Bible Geek Word Nerd - Keep Hoping

Hope #2

June 29, 2022

In our previous post, we explained that one of our favorite concepts in Scripture is the idea of “hope”. Hope is less certain, less convinced, than faith is. The old preacher Doug Wead used to say that hope is adolescent faith…faith that has not yet grown up. We see it in Paul’s writing:

 

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13.

 

We previously discussed the Hebrew term QAVAH (קָוָה), occurring 49 times in Jesus’ Bible and having the primary meaning of “to wait”. Today we are going to look at SAVAR (שָׂבַר), sometimes transliterated as SABAR.

 

SABAR only occurs eight times in the Hebrew Text and has the primary meaning of “inspect” or “examine”. For instance, Nehemiah 2:13: “By night I went out through the Valley Gate towards the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining (SAVAR) the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.” 

 

But in Ruth 1, English translators render the word as “wait”, as Naomi encourages her daughters-in-law to return to their fathers' houses: “would you WAIT (SAVAR) until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD’s hand has turned against me!’” 

 

In Esther 9:1, it is often translated as “hope”: “…On this day the enemies of the Jews had HOPED (SAVAR) to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them.”

 

In Psalm 119:166, it has been rendered as “hope”, “wait”, and even “long for”, depending on your version:

 

• NLT: “I LONG FOR your rescue, LORD, so I have obeyed your commands.”
• NIV: “I WAIT FOR your salvation, LORD, and I follow your commands.”
• NASB: “I HOPE FOR Your salvation, LORD, and do Your commandments.”

 

Translation is hard work. SAVAR is one word that can be rendered in multiple ways. As with English, context drives its meaning. But so do the translator’s preferences and a priori commitments. Do you long for, wait for, hope for, or look for G-d’s salvation? The answer, of course, is “yes”.