sacred fire re-kindled lacking God’s presence due to the ‘strange fire’ (Hanukkah) curse [+ the 20th (24th?) of 9th !] [version ; 2023-11nov.1- ] |
theme
… searching for “the strange fire” theme , something interesting shows at the end of Ezra ,
however – her restoration is surprisingly complicated , therefore please a short description :
in chapter 8 Ezra and his group return from the Babylonian captivity to Jerusalem
and ofcourse their first action is “reinstalling the Temple service” (-where the Temple likely
had been robbed empty – by Nebuchadnessar – but had not been destroyed) ;
and important is the entire buildup of the book : until the Temple service is restored ;
however – in the final two chapters “(marrying-) strange women” became a problem
as a subject we ofcourse do not trust since that makes no Sense [-considered the buildup] :
instead , the people returned because they desired the presence of God
and hence their first action was about the Temple – specifically “the sacred altar-fire” ,
and HERE became the problem , causing the tearful prayer of Ezra in chapter 9 !
so – we need to reconstruct from scratch what may have happened :
very likely the sacred fire was indeed lit but the presence of God with it lacked ,
because of the ‘strange women=fire’ theme described in Leviticus 8-9-10 !
.. couple this with the phrase “the 20th [=24th?] of the 9th month” in Ezra 10 ,
as the very day we wait for now , as the date of the ‘Hanukkah’ strange fire Ritual ,
and you see how crucial the proper understanding of this section is ;
the mentioned ‘seven days’ which Esau saw :
after mentioning “the 20th of the 9th” (in line 9) he has “the 1st of the 10th month”
in line 16 – so he did see ‘seven days’ but altered the sequence of events since
Leviticus 8 & 9 has the sons of Ishral waiting “seven days until that day” —
hence we interpreted the weird “three days” (line 8-9) as those ‘seven’ ;
but what exactly was the chain of events in these chapters ?
… though we now found important original aspects to restore in these corrupt chapters ,
the problem is that we need to get right AND Leviticus AND this one AND the endtime :
we opted in Leviticus that God “explained a bit more to Moses as he did to Aaron”
and has tóld Moses “that the sons of Esau would commit strange fire (-in the future)” —
then , undoubtedly , Ezra must have read that still uncorrupted version !
but how did this continue ?
in chapter 10 definitely “he wrote a proclamation as an alarm message” to the sons
considered the lacking presence of God : but does it make Sense that Ezra invited them
at “the 24th of the 9th month” because of this theme ? and what could he have said ?
a second problem is ‘that the 500 BC fathers were not exactly a positive generation’
since they had brought the exile upon themselves by rejecting the prophets —
and even though God must have been closer to Ezra’s generation that retúrned ,
His “direct speaking” seems to have ceased (just as in the book Nehemiah) perhaps
because Ezra’s generation still had the original scroll
[parking books such as Esdras for a moment now] ;
so the question is – partly based upon the left roots in chapter 10 : did the sons of Judah [question :]
accépt that God’s presence was not there anymore through the altar fire , because they
did understand the curse which the two sons of Aaron left them ; and did Ezra ask them
to beseech God “that their sons would undo the coming false fire by Esau”.. ?
[even though they were not aware that ‘their sons’ would only happen in the end time ?]
… perhaps it seems an overcomplication to you ,
but if we cannot answer this then it will not be possible to restore the text —
this Ezra generation was blessed to an extent , and cán have responded like the people
did to what Christ said , “that he would return for their sons” and hence they brought their
sons to be blessed by Him [-even though that would but happen in the end time] :
could this have happened here also ? as a promise – and the end of the book Ezra .. ?
intro
Ezra 8 (-all good until final line)
31 : they depart ‘from the river Ahava TO Jerusalem’ , on the 12th of the 1st month ,
[Ahava said to be some 8 days from Babylon] ,
32 : and ‘they arrived at Jerusalem’ ,
33 : they “measure the gold and silver to be used for the Temple” ,
35 : they offer many types burnt offerings — bulls, rams , goats for a sin offering (!) , lambs —
but the exact réason for these sacrifices is not specified in the text ;
because of our problem – see below – it can have said “they prepared the offerings” ,
36 : is corrupt :
“And they delivered the king’s commissions unto the king’s lieutenants,
and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God.” ;
#1.
