Simple questions are not so simple. Here is an example of such a question. Names have been removed to protect the writer. If you have a question you wish to be addressed in this forum, please send your e-mail to mail@standingstrong.org.
Psalm 140 that speaks of 'violent men'. I heard that the meaning of the word, 'violent' in Hebrew is, 'Hamas'. Is this correct?
Shalom xxxxxxxx:
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Dr. Bristol’s answer:
The Hebrew words used in Psalm 140 for Violent Men is Hamasim.
When one looks up Violence in the R. Alcalay Complete Hebrew English Dictionary the Hebrew words Alimut, Paraetz, and Hamas are found.
When looking from the Hebrew to the English the words translate as follows:
Alimut - Violence, Terror, Terrorism
Paraetz - breach, Gap, Trouble
Hamas - to frighten, terrify, confound, stun, confuse, perplex.
All of these definitions are from modern Hebrew. Biblical Hebrew is different in subtle but important ways from Modern Hebrew and we must be careful to check with Biblical Hebrew Scholars when we try to make a connection between Hamas in Biblical Hebrew and the current tongue.
Wikipedia states that Hamas is an acronym of the Arabic phrase Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya or "Islamic Resistance Movement". The word formed by the acronym corresponds to an Arabic word meaning "enthusiasm, fire, ardor, fervor, zeal, fanaticism".
From these things we can see a few truths.
One: When looking at scripture from original language one needs to contact a scholar of Biblical Hebrew to verify that the meaning of a word has not changed; in this case we have been assured that Hamasim does mean violent men.
Two: The current people group calling themselves Hamas take their name from an Arabic acronym and does not relate any meaning of their name to the Hebrew. (In Hebrew the word for fish is Dag. Sounds like Dog with a southern accent. We can't say that all southern states people think their four legged friends are fish.)
Three: G-d does have a way of revealing truths in ways that are beyond human understanding. Is it possible that G-d was revealing who the men of violence would be latter days? It is a possibility.
