Vē

In Paleo Hebrew Vē was drawn as a Peg. The Peg concept shows up throughout the books of (6) Joshua, (28) Ecclesiastes and (50) First Corinthians. By studying Peg in these books all of Vē's meanings can be learned.

In Joshua Vē is _____

Yahvah with Joshua (6 Joshua 1:5)

To be with someone and never leave them is to be nailed to them.

Joshua to be strong (6 Joshua 1:6)

Strong here probably does not mean power, but secure or unmovable, like a nail.

Joshua not to depart from the word (6 Joshua 1:7-8)

Joshus was not to stray left or right of the word and he was to read the word day and night. This heavy, ongoing use of the word was a nail between Joshua and the word.

Two spies (6 Joshua 2:1)

Two spies working together on an important mission means they are a team or attached or connected. They are nailed.

Salmon and Rahab (6 Joshua 2:1)

There's a standing possibility that one of the spies had intercourse with Rahab during the mission. 1 First Corinthians suggests this, adding that anyone who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one with her. If this is how we're supposed to read Joshua then it's another example of nail. Otherwise it's just an interesting speculation.

The pact between the spies and Rahab (6 Joshua 2:14)

"Our lives for yours" to quote the spies. The pact or agreement between the spies and Rahab to save eachother's lives is another example of nail, they were bound together or connected.

The pact was only binding under certain conditions (6 Joshua 2:17-18)

The agreement would be binding if Rahab tied a scarlot cord in the window and assembled her family into her house. The Binding covenant, tying the cord in place and the assembling of Rahab's family are all expressions of nail.

Parting of the Jordan River (6 Joshua 3:15-17)

When the Jordan parted the water was disconnected from the Salt Sea and dry land connected the two banks of the River, more examples of nailing or un-nailing.

Pile of stones (6 Joshua 4:4-7)

The pile of stones story has many obvious nail themes. The physical pile of stones are connected or nailed. The 1 representitive for each tribe is nailed to their tribe. The monument they built was a reminder to future generations of what happened at the Jordan and therefore a nail across time.

Circumcision at Gilgal (6 Joshua 5:2-3)

Circumcision is a medical procedure that removes the foreskin or tip of the penis. To cut off or disconnect this flap of skin from the rest of the body is an example of vav in the opposite.

Removing the reproach of Egypt (6 Joshua 5:9)

At the time the foreskins were disconnected God disconnected the reproach of Egypt from his people. He un-vaved the reproach just like the foreskins were un-vaved.

Eating from the land (6 Joshua 5:10-12)

The Israelites were nailed to the land when the manna stopped and they began eating from the land's harvest for the first time in 40 years.

For us or our enemies? (6 Joshua 5:13)

Joshua asks which side are you on? Where is your allegiance, who are you connected too, where are you nailed?

Walls of Jericho fall apart (6 Joshua 6:20)

When the walls of Jericho fell down they were no longer nailed.

Achan and Israel (6 Joshua 7:25)

Achan's actions in private caused trouble for all of Israel and cost them a battle and the lives of 36 soldiers. The way to fix the trouble for the community was to stone Achan and his own. The actions of the two are connected, another type of nail.

Inhabitants of Ai drawn from city (6 Joshua 8:15-16)

When Joshua drew the soldiers of Ai from their city he was effectively un-nailing them from their base.

Treaty with the Gibeonites (6 Joshua 9:15)

The treaty with Gibeon nailed the Israelites to the Gibeonites. The problem was Joshua did not seek Yahvah about the decision, he was temporarily un-nailed from Yahvah. The specific deception that lead to the treaty was the idea that the Gibeonites were from (nailed to) a distant land and not one of the nations in Israel's path to possess the Promised Land.

The sun stands still (6 Joshua 10:12-13)

When the sun stood still it ceased to travel across the sky. It was nailed in one place. So holding something still is another sense of nail. Tent pegs are nails in the ground and do for tents what happens here with the sun. Sometimes vav is described as a "peg" instead of a nail. That imagery works in at least this example, but is less cooperative in other stories.

Conglomeration of armies (6 Joshua 11:1-9)

In Joshua 11 there's a conglomeration of armies that come against Israel with horses and chariots. First the individual armies are nailed together as one larger army and secondly, their tool of choice are chariots nailed or connected to horses.

