Lion-like Men in the Bible,

Lion-like Men in the Bible-

2 Sam 23:20 and 1 Chr 11:22 (King James Bible)                          2017-09-01hgk

²⁰ And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike (Concordance¹ word #739) men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion (#738) in the midst of a pit in time of snow.    [This verse is identical to that in  1 Chr 11:22 concerning the killing two lionlike men (739) and a lion (738) in a pit.]

COMMENT: 

According to  Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible¹, the original Hebrew for word 'lionlike' (#739)  describing of the two men of Moab killed by Benaiah is -- ariyel or ariel -- meaning "lion of God, i.e., heroic: lionlike man."  "Ariel" comes from root words # 738 and 410. Root word 738 -- ariy or aryeh -- means  a lion or  young lion. And root word 410 -- el -- means: mighty, especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity) God (god) x goodly, x great idol, mighty one, power, strong.

The word  "ariel" describing the two men of Moab that were  killed by Benaiah was translated as "lionlike' in both verses in (2 Sam 23:20 and 1 Chr 11:22) in six versions of the Bible: the King James Bible (KJB), New King James Bible, 21st Century King James Bible,  Authorized  KJB,  Young's Literal Translation, and the Orthodox Jewish Bible.  Seven other versions of the Bible translate it as 'sons of Areil.' These versions include: American Standard Version, New American Bible, New American Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation and the New Life Version.  Several of these versions make footnotes to indicate the meaning of 'areil' was  unknown. Translating the Hebrew word “ariel” (739) as “sons of Ariel" was done even though there is no Hebrew word for “sons” in relation to "ariel" in the Hebrew text. Also 'ariel' appears as a proper name, 'Ariel' only in Ezra 8:16 referring to the name of a Levite not a Moabite, and in Isaiah (29:1,2,7) Ariel refers  to the City of David (or Jerusalem).  There is no indication that 'ariel' refers to a proper name of a Moabite in these two verses about  'lionlike' men in 2 Samuel 23:20 and  1 Chronicles 11:22. Although there is no Hebrew word for warrior or soldier used in the original text, five versions of the Bible used (mostly likely incorrectly) the words: 'warriors or soldiers' -- they were used in the Good News Bible, Easy to Read Bible, English Standard Bible, God's Word, and the New International Version.  The Douay-Rheims 1899 Bible translates "ariel"  (#739) as "lions," but the  next part of the verse says Benaiah killed 'a lion' (aryeh),  which is a different  word  (#738). Benaiah's greatness probably was not because he killed three lions (aryeh); neither was it be because he killed two cubs and a lion as stated in The Message version. 

Adding the suffix “el” in the word "ariel" adds a god-like or super-natural dimension  to the word for lion. Perhaps these men of Moab were "creature-men," i.e.,  genetic hybrids of fallen angels  and animals -- something like the giants or Nephilim as described in Genesis 6:4.  Chapter 9 of the Book of Revelation  describes visions of future judgments involving locusts having the shape of horses, the face of a man and teeth of  lions (vs 7).  In verse 17, there was a vision of horses with heads of lions that issue fire and their  tails were serpents with heads that inflict harm. All of these creatures are wildly bizarre, outside our normal comprehension and may be images that represent something natural to us, but we do not know unless it is revealed by God.  By faith in scripture, we reasonably believe that David killed Goliath, a giant about 9 feet tall* who was very strong having 6 finger and six toes. There are many references to giants in the scriptures (Genesis 6:4; Numbers 13:33; Deuteronomy 2:11, 20; 3:11, 13; Joshua 12:4; 13:12;15:8; 17:15; 18:16). 

Modern archeology and observations confirm the existence of such giants having 6 fingers, 6 toes and some having two rows of teeth.  Also the ancient Egyptians had elongated heads with skull bone plates and suture patterns unlike those in human skulls.  Elongated skulls of Paracas "people" in Peru also had non-human skull plates and suture patterns as well as DNA “mutations unknown in any human, primate, or animal."²  Possibly these were Nephilim or hybrids of fallen angels and women. In Egypt, the Sphinx of Giza represents a presumed mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human.  Egyptian, Greek and Roman mythology describes many 'god-like' "hybrid" creatures such as centaurs (part man and part horse), Pegasus (a winged horse), Horus (part hawk and part human), Dagon (part fish and part man) and many others³.  Why was the history of some of the greatest nations of the past (Egypt, Greece and the Roman empire) filled with so much mythology or fantasy? Was it fancy? Perhaps there were powerful giants, nephilim and possibly also hybrids created by fallen angels breeding women (Genesis 6:4) and animals but not recognized as real by history but relegated to fantasy or mythology.  Perhaps these myths tell of real hybrid creatures of the past.

