Category Archives: JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS

JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, What is a “casement?”

What is a “casement?”

WHAT IS A “CASEMENT?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

Proverbs 7:6 relates: “For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,….” What is a “casement?”

One useful context clue is the reference to a “window.” A “casement” must be related to an opening in a wall. That Hebrew word (“’esnab”) was translated “lattice” in Judges 5:28: “The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?” Instead of panes of glass like our modern windows, latticework covered these ancient window openings of the houses in the land of Palestine. A “casement” is actually a latticework attached to a vertical hinge, set in a window opening. The latticework swings open like a door, with “case” referring to the frame or structure itself. It was through this latticework that King Solomon looked in the Proverbs passage.

Also see:
» What is a “bier?”
» What is a “battlement?”
» What does “joined hard” mean in Acts 18:7?

JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, What is the “train” in 1 Kings 10:2?

What is the “train” in 1 Kings 10:2?

WHAT IS THE “TRAIN” IN 1 KINGS 10:2?

by Shawn Brasseaux

First Kings 10:1-2: “[1] And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. [2] And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.” What is this “train?”

We are not to suppose it is a locomotive pulling a series of rail cars running on a set of parallel tracks. This is another type of train. Let us expand our vocabulary and learn a new sense of a familiar word! One helpful verse is situated in the analogous passage, 2 Chronicles 9:1: “And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.”

Her “train” is her pack animals holding goods and moving in a line, a procession of beasts of burden bearing belongings, a caravan of creatures carrying commodities. A type or picture of the Gentiles bringing treasures to King Jesus Christ as He reigns in Jerusalem (Psalm 72:10; Isaiah 61:6), the Gentile Queen of Sheba offers valuables to King Solomon. She has brought these possessions via a drove of camels—her “train.”

About 1,000 years later, during His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus alluded to that historical event in Matthew 12:42: “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.” Also, Luke 11:31: “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.” This Person “greater than Solomon” is a superior King—the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!

In other words, if the Gentile Queen of Sheba travelled from such a faraway land to hear Solomon’s wisdom and esteem and bless him, how much more should Israel pay attention to and honor and praise the Son of God, the greater King, imparting wisdom to them during His earthly ministry?! In the Day of Judgment, those having more revelation (unbelievers during Christ’s earthly ministry) will be held more accountable for rejecting it than those who refused less spiritual light (unbelievers during Solomon’s rule).

Also see:
» How could “wise” King Solomon let foreign women deceive him?
» Why is the Bible Book of “Ecclesiastes” thus named?
» What does “my kingdom is not of this world” mean?

JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, What does “minish” mean?

What does “minish” mean?

WHAT DOES “MINISH” MEAN?

by Shawn Brasseaux

The Authorized Version uses this “hard-to-understand,” archaic word twice:

  • Exodus 5:19: “And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.”
  • Psalm 107:39: “Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.”

Obviously, we can take a guess that “minish” must be connected to diminish. The word “diminish” is actually composed of archaic “minish” and obsolete “diminue” (“speak disparagingly or critically of”). Two Latin terms that influenced our English language here are “minutia” (“smallness”) and “deminuere” (“lessen”). We can also add that the French word “menu(i)sier”—also derived from Latin—originated the variant “minish.”

That Hebrew word “gara”(“gawrah”) rendered “minish” appears elsewhere in the Exodus passage, also translated “diminish:”

  • Exodus 5:8: “And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.”
  • Exodus 5:11: “Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.”

Why translate the same word two different ways? Our 1611 translators were avoiding a stilted translation. They did not always have to render the same word the same way every time. To wit, they were making their work sound less monotonous or repetitious. Sometimes, they conveyed that Hebrew word as “diminish,” other times “minish,” still other times “taken away” (Numbers 36:4), or “clipped” (Jeremiah 48:37), or “maketh small” (Job 36:7), or “abated” (Leviticus 27:18). While the contexts are different, the overall concept remains the same.

As for the excerpt from Psalm 107, look at the previous statement (verse 38): “He blesseth them also, so that they are multiply greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.” After this period of prosperity, they are “minished” (verse 39), cursed, lessened, “brought low.”  Here is how we can use context clues to further accentuate our understanding of less familiar words.

Also see:
» Can you explain “penury?”
» What is “cleanness of teeth” in Amos 4:6?
» What does “several” mean in the King James Bible?