a dreadful thing must have happened between line 35 here and next chapter 9:3 [=3 lines !]
where “Ezra is renting his clothes and making a long prayer” ,
so that this unimportant line 36 was either moved — or invented by Esau ,
#2.
probably the latter because ‘satraps’ (H323) is very unusual and only appearing 1x in Ezra ,
just like the weird ‘governor’ (H6346) and even “(the king’s-) law” ;
all these words are used in the book Esther hence showing the signature of Esau here ,
so what is next ?
Ezra 9 (KJV) : 1-2 [unknown] , 3-15 : Ezra’s tearful prayer
Ezra 10 (KJV) : 1-19 : ‘strange wives’ theme , 20-44 : list of people [=corrupt : invented]
as allegedly supporting the ‘strange wives’ (see 44) theme
how much is the chance that originally we had “the strange fire” theme ?
#1.
Ezra (480-440 BCE) and his group arrived in Jerusalem a few years before Nehemiah and his group ,
in Nehemiah 8 Ezra is asked to read the scroll before the people ;
#2.
Ezra 7 describes how Artaxerxes made a decree to help Ezra and his group in everything , but curious
is the (KJV) line 17 “…. [offerings for-] the altar of the house of your God which [is] in Jerusalem.” ,
as the unusual (-mdbch) for ‘altar’ instead of (-mzbch) , however there was no altar
since obviously the Temple had been completely robbed empty ;
#3.
so that we have a chance that the theme was “altar” + “false fire” ,
#4.
the entire buildup is Off :
they go forth from Babylon to Jerusalem , want to reinstate the Temple service ,
prepare the offerings , yet then Ezra makes his tearful prayer and final chapter is ‘strange women’ ?
WHY did this group of good guys suddenly marry ‘strange wives’ from the nations around Palestine ?
and though elsewhere that type trespass indeed happened , it does not fit the buildup here !
IF some sin (like ‘strange women’) happens , in the scroll , the usual continuation is that “a type
punishment follows”, then “an explanation” and finally “a promise” : but that is totally lacking here
since the book Ezra weirdly énds with this ‘strange women’ theme —
there is but 1 solid option : Esau saw “strange fire” and turned it into “strange women” !
restoration (-of end of 8 , 9 and 10)
Ezra 8 : 1-34 : enough good ;
Ezra 8 :
35
[and-] the sons of – (those that had-) gone into exile – (who had) come – [=out] of the captivity +
b
offered=prepared – ascent offerings – to=for deity=upon (ieue=ol) – the ishral=altar (ishrl=mzbch) :
c
twelve – bulls – [=for] – all of – Ishral , [per the tribes]
c
sixty nine (?) – rams , seventy seven (?) – lambs ,
d
(and-) twelve (?) – he-goats – (for-) the sin offering ,
e
all of [+them] – (as-) the ascent offering – unto IEUE ;
note :
… because ‘IEUE’ shows in e) it is illogical that the distant “deity of Ishral” would show in b) ;
we definitely feel that Esau here already disarmed the ‘altar theme’ ;
[next 36 : now we need the ‘building of an altar’ , perhaps a provisory one of stone ,
and we only have this line to do that ; this was the weird line – see intro :
36
“And they delivered the king’s commissions unto the king’s lieutenants,
and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God.”
36
and – ath=from – king=unhewn (?) – edicts=stones
b
they give=build (?) – [..] the (provisory-) satraps=altar (achashdarpan=mzbach) of – king=IEUE ,
c
[totally unsure : attempt :]
and [+they] (are) governors=waiting (?) – (for-) across=him – to river=kindle [+it] (?)
d
(to-) and=be – people=sacred – lift=fire (nasha=esh) – and=in – the house of – IEUE ; [end of Ezra 8]
note :
… we cannot imagine that anymore but ‘the sacred fire’ must have been much more important as we think
and the main reason whý the people wanted so much to go back [-to Jerusalem] and the Temple :
because the fire was connected to God’s presence — see next :
Ezra 9 (!)