There are extra-biblical writings about man-beast hybrid creatures cited in the Bible. Twice the Bible refers to the Book of Jasher (2 Sam 1:18; Josh 10:13).  In the Book of Jasher⁴ (61:15), Jasher tells about a man named Zepho who found a creature like a beast-man hybrid that ate oxen. Jasher described the creature: "from the middle upward it resembled a man, and from the middle downward it resembled an animal."  Zepho killed it with a sword. 

The Bible tells us that Benaiah was one of the thirty mighty warrior men of David. The chief ones were Adino, Eleazar, and Shammah who individually killed 800 men, many Philistines soldiers, or a troop of Philistines (2 Sam 23: 9-12). Another of the thirty was Abishai who, by himself,  killed 300 men (2 Sam 23:18).  Benaiah was mighty because he killed two lion-like men (Concordance word #739: ariel ) from Moab and a lion (2 Sam 23:20-21; 1 Chr 11:22-23).  These two lion-like men according to the definition of the original Hebrew word (ariel : word #739) were heroic men like a 'lion of god' or 'lion-like men.' He also used a staff to kill a 7-foot tall⁵ Egyptian man armed with a spear.  The word for a normal or natural "lion" (#738) is "aryeh."  It is reasonable to believe that God choose the original Hebrew word (739) "ariel" meaning "lion of god" or "lionlike men" to convey the meaning as He wanted understood -- a very different kind of man or creature -- which was exceptionally powerful and dangerous, otherwise killing two "ariel" would not be so worthy of mention. The Bible seldom overstates the facts, but usually simply says so in a simple language.  Therefore it seems that Benaiah was a great warrior because he killed two lion-like men, both powerful creatures being part man and part lion.

 

Footnotes:

*Goliath was 6 cubits and a span (~9 feet) tall (1 Samuel 17:4).

1.     Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible by James Strong (1995) Thomas Nelson Publishers,  Nashville.

2.     New DNA Testing on 2,000-Year-Old Elongated Paracas Skulls Changes Known History

www. ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/breaking-new-dna-testing-2000-year-old-elongated-paracas-skulls-changes-020914

3.     Mythology:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hybrid_creatures_in_mythology

4.     Book of Jasher:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HseWl7gyL4Y   

NEWS AND NOTES

The Salk Institute in California created a human-pig hybrid embryos. Such human-animal hybrids are often called “chimeras.”  The US Congress introduced  the Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act in 2008 to prevent the creation of human-animal hybrids to protect the dignity and integrity of the humans but the bill failed to pass.  MIT Technology Review estimates that about 20 pregnancies of pig-human or sheep-human chimeras have been accomplished.   So far no scientific paper describing the work has been published.  Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/545106/human-animal-chimeras-are-gestating-on-us-research-farms/

INDEX

INDEX—Articles arranged by date originally posted

Title                                                                            Post Date, original

Lion-like men in Bible                                              September 1, 2017
INDEX                                                                       May 2, 2017
Easter story and criminal saved by mercy                 May 2, 2017
Sex in marriage                                                           May 2, 2017

Any Other Gospel - Cursed                                        July 25, 2016

Serving God Acceptably                                             July 10, 2016

Transformed by Renewing of the Mind                      March 13, 2016

OLDER POSTS BELOW-- (click to see)
Kingdom of God-First priority                                    Feb 5, 2016

Two kinds of life  (flesh vs Spirit)                               Feb 5, 2016

Rapture happens after tribulation                                Jan 21, 2016

Revelation 20                                                              Jan 20, 2016

If older articles are not shown, click "OLDER POSTS" at bottom.

