HEBREW WORD STUDY – A GIFT – ZEBULUN – זבלון Zayin Beth Lemed Vav Nun
Isaiah 9:1 “But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish, In the former time He brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in later time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. NIV
“Nevertheless her dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.” KJV
Every translation I look at uses different English words but they pretty much say the same thing. This is a case where The English has many words to express the idea of vexation, grievous, afflicted etc. Linguist will tell you that you can learn a lot about a culture just by studying their language. It has been said the Eskimos have 25 words for snow, because snow is important to the Eskimos. Is it a wet snow which is good for building an Igloo, or is it a powdery snow which would make it difficult for tacking etc? In English who have many words to express trouble. It seems that trouble occupies much of our culture.
Zebulun and Naphtali are a sort of eponymous metaphor for the distress of a nation or even personal distress. The reason for that is because Zebulun and Naphtali, who bordered each other, were the first to be taken into captivity by the Assyrians. Thus, if want to really wish bad upon a person, you would say: “May you become like Zebulun and Naphtali.” Yet, we will not use that expression today because of this prophecy in Isaiah 9:1.
King James seems to be the only translation that renders the last phrase as “and afterwards did more grievously afflict her.” How the translators got that from the Hebrew hikevid shows how one can fit their own bias into a translation. Most translations will translate the word as glorious. The root word is kavod which means heaviness or glory. You could say that this heaviness means grievous or you could put a positive spin on it and say glorious. It all depends upon how you interpret the context. I go along with most major translations that at one point trouble was grievous for Zebulun and Naphtali but then God made them glorious. The word Zebulun means a gift. Zebulun was the sixth and last male child of Leah and the tenth for Jacob and Leah felt certain that now that she gave Jacob a sixth male child that he would love her, he didn’t. Instead the following children from Rachel, Joseph and Benjamin, were greatly loved.
Poor Zebulun, the last on the totem pole, born in hopes of bring the love of his father to his mother and failed in that. Zebulun, however, was faithful, they were ready and gave their lives for the nation of Israel in Judges 5. Yet, Zebulun got the smallest allocation of land when the land was divided up in Canaan, They were the first to get conquered and taken into captivity and then became a metaphor for trouble. In fact when I was studying the Ugaritic language, I found that the root of the word for Zebulun in Ugaritic is zbl which is also the origin for the name of Baal.
Do you ever feel like Zebulun? You have been faithful, ready to give your life for the sake of the Gospel. Yet, you seem to always get to short end of the stick. Man, I sure feel like Zebulun at times. I hear teachers with a platform sharing their passion to exhort the saints, but I have no platform to share my passion to create a hunger for the Word of God in the hearts of the saints. Some people in desperate need of a healing, financial miracle, a ministry, a relationship; will sit back and listen to wonderful testimonies of financial miracles, healings, restored relationships while they sit back in the brokenness wondering why they are a Zebulun, always getting the poke in the eye, never getting that miracle or ministry they prayed and pleaded with God to receive.
Well for all of us Zebuluns, let us unite and embrace Isaiah 9:1 for though we be driven to darkness, we will one day not be filled with gloom or anguish like so hapless loser for one day God will glorify our derek or way. Derek expresses the idea of walking a path. The path we walk will one day pass from a road of trouble and disappointment to one that is hikvid – glorious.
Oh, by the way, did you know that the town of Bethlehem was located in the territory of Zebulun. Jesus was born in the land of the losers and he ministered in the land of Naphtali. To all you Zebuluns and Naphtalis out there, need I say more? If you are a Zebulun then you are a gift.
I want to thank everyone for your comments. They encourage me to spend more time in God’s word which is reaching 8 hours ever day and the I find the more time I spend in his word the more I am drawn closer to Him. In my 69. Years I have never felt the love and presence of God like I do now. Thank you all for reading and support us, you are doing wonderful things for my relationship with God.
You create a hunger for God and encourage the saints. Your a double winner in my eyes and more importantly in God’s. Thanks for the amazing word study.
The result of giving God back a gift of some of your time on Earth, basking in His presence and sending Him your love is loaded with blessings. We sometimes miss them. Because, according to Jesus, it also brings PERSECUTION. Just try explaining how you have this thing with God to someone and how He sometimes answers even the smallest prayers in the most surprising way, like He’s really paying attention to every detail of your life, and watch the hostility, jealousy, and judgment coming in Hot. Haha!
Think about the many times Jesus warned the recipients of his healing miracles, to keep quiet. He knew about the jealous response of humanity, like sibling rivalry. That response hurts every time and we can be knocked off our spiritual feet. During the recovery period, that’s when spiritual warfare rears its ugly head and something actually devastating can happen, like a legitimate loss. Like Job. The painful loss can go on for years and destroy the life we know and cause us to question our faith and God’s love. But how else can the angels learn that our redemption is real? Real life, real time. Real kicks in the butt.
You are a gift to God, when no matter how long this intolerable loss hurts, you eventually come back to His arms for comfort. Even if you cant feel Him for months, or years, and everything around you makes you doubt your faith, this will not stop Him from healing you with His love. Just keep believing in His love. Even when it hurts.
Love to all
Thank you. It is good to be reminded that God loves even me.
Relevant re glory & losers today. Verse Isaiah 9:1. Our son passed away on 1st Sep last year and our grandson is Isaiah.
Every map I have searched today shows Bethlehem in Judah, not near Zebulon. Am I missing something?
You may have been looking at maps after the split of the kingdom and post captivity. Borders of the tribes changed over the centuries after the exodus. Also Bible scholars dispute the original borders. Having my PhD in Biblical Archaeology I’ve learned take our Bible maps with a grain of salt.
Matthew 2:6
But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,…
Thank you for your sharing ministry. This morning I dropped off my son at church and went back home with the hope of learning something that I know with near certainty that I would not get from a typical Shabbat morning sermon. I pick up my phone and read through verses one and two of one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 103. I came to the word (כל-גמוליו), and I knew somehow there was a blessing for me there, and just couldn’t put my finger on it. I the English translation just didn’t quite do it for me. I knew for some reason that I knew the word, but it was withheld from me. I performed a simple search for elaboration, and the Spirit of God directed me to your article on the word. After reading the article, I knew with unwavering certitude that it was precisely why I didn’t attend church this Shabbat morning. I am also reading your thoughts on Zebulon and Naphtali. What blessing. Thank you, keep on keeping!
After reading your comment I went to the Bible Hub app to take another look at כל-גמוליו and was struck by the thought of how we are crowned as a bride when we do what David said to do. These word studies really do get to the very depths of God’s heart for us. Thank you both Chaim and Fednold.
You always win with Jesus! Too many of us feel like losers, but if our heart is with Jesus we are always winners in spite of what it looks in our land of Zebulun & Naphtali! You are winner in God’s eyes, Chaim!
Thankyou for the break down.
Your knowledge is a gift from God
Really struck a nerve.
Praise God for His Love for us in his word!
Brother in CHRIST
David
Your message brought me to tears
I feel like that Zebulun, always getting poked in the eye!
But, I keep on clinging to THE LORD OF “PARAZIM”.
Thankyou for the message.
In CHRIST, David