Zē

In Paleo Hebrew Zē was drawn as a Hook. The Hook concept shows up throughout the books of (18) Esther, (40) John and (62) First Peter. By studying Hook in these books all of Zē's meanings can be learned.

In Esther Zē is _____

Linen hangings in the garden (18 Esther 1:6)

To hang linen as a decoration that grabs attention is two examples of hook.

The attractiveness of Vashti (18 Esther 1:11)

Vasthi apparently was quite beautiful. Beauty is a hook in that it catches our attention or attracts us to itself.

The king's request (18 Esther 1:12)

King Xerxes requested Queen Vashti to come before his party attendees wearing the crown. The requst is a hook, but one that Vashti declined.

Advice appeals to the king (18 Esther 2:4)

Something appealing in general is a sense of hook. The attempt to persuade or use rhetoric to convince or appeal to someone is probably also a sense of hook.

Mordecai and the Jews taken in captivity (18 Esther 2:5-6)

The Babylonian deportation of the Jews is another example of hook.

Esther taken into the harem (18 Esther 2:8)

Another hook. Both this taking into the harem and the Jewish captivity are examples of forcibly hooking or hooking against someone's will.

Esther obeying Mordecai (18 Esther 2:10)

When Esther obeys Mordecai's instructions she is allowing him to hook her.

Mordecai walking back and forth (18 Esther 2:11)

To walk back and forth is to walk in the pattern of Zē. You turn 180 degrees and return to the spot where you were before, like the shape of a hook.

Returning to the king if he was pleased (18 Esther 2:14)

Returning somewhere is the same idea as walking back and forth, but with more time between turns. In this passage if the king was pleased with a girl in his harem he might ask her to return to him.

Esther won favor and followed advice (18 Esther 2:15)

To win favor is to hook people. And to follow advice is to be hooked like when Esther obeyed Mordecai.

The king was attracted to Esther (18 Esther 2:17)

Esther was attractive though she possessed more qualities than Vashti so her attractiveness is not a surface beauty alone. Esther's pattern of submission is an opposite to Vashti's unwillingness to obey Xerxes and what makes Esther so attractive as First Peter says (62 First Peter 3:1-6).

Esther continues to follow directions from Mordecai (18 Esther 2:20)

This is the pattern with Esther and a key sense of hook.

Conspiring guards hung on the gallows (18 Esther 2:23)

Two guards conspiring to kill Xerxes were found out by Mordecai and hung on the gallows. To hang something is a hook idea and hangings on gallows is a reoccurring theme in Esther.

Haman promoted above others (18 Esther 3:1)

One way to interpret the hook as it's drawn is a person bowing at the waist. This aspect of hook plays to the idea of submission and obedience. Esther continually submits in the story and eventually even bows before Xerxes. The opposite of bowing is being raised up or elevated. So Esther's promotion to Queen, Haman's promotion here and Mordecai's promotion later in the book are also examples of hook.

Mordecai does not bow to Haman (18 Esther 3:2)

Mordecai would not bow to Haman even though Haman had gained notable stature and everyone else was bowing.

Mordecai refuses to comply (18 Esther 3:4)

Same thing here, Mordecai won't bow to Haman's will.

Hathach sent back and forth between Esther and Mordecai (18 Esther 4:5-16)

Esther's servant Hathach plays messenger for Esther and Mordecai throughout chapter 4. He makes two and half round trips running between the two. This is the same pattern as Mordecai walking back and forth at the king's gate earlier in the book.

Mordecai follows Esther's instructions (18 Esther 4:17)

Role reversal here as Esther tells Mordecai to fast and pray and he follows through with her request.

Xerxes pleased with Esther (18 Esther 5:1-3)

Esther was invited into the king's presence because he was pleased with her. He then asked what her request was and said he would grant it, up to half the kingdom. The king's pleasure for Esther because of her submissive spirit and obedience to earlier requests puts Esther in a position to make important requests in return. This is an example of the hook at work between Esther and Xerxes.

Haman calls everyone to himself and boasts about his stature (18 Esther 5:10-12)

To assemble people around yourself is to hook them to your presence or what it is you're doing. In this case it's Haman telling his family to come listen (they probably did not have much choice). Then Haman brags about his high standing in the kingdom, an opposit of sorts to the humble submission displayed by Esther and Mordecai.