Easter story and the guilty criminal saved by faith

Easter Story and the guilty criminal saved by faith and mercy of God

Mat  27:1,2, 11, 18, 22-25,  40,  45, 50-52, 54, 62-66

1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed.

2 So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

11 When Jesus stood before the governor,  the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said so.”

18 Pilate knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd and said “I am innocent of this man’s blood. It is your responsibility!”

25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!

Luke 23:32-43--32 Two criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.

33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah."

36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him

37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?

41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

43 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Mat 28: 45, 50-52, 54, 62-66

45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.

50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split

52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.

54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

62 The next day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.

63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while Jesus was still alive, that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’

64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb secure.”

66 So they went and made the tomb secure ... and posted  guards.

Mat 28:1-6 --  1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.

3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.

10  Jesus said to them (women), “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Mat 28: 12-20--

12 The chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, and they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.  ¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

COMMENT:

One of the criminals being crucified rebuked the other criminal for not fearing God.  He said that they were both guilty and deserving of death.  That criminal also said that Jesus was innocent having done no wrong. So there the criminal was, nailed to a cross, able to do absolutely nothing, but to ask Jesus to  remember him when he comes into His kingdom. [So that criminal knew Jesus came from God and that His life would not end with the crucifixion, and that Jesus  had a spiritual kingdom.]  So Jesus replied, today you will be with me in paradise.  So here we see that God showed mercy even toward one of the criminals who admitted his guilt and was able to do absolutely nothing to deserve paradise. He simply asked Jesus to remember [have mercy on] him, a criminal worthy of death. And Jesus saved his soul that day -- at the very end of his life. That's what Easter is about-- the good news that God provided salvation for every soul that believes that Jesus came to die and pay the price for their sins if they confess and ask to receive forgiveness.  Eternal life in paradise comes through faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ, and nothing else. It cannot be earned by doing good, only by faith and asking for forgiveness made available by the death of Jesus -- the son of God -- the perfect sacrifice for sin forever.

Last revision: May 2, 2017

Sex in marriage

Sex in Marriage (God's word and view)                         Last revision: 2017-05-02

1 Cor 7:1-5 (KJV) --

1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence (#2133): and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

4 The wife hath not power (#1850) of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

5 Defraud (650) ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Original Hebrew and Greek Words in the King James Bible

 Word # 2133- eunoia- kindness: euphem. conjugal duty:- benevolence, good will. 

 Word # 1850- exousiazo- to control:  exercise authority upon, being under the (have) power of.

 Word # 650-  apostereo- to despoil, defraud, destitute, keep back by fraud.

Questions:

What is 'due benevolence'?  [Conjugal duty given in kindness]

Who has authority over sex?  [The spouse has authority over the sexual activity of the partner]

What does 'incontinency' mean?  [Lack of self-control or temptation to commit adultery]

Who may be tempted? [Every married person]

How does God say to decrease the temptation to 'incontinency'?  [By not defrauding (denying) your spouse when he or she wants sex]

Who is responsible to decrease temptation?  [Each is responsible to help the other by not defrauding] 

How?  [Both should render sex with kindness when spouse desires and both should exercise self control] 

How often should one render due benevolence?  [Whenever reasonably  possible except for a mutually-agreed time of prayer and fasting]

What does defraud mean? [To keep or hold back what is owed (as in a contract), to cheat, to fail to honor an obligation]

Genesis 2:24--- (God said:) ^‘Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.’

1 Corinthians 6:16 --  What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he (God) shall be one flesh.

Hebrews 13:4--  Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge (NKJV).

Comment: God considers sex is an important marital duty (Greek: eunoia’ conjugal duty, benevolence) that is meant to be a kindness in marriage. God created sex to be a good thing for marriage. It is not sinful or a dirty act that God forgives in order to produce babies. Babies are an added blessing. Sex was originally created to be a duty of kindness ordained by God to be enjoyed in marriage — because God originally said “the two shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).  According to the New Testament verse, 1 Corinthians 6:16,  "one flesh" is understood to mean sexual intercourse.  Therefore, sexual intercourse in marriage is a special blessing and a conjugal duty of kindness (benevolence) that helps hold marriages together by reducing the temptation to commit adultery.