Can you explain “inditing?”, JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS

Can you explain “inditing?”

CAN YOU EXPLAIN “INDITING?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

We find this term just once in the King James Bible, Psalm 45:1: “[[To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves.]] My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”

The human author, whose name is unknown, is quite eager to start writing. Words are flowing out of him. His heart is boiling or bubbling over, like water heating up in a pot, or water gushing from a fountain. “My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” The Holy Spirit has agitated his heart, which governs or dictates what words he puts down. It is the only time the Hebrew term “rahas” (“rawkhash”) appears in Scripture. The English “indite” derives from the Latin “indictus,” the past participle of “indicere,” meaning “to announce, proclaim.” We should see in these words—at least to some degree—the prefix “in-” (“inclusion”) and “dictum” (“saying”).

By the way, the “king” of Psalm 45 is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. verses 6-7; Hebrews 1:8-9). It is a song that will be sung at His coronation, the beginning of His kingdom. No wonder the Psalmist was excited about this “good matter!”

Also see:
» Who wrote Romans—Paul, or Tertius?
» What if I do not accept the Bible’s authority?
» “Epistle” and “letter”—same or different?

ESCHATOLOGY (END TIMES) / PROPHECY, JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, Who are “abjects?”

Who are “abjects?”

WHO ARE “ABJECTS?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

Psalm 35:15 says, “But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:….”

While considered an obsolete term today, “abjects” is taken from Middle English, carrying the sense of “rejected.” It is derived via the Latin “abjectus,” from “abicere,” itself composed of “ab–” meaning “away” and “jacere” meaning “to throw.” To wit, the gist of the activity is to pummel someone with disparaging remarks, hurl insults, traduce or criticize, the attack rendering the writer of the verse a societal outcast, an unwanted person.

King David penned the verse—yea, the whole chapter or Psalm—to express his distress during a period of intense persecution. It is not merely a song of praise, but also a prayer of imprecation, a desire for and a summoning of the LORD to take vengeance on those evildoers or unbelievers who abuse Israel’s believing remnant (of whom David is a member). Some of these statements (for example, verses 11 and 19) are Messianic, pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ’s undeserved mistreatment circa 1,000 years later (cf. Matthew 26:59-62; Mark 14:55-60; John 15:25).

  Ultimately, Psalm 35 anticipates the Little Flock (Israel’s believing remnant) as it bears the severe despotism of the Antichrist during Daniel’s 70th Week. The punishment for and destruction of their abusers is Christ’s Second Coming in wrath and judgment, at which time He also delivers His saints into the peace, safety, and prosperity of His earthly kingdom!

Also see:
» Should we have a ministry to people who abuse us?
» Will Israel’s Little Flock be put to death or not?
» What is “leasing” in the King James Bible?

JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, What does “haunt” mean in the Bible?

What does “haunt” mean in the Bible?

WHAT DOES “HAUNT” MEAN IN THE BIBLE?

by Shawn Brasseaux

The Authorized Version contains the word on three occasions:

  • 1 Samuel 23:22: “Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.”
  • 1 Samuel 30:31: “And to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.”
  • Ezekiel 26:17: “And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it!”

Due to superstition, whenever we hear about “haunting,” we primarily think of ghosts or other types of paranormal activity. Yet, in the Bible, the term has no relation to the supernatural. Instead, it refers to where people stay (the term is actually distantly associated with “home”). Their “haunt” is their favorite place to walk, a site they visit frequently. Now we can understand why, in the case of ghosts, “haunt” is used to describe a “specter” regularly manifesting itself in a particular area. For more information about ghosts and spirits, see our related studies linked below.

Also see:
» What does the Bible say about “ghosts?”
» What happens after death?
» Should we pray to “bind evil spirits?”

ESCHATOLOGY (END TIMES) / PROPHECY, JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, What does “bray a fool” mean?

What does, “bray a fool,” mean?

WHAT DOES, “BRAY A FOOL,” MEAN?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Proverbs 27:22: “Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.”

The “mortar” here is a bowl used for grinding or crushing, whereas the “pestle” is a club-like tool with a rounded end used to smash the contents of the mortar. Drugs, spices, and grains are pounded or pulverized in this fashion to reduce them to powder form (extracting from them whatever substances are desired). In the case of “braying a fool,” the concept is one of intense treatment in such a procedure. The Scriptures are graphic indeed!