Gallows built to hang Mordecai (18 Esther 5:14)

To hang someone on a gallows is to hook them. Haman wanted to trap (hook) Mordecai and hang (hook) him.

Xerxes unable to sleep (probably distracted (hooked) by something) (18 Esther 6:1)

It's a bit of a guess, scripture doesn't say exactly why Xerxes wasn't sleeping, but people commonly experience trouble sleeping when they are distracted (hooked) by something. This is probably what happened to Xerxes.

Mordecai honored (18 Esther 6:11)

Mordecai is placed high above everyone on a horse and paraded around town in honor for his uncovering the plot to kill Xerxes. This elevating in honor is also hook just like promotion seen earlier in the book.

Haman rushes home with head covered in grief (18 Esther 6:12)

The picture here is one of embaressment. For all his hate of Mordecai and boasting about himself Haman had to parade Mordecai through town shouting his honor. Haman could not bow to others intentionally, but he is made to bow by elevating Mordecai.

Haman's downfall and inability to stand against Mordecai (18 Esther 6:13)

Haman's wife speaks the obvious when she says his downfall has started and he will be unable to stand against (forced to bow to) Mordecai.

Haman taken to the banquet (18 Esther 6:14)

Haman is taken to the banquet. It's a party and seems favorable and he's attending of his own choice, but being taken plays to the hook like when Esther was taken into the Harem (probably against her will) and the Jews were taken to Babylon, cleary against their will. If Haman knew what was going to happen next he would not have wanted to go to the banquet.

Haman falling on the couch to seduce (18 Esther 7:8)

Once Esther revealed Haman's plot to Xerxes the king left the room and Haman fell upon Esther on the couch as if to beg for his life. While he's not molesting the Queen as Xerxes suggests, he's clearly trying to seduce her, or sway her, to preserve his life. Esther does not take the bait.

Haman hung on the gallows built for Mordecai (18 Esther 7:10)

We already know to hang someone on the gallows is an example of hook, but this time there's an added sense of hook. This particular gallows was built for Mordecai, who Haman wanted to trap (hook), but the trap sprung on Haman (in a turn of events) and he was hung instead. This turn around itself is a hook, this one an act of God no less.

Esther falls at the feet of Xerxes (18 Esther 8:3-4)

To fall or bow at someone's feet is another example of hook.

Haman's plot against the Jews turned around (18 Esther 9:24-25)

The plot to destroy the Jews was turned around, like a hook, as the Jews were given the right to defend themselves and destroy their enemies.

Xerxes imposes tribut on his empire (18 Esther 10:1)

Taxing is probably also a hook, in this case Xerxes has a financial or legal hook in the constituents of his kingdom.

Mordecai's rise to prominence (18 Esther 10:2-3)

Just as Haman was promoted earlier in the book, we now see Mordecai's rise to prominence.

In John Zē is _____

Levites ask for an answer to take back (40 John 1:19-22)

Levites from Jerusalem went to John in the wilderness where he was baptizing to ask who he was so they could return to their leaders with an answer. The going and returning as messengers is hook. Levite also means "cling" which plays to hook. And there's some sense that they want to trap John because they don't know if they agree with what he is doing, which also plays to hook. And the general pattern here is John is getting people's attention, he is attracting, he is a hook.

Make straight the way of the Lord (40 John 1:23)

John told the Levites that he was to "make straight" the way of the Lord. A play on the bent shape of the hook? Probably.

John baptizing (40 John 1:24)

The specific ministry of John was to baptize the repentant in water. Baptism of course pictures the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, which is a hook, and it's the first step of obedience to Jesus as Lord, which makes it an act of submission, another aspect of hook. While reading this passage I realized baptism should always be kneeling or bowing forward in water, under one's own weight. Baptism is bowing to Jesus, not falling backwards, stiff and unrepentant, with catchers, and water up the nose.

Unworthy to untie sandals of Jesus (40 John 1:27)

John told the messengers that he was unworthy even to untie Jesus' sandals from his feet. The picture here is John bowed low to the ground removing Jesus' sandals. To bow is an example of hook, as we saw in Esther.

