Word Picture for Love
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
We’re going to look at the Aramaic and Hebrew word pictures for love.
Hebrew Word Picture
The Aramaic word for love is khuba, the verb is khav. The basic meaning is to be dear, to cherish, to kindle as a fire. The related Hebrew word is khabab. The basic idea is about breathing upon, warming, or cherishing. That’s where we get the idea of “kindle,” like kindling a fire by blowing on the embers.
The wall of the house is what encloses the family and makes a refuge for it. It’s the place where the family can be cherished. It also has a related meaning of bosom, or a place where one is hidden in the arms and cherished.
The Hebrew word that is related to the Aramaic word for love is used in one verse in the Old Testament.
Deuteronomy 33:3 KJV:
Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.
The word “loved” there means He held all the people close to his bosom.
Isaiah 40:11 KJV:
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Psalm 23 is about the shepherd who cherishes and cares for the sheep. The related Hebrew word that is the most common word for love is ahb.
Look to the house means look after everything needed for the household. Love is giving; giving is providing something someone needs.
Zephaniah 3:17 KJV:
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV:
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
The normal human response is to love those who love us. Yet Christ tells us to love our enemies. God is not like that.
Romans 5:8 KJV:
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6–9 APNT:
6 Now if Christ at this time, because of our weakness, died for the ungodly,
7 (for seldom does anyone die for the ungodly, although for good [ones] perhaps some would dare to die)
8 here God has manifested his love that is toward us, because if when we were sinners, Christ died for us,
9 then how much more will we be justified now by his blood and be rescued from wrath by him?
1 John Chapter 3 is all about love.
1 John 4:9–12 APNT:
9 By this the love of God toward us is known, because God sent his unique Son into the world that we would have life by him.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but [that] he loved us and sent his Son [as] a payment forour sins.
11 My beloved [ones], if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12 No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God remains in us and his love is completed in us.
Deuteronomy 32:9–10 KJV:
9 For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. 10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
The apple of his eye is literally the little man in the eye, referring to the reflection in the pupil.
He kept them as the apple of his eye in the most careful and tender manner. The apple of the eye or the pupil is an aperture that lets in rays of light into the retina or the chamber where the images of things are formed.
This is wonderfully guarded in nature for besides the orbit of the eye which is strong and bony, and the eyelids, which in sleep are closed to prevent anything from falling into the eye to disturb it, but the eyebrows also are fringed with hair to break up the rays of the light which sometimes would be too strong for the pupil. And besides all this, there are no less than six tunics or coats to keep and preserve it. So in like manner, did the Lord keep and guard Israel while passing through the wilderness from fiery serpents, scorpions, and nations that none may hurt. And especially thus He keeps His spiritual Israel, who are parts of Himself. His children. One with him and near and dear to Him, and about whom He sets guard upon guard, employs all His perfections to secure them and constantly watches over them day and night and keeps them from all evil and every enemy, and preserves them safe to His kingdom and glory.
Psalm 17:7–9 KJV:
7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
Sal Arico: Apple of My Eye
Scripture References
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
See Also:
Word Picture on Reconciliation
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