Moses and Joshua (6 Joshua 12:1-24)

Chapter 12 has two halves. Moses conquering the countries east of the Jordan and Joshua doing the same west of the Jordan. The two are connected or nailed by their similar actions on either side of the Jordan. There's also a sense of process when the kings Joshua conquered are listed one after another in the order they were defeated. To say we defated this one, then this one, then this one, is to show the connectedness of the individual steps to the larger task.

Levi inherits Yahvah instead of land (6 Joshua 13:33)

To inherit something is to be connected to it as the owner. Levi inherited Yahvah instead of tribal land. Levi thereore had a connection with Yahvah on par with the connection the other tribes had to land. Just as land must be worked to yield, Levi worked the Tabernacle and Altar for their livelihood.

Caleb obeys Yahvah and believes promise (6 Joshua 14:9)

Caleb was a nail. He spied out the land originally and spoke according to his convictions when he said Israel could take it, but the Israelites melted in fear when they heard a bad report. Moses promised Caleb he would in fact inherit the land he spied out, and 45 years later, as an 85 year old man, Caleb had the strength to take his land from giants. This strength and faith displayed by Caleb is an example of nail and similar to the exhortation Yahvah gave Joshua in chapter 1 when he told Joshua to be strong.

Borders of Judah defined (6 Joshua 15:1-12)

The borders of Judah are defined in Joshua 15 as a series of landmarks connected by lines. This kind of connect-the-dots pattern is another example of nail. There's a second nail in the story when we study the more interesting question of who lived next to who in the overall scheme. This neighborly connection is more important than the low-level connections between landmarks used to define a tribe's boundaries.

Jebusites not dislodged (6 Joshua 15:63)

Judah was unable to completely dislodge the Jebusites from their territory. The Jebusites remained nailed to the land and Judah.

Joseph's two sons (6 Joshua 16:4)

Manasseh and Ephraim were nailed by virtue of being brothers, common sons of Joseph. They receive their inheritance together in Joshua 16.

Two allotments for Joseph and Manasseh (6 Joshua 17:17)

Joseph receives two allotments.

Benjamin neighbors Joseph and Judah (6 Joshua 18:11)

The idea here is being nailed to your neighbor by proximity and even God's sovereign will since lots were cast to determine the placement of the tribes.

Simeon inherits of Judah's land (6 Joshua 19:1)

The tribe of Simeon was given a portion of land inside the very large territory of Judah. Thus Simeon had a part "of" Judah. The pattern here is nailing a specific thing within a larger context.

Not releasing those who killed accidentally (6 Joshua 20:1-3)

Cities of refuge were designated to protect anyone who accidentally killed an Israelite from the redeemer of blood (which was a relative of the killed who had legal right to take the life of the murderer). Inhabitants of these cities were not to release any such person who fled to their town for refuge. But if somone who had unintentionally killed were to leave the city they could be killed by the kinsman redeemer, thus they were nailed to the city and the inhabitants were not to release them, both examples of nail.

Levi receives towns of other tribes (6 Joshua 21:3)

Same as Simeon of Judah, Levi was given towns in all the tribes of Israel.

Assembly of tribes (6 Joshua 22:11-12)

When the tribes come together in an assembly it's the same as being nailed. This pattern is common in First Corinthians where Christians congregate or assemble in their homes as part of a larger body.

Unity of eastern and western tribes (6 Joshua 22:24-28)

The eastern tribes made an altar, not for use, but as a monument to remind the western tribes that the Jordan was not a divider between the two, but the eastern tribes had rights at Yahvah's altar on the western side of the Jordan as equals. The idea that the two sides were in unity means they were attached or nailed together. The idea that this monument would remind future generations of this fact means it was a nail across time.

Staying in the land (6 Joshua 23:12-13)

To stay in the land Israel was to remain faithful to Yahvah by not practicing idolatry or intermarrying with the foreign people that remained among them. The idea is being in covenant or nailed to Yahvah would lead to remaining secure in, or nailed to, the land, but unhinging from Yahvah and his ways would lead to separation from the land, which is what happened later in the Bible.

Joshua makes a covenant (6 Joshua 24:25)

Joshua made a covenant for Israel. Like the treaty with the Gibeonites, the covenant Joshua made bound or nailed everyone together and to the decrees and laws defined in the covenant.

