Spoke 8 - Chet Alphabetic Verses

And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

Exodus 34:6

The letter Chet represents a fence, hedge, wall, or enclosure. This coheres with its ancient form that looks like two fence poles with two (or three) rails, which gave rise to the Greek and Latin forms of the letter H. Most scholars, while acknowledging this traditional understanding, express some uncertainty about its origin because the name Chet does not directly correspond to any Hebrew word. Gesenius, in his seminal Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament, suggests that the name חית (Chet) is actually from the root חיץ (Chetz, Wall, S# H2434), there being a slight phonetic variation in the exchange of Tsaddi for Tav. Chetz is from the KeyWord Chatzah (Divide, see below). The symbolic meaning of Chet as an enclosure, wall, fence, or refuge is the basis of many KeyWords God used in the Chet alphabetic verses below. This is the meaning Dr. Frank T. Seekins uses in his analysis of Hebrew Word Pictures.

Chanun: Gracious

• AV Psa 145.8: The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
• AV Psa 111.4b: ... the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
• AV Psa 112.4b: ... he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

The KeyWord חנון (chanun, gracious, S# H2587) is the verbal root of the noun חן (chen, grace, S# H2580). Its numerical weight - 114 - coincides with the index of the Grace Manifest Holograph. Chen (Grace) is an anagram of the name Noah, meaning Rest (cf. GR 58). Grace first appears in conjunction with the name Noah in Genesis 6.8: "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Note how God's Grace manifested in Noah's life; He enclosed him in the Ark, safely carrying him and his family through the destruction wrought by the divine judgment of the sinful world. This is part of the great theme based on the Number 8, the Flood, and Baptism, as discussed in The Meaning of the Number 8. The root of the relation between Grace and God's protection is revealed in the KeyWord Chanah below.

Chanah: Encamp

• AV Psa 34.7: The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

This KeyWord חנה (chanah, encamp, S# H2583) is nearly identical to chanun (gracious) listed above. The connection comes through the associated idea of being incined towards. The Grace of God is our shield, our refuge, our defence.

Chesed: Mercy

• AV Psa 119.64: The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.
• AV Lam 3.22: It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

The KeyWord חסד (chesed, mercy, S# H2617) is strongly associated with chanun (gracious). And just as as chanun relates to chanah (encamp), so chesed relates to the KeyWord chasah (refuge).

Chavar: Friend

• AV Psa 119.63: I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

This KeyWord חבר (chavar, S# H2270) is variously translated as companion, friend, fellow. This word is an exellent word picture, which Dr. Seekins interprets simply as "a bosom person" (Hebrew Word Pictures pg. 42) by taking the first two letters as forming חב (chob, bosom) and the Resh as a symbol of a person (from its ancient meaning as a picture of of the head). In Hebrew, it is a short step from the word "bosom" to "friend." This is the endless beauty of this Holy Language. Chavar links to the KeyWord chabel (bond - see below) through the idea of the human bond of friendship. One of the most famous manifestations of this theme is found in Ruth (Book 8 - corresponding to Chet):

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

Ruth 1:16 (Spoke 8, cycle 1)

The Book of Ruth is also distinguished by containing 90% of all occurrences of the Chet KeyWord חמות (chamoth, mother-in-law, S# H2545), as discussed in Ruth's Mother-In-Law.

Chagar: Gird

• AV Proverbs 31.17: She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

The KeyWord חגר (chagar, gird, S# H2296) carries the idea of enclosing by wrapping. It is the verbal root of the noun chagor (S# H2290). This root first appears in Genesis 3 in the plural חגרות (chagorot, aprons) which also coincides with the numerical weight of TORAH = 611 - revealing a link between the original sin (chata) and the Law.

Chabel: Bands

• AV Psa 119.61: The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.

The word חבל (chabel, S# H2256) is variously translated as cord, line, or rope. Its sound is very much like that of the English cable with similar meaning. Note that a rope or cable is made of many strands twisted together. This is an example of the general idea of binding that we frequently find associated with Chet KeyWords, such as chavar (friend/companion, i.e. the human bond). It also is used to describe bondage to sin (chata - see below)

Chata: Sin

• AV Lam 1.8: Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
• AV Psa 25.7: Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.

We find the KeyWord חטא (chata, sin, S# H2398) linked with the KeyWord chebel (see above) translated as "cords" in Proverbs:

His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

Proverbs 5:22

This integrates with the strong Chet themes of enclosures, wrappings, bonds and bindings. Sin is bondage, as declared in John 8.32f:

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

John 8.32f

Chashak: Darken, Black

• AV Lam 4:8: Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.

The KeyWord כשך (chashak, darken, S# H2821) is the verbal root of the noun choshek (darkness) that first appears in Genesis 1:2. It carries the general idea of enclosure in the sense of being enclosed or covered in darkness. It coheres strongly with the Chet KeyWord chaba (hid).

Chatzah: Divide

• AV Psa 119:62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

The word midnight is literally the middle (חצות, chatzoth) of the night (lilah). Chatzoth is from the root חצה (chatzah, divide, S# H2673) meaning divide or apportion.

Cheleq: Portion

• AV Psa 119.57: Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.
• AV Lam 3.24: The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

The KeyWord חלק (cheleq, portion, S# H2506) is translated as portion, share, part, or territory.

Chadash: New

• AV Lam 3.21f: It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

The KeyWord חדש (chadash, new, S# H2319) describes the condition of every person who is freed from the bonds of sin. This integrates with the universally recognized biblical meaning of the Number Eight as New Beginnings.

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