The Spirit remaining on Jesus (40 John 1:32-33)

The sign John was told would identify the Son of God was the Spirit of God descending on the man in the form of a dove and remaining on him. The way the Spirit not only descended on Jesus but remained means it was hooked to Jesus.

John's disciples (40 John 1:35)

A disciple is a follower or student of someone else. John had disciples, like Jesus after him. A disciple is hooked to their leader and follow them around and follow thier teaching. Another example of hook.

Following Jesus - Jesus turning around (40 John 1:37-38)

John knew who Jesus was after he saw the sign so he began sending his disciples to Jesus. A couple disciples began to follow Jesus, which is hook as we've seen. Jesus then turned around to speak with them. The motion of turning around is to move in the shape of a hook. Jesus is playing to hook in this Gospel.

Andrew brings Peter to Jesus (40 John 1:40-42)

Andrew had followed Jesus because of what John told him. He had to tell his brother Peter and bring him to Jesus. Andrew is hooking Peter because Andrew is hooked by Jesus.

Jesus calls Philip - Philip calls Nathanael (40 John 1:43-49)

Jesus finds Philip and says "follow me." Philip then goes and finds Nathanael and brings him to Jesus just as Andrew brought Peter to Jesus.

Why do you involve me? (40 John 2:4)

When Jesus's mother asked him to help with the problem of running out of wine at the wedding party in effect his response was "Please don't hook me with this."

Draw out the water (40 John 2:8)

To draw water out of a large container means you make the motion of a hook by dipping something in and lifting out. You hook the water with something. Jesus could have told them to pour out the water, but he's playing to hook so he tells them to draw out the water.

Jesus' disciples put their faith in Jesus (40 John 2:11)

The effect of Jesus' miracle of turning water to wine is his disciples put their faith in him. So the miracle worked like a hook and probably something about how faith works is related to the concept of hook.

Jesus' rampage in the temple (40 John 2:14-16)

Jesus drove people from the temple by making a whip and overturning tables and such. If you think about the shape of a whip and how it works it's also takes the form or a hook, though it doesn't catch anything. To overturn tables is probably also the shape of a hook. By his actions Jesus was unhooking the market from the temple courts.

Request for a miraculous sign (40 John 2:18)

The Jews who held market in the temple courts did not take kindly to what Jesus had done and asked him for a miraculous sign to prove his authority. The idea that they would submit or bow to Jesus' actions if he would hook them with a miracle to prove his exalted stature or authority to do such things are all examples of hook.

Resurretion of Jesus (40 John 2:19-22)

Jesus answered their request with a reference to his resurrection (which was still future at that point). To be buried in the ground or placed in a tomb and rise to life and walk around and even ascend to heaven is the shape of a hook. You go down, like bowing (or baptism), and you come up to life and heaven.

People hooked by Jesus' miracles (40 John 2:23)

When people saw the miraculous signs Jesus performed during Passover they believed in him. As seen before miracles are like a hook in that they get someone's attention. If miracles help someone get hooked to Jesus in faith or belief they have done their job.

You must be born again (40 John 3:3)

The idea of doing something "again" is like turning around or going back to where you started, like the shape of a hook. So being "born again" may play to hook also.

More people going to Jesus than John (40 John 3:26)

A disciple of John observes that more people are going to Jesus than John. Jesus was attracting or hooking people.

Jesus returns to Galilee (40 John 4:3)

Returning to someplace is to make the shape of a hook.

Woman drawing water from well (40 John 4:7)

Lowering a bucket into a well and lifting it out with water is a hook shape, much like the servants who drew wine out of the water at the wedding in Cana. It's also the case that water is extracted or hooked from the well.

Are you greater than Jacob? (40 John 4:12)

We saw in Esther that hook can relate to bowing low before someone or being elevated or promoted in stature. The woman asks Jesus if he is more elevated than Jacob. Later in John Jesus is compared to Abraham. This question of stature may be another expression of hook.

Keep coming back to the well (40 John 4:15)

The woman wants water that causes her to never thirst again so she won't have to come back to the well to draw water all the time. Going to the well again and again is to return or turn around or walk the pattern of hook.