1
“Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests,
and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, [doing] according to their
abominations, [even] of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites,
the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.”
1
and – these=Ezra – [..] (is) ended=confused ,
b
(and) come=goes – to to·me=investigate – the princes=scroll (shrim=sphr) of – [..] say=Moses (amr=moshe)
c
to not=see (lA=Amr) – (what-) separated=happened +
d
(to-) the people=sons of – Ishral – and=in the priests=desert (knM=Mdbr) ;
e
and [+he] levites=understands – from=that the (1200 BC-) people=fathers (om=ab)
f
(had) lands=done (the + lands = corrupt anyway) – [..] an abomination +
g
[g-h : we take Esau’s grocery list of names as a coverup :]
to=through canaanites=Nadab (kNoni=Ndb) – [.. 2x ..] – the=and jebusite=Abihu (iBUsi=aBiUa)
h
the moabite=sons (MaBi-BniM) of – [.. 1x ..] – [..] amorite=Aaron (AmRi=ARon) ; + [continued !]
note :
… Esau needed these hostile nations that surround Palestine as set-up for his ‘strange women’ theme ;
[next 2 : you see that the “they took their (strange-) daughters” , as intended here ,
almost 1 on 1 matches the “they took their censer with strange fire” ! :]
2
“For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed
have mingled themselves with the people of [those] lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers
hath been chief in this trespass.”
2
because – they took (!) – [..] their daughters=fire pans (bn-thi=mchth-th) +
b
(that were-) for·them=filled (l·em=male) – and=with [..] them=strange sons=fire (‘no match’) ,
c
and mixed=offered (-it) (oRB=qRB) – seed=upon (zrO=Ol) – the holy=altar (qdsh=mzbch) of
d
[..] the people=fire (?) (om=esh) of – [..] lands=IEUE (?) ;
e
[=so that] the hand (‘own doing’) of – the leaders (or: ‘priests’?) of – [..] prefects=Ishral +
f
(had) been – the main cause of – this – trespass ;
3-4 : a problem :
#1.
KJV line 3 is similar to 5 , so either ‘1200 BC Ishral’ is the subject here , or it said something else ;
#2.
line 4 shows “assembled” as used in Leviticus where “the sons assembled at the Tabernacle’s door” ,
#3.
but the problem is ‘what did it write’ : did Ezra understand that “the future generation” described in
Leviticus was about “his own group”.. ? (not being aware that it was said about the 144 ?) ;
would this be the colour of his prayer , next — though some aspects in it are corrupted ?
this is a rather large decision for us to make ,
also because we still have to work towards the “20th [=24th?] of the ninth month” line in chapter 10 :
did they re-enact the Leviticus 8-9 event there , to discover that God indeed did not appear …?
3
lines 3-4 are still resisting
4
part I b
Ezra’s prayer
5
and at – the evening – offering – I arose – from my affliction , [the altar fire burns now]
b
and (having) rent – my garment – and my mantle ,
c
I fell – upon – my knees – and spread out – my [=hands] – unto – IEUE – my deity ;
6
and I say : O , my deity , I (am) ashamed – and confused – to lift up – [.. 1x ..] – my face – to you
b
because – our depravities – (are) [=way] – over – our head ,
c
and=as our guilt – (that-) grew high – to – the heavens ;
7
since the days of – our fathers – we (have) – [..] a great – guilt , until – this – day ,
b
and [=because of] our iniquities – we – (as-) us=your kings=people – [.. 1x ..] +
c
(were) given – into the hand of – the king of – lands=Babylon ;
d
[..] sword=mourning – in the captivity – [=because of] [+our] spoil ,
e
[=as] [..] [+our] faces – (having been) put to shame – [=in] those – days ;
the ashamedness of – [+our] face – [=until] – this – day ;
[next 8 : now the change ! :]
8
[=yet] now – since – a while ago – grace – (has been) [=shown] (-to us) – [=by] IEUE – our deity
b
[=by] (having) a remnant – [=that] (is) us – to escape , [‘back to Jerusalem’]
c
and to give=establish (?) – us – (for-) the nail=service – in the place of – his sanctuary (‘temple’) ;
d
so to=that – our deity – (may) enlighten – our eyes
e
and give us – revival – [.. 1x ..] – [=through] our bondage=service (‘same word’) ; + [see note]
note :
.. e) wasn’t as negative as KJV purports – because this whole line is ‘the change for the better’ ;
[next 9 : after ‘temple service’ now “the altar” must appear ! :]
9
because – we (are) – [+your] bondservants , [also said of Paul & his people]
b
and – our deity – (has) not – forsaken us – in our (temple-) bondage=service :
c
[next : the ‘kings of Persia’ sounds as a weird repeat after ‘king of Babylon’ previously ;
b) it seems he is recycling the ‘revival’ ,
c) suppose we keep “the house of God” then we need ‘the altar’ :]
d
[=for] [=you] (have) extended – [+your] mercy – unto us – to=by before=kindling +
e
[+your] persia=sacred (phrs=qdh) – kings=fire – [.. 1x ..] – [=for] us + [2-Tier !]
