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Oba 1:14  Nor stand by the breach to cut off its escaped, Nor deliver up its remnant in a day of distress.

[Study Aired August 21, 2024]

Oba 1:14  NeitherH408 shouldest thou have stoodH5975 (H8799 Qal) inH5921 the crossway,H6563 to cut offH3772 (H8687 Hiphil) (H853) those of his that did escape;H6412 neitherH408 shouldest thou have delivered upH5462 (H8686 Hiphil) those of his that did remainH8300 in the dayH3117 of distress.H6869

H408 – Al, not, no, nor, neither, nothing, do not, let not, let there not be, a negative particle

H5975 – Amad, (Qal) to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth/up/upright/with, take/make a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of, stand still, stop, cease, tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, persist, be steadfast, hold one’s ground, remain standing, rise, be erect, be upright, arise, appear, come on the scene, appear, rise up/against, be appointed, grow flat/insipid, a primitive root

H5921 – Al, upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against, on the ground of, on the basis of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, in the matter of, as regards, to, over to, unto, in addition to, with, adjoining, next, at, around, down upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, against, because, although, properly, the same as H5920, Al, height, above, upwards, on high, from a primitive root H5927, Alah, to go up, ascend, climb, meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat, come up, to spring up, grow, shoot forth, go up over, rise, extend, excel, be superior to, be taken up/away, be brought up, take oneself away, be exalted, bring up, cause to ascend, cause to go up/ascend, bring against, take away, draw up, train, rouse, stir up, offer, exalt, be carried away, be led up, be taken up into, be inserted in, be offered, lift oneself

H6563 – Pereq, parting of ways, breaking in upon, plunder, crossroad, from a primitive root 

H6561, Paraq, to tear apart/away/off, break away, snatch, rescue, tear off from oneself, be broken off, be broken in pieces

H3772 – Karath, (Hiphil) to cut, cut off/down, destroy, take away, permit to perish, a primitive root

H853 – Ayth, sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative, contracted from H226, Oth, sign, signal, distinguishing mark, banner, remembrance, miraculous sign, omen, warning, token, ensign, standard, miracle, proof, probably from a primitive root H225, Ooth, to consent, agree (Used four times in OT)

H6412 – Paleet, refugee, fugitive, escaped one, from a primitive root H6403, Palat, to escape, save, deliver, slip away, bring into security, cause to escape, cast forth, be delivered, bring to safety

H408 – see above

H5462 – Sahgar, (Hiphil) to shut up, deliver up, imprison, a primitive root

H8300 – Sariyd, survivor, remnant, that which is left, from a primitive root H8277, Sarad, to escape, survive (Used once in OT)

H3117 – Yome, day, time, year, a working day, a day’s journey, days, lifetime, period (general), today, yesterday, tomorrow, from an unused root meaning to be hot

H6869 – Tsarah, straits, distress, trouble, vexer, rival wife, from H6862, Tsoriy, Zorites or Zorathites = see Zorah, hornet, from H6881 Tsorah, Zareah or Zoreah or Zorah = hornet, apparently another form for H6880, Tsirah, hornets, from a primitive root H6879, Tsara, to be diseased of skin, be leprous, be a leper, have leprosy

In Hebrews, we are promised that our day of distress will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness. This study focuses on the phrase “day of distress”. We look at three Hebrew words of “distress”. Obadiah writes about Edom’s violence against Jacob, resulting in Jacob’s day of distress. Applying this inwardly, we all must go through our day of distress, and while uncomfortable at the time, it will produce good fruit. We will also look at the story of Elkanah’s two wives – Hannah and Peninnah – and see how a Hebrew word for distress is also translated as a female rival. We are encouraged to know there is great value in turning to the Lord and being obedient to his voice, especially in our times of tribulation and distress, as it says in Deuteronomy:

Deu 4:30  When thou art in tribulation (distress/ a narrow, tight place), and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
Deu 4:31  (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

Luk 8:15  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Here are three different Hebrew words used for distress.

• H4691 Distress, narrowness, trouble anguish
• H6887 Distress, be in a strait (trouble)
• H6869 Distress צָרָה (tsaw-raw’) means tightness (that is, figuratively trouble); transitively a female rival

[1] H4691 Distress (mets-oo-kaw’) appears in Zep 1:15

Zep 1:14  The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
Zep 1:15  That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble [H6869] and distress [H4691], a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
Zep 1:16  A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
Zep 1:17  And I will bring distress [H6887] upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.

[2] H6887 Distress means to be in a strait (trouble) and it is the root word of H6869 (tsaw-raw) meaning a female rival and adversary. 

Zep 1:17  And I will bring distress [H6887] upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.

Zep 1:17 is linked to 1 Sam 2:8. It is God’s promise to us, he raises the new man in us, out of the dust, and from the dunghill. The Lord will make the poor (lowly in spirit, meek and gentle) to set them among princes.

1Sa 2:8  He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars [H4690] of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them.
1Sa 2:9  He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God,which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

[3] Distress H6869 צָרָה (tsaw-raw’) means tightness (that is, figuratively trouble); a female rival. The word appears as “adversary” in 1 Samuel.

1Sa 1:6  And her adversary (H6869) also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

Here is the story of Elkanah’s two wives: Hannah and Peninnah

1Sa 1:1  Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah…
1Sa 1:2  And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

The root words of the two names

Hannah = favoured, from the root word meaning H2603 khaw-nan properly to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to implore, gracious.

Num 6:25  The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

Peninnah = an Israelitess, from the root word H6434, a pearl, ruby

Job 28:18  No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

Pro 3:15  She (Wisdom) is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

The wife with children, Peninnah provokes the wife without children, Hannah.

1Sa 1:3  And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.

1Sa 1:4  And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
1Sa 1:5  But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.
1Sa 1:6  And her adversary [H6869] also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
1Sa 1:7  And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked [H3707] her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

The word for provokes [H3707] kaw-as, is a primitive root meaning to trouble, to be indignant, angry, be wroth, riled and disturbed. 

The female adversary Peninnah provokes / riles Hannah, but the fruit of this “riling up” is the good fruit [Samuel]. 

The name “Samuel” (pronounced, shem-oo-ale’) means [H8050] Heard of God.

1Sa 1:10  And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.
1Sa 1:11  And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head

1Sa 1:15  And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD

1Sa 1:17  Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
1Sa 1:18  And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
1Sa 1:19  And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
1Sa 1:20  Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD

Conclusion

Our day of distress, while uncomfortable at the time, will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness

Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Heb 12:28  Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.

While Penninah provoked and riled up Hannah (caused her distress), the peaceable fruit resulting from the ordeal was Samuel, whom God did not let any of his words fall to the ground.

1Sa 3:19  And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

When we think above that which is written, our words fall to the ground, hence Christ’s commandment to learn not to do this:

1Co 4:6  And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.