Ne

In Paleo Hebrew Ne was drawn as a Seed. The Seed concept shows up throughout the books of (14) Jeremiah, (36) Habakkuk and (58) Second Corinthians. By studying Seed in these books all of Ne's meanings can be learned.

In Jeremiah Ne is _____

I knew you (14 Jeremiah 1:5)

Before Jeremiah was formed in his mother's womb, God knew him. To "know" someone is to have intercourse with them or put your seed into them. (Adam knew Eve and Cain was born.) In the case of God's relationship with people, God knows someone when he puts his Spirit in them. God put his Spirit in Jeremiah when Jeremiah was little more than seed himself.

I appointed you as a prophet (14 Jeremiah 1:5)

It's noteworthy that the first letter in the word "prophet" is seed. The idea is seeds are hidden underground and become visible in the future after sprouting. Prophets often are gifted at seeing the future and/or seeing under the surface. That God put his seed in Jeremiah because he was called to be a prophet means he was starting early to grow him into something special for future use and that future use was the knowing and understading of future things. There's a sort of recursion in what God was doing.

I called you to plant (14 Jeremiah 1:10)

Yahvah says to Jeremiah, I have placed you over nations to uproot, tear down, destroy as well as to build and plant. The act of planting is another aspect of seed.

I planted you (14 Jeremiah 2:21)

Yahvah says he planted Israel. To plant something is one aspect of seed.

Fruits of labor (14 Jeremiah 3:24)

This verse mentions flocks, herds, sons and daughters. Each of these are the result of seed planting and are themselves seed since they contain the ability to reproduce. Children in particular are a type of seed.

Do not sow among thorns (14 Jeremiah 4:3)

Yahvah tells the men of Judah and Jerusalem to break up their unplowed ground and not to sow among thorns. Sowing seed is part of the concept of seed.

They will devour your seed (14 Jeremiah 5:17)

The house of Israel is warned about a nation that will devour their harvests, food, sons, daughters, focks, herds, vines and fig trees. All types of seed needed to reproduce.

Fear Yahvah who gives rain in season (14 Jeremiah 5:24)

The people in Judah made the mistake of not seeing how fearing Yahvah leads to rain in season. The spiritual investment (planting) in a right relationship with God leads to material blessings like rain for the crops leading to a good harvest.

I will take away their harvest (14 Jeremiah 8:13)

Yahvah says he will take away the harvest. There will be no grapes or figs and the leaves will wither. This verse is describing a scenario devoid of seed that produces fruit with seed in it. In taking away the harvest he's taking away the seed and the possibility of having harvest again.

Yahvah planted you (14 Jeremiah 11:17)

Yahvah planted Israel and Judah, but decreed disaster for them because of their idolatry.

Plot against Jeremiah (14 Jeremiah 11:18-19)

The men of Anathoth planned to cut off Jeremiah from the land of the living like one destroys a tree and it's fruit.

You have planted them (14 Jeremiah 12:2)

Jeremiah states that Yahvah has planted the wicked and the take root and bear fruit as a result. But, he says, God is far from their hearts. He's wondering why they are blessed if they don't care about God or his ways. Their seed or planting is not in the things of God so why is he taking such good care of them.

Planted in Babylon (14 Jeremiah 29:4)

Yahvah carried the Jewish remnant to Babylon for 70 years. False prophets were saying they would be restored right away, but Jeremiah wrote by the Word of Yahvah that they would be there 70 years. The letter goes further on the theme of planting, but the big picture here is that God himself planted this remnant in a new place.

Plant gardens (14 Jeremiah 29:5)

Because it would be 70 years in Babylon Jeremiah wrote the exiles and told them to build houses and plant gardens. Again, planting is an aspect of seed, but planning for the future is also an aspect of seed.

Marry (14 Jeremiah 29:6)

Jeremiah also tells the captives to marry and give their children in marriage. He tells them to increase, not decrease. He's playing to the idea of building for the future by planting seed and having children and raising families in the present.

Write the words in a book (14 Jeremiah 30:1-3)

Jeremiah is told to write down all the words of Yahvh in a book. He's told there's a future for Israel and Judah. The point is Israel and Judah will read and understand the words in the future, but only if Jeremiah plants them (as seed) now, by writting them down. The prophetic is like seed in that it's given ahead of the time, but when planted and cultivated it becomes food that sustains and yeilds more seed.

Planting (14 Jeremiah 31:5)

Jeremiah describes a return to the land and a time or peace when farmers can plant and enjoy their fruit.

I will plant the house of Israel and the house of Judah (14 Jeremiah 31:27-28)

The days are coming when Yahvah will plant the two houses just as tore them down. The people of Israel and Judah are like seeds in God's field.

Sour grapes (14 Jeremiah 31:29-30)

Jeremiah mentions a proverb that says the father's eat sour grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge (or the children pucker). The good news is God is going to prove the proverb wrong. Everyone is going to suffer for his own sin, not his father's. The whole idea, though, of a cause and effect or consequences for sin, whether in the immediate generation or next, is a seed kind of idea. It's like reaping what you sow.