The woman is with a man that's not her husband (40 John 4:16-18)

The letter vav, which is a nail, clearly portrays the marriage relationship or covenant. I wonder if people who are sexually active, but not covenanted, are hooked, but not nailed, since hook is a temporary sort of connection that can easily be undone, while things that are nailed share an enduring attachment.

Disciples return from buying food in town (40 John 4:27)

Same returning or turning around pattern as everywhere.

The woman goes back to town to bring others to Jesus (40 John 4:28-30)

The woman goes back to town (hook) to bring others to Jesus (to hook them) and they all return to the well (hook).

Doing the Father's will and harvest (40 John 4:34-38)

Jesus cares more about doing the Father's will than eating. He's submitted, or hooked, to the Father. He then uses the analogy of harvest for what's happening with the people of Samaria. The idea of harvesting with a sickle plays to the hook also.

Samaritans believe and ask Jesus to stay (40 John 4:39-41)

Asking Jesus to stay in town, which he did for two more days, is to hook Jesus. When the Samaritans believed in Jesus they became hooked to him, which of course is why they requested him to stick around.

The Father and Jesus at work (40 John 5:17)

There's a reoccuring idea in John of Jesus and the Father being one, or yoked, or equal. Here Jesus says the Father is at work, and he too is working. The point here and the other places this pattern occurs is Jesus is hooked to the Father.

People follow Jesus because of miraculous signs (40 John 6:1-2)

Miracles get people's attention, like a hook. In this case people who saw miracles began to follow Jesus, they were hooked to him.

The crowd wanted to make Jesus king by force (40 John 6:15)

After feeding the 5000 and collecting the left over bread, Jesus withdrew from the crowd because they wanted to make him king by force. They wanted to grab him (hook) and declar him king.

Jesus would not drive away or lose those who came to him (40 John 6:37-39)

Jesus promised not to drive away anyone who came to him. This makes him the good shepherd, seen later in John, and an opposite of the shepherds seen in Jeremiah 23, who drove away the flock. Jesus goes further and says he will raise up on the last day those who come to him. The resurrection itself is a type of hook pattern, after dying and being buried and then turning death itself around and rising out of the grave.

No one comes to Jesus unless the Father draws them (40 John 6:44)

The Father is drawing people to himself, extracting them out of the world, or hooking them, by Jesus. He will raise them up from death and the planet at the last day, just as Jesus was raised.

Many disciples stop following Jesus (40 John 6:66)

Many disciples unhooked from Jesus when they stop following him because of the difficult things he said.

The woman caught in adultery (40 John 8:3-11)

This passage of scripture, which some question whether it should even be in the Bible, has more examples of hook than any other passage in Esther, John and First Peter. First, there's a woman caught in adultery. She is both hooked in adultery and the Pharisees catch (hhoK) her in the act. The Pharisees then bring her to Jesus, hoping to trap (hook) him in a wrong judgment. Jesus bends over (like a hook) and writes in the dirt with his finger (bent finger being the shape of a hook). He then stands up, speaks, and then bends down and writes in the dirt again. Finally he stands and when everyone is gone he forgives the woman tells her to go and sin no more. The way this passage uses hook over and over proves beyond a shadow of doubt that it belongs in scripture.

The sheep follow the shepherd (40 John 10:2-6)

In this passage Jesus tells the story of a shepherd leading the sheep out of the sheep pen by his voice. The sheep follow him. But if the sheep here the voice of a stranger they turn and run away. The narrator then says this was a "figure of speech." The figure of speech Jesus used was the spelling of the letter Zē, which is spelled hook, door, back (as in backside). To follow the shepherd's voice is "hook," through the gate of the sheep pen is "door," and to run away is "back."

Jesus washes the disciples feet (40 John 13:3-5)

When Jesus washed the disciples feet he would have kneeled, bent or bowed. The thought that leads into this action is that Jesus knew he was returning to the Father (in heaven). He knew he was near the end of his mission on earth and he would soon complete the hook pattern by returning to heaven. Then he bends down and washes the feet of his disciples. All examples of hook.

