Proverbs 9 - Carpenter Flock Notes for 120122SS@TBC

Study Questions:

1. There are eighteen verses divided into three sections.  What is each section about?

2. What are the two middle verses in this chapter?  How is that significant?

3. The first six verses are an appeal by Wisdom and the last six are an appeal by Folly.  Make a list of similarities and a list of contrasts between their appeals.

4a. Look for statements that emphasize choosing to be wise (or not).

4b. Look for statements that connect deeds to destiny (or illustrate lack of connection).

4c. Look for the terms that describe the three kinds of people (have chosen Folly; have chosen Wisdom, still on the fence).

 Application Questions:

·         Based on this chapter, think of characteristics that make a child prone to choose Wisdom or prone to choose Folly. How much can parents shape them?

·         Who speaks for Wisdom and Folly in our culture? in your children's lives?

·         Is it possible for parents to keep their kids from hearing Folly? If yes, then how?  If no, then how do we prepare them?

·         Think about these statements...

      "People show their character by their response to correction." 
       “But how can we expect our children to want to come to a banquet if we never attend ourselves?”  --Paul Kiptak in The NIV Application Commentary

Teaching:
I. WISDOM OFFERS CORRECTION:

1) Wisdom demands a decision, a change of direction  (5, 6; turn in here, come, eat and drink, forsake, go in the way)
2) To receive correction or rebuke requires humility (vs. the arrogance of the mocker).  (7-9; The mocker, the contrast between the scoffer [wicked] and the wise, and the wise related to correction   "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid." Prov. 21.1)

--> Do you teach your children how to respond to correction and why?  Be clear on your expectations and even roll play with them.  (What is the purpose of reproof and correction in 2 Timothy 3.16-17?  ...that the man on God might be....) 

3)  As we look at the middle verses we see that author is not neutral, but interjects comments in favor of wisdom.   Parents can't force a decision, but should be avocates.  Wisdom sent her maidens and shouted from the hill top.

II. WISDOM IS THEOLOGICAL

1) The knowledge and fear of God represent an understanding of The Holy One and the change it causes in our attitude.  Two sides of one coin.

2) Knowledge of God - "Knowing God becomes a basis for knowing how to live, and how to choose."  (Do you ever have the opportunity to tie the character traits and rules to the character God.  Be careful, consistent, and clear when (not if) making those connections.)

Ill. how we connect the character (attributes) of God to character traits in everyday life.

3) Fear of God - balance between watering down the meaning and being one dimensional in our understanding.  ("It is important to understand and teach that the same God who inspires fear tells us not to fear.")  

(What do you think about 1 Samuel 11.7?  Does it offer any help for parenting?)

III. WISDOM TEACHES DISCERNMENT

1) Children and adolescents are neurologically not well equipped to make those connections and need help.

2) Enforcing, teaching and then coaching an understanding of the connection between deeds and destiny.  The idea of James 4.17
v. 12  "the ultimate gainer or loser is the man himself.  Your character is the one thing you cannot borrow, lend, or escape, for it is you.  (cf. 14.10)"  --Kidner

3) Learning to contrast planning, consistency, and effort for lasting fulfillment with instant and temporary gratification.  

4) Learning to think in terms of eternity.  (6: live -- 18; the dead are there)

1 Samuel 14

1  Samuel

14. Saul shows himself to be an erratic and disorganized leader in this chapter.  

14.32  with blood...  I wonder how much this had to do with Saul's oath about nobody eating.

14.45  a face loosing moment for Saul.  Hoorah for the people and common sense.

14.49-50  This is one of those seemingly unimportant trivial sections that actually lays some groundwork to understand some of the dynamics of coming event.
     Ner -- Meaning: light / the father of Kish (1 Chr. 8:33). 1 Sam. 14:51 should be read, “Kish, the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abner, were the sons of Abiel”.   And hence this Kish and Ner were brothers, and Saul and Abner were first cousins (compare 1 Chr. 9:36).
http://www.christiananswers.net/dictionary/ner.html

14.50  I can hear Samuel saying, "I told you so."

1 Samuel 11-13

1 Samuel 

11.6  his anger was greatly aroused...   a  result of the Spirit o God coming on him that would cause one to think about what it means in Colossians three when it identifies anger with the old man.
11.7  the fear of the Lord fell on the people...  The result of Saul threatening to cut up everybody's oxen if they did not follow him into battle.   This is an interesting connection of cause and effect that I am thinking about.
12.3  witness against me before the Lord...   What an amazing thing for a man to say.  It would scare me to death to make a similar declaration to everybody I've know.  It also stands in stark contrast to the current political scene.  How many of our leaders would dare to do something like that.  It also gives us something to aspire to.
12.13  whom you have chosen...  an ominous declaration.  A reminder to be careful what you wish for.  You may just get it.

12.21  go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing.  Now that will preach.  It also sounds like something from the book of Proverbs.

12.23-25  great leadership verses.
13.13  done foolishly...  Of all the things that Samuel could have said about Saul's disobedience, his choice of words is instructive and thought provoking.
13.19  Maybe it's the geeks and manufactures who really win the wars.

Genesis 12-14

Genesis
12.4  departed as the Lord had spoken to him...  This seems to mean that he did what the LORD had asked him to.  
12.7  built an altar...  After the Lord appeared to him and promised the land.
12.8  built an altar...
12.20  and they sent him away...
13.4  to the place of the altar...  And there Abram called on the name of the LORD...  Late but still good.
13.8  We are brothers...  followed by a selfless offer.
13.18  built an altar to the LORD...  after the promise of descendants as the dust of the earth.
14. 1  Kings Amraphel, Arioch, Chedorlaomer, and Tidal
14.2  vs. Bera, Birsha, Shinab, Shemeber, and the king of Bela
14.4  B, B, S, S, & B rebelled
14.5  King C attacked the Rephaim, the Zuzim, Emim, and Horites
14.8  and the kings of S, G, A, Z, & B join in battle
14.13  the one who escaped...
14.22  I have raised my hand to the LORD...                 .

Genesis 9-11

Genesis

9.3  Every moving thing shall be food for you...  This both reminds me of the tee-shirt slogan, "There is a place for all God's creatures......right next to the potatoes and gravy."  I'm thinking about the designation of some animals as clean in chapter six and the eventual prohibition to eat unclean animals in Exodus.  I wonder how they got from Genesis six to Exodus.

9.5  from every man's brother I will require the life of man... Capital punishment in some form.

9.6  For in the image of God

        He made man...

This is the reasoning behind a pelethra of things from the reason not to murder to the reason to be fruitful and multiply (God's glory).

9.11  Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood...  Next time fire.

9.16  I will look on it and remember...  These anthropomorphisms (I think this can properly be called one.) add a richness to the text.

9.20  and Noah became a farmer...   I wonder what he was before the flood.

9.22  saw the nakedness...

Translation Note:  Some would translate “had sexual relations with,” arguing that Ham committed a homosexual act with his drunken father for which he was cursed. However, the expression “see nakedness” usually refers to observation of another’s nakedness, not a sexual act (see Gen 42:9, 12 where “nakedness” is used metaphorically to convey the idea of “weakness” or “vulnerability”; Deut 23:14 where “nakedness” refers to excrement; Isa 47:3; Ezek 16:37; Lam 1:8). The following verse (v. 23) clearly indicates that visual observation, not a homosexual act, is in view here. In Lev 20:17 the expression “see nakedness” does appear to be a euphemism for sexual intercourse, but the context there, unlike that of Gen 9:22, clearly indicates that in that passage sexual contact is in view. The expression “see nakedness” does not in itself suggest a sexual connotation. Some relate Gen 9:22 to Lev 18:6-11, 15-19, where the expression “uncover [another’s] nakedness” (the Piel form of גָּלָה, galah) refers euphemistically to sexual intercourse. However, Gen 9:22 does not say Ham “uncovered” the nakedness of his father. According to the text, Noah uncovered himself; Ham merely saw his father naked. The point of the text is that Ham had no respect for his father. Rather than covering his father up, he told his brothers. Noah then gave an oracle that Ham’s descendants, who would be characterized by the same moral abandonment, would be cursed. describes that greater evil of the Canaanites (see vv. 24-28).

Study Note: sn Saw the nakedness. It is hard for modern people to appreciate why seeing another’s nakedness was such an abomination, because nakedness is so prevalent today. In the ancient world, especially in a patriarchal society, seeing another’s nakedness was a major offense. (See the account in Herodotus, Histories 1.8-13, where a general saw the nakedness of his master’s wife, and one of the two had to be put to death.) Besides, Ham was not a little boy wandering into his father’s bedroom; he was over a hundred years old by this time. For fuller discussion see A. P. R  oss, “The Curse of Canaan,” BSac 137 (1980): 223-40.  --NET Bible

10.2  The sons of Japeth...

10.9  The sons of Ham...

10-8-9  Nimrod...a mighty hunter before the Lord...

Translation Note: The Hebrew word for “hunt” is צַיִד (tsayid), which is used on occasion for hunting men (1 Sam 24:12; Jer 16:16; Lam 3:15).

Translation Note:  "before the Lord" Another option is to take the divine name here, לִפְנֵי יִהוָה (lifne yÿhvah, “before the Lord [YHWH]”), as a means of expressing the superlative degree. In this case one may translate “Nimrod was the greatest hunter in the world.”  --NET Bible

10.21  Shem...

11.10  The genealogy of Shem...

11.31  Introducing Abram

12.1  And now the Lord said to Abram...

              .

Genesis 6-8

Genesis

6 .9  Noah walked with God...  He and Enoch. Quite a distinction.
6.15  length of the ark shall be 300 cubits...
6.15  width 50 cubits...
6.16  window...1 cubit...
6.16  window... to 1 cubit above...
6.16  lower, second, and third  for 3 floors...
6.19  2 of every sort...
7.2  take with you 7 of each of every clean animal...
7.2  2 of each of animals that are unclean...
7.4  after  7 more days I will cause it to rain...
7.4  to rain on the earth 40 days and 40 nights...
7.6  Noah was 600 years old...
7.9  2 by 2 they went in...
7.11  in the 600th year of Noah's life...
7.11  2nd month...
7.11  17th day...
7.12  rain was on the earth 40 days and 40 nights...
7.13  the 3 wives of his sons...
7.15  2 by 2, of all flesh...
7.20  The waters prevailed 15 cubits upward...
7.24  the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days...
8.1  And God remembered Noah...
8.3  At the end of the 150 days the waters decreased..
8.4  the ark rested the 7th month...
8.4  the 17th day...
8.5  waters decreased continually until the 10th month...
8.5  1st day of the month...
8.6  at the end of 40 days, that Noah opened the window...
8.10  waited yet another 7 days...
8.13  in the 601st years...
8.13  in the 1st month...
8.13  the 1st day of the month...
8.14  in the 2nd month...
8.14  27th day of the month, the earth was dried...


http://home.earthlink.net/~arktracker/ark/Timeline.html

Genesis 5

Genesis

5.3  Adam

5.6  Seth 

5.9  Enosh

5.12  Cainan 

5.15  Mahalalel  

5.18  Jared

5.21  Enoch

5.25  Methuselah

5.28  Lemech

5.32  Noah 

Some are amazed by how long these men lived, but the things that I find facinating to think about are 1) how long they lived before having kids (How long were they "at home", single, and married without children?  Why did they wait so long?) and 2) how many of them were alive at the same time (Some kind of family reunions! So at what point did you loose track of who all your grandchildren were?)

Name	Born at...	Fathering Age	LifeSpan	Died at...
1	Adam	0	130	930	930
2	Seth	130	105	912	1042
3	Enosh	235	90	905	1140
4	Kenan	325	70	910	1235
5	Mahalalel	395	65	895	1290
6	Jared	460	162	962	1422
7	Enoch	622	65	365	1290*
8	Methuselah	687	187	969	1656
9	Lamech	874	182	777	1651
10	Noah	1056	502	950	2006

http://www.worldwideflood.com/general/noahs_age.htm

Gen 3-4

Genesis

3.1  more cunning...  Hebrew is also translated prudent in Proverbs 12:16; 12:23; 13:16; 14:8; 14:15; 14:18; 22:3; 27:12.  It would be a catchy sermon title, "A Good way to be like the Devil".

3.1  Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?...  It starts with questioning what God's character and Words really were.  Focus is turned to what can't be had.

3.3  nor shall you touch it...  Since 3.17 doesn't say this we have to wonder whether Eve is adding something new or if this is something God did say that was not included in 3.17.  

3.4  You will not surely die...   A half truth designed to cause confusion and questions.  God is not the author of confusion.

3.5  For God knows that...  Now questioning God's motives and the nature of His transendence. 

"What the serpent said about Eve being as God was a half-truth. Ironically she was already as God having been made in His image (1:26). She did become like God, or divine beings (Heb. ‘elohim), in that she obtained a greater knowledge of good and evil by eating of the tree. However, she became less like God because she was no longer innocent of sin. Her relationship with God suffered. Though she remained like God she could no longer enjoy unhindered fellowship with God (3:24). The consequent separation from God is the essence of death (2:17)."   --Thomas Constable

3.6  Now when the woman saw...  it was good, pleasant, and desirable. 

3.7  Their eyes were opened...   similar to 3.5, but with different results.

        they knew that they were naked...  Now this one is an interesting one to ponder.  Why had this not occurred to them before?  What exactly about the fallen nature made them uncomfortable with this?  Who were that concerned would see them?  Something had definintely happened and it didn't seem to be a positive development.

3.11  Have you eaten...  This is a curious question coming from the omniscient God.  Definitely some psychology going on here.

3.14 to the serpent...

3.16  to the woman...

3.15  First recorded promise is Bible is the the first one to sin about the first one who would not sin. (unless you would count "you will surely die as a promise")

3.17  to the man...

4.1  Can...

4.2  Able...

4.4   "Abel’s gift is qualified by ‘firstborn,’ the parallel ‘firstfruits’ does not modify Cain’s... Cain’s sacrifice, however, lacks a parallel to ‘fat.’  --Thomas Constable

4.18  Enoch

3.119  Lamech

Genesis 1-2

Genesis 

-------- light

1.3  The God said, 'Let there be...

1.4  God divided...

1.5  the evening and the morning were the first day...

--------  waters above and below

1.6  Then God said, "Let there be...

1.7  God made and divided

1.8   the evening and the morning were the second day...

---------  land and plants

1.9  Then God said, "Let the waters ... be gathered...

1.10  And God saw that it was good...

1.11  Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth...

1.12  And God saw that it was good...

1.13    the evening and the morning were the third day...

---------  sun, moon and stars

1.12  Then God said, "Let there be...

1.18  And God saw that it was good...

1.19  the evening and the morning were the fourth day...

---------  "fliers and swimmers"

1.20  And God said,  "Let the waters abound...

1.21  And God saw that is was good...

1.22  And God blessed them...

1.23   the morning and the evening were the fifth day...

--------  land animals and man

1.26  And God said, "Let the earth bring forth...

1.25  And God saw that is was good...

1.26  And God said, "Let us make man in Our own image... 

                                      let them have dominion...

1.28  Then God blessed them...

1.29  And God said, "See I have given...

1.31  it was very good...

1.31  the evening and the morning were the sixth day...

--------  rested

2.2  the seventh day...

2.3  The God blessed and sanctified...

2.5  and God had not caused it to rain...

2.11 Pishon...

pi'-shon pi'-son (pishon; the King James Version):
A river of EDEN (which see), said to compass the whole land of Havilah where there is gold, bdellium and onyx stone (Genesis 2:11), most probably identified with the Karun River which comes down from the mountains of Media and formerly emptied into the Persian Gulf.  --International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

2.13  Gihon...

gi'-hon (gichon; Geon):
One of the four rivers of Eden (Genesis 2:13). It is said to compass the Whole land of Cush (Ethiopia), probably a province East of the Tigris. The Gihon is thought by Sayce to be the Kerkha, coming down from Luristan through the province known in the cuneiform texts as Kassi, probably the Cush of the Bible.   --International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

2.14 Hiddekel...

hid'-e-kel (chiddeqel):
One of the rivers of EDEN (which see) (Genesis 2:14, the Revised Version margin "that is, Tigris"; so Septuagint Tigris), said to flow East to Assyria, usually identified with the Tigris, which rises in Armenia near Lake Van and, after flowing Southeast through 8 degrees of latitude, joins the Euphrates in Babylonia to form the Shatt el-'Arab, which runs for 100 miles through a delta which has been formed since the time of Abraham, and now enters the Persian Gulf through 2 branches. About one-third of the distance below its source, and soon after it emerges from the mountains of Kurdistan, the Tigris passes by Mosul, the site of ancient Nineveh, and, lower down at Bagdad, approaches within a few miles of the Euphrates. Here and for many miles below, since the level is lower than that of the Euphrates, numerous canals are conducted to it, irrigating the most fertile portions of Babylonia.  --George Frederick Wright in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

2.14  Euphrates...

I am not real sure why these rivers are mentioned and wonder if the flood might have completely washed the original rivers, Genesis was written by Moses after the flood, so ... ?
2.15  to tend and keep it...
2.17  you shall not eat...

Lesson 10 - TBC Men's Bible Study

 “God’s Purposes in Conflicts” - 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1

ID: Inductive Questions (Asking the text questions like who, what, where, when, why, & how?”) 

CR: Cross References (Comparing Scripture to Scripture, understanding the vague by the clear.) 

WS: Word Study (Understanding definition, theological meaning, and usages in other passages.)

The WORD: What does the Bible say?

 1.      Context:  Read 1 Corinthians 10:15-29 to see the “case study” that our passage addresses.  Think about what this issue is like in countries like India where sacrificing food to gods is common.

2.      Discuss the definition of conflict.  (Ken Sande defines conflict as “a difference in opinion or purpose that frustrates someone’s goals or desires.”)  (Ken Sande, The Peacemaker, p. 29)

3.      ID: Read 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1 and identify the three opportunities (responsibilities) that believers have in a conflict.

4.      WS: What is the glory (doxa) of God?¹ 

5.      CR: What does it mean to glorify God during a conflict with another person? (Ps. 19:14; John 5:30) Think of some ways that we glorify God during a conflict. ²

6.      ID: What does it mean to “please (aréskō) all men in all things?” (Consult commentaries.)

7.      CR: Look at Daniel 1:6-15 and note the ways that Daniel sought to please or prefer the chief of the eunuchs.  How did Paul apply this principle to his ministry? (1 Corinthians 9)

8.      CR: What did Paul suggest was a key part of imitating or following Christ? (1 Corinthians 4:16; Philippians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 3:9; Hebrews 6:12)

The WALK: What should I do?

1.      What is usually our first instinct or response to a conflict?

2.      How do our “natural” responses to conflict interfere with God’s purposes for conflict?

3.      What are practical things we can do to keep our focus on glorifying God in our next conflict?

4.      What are some issues in our culture that would be similar to eating food offered to idols in India today or Paul’s time?

5.      What specific ways do we see in this passage that we should imitate Christ?

¹There are a few verses where this phrase refers to a physical manifestation (Acts 7:55; Revelation 15:8; 21:23), but most refer to His excellence/perfection in some sense (Psalm 19:1; Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 4:6; John 11:40) or to his reputation (Proverbs 25:2; John 11:4; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 1:20; 4:15; Philippians 2:11).
² (ex. showing what God is like (1 Peter 2.12); relying on Him (Prov. 3:5-7; Acts 16:22-31; 1 Peter 2:23); obeying Him (Matt. 5:16; John 14:15-31; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:5-6); acknowledging Him (1 Peter 3:15).

More resources about God’s purposes in conflict:

·         Listen to Ken Sande’s sermon Thank God for Conflict 

·         See Pastor Martin’s sermon “Making Conflict Christian”  view sermon – view notes

·         “As people reconciled to God by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we believe that we are called to respond to in a way that is remarkably different from the way the world deals with conflict. We also believe that conflict provides opportunities to glorify God, serve other people, and grow to be like Christ.”   --Ken Sande

·         One of the best ways to keep your focus on the Lord is to continually ask yourself these questions: How can I please and honor God in this situation? In particular, how can I bring praise to Jesus by showing that he has saved me and is changing me? Seeking to please and honor God is a powerful compass for life, especially when we are faced with difficult challenges. Jesus himself was guided by these goals. He said, "I seek not to please myself but him who sent me" (John 5:30). "The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him" (John 8:29). "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4). King David showed the same desire when he wrote: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer" (Ps. 19:14).

Taken from  The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict
by Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 34

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why are there so many “Korean Christians?”

     The news coming from the Korean Peninsula is both ironic and conflicted.  In the last five years (2007-2011) North Korea has both asked for food aid and attacked South Korea.  The two countries continue to have what is probably the most militarized border in the world while they make on again, off again efforts to improve relations.  When the North Korean Kim Jong Il died in 2011, it was the former first lady from the South and the chairwoman of Hyundai Group who went unofficially to pay condolences over his death.  I imagine that it would have been awkward for the South to send an official delegation to a country they are technically at war with. 

     As odd as that political relationship between North and South Korea is, it is not unlike some relationships between believers in our church(es) today.  It concerns me that I am (we are) all too willing to live with partially resolved differences, unspoken truces, and even simmering “cold wars” with my (our) fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  It really puzzles me and bothers me when mature, spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ seem unable reconcile.  I am convinced that we are too willing to just live with these “under the surface” tensions that separate us and grieve our Savior who prayed that we would all be one as He and the Father are one.  It seems that it is often just not important enough to me (us) to live in peace.  Why do I (we) settle for so little?              ---Phil Martin

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Joshua 10-17a

Joshua
10.1  Adoni-Zedek and co...  Theme for this chapter is, "Another one bites the dust."
10.19-23...  This sounds like an awesome movie plot.
10.28  Makedah
10.29  Libnah
10.31  Lachish
10.33  Gezer
10.34  Eglon
10.36  Hebron
10.38  Debir
10.40  the South

11.10  Hazor...

11.12  those kings

11.16  all this land...

11.23  Then the land rested from war...  A sweet sentence.

12.2  Sihon...

12.4  Og...

12.7  kings of the country...

13.22  killed with the sword Balaam the son of  Beor...

13.24  inheritance to the tribe of Gad...

13.29  inheritance to the half the tribe of Manasseh...

13.33  to the tribe of Levi...

14.6  and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him...

14.15  Then the land had rest from war...

15.1  to the tribe of the children of Judah...

15.13  Now Caleb...

15.20  The was the inheritance of ...  Judah ... the cities...

15.63  Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem ... could not drive them out...  Now this is a puzzling statement.  From a spiritual perspective, why not?

16.1  to the children of Joseph...

17.1  for the tribe of Manasseh...

17.3  daughters of Zelophehad...

17.12-13  could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities...  I wonder how you can put them to forced labor, but not be able to drive them out?

Joshua 8-9

Joshua
9.14  but they did not consult the Lord...  It is easy to look back over thousands of years and say, "Well, duh, they should have remembered to do that, but we forget too (all the time).

Josh 1-7

Joshua
1.5  I will never leave thee nor forsake thee...  The meaning of the Hebrew word for "leave" adds some depth to this phrase that is quoted in Hebrews 13.5.

