Conflicts Beneath the Surface

It is not uncommon for the most interesting elements of a story in Tanach to be hidden in the words or in the names.  The knowledge we have of the languages and cultures that comprised our ancestors’ world helps us to see both the larger intent of the story and the drama often lying just beneath the surface out of ready view.

Let’s look at a few of the many examples.

One is the Samson and Delilah story.  Samson’s Hebrew name comes from the Hebrew root Shin-Mem-Shin, which is the Hebrew word for “sun”.  Delilah’s name includes the Hebrew term for night, Lailah.  If we image Samson’s hair as the rays of the sun, when Delilah cuts off Samson’s hair, she cuts off the sun’s rays and creates night – thus taking away the sun’s power.  Cool!

Another is in the Garden of Eden, where we have a similar conflict.  There the Serpent (Hebrew: Na-hash) speaks to Adam and Eve. Eve’s Hebrew name, Chavah, means to coil oneself.  We are told that Eve was given her name because she was the mother of all living things (Cha-yah).  Wrong!  In reality, Eve is named Chavah from the Hebrew word for snake (Cha-vah).  Na-hash versus Cha-vah – Serpent versus Snake – Evil versus Good.

Finally, we turn to a very strange statement made by Pharaoh just before he lets Israel leave Egypt (temporarily).  Plague number eight was the plague of locusts, which was so thick it blotted out the sun.  Plague number nine was darkness.

Pharaoh warns Moses that evil awaits them when they leave Egypt.  What evil?  Violent armies? Famine or drought? Lack of medical care?

We are reading it all wrong.  Pharaoh does not mean “evil” (Hebrew Ra-a). Rather, he is referring to the head of the Egyptian pantheon, Ra, the Sun God, who was blotted out by the locusts and the eclipse.  Pharaoh is warning Moses that the Egyptian God Ra will take revenge once they leave Egypt. Pharaoh was God incarnate on earth and has lost. But according to Pharaoh, the war is not over.