A new covenant (14 Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Yahvah says he will make a new covenant. He says he will put his law in the minds and hearts of his people. Inside. He says all will know him. He's describing putting his law and his spirit inside his people, like planting seed. It's unseen, under the surface, but eventually works its way out.

Jeremiah buys a field (14 Jeremiah 32)

The whole story of Jeremiah buying a field plays to seed in that he is planting or planning for the future even though the Babylonias have laid seige to the city. The Word of Yahvah comes to Jeremiah afterwards and says Yahvah will bring his people back in the future and plant them in the land (14 Jeremiah 32:41). He also says fields and houses will once again be bought and sold.

David will never cease to have an heir on the throne (14 Jeremiah 33)

All of chapter 33 reinforces that God's promise to David of an heir to always reign on the throne did not end just because the Jews went to Babylon. The idea is that David's seed will continue, despite what things look like.

Zedekiah's sons killed (14 Jeremiah 52:10)

The king of Babylon killed Zedekiah's sons. He destroyed Zedekiah's seed. It's not just a tortorous act, but one that plays to the seed like the rest of of the book of Jeremiah.

In Habakkuk Ne is _____

The wicked hem in the righteous (36 Habakkuk 1:4)

Habakkuk describes a scenario where the "law is paralyzed" and the "wicked hem in the righteous." The English is a bit distant, but in effect he's saying there's not much room to move around, like a seed when it's planted underground. There's also a sense of the weight nearly crushing.

Write down the revelation (36 Habakkuk 2:2-3)

Habakkuk is told to write down the revelation so people can read it because the vision awaits an appointed time. The prophet's spoken (or written) words are like seeds. Eventually those seeds grow and come to pass just as planted seed grows and is harvested eventually.

The plunderer plundered (36 Habakkuk 2:6-8)

The pattern here is one of reaping what you sow. The kind of seed you plant is the kind you harvest. The Babylonians plundered and would eventually be plundered.

The built is burned (36 Habakkuk 2:12-13)

Same pattern as above, this time the builder builds a city unjustly and reaps a fire to burn it down as a consequence.

He who gives drink becomes drunk (36 Habakkuk 2:15-16)

Again, he who gives drink to his neighbor to gaze on their nakedness will himself be made drunk. All of this may seem like strange English and there's a good chance the translation is not very good, but the point is you reap what you sow.

No food (36 Habakkuk 3:17-18)

Habakkuk says there's no food. The fig tree does not bud, the vines do not have any grapes, the olive crop fails and fields do not produce food. Food begins with seed and food produces seed for the next crop cycle. So when there's no food there's no seed. Habakkuk is lamenting not only being hungry in the present, but no prospect for planting and harvesting in the future.

In Second Corinthians Ne is _____

Under great pressure (58 Second Corinthians 1:8)

Like a seed buried underground, Paul and friends felt a great pressure upon them in the province of Asia. This too may be an aspect of seed. The pressure of being buried and the hardship of struggling against the soil to begin to sprout and push towards the surface.

Death and resurrection (58 Second Corinthians 1:9)

Paul mentions death and resurrection. The planting of seed underground and it's eventual sprouting to life above ground are a good picture of death and resurrection. Jesus uses similar imagery (40 John 12:24).

God plants his Spirit inside people (58 Second Corinthians 1:21-22)

God puts his Spirit inside people as a deposit of what is to come. There are two aspects of seed here. Seed is planted under the surface (inside), and it's an investment towards the future.

Hard pressed (58 Second Corinthians 4:8-12)

Paul says he is hard pressed, but not crushed and so forth. He says we carry around "inside" our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may be revealed. He's describing the experience of a seed under pressure under ground and how it's like death, but how it yields life.

Outward/inward(58 Second Corinthians 4:16)

Though getting older means wearing out, inwardly Paul says we are being renewed. The inward focus is a focus on the seed that is growing, even if not visible.

Fix our eyes on what's unseen (under the surface) (58 Second Corinthians 4:18)

Because life is growing inside we focus on the inside, what's unseen or under the surface. That is lasting because it's seed which reproduces. The outward is not lasting.

Deposit of the Spirit (58 Second Corinthians 5:5)

God gives his Spirit as a deposit of what is to come.

We live by faith, not by sight (58 Second Corinthians 5:7)

Faith is knowing the seed will sprout and produce while not seeing it.

Anyone in Christ is a new creation (58 Second Corinthians 5:17)

"Christ" is a reference to the Holy Spirit, or anointing, so to be "in Christ" is to have received the Holy Spirit. If you have God's seed living inside you, you are a new creation, a seed that will grow into something wonderful. The old has gone, or died, and the new has come or been planted.

More hardships (58 Second Corinthians 6:3-10)

Many times in Second Corinthians Paul lists lists of difficulties and hardships he and his team experienced. All of these situations play to the seed struggling to sprout under immense pressure. The take away is that through great pressure, with God's help, we rise to life.

More hardships again (58 Second Corinthians 7:5)

Harrased at every turn. Conflicts on the outside, fears within.

Godly sorrow produces repentance (58 Second Corinthians 7:10-11)

Like a tomatoe seed yeilding tomatoes, Godly sorrow produces repentance which leads to salvation. Paul is saying if you plant or sow Godly sorrow you will reap repentance and salvation. There's a cause and effect sense to seed.

