HEBREW WORD STUDY – GOLD DUST – ‘APHAR אפר Alpeh Pei Resh
(This Word Study is excerpted from Chaim Bentorah’s book: Swimming In His Presence: A Hebrew Teacher Reflects on Worship & Praise)
Job 19:25: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;”
Job 2:8: “And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes.”
In our Monday evening Hebrew/Aramaic Workshop we are researching the Bible for hidden codes and messages.
Last week we discussed the Gematria or numbers. This coming week we will be looking at the hidden messages in word plays. The Talmud calls them deeper messages which is more correct than hidden messages because God does not want to hide anything of His Word from us. He does say, however, that: “If you seek me with all your heart, soul, and might I will be found by you.” Deuteronomy 4:29. The messages are there, you just have to take some time to search for them, and in our Monday evening class, which is recorded and posted on our Learning Channel, we are learning to do this.
So in the Book of Job, we have a Godly man named Job who became the subject of a debate between God and hasatan. I refuse to give the old buzzard hasatan a proper name so we will just transliterate it from Scripture but you all know who I mean. This hasatan challenged God over Job saying that Job only worshipped Him because God paid him so well. “Cut off the goodies and watch him curse you,” challenged hasatan. God said “Ok.” You see, this is the first thing to note, hasatan cannot touch you without permission from God. If God gives His permission to allow hasatan to afflict you it is evidence that God really trusts you. Stuart Hamblin, a Hollywood actor and former alcoholic who was delivered from alcohol when he accepted Jesus as His Savior wrote a song for Elvis Presley who was going through a very hard time. The song is entitled “Known Only To Him.” In the song are the words which best explain this challenge between hasatan and God:
“In this world of fear and doubt on my knees, I ask the question
Why a lonely heavy cross I must bear
Then he tells me in my prayer it’s because I am trustworthy
He gives me strength far more than my share”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53iEAfNebj8
God does not randomly allow the enemy to afflict you. He only allows it because He knows your heart and He knows you can prove something to the World and that old goat hasatan. Well, God really trusted Job because this old boy got wiped out. Not only did he lose his wealth, his family but also his health. You lose that what have you got left? You only have God left, poor fellow.
Not only did he suffer all this but his friends showed up to advise him. You know give him so good human wisdom to cheer him up. What they said was: “Job you know as well as us and everyone else that when you suffer it is because you have sinned and, Hoo boy, to look at you know you must have really committed a whopper. You had better start repenting.” Job’s response? “Repent of what? I have a redeemer who is alive and he will stand on the earth.” The word for stand in this verse is qum. There are various words in Hebrew rendered as standing. Each word has a little different nuance for standing. This word is to stand firm, to be established, to be fulfilled. This redeemer, which is the word goel in Hebrew and can only fit that of the Messiah which we believe to be Jesus, will take this stand of redemption upon the earth.
Well, here is our little wordplay. In Job 2:8 we learn that Job sat in ashes. Ashes in Hebrew is ‘aphar which also means dust and to be covered in dust. It is a declaration of humility as dust and dirt were considered to be of no value or worth. Among the Hebrews, it was a sign of humbling yourself before God in repentance. The very fact that Job was sitting on ashes indicated that he had already repented so what his friends were accusing him of was not true. For his sins were cleansed.
I imagine his friends said: “Yeah, sure Job, then why are you still suffering. You haven’t repented at all.” So, Job responded that His redeemer was alive and would stand upon the earth. Jesus was alive and since He does not live in time meant that redemption that took place a couple thousand years later had already taken place in God’s realm. Does not Scripture say that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years?” II Peter 3:8? But one day that Redeemer will stand upon the earth.
Here is a little wordplay. Job covered himself with ‘aphar. This word is spelled with an Aleph. But 16 chapters later the redeemer, which is Jesus, stands on the ‘aphar earth or dust of the earth. Both words mean dust or dirt, but the ‘aphar that Job covers himself in, according to the 19th-century linguist and Hebrew master Rabbi Samson Hirsch, is also used for covering in gold dust. Hence when Job covered himself in ‘aphar or in repentance his dust or ashes turned to turns to gold dust or beauty. Isaiah 61:3.
What Job is saying to his friends is this: “Yes, I am sitting here in worthless dust but I have a redeemer who lives and because of Him, He will take my ashes and make something beautiful.
But more than that this our Redeemer will one day stand on ‘aphar which is spelled with an Ayin. This is the dust of the earth that God created man and later cursed because of the sin of man. Yet, one day that Redeemer will stand and break the curse of this dust that brought about the corruption of the physical body.
Perhaps you find yourself sitting in a pile of dust, feeling worthless, everything around you is collapsing. Maybe the hasatan laid a challenge before God about you and God has enough confidence in His relationship with you to allow the hasatan to have at it with you. This is your opportunity to repent God and let God give that blabber mouth a black eye by changing your ‘aphar with an Ayin dirt, dust, or ashes to something beautiful.
(This Word Study is excerpted from Chaim Bentorah’s book: Swimming In His Presence: A Hebrew Teacher Reflects on Worship & Praise
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Thanks & Blessings, it means a lot to me!
Dear Chaim
I am at a loss to find this meaning, sadly I do not have any books except The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet Book By Rabbi Michael L. Munk. And of course Biblehub and its ilk can not find any confirmation of turning ashes to gold dust. I can understand Adding Aleph is a mystery as it is silent and relates to YHVH – same gematria. Can you add further information please dear teacher.
Reading this today really blessed me and the first thing that came to my mind is an old song based on Scripture.
“He gives me beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. That we may be trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified “
A question comes to mind, however. In the Hebrew of the story in Exodus of the rebellious Hebrews esting the gold dust of the golden calf — dies this mean another play on words that eating gold dust was really eating the ashes of repentance?
I am very curious about this coming to mind.
In our every day living when we humble ourselves before God and strive to please him in attitude and character could that also be covering ourselves with the dust of the earth which turns into gold dust?
Excellent teaching. Profound
This is so good, how great to ponder on this. I learned much today.
Thank you providing a richer understanding of the word of God.