In Ecclesiastes Vē is _____

Leader of the assembly (28 Ecclesiastes 1:1)

Solomon is the leader of the assembly in Ecclesiastes (sometimes translated preacher or teacher). Given we had an assembly at the end of Joshua and we are dealing with vav the word "assembly" seems closest to what's meant. The assembly is a connected group of people with the leader matched or connected to the group as it's leader.

The meaninglessness of Ecclesiastes (28 Ecclesiastes 1:2)

The reoccuring problem in Ecclesiastes is Solomon has trouble making the right connections. The book is depressing because he constantly gets things wrong and proves what doesn't work. Just compare what Solomon says to the rest of scripture to see the problems yourself. The point is the "meaninglessness" idea that pops up throughout the book is an example of the absence of successfully nailing ideas together. Nothing Solomon does holds (like a nail) in the end. This depressed state is the fruit of rejecting God and trying to figure things out on your own.

Chasing after the wind (28 Ecclesiastes 1:14)

Solomon uses the imagery of chasing wind to show the meaninglessness of something that is unattainable or impossible. The use of a nail to make still the sun in Joshua or a tent peg to hold a tent still against the wind is the opposite of what Solomon is describing. There's an absense of nail or stillness in all this chasing around in Ecclesiastes.

Wisdom stays with Solomon (28 Ecclesiastes 2:9)

Solomon says his "wisdom" stayed with him (was nailed to him) throughout his quest for understanding.

Solomon's insanity (28 Ecclesiastes 2:10-11)

Solomon says he denied himself nothing he desired and he took delight in his work, but that even that was meaningless. Then, many times in Ecclesiastes, Solomon says one should just take delight in their work. It's as if he forgot that he said himself that it is meaningless. He behaves rather insane at times, can't nail this thing down, keeps chasing the wind, changing his mind and changing it back again.

Fulfill your vow (28 Ecclesiastes 5:4-5)

To vow something or make a promise is probably another example of nail. It binds your actions to your word and if you fail to act on your vow you effectively end up cursing yourself.

Adding one thing to another (28 Ecclesiastes 7:27)

Solomon says he was adding one thing to another (nailing them together) in an attempt to figure out the scheme of things. Not sure it worked that well for him. Nailing boards together aimlessly never does yield a good result.

Solomon can't correlate ideas (28 Ecclesiastes 8:17)

Solomon says no one can understand life despite how much they search it out, and that even if a wise man were to claim he understands, he really does not. Quite a different viewpoint from Paul in First Corinthians who understood wisdom from God. Solomon had a problem connecting ideas.

Collected sayings of the wise are like nails (28 Ecclesiastes 12:11)

Solomon plays to the nail by name when he says the collected sayings of the wise are like firmly embedded nails given by one shepherd.

In First Corinthians Vē is _____

Following Christ (50 First Corinthians 1:12)

Some follow Paul, some follow Apollos, and some follow Peter, but following Christ is best. Paul nails what matters in the discussion of following, which is who you follow. Throughout First Corinthians this is the pattern. Paul gives a list, sometimes with only two items, then nails (specifies) what is best.

Knowing nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified (50 First Corinthians 2:2)

Of all topics Paul could have addressed when he visited Corinth he intentionally limited himself to Jesus Christ and crucifixion. Crucifixion of course is a direct reference to nail, but Paul also nails this topic as most important.

Paul plants, Apollos waters, but God makes it grow (50 First Corinthians 3:6)

Another category of things that are similar. This time God's ability to grow things is what Paul nails as important in the list.

Corinthians had ten thousand guardians, but one father (50 First Corinthians 4:15)

Of the many guardians taking spiritual care of the Corinthians Paul was the only one to treat them as sons and daughters. Paul nails himself in this case.

Removing the immoral individual from the group (50 First Corinthians 5:2)

Another group of things where Paul pinpoints one. This time it's an immoral brother who needs to be removed.

All sins are outside the body except sexual immorality (50 First Corinthians 6:18)

Sexual immorality is different than other sins.

Devotion to God is better than marriage (50 First Corinthians 7:32-35)

Marrying isn't a sin, but the ability to devote oneself fully to God without the care of a spouse and children is better.

Many "gods" or "lords," but for us there's only Jesus (50 First Corinthians 8:5-6)

For some there are many "gods" or "lords" in the world, but for us there is one, Jesus, who made (nailed) everything. Paul nails who to worship, but he does so mentioning that Jesus is the maker of everything (probably another example of nail).

