This sermon was inspired by my dear friend/family Ms. Colleen. As we were driving from the store, we were discussing things like we normally do, and we started talking about how the men in our lives never acted like a partner. How the things we do for them never seems good enough. Or how we had both been in abusive relationships. That is not what a partner is, but how do people understand partnership when The Bible states a man shall cleave to his wife?
Genesis 2:24
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
The definition of shall cleave
H1692-דָּבַקdâbaq, daw-bak'; a primitive root; properly, to impinge, i.e. cling or adhere; figuratively, to catch by pursuit:—abide fast, cleave (fast together), follow close (hard after), be joined (together), keep (fast), overtake, pursue hard, stick, take.
What Does Impinge Mean?
have an effect or impact, especially a negative one:
Let us look at the origins of the word cleave.
Etymology of cleave:
cleave (v.1) "to split, part or divide by force," Old English cleofan, cleven, cliven "to split, separate" (class II strong verb, past tense cleaf, past participle clofen), from Proto-Germanic *kleuban (source also of Old Saxon klioban, Old Norse kljufa, Danish klöve, Dutch kloven, Old High German klioban, German klieben "to cleave, split"), from PIE root *gleubh- "to tear apart, cleave."
Past tense form clave is recorded in Northern writers from 14c. and was used with both verbs (see cleave (v.2)), apparently by analogy with other Middle English strong verbs. Clave was common to c. 1600 and still alive at the time of the KJV; weak past tense cleaved for this verb also emerged in 14c.; cleft is still later. The past participle cloven survives, though mostly in compounds.
cleave (v.2) "to adhere, cling," Middle English cleven, clevien, cliven, from Old English clifian, cleofian "to stick fast, adhere," also figurative, from West Germanic *klibajan (source also of Old Saxon klibon, Old High German kliban, Dutch kleven, Old High German kleben, German kleben "to stick, cling, adhere"), from PIE *gloi- "to stick" (see clay). The confusion was less in Old English when cleave (v.1) was a class 2 strong verb; but it has grown since cleave (v.1) weakened, which may be why both are largely superseded by stick (v.) and split (v.).
As we can see this is a translation error and we need to find out the word phrase or word that should be in verse 24 of Genesis Chapter 2.
This sermon is going to discuss what a man and a woman are suppose to do in regards to Genesis 2:24. We will be looking at the creation events in other books like we normally do. Today we will start this sermon with the Targums.
What Are The Targums?
A targum (Imperial Aramaic: תרגום'interpretation, translation, version') was an originally spoken translation of the Hebrew Bible(also called the Tanakh ) that a professional translator (מְתוּרגְמָןmǝturgǝmān) would give in the common language of the listeners when that was not Hebrew.
The Book of Daniel is in Aramaic as well as other passages of the Bible. What does the Targums state regarding Genesis 2:24?
In the Palestinian Targums we see the word consociate. This the word that should have been translated and we will vet this out.
The Definition of consociate:
a partner or associate.
The Definition in Hebrew also supports that the word cleave is wrong. When I say wrong, I mean translated in a way that will cause confusion. If you have someone with a demonic spirit/negative energy and remember, the Fallen Angels they know Abba Yah's Words too. Gadreel/satan took them and twisted them, the word cleave is another example of the serpent seed twist. If you think people do not use the Words of Abba Yah to cause pain and torment, then I pray you wake up today. Again, even the demons know Abba Yah's Words and use the twisting of them to their advantage to sin.
In English the word cleave means to tear apart, to encroach upon one's rights and to oppress. It's an oppressive word. If it wasn't men would not want women to be submissive and men wouldn't beat women into submission or treat women as they are dirt. Men wouldn't think they are superior to women, but men would learn that they are partners with their woman and maybe learn to value their wife.
Is this the meaning we are to have when we read about Adam and Eve?
The definition of the phrase shall cleave is expanded in the Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon
Genesis 2:20
And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
Yes! Now let us look at the word for help meet.
Help Meet-H5828-עֵזֶרʻêzer, ay'-zer; from H5826; aid:—help.
Biblical Outline of Usage of H5828
help, succour
help, succour
one who helps
Since the word says from H5826 we must look at that.
H5826-עָזַרʻâzar, aw-zar'; a primitive root; to surround, i.e. protect or aid:—help, succour.
Wives are protectors and aids, and
What does Succour Mean?
assistance and support in times of hardship and distress:
When people are in a marriage it is not about that individual any longer. Wives are to be helpers and support systems to our husbands just as they are to be for us. Society does not teach this especially when Hollywood and the music industry promotes prostitution, pimping, and the demoralization of our women. However, this demoralization has taken men down too, according to people, not all men are the same, for me, I've never been shown different, so I wouldn't know.
I have always had this understanding of a woman's role. This principle Abba Yah has instilled in me has helped many men in my past. I would go into relationships wanting to end with marriage, but when they received all the help they needed from me, they would leave.
Sometimes, If I couldn't help I'd get beat, and not to mention the 6 years I gave to a man who wouldn't let me move on, but would beat me when he could because the drugs told him to he hated being called out on the truth, because he cheated. He had proposed to me on another woman's birthday, and mine was the very next day. I am thankful that marriage didn't occur because I lost my hearing to that man, and he didn't care if I lived or died.
This testimony is an example of the doctrine that is taught in society today, the do as thou wants regardless of whom you hurt when it's quite the opposite. We are to become one: equally yoked in mind, faith, righteousness and so on because that prevents domestic abuse and violence.
Let us look at the word Joined for this is where the 2nd definition of the word for cleave is used; which goes back to the extension of the definition in the Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon.
Etymology of Yoke as a verb
Old English geocian "to yoke, join together," from yoke (n.). Related: Yoked; yoking.
1 Corinthians 6:16-18
What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
Joined- G2853-κολλάωkolláō, kol-lah'-o; from κόλλα kólla ("glue"); to glue, i.e. (passively or reflexively) to stick (figuratively):—cleave, join (self), keep company.
Biblical Outline of Usage of G2853
to glue, to glue together, cement, fasten together
to join or fasten firmly together
to join one's self to, cleave to
Romans 12:9
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave G2853 to that which is good.
For more information on unequally yoked together:
Jubilees 3:4-6
And the Lord said unto us: 'It is not good that the man should be alone: let us make a helpmeet for him.'
And the Lord our God caused a deep sleep to fall upon him, and he slept, and He took for the woman one rib from amongst his ribs, and this rib was the origin of the woman from amongst his ribs, and He built up the flesh in its stead, and built the woman.
And He awaked Adam out of his sleep and on awaking he rose on the sixth day, and He brought her to him, and he knew her, and said unto her: 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called [my] wife; because she was taken from her husband.'
The more we teach that marriage and unity is key to everything, the more we change society. The more we teach society, the more Abba Yah's Words Shine and are Implemented in the Ways He Originally Stated.
Targums
Definitions