Jesus coming to earth and returning to heaven (40 John 17:4-5)

Jesus came to earth, born of Mary, and after 30 years and his crucifixion he rose from the dead and then ascended back to heaven. In John 17 Jesus mentions this and prays about his restoration to glory in heaven. The point is Jesus does the single largest hook pattern of anyone in the Bible by coming to earth and returning to heaven.

The soldiers fall to the ground (40 John 18:6)

Judas came with a band of soldiers and such to arrest Jesus. When Jesus said "I am" they fell to ground, as if bowing. Another example of hook.

Let these men go (40 John 18:8-9)

Jesus told the soldiers to let the disciples go. In other words, I'll let you take me (hook me), but not my disciples. The scripture then says this fulfilled something Jesus had said earlier in John when he said "I have not lost one of those you gave me." For Jesus not to loose one of his discplies means he kept all of them hooked.

Jesus bound (40 John 18:12)

Jesus was bound and taken away.

Standing around the fire (40 John 18:18)

It was cold out so the people in Caiaphas' courtyard were standing around the fire. The heat of the fire hooked them or drew them like a hook.

Everyone on the side of truth listens to me (40 John 18:37)

Jesus tells Pilate that peole aligned with the truth listen to (are hooked by) Jesus.

No basis for a charge (40 John 18:38)

Jesus had no dirt, nothing to hook him by or say he had broken the law or deserved punishment let alone execution.

Pilate tries to set Jesus free (40 John 19:12)

Pilate wanted to set free or un-hook Jesus, but the Jews trapped him by invoking Caesar. In essence they hooked or blackmailed Pilate into something he didn't want to do.

Jesus bowed head (40 John 19:30)

When Jesus died on the cross he bowed his head. Probably another use of hook.

Joseph asked for Jesus' body (40 John 19:38)

Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus (hooked to Jesus), and he asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. His request was granted so he took the body of Jesus.

Do not hold onto me (40 John 20:17)

After his resurrection Jesus told Mary not to hold onto him, because he had not returned to the Father. He told her to tell his brothers that he was returning to his father. For Mary not to cling to Jesus was to un-hook and for Jesus to return to his father in heaven was to complete the hook that was his life.

So that you may believe in Jesus (40 John 20:30-31)

The end of John 20 says Jesus did many miracles not recorded, but the ones written in John are included so you may believe in Jesus and have life in his name. The Gospel of John selected the specific miracles or stories about Jesus that are most likely to hook people.

Peter and others go out to fish (40 John 21:3)

Peter said he was going out to fish and the others that were with him said, we'll go too. They were hooked to Peter.

Fish hooked in the net (40 John 21:6)

Fished trapped in a net is another sense of hook. Some have suggested Zē is actually a "fish-hook." Given it's use in Esther, John and First Peter I think that's too narrow an idea. Zē is simply a hook in the abstract sense with many concrete expressions, one of which is catching fish with a net.

Peter puts his outer garment on (40 John 21:7)

Clothes hang on the body. They are hooked on.

Peter told about his death (40 John 21:18)

Jesus told Peter that when he was young he dressed himself and went whereever he wanted, but that when he became old someone else would dress him and lead him where he didn't want to go. The clothes thing is a hook, as we noted above, but the leading around as by a hook is also an example of Zē.

Then Jesus told Peter to "follow me" (40 John 21:19)

Same concept as early in John. To follow Jesus, or anyone for that matter, is to be hooked by them.

Peter turns (40 John 21:20)

This reads like a glance over the shoulder more than really turning around, but the backwards look is another example of hook. Peter was hooked by the disciple following him and Jesus and had to look.

Jesus mentions his return (40 John 21:22)

Earlier in John, Jesus' return to heaven completes his hook pattern, but his second coming or return to earth is another hook that began with his first visit.

In First Peter Zē is _____

Conform to Jesus, not evil desires (62 First Peter 1:14-16)

Peter says that as obedient children we should not follow the evil desires lingering from our past, but instead we should be like Jesus. Be holy, because he is holy. The idea of resisting a desire is to not let it hook you. The idea that we become like or conform to God is to be hooked by him or follow him.

Craving spiritual milk (62 First Peter 2:2)

If you've tasted that the Lord is good, you will crave spiritual milk. Craving is being hooked on something.