Out of severe trial generosity (58 Second Corinthians 8:2)

Like elsewhere in Second Corinthians this verse mentions a hardship, a severe trial. From this trial the Macedonian churches had something to give in way of material blessings. The very imagery in this verse plays to the idea of a sprouting seed. Also there seems to be a linkage between severe trials an generosity.

Sowing and reaping (58 Second Corinthians 9:6-11)

Sowing sparingly means reaping sparingly and sowing generously means reaping generously.

He scattered his gifts abroad (58 Second Corinthians 9:9)

After talking about sowing and reaping Paul quotes Psalm 112 and says he scattered abroad his gifts. The metaphor is seed again. The farmer broadcasted his seed.

Our field (58 Second Corinthians 10:13)

Paul says his field of activity extends to the Corinthians. He's playing to the idea of a farmer who plants, grows and harvests seed. He's the farmer or minister and the people are the field.

Boasting like a fool (58 Second Corinthians 11:16-22)

Paul boasts for some time in an attempt to distinguish himself from other ministers. He also recognizes that it is foolish, because it judging by appearance rather than what's inside. This whole section is like the antithesis of looking inside by faith.

Another list of hardships (58 Second Corinthians 11:23-27)

More difficulties Paul faced in his attempt to bring life to people.

Pressure concerning the churches (58 Second Corinthians 8:2)

Paul says he feels pressure daily regarding the needs of the churches. He's feeling the "weight of responsibility" for his call.

Another reference to hardships (58 Second Corinthians 12:10)

More hardships.

Parents save up for their children (58 Second Corinthians 12:14)

Parents save up for their seed, not the other way around. One generation of seed becomes another, in that order, and not the other way around. This verse is a standing example of Scripture that contradicts the idea that people should pay their spiritual parents (ie Pastors).

If I love you more will you love me less? (58 Second Corinthians 12:15)

Paul believes he will reap love if he sows love. He also believes he will reap more love if he sows more love.

Test of faith (58 Second Corinthians 13:5)

The test of faith is whether Christ (the Holy Spirit) is in you. Has good put his seed in you? Does God know you? Are you married to Jesus?

Summary

Ne is:

• plant
• sow
• plan
• invest
• multiply
• cause and effect
• consequence
• pressure
• hardship
• struggle
• unseen
• invisible

Words

Words with Ne include:

Son (𐤁𐤍) tent seed

Son has the concepts of tent and seed. At one level, tent here just means the body and seed means semen. A son is a "tent with seed." However, to stop here is to miss the fuller sense of how seeds work and what sons are.

As "tent seeds" sons:

1. are the seed of their father's tent,
2. are a tent with seed inside,
3. have the "tent" producing variety of seed, meaning they have the potential to make tents (families).

Garden (𐤂𐤍) sickle seed

Garden is spelled sickle seed. Sickle means to reap and seed means to plant. A garden is where we "reap seed." It's noteworthy to see that the focus of a garden should be to make more seed. Collecting food has less priority than collecting seed. Paul plays with the spelling of "garden" when he says we "reap what we sow" (51 Galatians 6:7).

Prophet (𐤍𐤁𐤉𐤀) seed tent arm star

Prophets have the concept of seed, tent, arm and star. The seed is something planted for the future. The tent means "in" when not picturing an actual building. The arm holds or grasps. Stars give light. So a prophet is "seed in hand that lights."

Nun (𐤍𐤅𐤍) seed peg seed

Ne is usually transliterated Nun, as in Joshua son of Nun. When translated Ne is typically rendered "continue." This makes sense since the idea of seed begetting seed plays to the idea of continuing.

Most occurrences of Ne in Scripture are transliterated to Nun, the ancestor of Joshua. Joshua is the Hebrew name for Jesus. Roughly speaking Jesus means "Yahvah Saves." So the phrase "Joshua son of Nun" can be translated "Yahvah saves sons of/who continue."

Consider the first occurence of Ne in Scripture. Joshua son of "Nun" stays at the tent (2 Exodus 33:11). In other words, Joshua son of continue continued at the tent. The story plays to the spelling.

Jesus

Jesus is the Seed of David.

Each generation in David's family produced an heir to reign, like seed begetting seed generation after generation. Then Jesus comes along. He's the Seed of David, like those before him, but he's different. He rose from the dead.

Because Jesus rose from the dead he did not need to beget a son to reign in his place and he can reign forever. When Paul says, in the same breath, that Jesus is descended from David and has risen from the dead, he's telling us that Jesus is uniquely qualified to fulfill the promise to David as an heir who can reign forever.

Stroking

Habakkuk plays to the way Ne is drawn. The opening line of what God is going to do in Habakkuk's day captures the 3 strokes needed to draw the letter Ne.

1. God is going to "raise up" the Chaldeans. An up stroke.
2. They are going to march across "the breadth" of the land. A full width sideways stroke.
3. They are going to posses dwelling places (think towers or structures that stick up). The final up stroke.

By Ryan Eaton
Posted Monday, Dan 30, 13000