“Bray” is related to the word “break.” A fool could be placed into a mortar and pounded with a pestle, crushed to small pieces, but his foolishness would not be drawn out from him. It is so entangled with his internal makeup that it cannot leave him, no matter how minutely or greatly you dissect him. Folly—silliness—is at his most basic level. Regardless of what you do to him, it cannot be extracted from him.

Remember, the Book of Proverbs is God’s wisdom for Israel’s believing remnant as it survives Satan’s evil world system under the Antichrist (yet future from us). The “fool” in Proverbs is an unbeliever, someone who refuses to believe and follow the true Messiah/Christ (Jesus). On the other hand, the “wise” man in Proverbs is the believer in Jesus, having used spiritual discernment to recognize the Antichrist as false. See also Matthew 7:24-29 and Luke 6:46-49.

Observe the first seven verses of Proverbs: “[1] The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; [2] To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; [3] To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; [4] To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. [5] A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: [6] To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. [7] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” These statements set the tone for the remainder of the Book of Proverbs—the conflict between right and wrong, good and evil, wisdom and folly, knowledge and ignorance, God and Satan, Jesus Christ and the Antichrist, and so on.

Also see:
» Why is the Bible Book of “Ecclesiastes” thus named?
» How could “wise” King Solomon let foreign women deceive him?
» What does “pernicious” mean?

JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, What does “had in abomination” mean?

What does “had in abomination” mean?

WHAT DOES “HAD IN ABOMINATION” MEAN?

by Shawn Brasseaux

The Scriptures tell us in 1 Samuel 13:4: “And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.”

“Had” can be used in the sense of place, so being “had in abomination” means “consigned to the category of abomination [disgust, hatred].” In other words, the Israelites had “fallen into disfavor” with the Philistines. With King Saul’s troops—namely, his son Jonathan and the men under him (verse 2)—attacking a garrison or fort of the Philistines (verse 3), the Philistines are now antagonized and seek retaliation. Hateful and disgusted, they actually fight with the Jews in verse 5.

Again, “had” may indicate position rather than possession.

Try 2 Samuel 6:22: “And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.” Whereas Israel was “had in abomination” with the Philistines, King David was “had in honour” with the women who rejoiced in the LORD with him. These two are opposites.

Or, Psalm 89:7: “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.” To be “had in reverence,” of course, means the LORD God is feared or greatly respected. He is in the position of reverence.

Also, Ezekiel 23:32: “Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister’s cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.” As Samaria (Northern Kingdom, Israel) was judged because of her sins, now Jerusalem (Southern Kingdom, Judah) will also be given over to the consequences of her transgressions. The station had is that of mockery or ridicule, placed into the group worthy of laughter or teasing. Habitual disobedience to the LORD has destroyed these societies, so the ensuing problems make the sinners liable to being made fun of.

In Acts 5:34, we read of Rabbi Gamaliel, a member of the Sanhedrin (Jewish Supreme Court): “Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;….” Gamaliel occupied the place of authority and respect, a high-ranking leader of Judaism (whom Jews recognize even today). He was—and is—“had in reputation.”

One last example will suffice. Let us go to Acts 10:31: “And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.” According to the Abrahamic Covenant, Roman/Gentile centurion Cornelius blessed Israel (see verses 2,22), so he himself would be blessed of God (Genesis 12:1-3). Therefore, the Lord sent the Apostle Peter to Cornelius. Cornelius’ offerings of material goods to Israel were in God’s mind, “had in remembrance in the sight of God,” and that allowed him to receive further light and even salvation from the God of Israel.

Also see:
» What happened to the Gentiles of Acts 10?
» Why did God give Israel King Saul if Saul turned out to be evil?
» Can you define “paramours?”

JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, Who are the “confectionaries” in 1 Samuel 8:13?

Who are the “confectionaries” in 1 Samuel 8:13?

WHO ARE THE “CONFECTIONARIES” IN 1 SAMUEL 8:13?

by Shawn Brasseaux

There is an interesting term in 1 Samuel 8:13 in the Authorized Version King James Bible—“And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.” Israel’s daughters will become their king’s “confectionaries.” Precisely what are they?