Submitting to kings and governors (62 First Peter 2:13-14)

In a nod to Esther and Jesus Peter says to submit to kings (Xerxes) and governors (Pilate). We've seen that to submit to someone is to let them hook you or bow to them.

Slaves submitting to their masters (62 First Peter 2:18)

Here's another example of submission.

Following in the steps of Jesus (62 First Peter 2:21)

The idea of following Jesus is being hooked by him. Peter says in this verse to follow Jesus' example.

Wives submitting to their husbands (62 First Peter 3:1-6)

Another case of submission as the hook. Peter warns women not to hook men with outward beauty or adornment, but an inner beauty and submission. This is how Sarah hooked Abraham and pleased him.

Jesus in heaven with everyone in submission to him (62 First Peter 3:22)

Jesus' return to heaven completed his hook as we've seen, but Peter mentions that his place in heaven, at the right hand of God, is a place where angels, authorities and powers are in submission to Jesus. It's an exalted or high place we all bow to Jesus.

Young men submitting to their elders (62 First Peter 5:5)

Again Peter uses the word submission, this time applied to young men toward their elders.

Summary

Zē is:

• hook
• trap
• attract
• seduce
• crave
• bow
• elevate
• promote
• submit
• follow
• righteous

Words

Words with Zē include:

Tree () eye hook

Tree is spelled eye and hook. Tree is an "eye hook." The word tree first occurs in the Garden of Eden when Eve looks at the tree and sees (with her eyes) that the fruit is desirable for gaining wisdom (another eye idea) and pleasing to the eye (eyes again) (1 Genesis 3:6). So she eats from the tree despite having been warned. What's up. Well, her eye was hooked by the tree. Notice how the story spins around the spelling of one of it's words. This happens often in Scripture and people like Jesus and Paul clearly use it.

Bird () hook ear peg head

Bird is spelled with hook, ear, peg and head. The hook hooks things. The ear is for hearing. The peg means "and." The head in this case means high. Birds "hook the ear and are up high." The spelling for bird hits the essential characteristics of the animal, that it makes music and can be found up high (whether in the air or in a tree).

Egypt () water hook head arm water

Water typically means people so the word for Egypt is people who are hooked by a head (or ruler) who presses (or oppresses) people. It's a picture of slavery, as in what happened to the Hebrews in Egypt.

Because the letters can be taken in an opposite sense the rest of the story goes as follows: people hooked by a head (Moses) who lifts water. Moses is Pharoah's nemesis and lifted the Hebrews out of oppression through water when they crossed the sea.

The first chapter of Exodus plays to the spelling of Egypt when it speaks about a new ruler coming to power who oppressed the Hebrews (2 Exodus 1:8-14). Later throughout Exodus 15 and elsewhere in the Bible God's delivering act is referred to as an act of his "right hand" (the arm in Egypt) (2 Exodus 15:6).

Righteous () hook door spine

Zē is normally translated righteous. Righteous is a bit of a jargon word that is easy to misunderstand. The first occurrence of the word in the Bible is with Noah followed quickly by Abraham and Lot. In each case these guys heard a message from God which they choose to obey despite it changing their plans. Noah built the ark, Abraham left Ur for an unknown land, Lot fled Sodom. Righteousness is leaving town when Jesus calls. It's letting Jesus "hook us through a door and turning our back."

Jesus

Jesus is Our Righteousness.

The word "righteousness" in this verse is literally the word Zē. This verse is saying Jesus is our Hook. Jesus is who hooks us and makes us righteous. We become righteous, when like Abraham, we follow Jesus' call, when we let Jesus turn us in his direction and into his plans for our life.

The context around this verse also plays to Hook. The chapter begins with a "woe" to shepherds because they "scatter" the sheep. The fix is God will "gather" his sheep and bring them to his pasture and place shepherds over them who will not scatter them.

Then he specifies who the shepherd is, a descendant of David named "Our Hook."

The passage continues and says this "gathering" is going to be greater than the exodus from Egypt. Hook is one of the letters in the word Egypt, so this thought is saying just as God hooked the Israelites out of Egypt and there hasn't been anything like it, when this hooking of his sheep is finished it will surpass the exodus from Egypt so much so that no one will remember the original exodus.

By Ryan Eaton
Posted Monday, Dan 30, 13000