Hebrew Word Study – Prepare – Kun כון Kap Vav Nun

Ezra 7:10: “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to do it and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.”

You read about Ezra and the word that comes to mind is “fanatic.” This old boy devoted himself to the Word of God. Jewish tradition teaches that Ezra’s knowledge of the Torah was equal to that of Moses. Not only that he was determined to make sure he obeyed every letter of the law and make sure others followed the law as well.  He was responsible for restoring the Jewish identity problem developed during the captivity when Hebrew men married non-Hebrew women.  He ordered the men to divorce these wives.  

He was such a fanatic that he insisted on leading 5,000 Israelites back to their homeland with gifts and treasures of the King without a military to protect them.  He insisted that their only protection should come from God.

Yet, it was this fanatic who helped usher in one of the greatest revivals in Jewish history.  What made this scribe so great is found in Ezra 7:10, he prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to do it and teach it.   Now think about that a moment. He prepared his heart to seek the law.” This is where it all started, seeking the Word of God.  

As I surf the internet and listen to the wide range of teachings on, about, and in spite of the Word of God, I am becoming convinced we are a nation that has become Biblically illiterate. It is almost like the nation of Israel at the time of Ezra. People were seeking out the latest fads in how God works. There was only a superficial knowledge of the Word of God. Teachers were teaching what other teachers were teaching. Very few teachers really did any independent study of the Word of God. Yet, there was a raging hunger to really know the Word of God and when one little Scribe arose and said he would prepare his heart to seek the Word of God, a mighty revival broke out. 

I have no desire to lead a revival or to be another Ezra, but I do desire to do what Ezra did, ie., prepare my heart to seek the Word of God. My desire is to know the heart of God and the secrets to His heart are found in the Word of God. So I need to examine this idea of “preparing” my heart. How do I prepare my heart? Is that really the correct Hebrew word to use here? The word in Hebrew is kun which is found in a Hiphal form. So Ezra was highly motivated to prepare his heart. There are many, many usages for the word kun. It could be steadfast, firm, fixed, fashioned…. “Actually none of these fit the context.”  

“Say what? Now, who said that?” I asked as I looked down at my Hebrew Bible and saw the word kun (which means prepared) was missing. I looked over to my Looking Glass and there stood Kap, Vav, and Nun which spells Kun. Yep, there was Kun standing there waving me over to follow them through my Look Glass. So, I step through my Looking Glass with Kap Vav and Nun, or Kun as they are known and suddenly I find myself on a balcony overlooking a great crowd of English Words. When Kap, Vav, and Nun looked out over the rail of the balcony a loud cheer went up among the throng of English words.  Kap Vav and Nun waved and threw kisses and then stepped off the balcony back into the room connected to the balcony. “Who are they?”I asked. “Kap said they were all the English Words that at one time or another were rendered from us, “KUN.” I peeked out the window and I saw words like “confirm, fixed, solid, approach, prepared, ready, stand, firm, steadfast, established, direct, found, ordered, ordained, placed, secured, unmoving, immobile, and many many others, all with the dream of one day being addressed as “KUN.”  

“Wow,” I said, “How can I know which one fits Ezra 7:10.” “That’s why we brought you here so you can see our latest movie,” said Vav. “Movie? How can you guys be movie stars you’re just a bunch of Hebrew letters?” “We sure nuf, are” answered Nun. “Come with us to the premier.” So we stepped out of the motel into a black limo and took off for the theater. We were greeted at the theater by even more English words all cheering and many wanting to just touch the master Hebrew word. “I don’t get it,” I said, “Why are you so popular among English words?” We are popular,” replied Kap “because we form a picture that every one of those many, many words out there can relate to.” “Well,” thought, “Hebrew is a language of pictures

With that, I looked up at a poster and there I saw the name of the movie “Jonah” and the list of the stars. The first star is Kap ( a vessel that needs to be filled) he plays the role of the fish’s belly and is filled with the second star of this movie the Vav which represents man and is pictured as a hook and plays the role of Jonah being hooked by God and brought into the whale’s belly. The last letter to KUN, the Nun who stars as the fish, as Nun means fish. “You see,” said Kap, thinking my thoughts. “There is no one English word that fits Ezra 7:10 for the word “Prepare.” What you must do with your heart to seek the Word of God can only be seen in a picture, the movie “Jonah” starring “ Kap, Vav, Nun as the word KUN.  

After the movie was over Kap Vav Nun and I returned through the “Looking Glass” and Kap Vav Nun slipped back into my Hebrew Bible, but before they did Kap, Vav, Nun asked if I understood what it means to “KUN” your heart to seek God. I thought of the story of Jonah who ran from the presence of God because he did not want to hear God’s heart. He refused to go to Ninevah because he did not want God’s heart’s desire for Ninevah, that is that they repent. But it was KUN’s starring role that reveals KUN’s true nature. It was in the fish’s belly that Jonah learned about God’s heart.

Ezra “prepared” to seek the Word of God, by confirming, being steadfast in his determination and hunger to know God’s heart. Once Ezra learned God’s heart through the study of His Word, he presented it to the people of Israel and a great revival broke out.

How do we prepare our hearts to Study the Word of God?” We prepare by seeking to know His will, his desires, in other words, building a longing to know His heart.

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