Jewish philosophy -- Early works to 1800; Judaism -- Works to 1900; Philosophy, Medieval -- Early works to 1800
The term ʻamad (he stood) is a homonym signifying in the first instance
“to stand upright,” as “When he stood (be-ʻomdo) before Pharaoh” (Gen.
xli. 46); “Though Moses and Samuel stood (yaʻamod)” (Jer. xv. 1); “He
stood by them” (Gen. xviii. 8). It further denotes “cessation and
interruption,” as “but they stood still (ʻamedu) and answered no more”
(Job xxxii. 16); “and she ceased (va-taʻamod) to bear” (Gen. xxix. 35).
Next it signifies “to be enduring and lasting,” as, “that they may
continue (yo-ʻamedu) many days” (Jer. xxxii. 14); “Then shalt thou be
able to endure (ʻamod)” (Exod. xviii. 23); “His taste remained (ʻamad)
in him” (Jer. xlviii. 11), i.e., it has continued and remained in
existence without any change; “His righteousness standeth for ever”
(Ps. cxi. 3), i.e., it is permanent and everlasting. The verb applied
to God must be understood in this latter sense, as in Zechariah xiv. 4,
“And his feet shall stand (ve-ʻamedu) in that day upon the Mount of
Olives” (Zech. xiv. 4), “His causes, i.e., the events of which He is
the cause, will remain efficient,” etc. This will be further elucidated
when we speak of the meaning of regel (foot). (Vide infra, chap,
xxviii.) In the same sense is this verb employed in Deuteronomy v. 28,
“But as for thee, stand thou here by me,” and Deuteronomy v. 5, “I
stood between the Lord and you.”
CHAPTER XIV
The homonymous term adam is in the first place the name of the first
man, being, as Scripture indicates, derived from adamah, “earth.” Next,
it means “mankind,” as “My spirit shall not strive with man (adam)”
(Gen. vi. 3). Again “Who knoweth the spirit of the children of man
(adam)” (Eccles. iii. 21); “so that a man (adam) has no pre-eminence
above a beast” (Eccles. iii. 19). Adam signifies also “the multitude,”
“the lower classes” as opposed to those distinguished from the rest, as
“Both low (bene adam) and high (bene ish)” (Ps. xlix. 3).
It is in this third signification that it occurs in the verses, “The
sons of the higher order (Elohim) saw the daughters of the lower order
(adam)” (Gen. vi. 2); and “Forsooth! as the humble man (adam) you shall
die” (Ps. lxxxii. 7).
CHAPTER XV
Although the two roots naẓab and yaẓab are distinct, yet their meaning
is, as you know, identical in all their various forms.
The verb has several meanings: in some instances it signifies “to
stand” or “to place oneself,” as “And his sister stood (va-tetaẓẓab)
afar off” (Exod. ii. 4); “The kings of the earth set themselves”
(yityaẓẓebu) (Ps. ii. 2); “They came out and stood” (niẓẓabim) (Num.
xvi. 27). In other instances it denotes continuance and permanence, as,
“Thy word is established (niẓẓab) in Heaven” (Ps. cxix. 89), i.e., it
remains for ever.
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