WORD STUDY – CONCENTRATION OF ENERGY – ‘ETSAH  עצה Ayin Sade Hei

Genesis 2:9:  “And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.”

One of the most common complaints I get are from people who say: “I looked up that word and I don’t find the definition you gave for it, what gives?”  What gives is that many have some sort of Biblical Hebrew background, maybe in a Bible college or seminary where they were tested on vocabulary. Maybe they were just trying to pick up Hebrew on their own.  If they are former Bible College or seminary students they will have memorized hundreds of Hebrew words by carrying a little stack of  3”X3” cards that have on one side a Hebrew word and on the other side the English equivalent of that Hebrew word, usually in just one or two words.  Yet, I had a rabbi tell me that there could be up to 35 different English words that apply to that Hebrew word.  To be sure each English word shares a common denominator with that one Hebrew word,  but when you have over a million words in English, over a million words in modern Hebrew and only 7,500 words in Biblical Hebrew and about 8,500 words in Classical Hebrew, one word in Biblical Hebrew will have to go a long way. 

I share a number of rules in my Full Access site as to how you determine which of these many English words to apply, but there are three basic rules that everyone must remember.  The first is – context, the second is – context and the third is context.”  When I read my Hebrew Bible and compare it to some of our modern translations, I really wonder how the translator figured the context of certain words.  This verse is one of them.

Ok, God cause trees to grow out of the ground.  The word tree is ‘ets in Hebrew from the root word ‘etsah.  And each tree was pleasant to the sight. Already, I’m beginning to waver on ‘etsah being a tree, but then this is autumn and the leaves are turning and I do find trees to be pleasant to my sight, but usually trees all look pretty much the same to me. Then it says they are good for food.  Wait a minute, when was the last time you ate a tree. I mean we eat the fruits of the tree but does the text say the fruit is good for food.  Consider the word for good as tov which means to be in harmony. Is this tree really in harmony with food.  The word food is ‘akal which is your common word for food, but it also means to consume, to absorb something into your body so that it becomes a part of you bringing you energy.  Then we get to the tree of life.  I mean life is not a fruit but it is a tree and found in the midst or center of the garden. The word garden is ganan which means an orchard or garden but it also means a shield or protection. I may go with another definition of garden as well as another definition of tree. Perhaps this garden is a shield to protect Adam and Eve from something. 

Just for the sake of argument, we will stay with real actual trees in garden that is good for food.  But a tree that gives life, I don’t know, not when there are other definitions out there for ‘etsah.  We are have a tree of knowledge of good and evil. Now this steps into something magical like eating the fruit or apple of this tree will magically give you and understanding of good and evil. 

Maybe tree is not the best definition for ‘etsah of life and good and evil.  Maybe tree is not the best definition for the entire verse. As I discussed in an earlier study, good – tov is what is in harmony with God and pleasing to Him. Evil – ra, is not what is pleasant or in harmony.  The very fact that good or what is in harmony with God exist then it is only logical that there is something not pleasant or in harmony with God. When God said they could not eat of that tree it was clear that it would not be in harmony with God.  So, Adam and Eve knew there was a difference between good and evil, what they did not know was what evil was like that is what it was like to experience or do something that was not in harmony with God. 

Another definition for ‘etsah is concentrated energy.  The first time fruit is mentioned is in Chapter 3:2 when Eve is talking with the enemy.  The word fruit merely means the product or result.  In fact even in English we called fruit produce that which is produced from a tree. 

So, maybe I could buy into all the fruits of the tree of the garden being real fruit on real trees, but I draw the line with translating ‘etsah for the ‘estah of life and good and evil as a real tree. In fact I am incline to think these all were not trees at all but all were concentrations of energy. What are concentrations of energy that you can consume.  Well, creativity is energy which is an expression of your soul.  If you go to this concentration of energy you would be filled with creative energy.  Suppose there was a concentration of energy for music.  Music is merely soundwaves which is energy. We are all aware of the pleasure and joy music can bring particularly if it is in harmony with God.  How about dancing.  There is a great joy in dancing which requires lots of concentrated energy, particularly if you dancing in or with God.  All these pleasures can bring joy with or without God.  Perhaps the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil is a concentration of energy for some pleasure. The word knowledge is yada’ which is an intimate knowing.  Thus, this tree offers pleasures that are in harmony with God and not in harmony with God.  Let’s say a sexual pleasure.  It can be pleasurable when in harmony with God but it can also bring pleasure when perverted or use selfishly like prostitution or pornography.  Perhaps the enemy was whispering to Eve: “You think this pleasure is great with God, try it without God and you will find it taste or feels just as good maybe even better.” 

Just a thought for your consideration, my point is, why are we locked into just rendering.  Why do we depend upon just our dictionaries or lexicons.  Three major Lexicons are Davidson, just one man, Brown, Driver’s Briggs, just three men and Strongs, just one man. Our primary source for defining a Hebrew word lies with just five men who died years ago?  Learned men, to be sure, but just men and only five?  Come on, there must be more and there is, join our All Access and we will show the more and how to allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into a proper English word.