Bible Lexicons

Girdlestone's Synonyms of the Old TestamentGirdlestone's OT Synonyms

Teaching

Twelve Hebrew words are used to convey the idea of teaching in the O.T in Deuteronomy 6:7, 'Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,' the word Shanan (שׁנן ), to whet or sharpen, is used. Here the idea seems to be not so much the sharpening of the children's understanding as the plying of the Divine statutes to and fro in their hearts, and the setting forth God's truth in all its aspects in 2 Chronicles 30:22, where we are told that the Levites 'taught the good knowledge of the Lord,' the word Sacal (שׂכל , Ass. sukhallu, 'intelligence'), 'to make wise,' [This word, which is almost always used in the Hiphil voice, seems to signify sometimes the receiving and sometimes the giving of instruction in Daniel 12:3 the words 'they that be wise' might be rendered 'they that teach' Sacal has sometimes been rendered prosper, as in Jeremiah 33:5, 'A king shall reign and prosper;' but it may here signify do wisely, or give instruction. The title of several of the Psalms, maschil, is derived from it. The LXX usually renders it συνίημι and σύνεσις.] is used, to mark the fact that the Levites were not content with superficial teaching. The same word is found in Proverbs 16:23, 'The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth.' in Isaiah 43:27, 'Thy teachers have transgressed against me,' the marginal rendering 'interpreters' is probably the best, reference being made to the expositors (מלץ ) of the law in Proverbs 31:1, and Ezekiel 23:48, Yasar (יסר ), 'to chasten,' is used, a word which answers to the Greek παιδεύω, by which it is usually rendered, the instruction often involving chastisement in Psalms 105:22 we find Chacam (חכם ), a word often heard in a modern Jewish school, and cognate with the Arabic hakim, a wise man in Exodus 18:20 the word used is Zahar (זהר ), to illuminate, and hence to warn. Thus the analogy of spiritual and intellectual light was set before Israel at the beginning of their history. This is the word rendered shine in Daniel 12:3.

Alaph (אלף ), a verb connected with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is found in Job 33:33, 'I shall teach thee wisdom,' and 35:11, (God) 'teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven.' It is also found in chap.15:5, 'Thy mouth uttereth (margin, teacheth) thine iniquity.' Compare Proverbs 22:25, 'Lest thou learn his ways.' Evil, like good, has its alphabet. Davar (דבר ), to speak or to broach a subject, is used in Jeremiah 28:16; Jeremiah 29:32, 'Thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord.' The so-called prophetic utterances of Hananiah had really been rebellious words. Bin (בין ), 'to make to understand,' is found in 1 Chronicles 25:8, where the teacher is put in contrast, or rather in compare, with the scholar; it also occurs in 2 Chronicles 35:3, and Nehemiah 8:9, with reference to the teaching of the Levites. Yada (ידע , Ass. idu), 'to make to know,' is used in Deuteronomy 4:9, and Judges 8:16, 'He taught the men of Succoth,' i.e. gave them a less on which they would not readily forget. Compare 2 Chronicles 23:13; Ezra 7:25; Job 32:7; Job 37:19; Psalms 90:12; Proverbs 9:9; and Isaiah 40:13.

Lamad (למד , Ass. Iamadu), whence the name Talmud is derived, is frequently used; it signifies to chastise, and hence to teach, and is rendered διδάσκω, and μανθάνω. Also Yarah (ירה ), to cast forth, hence to .guide or direct, is applied to teaching several times. The master and the scholar in Malachi 2:12 are literally the awakener and the answerer. It is the teacher's business to awaken thought in the heart of the pupil, and it is the scholar's business to answer to the test to which his understanding is put.