The Heart Devises--XII

In the Hebrew Bible, there are FOUR verbs connected with the heart meaning "to devise, imagine, meditate."

1. The Hebrew verb bada' means "to devise, invent."
     a. Describing the practices of Jeroboam I to lead North Israel into apostasy, 1 Kings 12:33 says:
    "He [Jeroboam I] went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day
                               of the eighth month,
      in the month HIS HEART [NRSV he alone] HAD DEVISED;
      he appointed a festival for the people of Israel, and went up to the altar to offer incense."
The heart of Jeroboam I DEVISED a new festival not condoned in the Law of Moses. Yahweh specifically commanded his people to celebrate the Feast of Booths on the SEVENTH month and fifteenth day of the month (Leviticus 23:34), not the EIGHTH month and fifteenth day of the month. Jeroboam I deliberately changed God's Law.
      b. When Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem the Arab sent a report to Nehemiah that the Jews were planning to rebel against their superiors, Nehemiah responded in Nehemiah 6:8:
          Then I sent to him [Sanballat] saying,
           "No such things as you say have been done;
           YOU ARE INVENTING THEM OUT OF YOUR OWN HEART [NRSV mind]."
To invent out of the heart means to devise.

2. The Hebrew verb harash means "to devise."
     a. Proverbs 6:16-19 describes six, yea seven, things which the Lord hates. Verse 18a says:
         A HEART THAT DEVISES WICKED PLANS.
One function of the heart is to devise or plan this or that.
     b. Proverbs 12:20 says:
         DECEIT IS IN THE HEART [NRSV mind] OF THOSE WHO PLAN EVIL,
              but those who counsel peace have joy.
One plans evil or conflict in the heart.

3. The Hebrew verb hagah means "to imagine, ponder, devise."
     a. Proverbs 15:28 says:
         THE HEART [NRSV mind] OF THE RIGHTEOUS PONDERS HOW TO ANSWER,
                but the mouth of the evil pours out evil.
When a problem arises, a righteous person does not respond immediately, but considers seriously or ponders. This is a function of the heart.
     b. Proverbs 24:1-2 says:
         Do not envy the wicked,
               nor desire to be with them;
         FOR THEIR HEARTS [NRSV minds] DEVISE VIOLENCE,
               and their lips talk of mischief.
Here the meaning of the Hebrew verb hagah is a synonym of the Hebrew verb harash.
     c. Describing the sins of God's people, the author of Isaiah 59:13 says:
          transgressing, and denying the Lord,
               and turning away from following our God,
          talking oppression and revolt,
               CONCEIVING LYING WORDS AND UTTERING THEM FROM THE HEART.
A function of the heart is to conceive words to be spoken to an audience (see also Isaiah 33:18).  

4. The Hebrew verb hashab means "to think, intend, plan, design."
    a. Psalm 140:1-2 says:
        Deliver me, O Lord, from evildoers;
               protect me from those who are violent,
        WHO PLAN EVIL THINGS IN THEIR HEARTS [NRSV minds]
               and stir up wars continually.
One role of the heart is to PLAN various kinds of things.
    b. Proverbs 16:9 says:
        THE HUMAN HEART [NRSV mind] PLANS THE WAY,
               but the Lord directs the steps.
A function of the heart is to make plans for the future. [See also Proverbs 16:1; Jeremiah 23:20; 30:24].

Share YOUR plans and decisions and purposes and corrections and disciplines with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis