Judges 15:19a But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout;

onomatopoeia

the state or condition of a word formed to imitate the sound of its intended meaning

If you read 15:19 in all the English version of the bible you will find varied text trying to describe what God did here. Hebrew is a complex language. Scholars try their best to sort out an accurate meaning to the ancient document as they translate it into other languages. The difficulties of understand perfectly comes from words that are written the same, have the same sound, but to the people of that era, to whom the passage was written held a specific historical meaning as it related to their circumstances.

The majority of readers will glaze over the words and find nothing significant to question. Others will look for hidden meaning, a message, perhaps try and build doctrine upon ambiguity. The mere fact that there are so many variations upon this verse should scream caution to us. It sounds like God is saying this. It sounds like God is saying that. It sounds like something altogether different. So what is the truth?

1 Corinthians 14:33a For God is not the author of confusion

I was not a Jew alive at the time that Sampson slew a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. I have no historical framework in which to picture the exact meaning. All I can say for sure is that Sampson cried out to God for water and God answered his prayer.

When you cry out to God for help, do you really care how God answers your prayer? I don’t and I don’t think Sampson did either. But there will be people who seem to care what it sounds like. If there weren’t we wouldn’t have so many different variations of the text. Do not allow naysayers to use these differences to weaken your faith.

Job 15:3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

1 Kings 6:35 And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.

Appropriate is defined as

fitting: suitable for the occasion or circumstances

use money for purpose: to set aside an amount of money for a particular use

take something for own use: to take something that belongs to or is associated with somebody else for yourself, especially without permission

Decades ago during a study given by one who has a doctorate in theology he said, “One must appropriate the scriptures.” At that time I understood what he meant. If I were to try and just use that word in a teaching the meaning would not come across. More care must be taken to be understood in context. Word usage and understanding change over decades. Common usage often end up being added into dictionaries. My desire is to pass on that teachers meaning in context.

I was given 1 Kings 6:35 as the foundation for this understanding. Apply three issues here, the gold, fitted and carved work. Simply put the carved wood is the foundation, the scripture. The gold is acquired independently its meaning is precious, pure, of great worth.

Revelations 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

The only thing that passes through the refiner’s fire are those things obtained from God. Faith, truth, grace, all the spiritual blessing we find in Christ Jesus, of which these are only a few.

That leaves us with fitted. That is the appropriated part. We do not take the gold and fashion it upon itself, making an idol of our own design. We fit it closely upon the foundational framework set before us, the Word of God. The bible is more than mere words on paper, it becomes precious in our sight. Only those who have purchased the gold can fit it closely upon the framework.

Only by using what Christ has provided can we relate the Word to our every day life.