To quote a Hebrew language scholar, Professor Yoel Elitzur, who comments on the phenomenon as follows…
‘Hamakom in Genesis
Once we understand the significance of “the place,” we can see that this keyword – hamakom – is a keyword that is emphasized in the stories of the patriarchs in the book of Genesis as well. It appears in the story of the binding of Isaac and in Jacob’s Bethel narrative. The proof that the prominent role of the word hamakom in these passages is no coincidence lies in the fact that often, the word is stressed in the Biblical text much more than what would be linguistically reasonable. That is to say, there are several instances in Genesis where the word hamakom makes it difficult to understand the simple meaning of the verse. The Torah says:
Jacob left Beer-Sheba, and set out for Haran. He came upon that place (bamakom) and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place (hamakom), he put it under his head and lay down in that place (bamakom). (Genesis 28:10-11).
The word appears again shortly thereafter: “Surely the Lord is present in this place (bamakom)… How awesome is this place (hamakom)! This is none other than the abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven” (28:16-17).’ (End quote).
We should also note that in the following verse, 18, we are told ‘and he called the place (hamakom), Bethel’--(Beyt-El) meaning ‘house of God.’ More on this shortly.
The, in the episode of Abraham with Isaac in Genesis 22, as also noted by Professor Elitzur we see a similar repetition. We see in verse 3, that he, ‘arose and went to hamakom of which God had told him.’ In verse 4, ‘Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw hamakom afar off’. In verse 9 they arrive at hamakom and then in verse 14, Abraham calls the name of hamakom, ‘Yahweh Yireh—the LORD provides.’
We see the same repetitious use in Genesis 35 when Jacob, with his family, comes from Padan Aram and returns to Bethel at God’s command. Here it is…
In verse 7, ‘he built an altar there and called hamakom, El Bethel’ (‘God of the House of God’) and God appeared again to him there.’ In verses 13 through 15, ‘God went up from him in hamakom where he had talked with him. So, Jacob set up a pillar in hamakom where he talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it and he poured oil on it. And Jacob called hamakom where God spoke with him, Bethel.’
The revealing of these awkward repetitions in the Hebrew leads to an obvious conclusion: HaMakom at the time of setting down the record had already become embedded in the consciousness of Patriarchs and people as a site of significance.
SO... where was this special site? It was the area about the Gihon Spring as I explain in 'THE TEMPLE QUEST' using Biblical references only. GET THE E-BOOK AT ANY OF THE BELOW LINKS...
KOBO
BARNES AND NOBLE
SMASHWORDS
APPLE BOOKS
‘Hamakom in Genesis
Once we understand the significance of “the place,” we can see that this keyword – hamakom – is a keyword that is emphasized in the stories of the patriarchs in the book of Genesis as well. It appears in the story of the binding of Isaac and in Jacob’s Bethel narrative. The proof that the prominent role of the word hamakom in these passages is no coincidence lies in the fact that often, the word is stressed in the Biblical text much more than what would be linguistically reasonable. That is to say, there are several instances in Genesis where the word hamakom makes it difficult to understand the simple meaning of the verse. The Torah says:
Jacob left Beer-Sheba, and set out for Haran. He came upon that place (bamakom) and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place (hamakom), he put it under his head and lay down in that place (bamakom). (Genesis 28:10-11).
The word appears again shortly thereafter: “Surely the Lord is present in this place (bamakom)… How awesome is this place (hamakom)! This is none other than the abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven” (28:16-17).’ (End quote).
We should also note that in the following verse, 18, we are told ‘and he called the place (hamakom), Bethel’--(Beyt-El) meaning ‘house of God.’ More on this shortly.
The, in the episode of Abraham with Isaac in Genesis 22, as also noted by Professor Elitzur we see a similar repetition. We see in verse 3, that he, ‘arose and went to hamakom of which God had told him.’ In verse 4, ‘Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw hamakom afar off’. In verse 9 they arrive at hamakom and then in verse 14, Abraham calls the name of hamakom, ‘Yahweh Yireh—the LORD provides.’
We see the same repetitious use in Genesis 35 when Jacob, with his family, comes from Padan Aram and returns to Bethel at God’s command. Here it is…
In verse 7, ‘he built an altar there and called hamakom, El Bethel’ (‘God of the House of God’) and God appeared again to him there.’ In verses 13 through 15, ‘God went up from him in hamakom where he had talked with him. So, Jacob set up a pillar in hamakom where he talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it and he poured oil on it. And Jacob called hamakom where God spoke with him, Bethel.’
The revealing of these awkward repetitions in the Hebrew leads to an obvious conclusion: HaMakom at the time of setting down the record had already become embedded in the consciousness of Patriarchs and people as a site of significance.
SO... where was this special site? It was the area about the Gihon Spring as I explain in 'THE TEMPLE QUEST' using Biblical references only. GET THE E-BOOK AT ANY OF THE BELOW LINKS...
KOBO
BARNES AND NOBLE
SMASHWORDS
APPLE BOOKS
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