HEBREW WORD STUDY – BRIBERY – ‘AVEN עבן   Ayin Beth Nun

Psalms 66:18: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:”

The warning in this verse is obvious.  If you are aware of iniquity in your heart, the Lord will not hear your prayers.  But when you examine this verse in other translations the message is the same but the nuances tend to be a little different.  

For instance, this word regard.  When I hear the word regard my thought is that you are thinking on your iniquities or considering them.  So just considering your iniquities will cause God to disregard any of your prayers?  Some translations say to be aware of, or to have thoughts of, or to harbor.  A couple translations like the NIV says to cherish iniquities in one’s heart. Secondly, some translations call them sins, wickedness or baseness.  Do all these mean the same thing only different words are used or are these special nuances that we need to consider? 

First let’s look at that word iniquity. Most Christians just consider iniquity and sin to be the same. Indeed, it would appear that in many places in Scripture iniquity and sin seem to be the same.  In some places iniquity seems to be a word that deals with all types of sin.  Bible scholars will say that “sin deals with the action or lack of action that is wrong while iniquity deals more with the character or nature of the act.”  You understand that high academic, theological talk?  I don’t. I have no idea what that means and I have PhD. 

Iniquity in Hebrew is avon which means punishment or guilt and comes from a Semitic root avah which is to bend, twist or pervert. Sin is the word chatah which is to miss the mark. Now that I understand.  Sin is missing God’s standard or ideal and iniquity is perverting God’s ideal. The word used here in the Hebrew however is neither avon nor chatah.  It is a word which your lexicons will say is of an uncertain derivation.  That is academic speak or code for translators just make a guess from the context which is why some will say sin, some iniquity while others say it is wickedness or baseness. One thing all translators agree upon, however,  is that it is something that is very displeasing to God.

The word used in Hebrew for iniquity is aven.  I know it looks almost like avon but the aven is spelled with an Aleph where avon is spelled with an Ayin. Two different words that sound alike.  Most translators will just say they are the same word and some scribe just got them mixed up.  I’m sorry, but I believe in the inspiration and inerrancy of God’s word.  I don’t believe a near sighted scribe made an error. 

Rabbi Samson Hirsch a 19th Century linguist and Hebrew master sees it as a different word from the one spelled with an Ayin.  He defines this word as to acquire something through a misuse of power. Professor Ernest Klein a 20th Century linguist and scholar in Semitic languages traces this word to its Semitic origins and finds it is related to avon with an Ayin – iniquity but it is a radical form of iniquity.  It has the idea of purchasing power or favors. He also uses this word for idolatry as that is what idolatry ultimately is, giving gifts or offerings to purchase favors from a god. 

I tend to think that this is what David intended in this verse that if you regard your gifts, offerings and good works to win favor with God, God will not hear your request.  In other words, He cannot be purchased. The word regard is ra’ah which simply means to see or exhibit.  If one exhibits in his heart, this pay to play so to speak, this mercenary approach to getting things from God, God is not going to hear his request.  

This really strikes at the heart of many Christians.  You find yourself really in need of God to intervene, to rescue you from a situation. Perhaps you need money to pay your mortgage or rent. Perhaps you need a job or a healing.  What do you do?  You start behaving yourself.  “You see God,  how good I am, surely I deserve an answer to prayer.”  You start attending church, reading your Bible, paying tithes and offerings even using funds set aside to pay your rent or mortgage to give a sacrificial gift to God hoping He will be impressed and reward you. Do not the preachers promise you that  God will be pleased with your sacrifice and will grant your request.  

Let me ask you. Did you gain your salvation through good works?  Through church attendance?  Paying tithes and offerings?  Did you gain your place in heaven by studying the Bible?  Of course not, it was a free gift that you gained when you surrendered your life to Him and allowed his blood to cleanse you from your sins. 

What makes you think that after God showed this wonderful, ultimate favor of forgiving your sins that now you need a little more favor from God to get a prayer answered. All future favors from God must now be purchased with good works, church attendance, tithes and offerings?  You have to somehow win favor beyond that ultimate sacrifice He made with His Son by showing some good works? You’re His child, your family.  You have all the favor from God that you will ever get. Are you going to insult that awesome, might love of God with a bribe? 

What does Jesus say: “Ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be open.”  Matthew 7:7. I don’t see anything in there about going to church, singing I like God songs and throwing money in an offering plate.  

God is not in heaven saying: “Oy, what good things you’ve done for Me, Bunkie, come, come let Me show you how I will answer your prayer.” He doesn’t hear a prayer that comes with a bribe.  He cannot be bought and like any honest businessman or politician (believe it or not there are many out there) when confronted with a  bribe – He will ignore your request. 

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