Indeed, we often use the word “confection” to refer to a sweet or sugary food—candies, cookies, cakes, pastries, and so on. However, that is a specific type of confection. A “confection,” generally speaking, is anything “confected” or “put together from various materials.” It does not have to be sugar-based, and it does not even have to be food either. “Confect” can be traced back to at least the 1300s, the word coming from Middle English “confecten,” which simply meant “to prepare by combining ingredients, blend, spice, or sweeten.” Medieval Latin also influenced this definition, with “conficere” meaning “to bring together, compose, compound (a drug or medication).” It is this latter sense that should be understood in the aforementioned Bible verse.

In 1 Samuel 8:13, “confectionaries” in Hebrew is a feminine (female) noun—“raqawhawh.” We find the masculine (male) version, “raqqah,” in Nehemiah 3:8: “Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.” We have now established that “apothecaries” and “confectionaries” are equivalent. A related word is “raqooakh,” rendered “perfumes” in Isaiah 57:9: “And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.” By the way, our English word “apothecary” is just as old as “confect”—from the 1300s—and also derived from the Latin language. An “apothecarius” was “a seller of spices and drugs.”

Taking all the above into consideration, we see “confectionaries” as its sits in the King James text refers to perfume- or ointment-makers, men and women who confected or combined compounds. There is no mistake, no mistranslation, in the King James Bible. If ever we encounter words in the Authorized Version we do not understand, we simply do some study and learn. We take a Bible concordance and look up related verses. We open an English dictionary, and/or a Hebrew dictionary, and/or a Greek dictionary, and/or a Latin dictionary, and we do research—with the English King James Bible always being the final authority and not corrected (!). However, it is far easier to nitpick and complain like so many have been trained to do: “I do not understand! What a ‘poor’ translation! A ‘better’ word is….” This is doubt, unbelief. It is not faith. In the grand scheme of things, we do well by learning a new word, expanding our vocabulary, and thereby better appreciating the English language and our translators’ grasp of it. “But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 14:38).

Also see:
» Can you define “carriage” in the King James Bible?
» Is “corn” a mistake in the King James Bible?
» Is the King James word “borrow” a “mistranslation” in Exodus 3:22?

JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, What is a “bier?”

What is a “bier?”

WHAT IS A “BIER?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

“Bier” is found a solitary time in the text of our Authorized Version, Luke chapter 7: “[11] And it came to pass the day after, that he [the Lord Jesus] went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. [12] Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. [13] And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. [14] And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. [15] And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. [16] And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. [17] And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.”

What is a “bier?” The most helpful context clue is this. It concerns a large funeral procession the Lord Jesus Christ has interrupted in Nain, a town of Galilee, roughly 5 miles (8 kilometers) southeast of Nazareth. In order to restore the dead man to life, Jesus touches his “bier” (rhymes with “ear”) and speaks forth the Word of Life! Here is one of the signs of the Gospel of the Kingdom, validation or authentication as to who Jesus is (Luke 7:18-23; cf. Matthew 4:17,23; Matthew 9:35; Luke 8:1). Through this miracle, the God of Israel is teaching the Jews what He can do for and with them concerning their Messiah/Christ/King (Jesus).

The term “bier” is actually related to a Proto-Indo-European word meaning “to carry, bear;” also, it is connected to “barrow” (cart). Essentially, a “bier” was a couch or movable platform the Jews used to transport a corpse to its burial site. Sometimes, the body was laid directly on the frame; in other instances, the remains were placed in a coffin or box and then positioned on the frame. The Bible says that when Jesus touched this structure, the men carrying the man’s body—the pallbearers—stopped walking. As the power of God flowed through Christ’s hands and lips to the dead man, he was restored to life, sat upright, and began speaking! Depicted here is the nation Israel, once dead in trespasses and sins, utterly hopeless and completely helpless, now redeemed and resurrected via the powerful words and hands of the Creator God (Hebrews 4:12), and entering the Millennial Kingdom with the ability to preach God’s words to the nations. You may also see the passage about the Valley of the Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37:1-28.

Saints, please remember us in your monthly giving—these websites do cost money to run! 🙂 You can donate securely here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux, or email me at arcministries@gmail.com. Do not forget about Bible Q&A booklets for sale at https://arcgraceministries.org/in-print/booklets-bible-q-a/. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! By the way, ministry emails have really been backed up this year. I am handling them as much as humanly possible. Thanks for your patience. 🙂

Also see:
» What is the “mountain” to be removed in Matthew 17:20?
» What are the “sins that are past” in Romans 3:25?
» Exactly what is “eternal life?”
» When will the Old Testament saints be resurrected?