f
(upon-) the revival=altar (MCHie=MzbCH) – [=that] [+we] set up – (in-) the house of – our deity ;
g
and=however , him=your desolations=holiness – (has) to=nót (l=la) stand=appeared – (to-) ath=us ,
h
[can have many colours :]
and – to=all (l=kl) [..] of – [+your] wall=people – in Judah – and Jerusalem – [..] (are left) give=confused (?) ;
10
and now , our deity , what – (shall) I say – after – this – (to-) [+the people] ? ,
b
because – we=I (have) forsook=read – your commandment + [‘strange fire theme’ !]
11
which – you commanded=spoke – [=to] [..] – your servant – prophets=Moses , [..] saying :
(what is next ?)
Ezra 10 (!)
6 [6 : the proclamation : as major alarm !]
“Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God,
(b) and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib:
(c) and [when] he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned
(d) because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.”
6
[=then] – Ezra – rose up – from before – the house=altar of – God [‘after his prayer’]
b
and went – [..] to room=write (lshkh=kthb) + [‘he was a scribe’ !]
c
a johanan=proclamation (KJV 7) – (to-) the sons of – eliashib=Ishral (alishi-b=ishral) ,
d
[totally corrupt : attempt : now the théme of that proclamation must follow :]
and=how – the there=fire (SHm=eSH) of – the bread=altar (lCHM=MzbCH) – (had been) go=kindled
e
[+but] (that-) – [.. 1x ..] the drink=presence (?) of – [..] waters=IEUE (mim=ieue) +
f
(had) not – eat=appeared ,
g
[probably swapped :]
that=because of – [..] – the trespass of – the deportation=former – (1200 BC-) mourned=fathers (ABal=AB) ;
note :
… there’s much wrong with the KJV line :
a) that Ezra “rose up” makes sense — though KJV 5-a has the same ,
b) that “he is going into a room” is a nonsensical act because not worked out further ,
c) he just made his prayer : why agáin “go not eat and drink and mourn” ..? ,
d) but most important : this line must have the reason for next 7 ;
while the letter as “major alarm – concerning the appearance” makes perfect sense !
7
“And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity,
that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;”
7
and [=he] (made) – the proclamation – to pass – [=throughout] Judah – and Jerusalem
b
unto – all – the sons – (that had returned from-) exile ,
c
[..] to gather (-themselves) – (in-) Jerusalem ;
[next 8 : corrupt – but what did it say ?
we believe nothing of the “made threat” here for ‘the separation’ must refer to God ! ;
a) the mentioned “three + days” also in next 9
must be about “the seven days of dedication [=consecration]” as in Leviticus 8:33 ; see intro :]
8
“And that whosoever would not come within three days,
(b) according to the counsel of the princes and the elders,
(c) all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation
of those that had been carried away.”
8
and [.. 1x ..] – to which=remain (?) (aSHR=SHR) – (at-) the not=house of – come=God
b
to=for three=seven – days [a-e : per Lev.8:33]
c
as=until – the chiefs=days (shr-im=ium) of – the elder=consecration (‘dedication’) (zqn-im=mlai) +
d
(will have) counsel=ended (?) ;