Paul becomes like others to win them (50 First Corinthians 9:19-22)

In this case the one, Paul, becomes like or connects to others in order to win them to Jesus.

One cup and loaf turns many people into one body (50 First Corinthians 10:16-17)

We are connected through communion with Jesus.

When you gather (50 First Corinthians 11:18)

Getting together, congregating, assembling, all ideas for being connected or nailed.

One body, many parts (50 First Corinthians 12:12)

Paul's famous imagery of us each being a part or member of the body of Christ makes the many into one, like communion. It also plays to how we are arranged or attached together, like the division of tribal land for ancient Israel in Joshua.

Of faith, hope and love, love is the greatest (50 First Corinthians 13:13)

You can swing at faith, hope and love, but if you're going to hit one of these nails on the head make it love.

Five words are better than ten thousand uninterpreted tongues (50 First Corinthians 14:18-19)

Speaking in tongues is good, but when in a group, unless the tongue is interpreted, it is better to prophesy.

General resurrection connected to Jesus' resurrection (50 First Corinthians 15:16)

Paul's logic is our fate is dependent on Jesus. If Jesus was raised we will be too at the end of the age, but if not then we won't either. The two are nailed together.

Setting aside part of income (50 First Corinthians 16:1-2)

Paul told the Corinthians to set aside part of their income on the first day of the week. In other words, nail a certain amount, to a certain day, and then there wouldn't be an emergency when it was time to give the donation. This is the same pattern of nailing something in a list. Some amount was nailed (up to the donor) and it was nailed one day a week in anticipation of giving the larger sum when Paul came to town to collect for the poor.

Summary

Vē is:

• connect
• assemble
• anchor
• specify
• and
• of

Words

Words with Vē include:

Wall () teeth peg head

Walls have the concept of teeth, peg and head in them. One aspect of teeth is the way they are lined-up. Pegs, of course, attach or connect things. And the head of a person captures the concept of tall since it's the highest part of the body. Together these letters describe wall as "lined-up attached and tall."

Devil () door peg star

Doors are where people or things go in or out. Pegs attach things. The star represents strength. So a devil is something that "comes through the door and attaches strongly."

Pastor () head eye peg sword

This word appears in the list of spiritual gifts in Ephesians (52 Ephesians 4:11). This is an Aramaic word, not Hebrew, but the same letter meaning system works in Aramaic and thus the New Testament.

In this word head is used to mean the head of something, like a leader or someone authoritative. Eye captures the idea of understanding. Nail here is used for specificity rather than connection. We want to hit the nail on the head, be specific. The cross represents covenant. Together these letters tell us the biblical meaning of pastor is someone who has "authoritative understanding of covenant."

Note 1: The nail is "nailing" what of all possible things pastors are expert at.

Note 2: The biblical word for pastor is describing something different than the vocational job of Pastor. The biblical concept does not have a building and it does not have a mouth or speaking. It does have an eye, which means understanding. You may have this gift even if you know you aren't called to do the vocational Pastor thing. Eventually this Aramaic word may need to be translated into some term other than pastor so the two are not confused.

Grammar

When prefixed to a word Vē is the conjunction "and." Since pegs connect things it makes sense for Vē to be the conjunction.

Jesus

Jesus is the Peg.

This short passage is saying that Jesus is the Peg from which all other things hang. Jesus is the anchor that holds and connects all things. Jesus is our anchor when we are connected to him.

By Ryan Eaton
Posted Monday, Dan 30, 13000

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1 Matthew 1:4 reveals that Salmon married Rahab. Salmon was Nashon's son. Nashon was the leader of Judah during the first census in the book of Numbers (4 Numbers 1:7). If Salmon was born to Nashon during the first 20 years in the wilderness then he's old enough to go spy, but young enough to be referred to as a young man (6 Joshua 6:23). Then there's the scarlot cord tied around Zerah's wrist, the twin brother of Perez, born to Judah after he solicited Tamar, disguised as a prostitute (1 Genesis 38). The scarlot cord in Rahab's window identifies at least one of the spies as being from this family and probably an act of prostitution, perhaps by Salmon (30 Ruth 4:18-22). Then there's the commentary from Paul in First Corinthians that suggests someone in the story did in fact join themself to a prostitute (50 First Corinthians 6:16). Very interesting set of facts and possible back story on Rahab even if not totally provable.