In this issue we are continuing the study of the Parent Root בר and the roots and words which are derived from it.

The Hebrew root ברה (BaRaH) is a child root formed out of the parent by adding the letter ה. This root has the meaning of "eat" as seen in the following verse. "And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down." (2 Samuel 3:35) The noun הביר is formed by adding the letter י and has the meaning of "meat", or what is eaten. When meat was eaten by the Hebrews it was the choicest and fattest of the stock. For this reason the word BaRaH can also mean "choice" or "to choose" - "And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me". (1 Sam 17:8).

Another word derived from the root ברה (BaRaH) is the word ברית (BaRaH). This word literally means "meat" but is always translated in most English translations as covenant. In the times of the Ancient Hebrews a covenant consumated by choosing a choice, fat animal from the herd or flock and sacrificing it. This may also be the meaning behind the English word "consumate" as in "consume" a sacrifice. In most English Bibles is the phrase "make a covenant". The Hebrew word translated as "make" is the word "karat" which actually means "cut" hence "karat beriyt" is literally "cut the meat". The sacrifice was literally cut into two pieces and each party of the covenant would pass through the pieces. This signified the idea that if either party violated the covenant, the other party had the right to cut them into two pieces. This imagry of the cutting of pieces can be seen in Genesis 15. Interestingly Israel, who did violate the covenant, was divided into two nations - Israel and Judah.

A mexican novel written a few years back included the following phrase; "And the farmer went out into the field and hung up his tennis shoes". What does the phrase mean to you? The problem is that the farmer did not hang up his tennis shoes, it is an idiom, a series of words with a meaning not related to the words of the phrase. The phrase "hang up your tennis shoes" is equivelant to an English idiom "kick the bucket".

We constantly use idioms in our everyday speach as do other cultures including the ancient Hebrews and Jewish people. As an example the idioms "good eye" and "bad eye" are found in both the Tenach (Old Testament) and the New Testament. In the Tenach these idioms are translated correctly as generous and stingy but are simply translated in the New Testament.

Anyone more interested in the idioms and sayings of Yeshua (Jesus) in the New Testament must read this book. It will reveal many new insights into the actual meanings of Yeshua's teachings.