Hebrew Word Study – A Measuring Tape – Hachut Hameshulash –  הַחוּט֙ הַֽמְשֻׁלָּ֔שׁ  Hei Cheth Vav Teth     Hei Mem Shin Lamed Shin

Ecclesiastes 4:12:  “And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

There is a clear message here.  If one can’t prevail, then two will withstand and three will not be broken.  But if the one prevails, does it not follow that he has withstood the one he prevailed over?  The context is clearly speaking of the benefits of working together with others.  As John Donne said; “No man is an island.” But I think there is a cultural thing here as well. 

In the KJV it is not clear who prevails.  Is the attacker prevailing over the attacked or the other way around. If the attacked prevails, then why do you need two?  Most translations will indicate that one may prevail but it will take two to stand, that one can be overpowered but two can defend themselves.  The syntax is not clear in the KJV who the him is, but in the Hebrew it is clear who the pronoun him is referring to.  The pronoun is an inseparable pronoun that is, it is attached to the verb teqepo prevail so it is the attacker overcoming the one being attacked.  If it were a separable pronoun then it would be the other way around. 

One may not overcome an attacker but two should be able to withstand him.  The word withstand is ‘amed which is to take a firm position, a stand on an issue either for or against.  The word two is hashamin literally the two. There is a definite article in front of that two.  Why does the passage use a definite article?  It is not saying any other person, but a very specific person will stand against this one prevailing. There is where I think this is referring to a cultural situation where a mediator is often called to resolve a dispute. The two would be the one the mediator is siding with.  There is an interesting use of the word prevail teqepo, it is one who overcomes another with intimidation.  If someone is trying to intimidate you and they are being very successful at it, all it takes is a second person to take an ‘amed a stand with you and that intimidator will back down.  This is especially true in a dispute, there is usually one person stronger than the other or more intimidating. 

A threefold cord is not easily broken. Threefold cord in Hebrew is hachut hameshulash. In ancient times a threefold cord was a measuring tape.  Equal lengths of a cord were tied together,  sort of like a measuring tape uses foot as a measuring mark.  It would be like a three foot measuring tape only using a different measuring system.  The word broken us nathaq which means to tear apart, or pull apart.  Yes, it means a third person makes you stand stronger, but a threefold cord was also an idiomatic expression for measuring the arguments in a dispute and wining an argument an arrogant intimidator.  The idea if that three debtors were tied together in an agreement it was usually enough to put the intimidator to  rest. 

However,  I read something interesting in the Talmud.  The Talmud teaches that where two or three are gathered together the Divine presence is in their midst.  In other words  if two people are in disagreement over a matter of law, a third person would be called to mediate.  If all three agreed on a point of law, God would ratify it.  However, if only two agreed on the issue of law then it was believed that God would still ratify it despite the disagreement of the third.  

So two people are discussing an issue of law, one might be very intimidating holding his education, experience and degrees before the other person.  That person will likely give in. But if the second person is called in to take a stand and stands with the intimated person the intimidator, would likely backdown. Still the intimidator could accuse the mediator of prejudice so a fourth rabbi would join and if he agreed with the two you have a threefold cord or measuring line to settle the argument and the loser’s argument is nathaq, torn apart.  

As believers we are constantly being challenged in our stand for the Lord.  It helps if another person will stand with us, that just helps further our resolved.  But where two are gathered together in the name of the Lord, the Divine presence is in their midst.  Jesus will enter that group and form the threefold cord and thus our challenger will not be able to stand. 

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