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Blessed are those who wait
A translation of Shem-Tob's Matthew (Howard, 1995) contains a variant reading of Matthew 5:4.
Blessed are those who wait for they shall be comforted.
Mat 5:4 (KJV) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.1
Howard suggests that the similarity of "those who mourn" (הבוכים) and "those who wait" (החוכים) in the Hebrew may have led to a mistranslation in the Greek (p. 226). Although the balance of "mourn" and "comforted" seems quite reasonable and may be referred to in Isaiah 61:2-32, Isaiah 30:18-19 provides a precedent for the use of "wait" to which Y'shua may have been referring.
Isa 30:18 And therefore will YHUH wait (H2442), that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for YHUH is an Elohim of judgment: blessed (H835) are all they that wait (H24442) for him.
Isa 30:19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep (H1058) no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.
In this passage, the Hebrew "blessed" (Strongs H835) and "wait" (Strongs H2442) and are the same in the Isaiah passage and in Shem-Tob. "Weep no more" in verse 19 contains the Hebrew word (H1058) that Howard identifies as the basis of the Greek "mourn." That those that wait shall weep no more implies that those who wait are mourning.
H835
אשׁר
'esher
eh'-sher
From H833; happiness; only in masculine plural construction as interjection,
how happy!: - blessed, happy.
H2442
חכה
châkâh
khaw-kaw'
A primitive root (apparently akin to H2707 through the idea of piercing);
properly to adhere to; hence to await: - long, tarry, wait.
H1058
בּכה
bâkâh
baw-kaw'
A primitive root; to weep; generally to bemoan: - X at all, bewail,
complain, make lamentation, X more, mourn, X sore, X with tears, weep.
Reference to Isaiah gives more definition to this beatitude. Waiting in itself can be positive or negative in that one can adhere to something correct or something false. In Isaiah 30:18 the waiting is defined as being "for him (YHUH)" who is already waiting for his own.
This theme of waiting for him and being comforted is repeated in Isaiah 64:4. Paul loosely quotes this passage in 1 Corinthians 2:9 and equates waiting with love.
Isa 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
Howard (1995, p. 225-6) admits that when differences between the canonical texts and the Shin-Tob can be traced to Hebrew variants, that "whether the variants reflect scribal error, committed during the transmission of the Hebrew text, or to a primitive Hebrew substratum, echoed by the Greek, can not be determined at this point in time."
Both "wait" and "mourn" fit in context, and both can encourage. James echoes the theme of Isaiah 30:81-19. Again, one could argue that one is not waiting on YHUH if they are not mourning.
Jam 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands,
[ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.
Jam 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to
mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness.
Jam 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Reference:
Howard, George, 1995. Hebrew Gospel of Matthew. Mercer University Press, Macom, Georgia. 239 p.
1 Greek words translated as mourn and comforted, respectively.
G3996
πενθέω
pentheō
pen-theh'-o
From G3997; to grieve (the feeling or the act): - mourn, (be-) wail.
G3870
παρακαλέω
parakaleō
par-ak-al-eh'-o
From G3844 and G2564; to call near, that is, invite, invoke (by imploration,
hortation or consolation): - beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire,
(give) exhort (-ation), intreat, pray.
2Isaiah 61:1-2 includes the promise to "comfort all who mourn." Mourn in this text is the Hebrew word (Strongs H57) that relates more to the emotion than the outward action. The word for comfort (H5162) in the Shin-Tob and Isaiah 61:1 are the same.
Isa 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of YHUH, and the day of vengeance of
our Elohim; to comfort (H5162) all that mourn (H57);
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for
ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of
YHUH, that he might be glorified.
H57
אבל
'âbêl
aw-bale'
From H56; lamenting: - mourn (er, -ing).
H56
אבל
'âbal
aw-bal'
A primitive root; to bewail: - lament, mourn.
H5162
נחם
nâcham
naw-kham'
A primitive root; properly to sigh, that is, breathe strongly; by implication to
be sorry, that is, (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue;
or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself): - comfort (self), ease [one’s self],
repent (-er, -ing, self).