 רָפָה [raphah /raw·faw/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 2198; GK 8332; 46 occurrences; AV translates as “feeble” six times, “fail” four times, “weaken” four times, “go” four times, “alone” four times, “idle” three times, “stay” three times, “slack” three times, “faint” twice, “forsake” twice, “abated” once, “cease” once, and translated miscellaneously nine times. 1 to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to sink down. 1A2 to sink, drop. 1A3 to sink, relax, abate. 1A4 to relax, withdraw. 1B (Niphal) idle (participle). 1C (Piel) to let drop. 1D (Hiphil). 1D1 to let drop, abandon, relax, refrain, forsake. 1D2 to let go. 1D3 to refrain, let alone. 1D4 to be quiet. 1E (Hithpael) to show oneself slack. Strong's # 7503
Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.

1.6 strong and courageous...
 חָזַק (ḥāzaq) be(come) strong, strengthen, prevail, harden, be courageous, be sore (meaning be severe).  TWOT # 636 
The Qal form, used eighty-two times, means to “be strong” or “become strong.” In most cases it can be so translated, but often the variety of contexts encourages or necessitates a variety of renditions. Most often the word is used for strength in battle (I Kgs 20:23). The admonition to be strong in combat may simply be an exhortation to be of good courage (and is so translated in II Sam 10:12).
In Gen 41:56 “strong” is used in the sense of “severe” (RSV; KJV and ASV “sore”) in reference to a famine. Similarly a battle may be “severe” (II Kgs 3:26). “To be stronger than” in context comes to mean “prevail,” as the word of David “prevailed” against Joab (II Sam 24:4), David against the Philistine (I Sam 17:50), and Jotham over the Ammonites (II Chr 27:5). When used of Pharoah’s heart the meaning is “harden” (Ex 7:13f.).
[The hardening of Pharoah’s heart is an old problem, one that is more theological than linguistic. The verb ḥāzaq is used twelve times in the narrative (Ex 4–14), mostly with the Lord as the agent, but four times in the passive or stative sense (“Pharaoh’s heart was hardened”). Also, the verb kāhēd is used five times, both with the Lord as the agent, with Pharaoh as the agent, and in the passive sense. The verb qāšâ is used once with the Lord as the agent. There is no discernible difference here in the usage of these words. It is clear that Pharaoh was an unrepentant sinner at the start (chapter 5). It is perhaps enough to point this out and remark that all of God’s hardening of an obstinate sinner was judicial and done that God’s deliverance should be the more memorable. And this, too, was in God’s plan (Ex 9:16), though it is also inexplicably true that Pharaoh sinned freely and was therefore terribly guilty (cf. Acts 4:25–28). R.L.H.]
Other resultant meanings include “be sure” (Deut 12:23), “be steadfast” (Josh 23:6, RSV), “catch hold” (II Sam 18:9, Absalom’s head in the oak; the causative of this is common usage in the Hiphil), “recover” (Isa 39:1, Hezekiah from sickness), “stout,” (of peoples’ words against God, Mal 3:13).
The Qal form of the verb is used twice (II Chr 28:20; Isa 28:22) in the Piel sense of “strengthen.”
Weber, C. P. (1999). 636 חָזַק. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (276). Chicago: Moody Press.
אָמֵץ (ʾāmēṣ) be stout, strong, alert, bold, be solid, hard.  TWOT # 117
This verb is found forty-one times in the OT. Ugaritic attests a parallel to the term.
In the Piel stem the verb can be rendered “make firm,” “strengthen,” “secure,” “harden” (one’s mind). The Hiphil stem manifests the force of “exhibit strength,” “feel strong.” In the Hithpael stem the translation is “strengthen oneself,” “persist in,” “prove superior to,” “make oneself alert.” The first occurrence of the verb is in Gen 25:23 in the Qal stem. The Lord revealed to Rebekah, before her sons were born, that they would be progenitors of two nations, and that one would be stronger than the other. David sang a song of deliverance for the mercy which the Lord granted in delivering him from Saul, an enemy stronger than he (II Sam 22:18 with its parallel in Ps 18:17 [H 18]). David expressed a similar sentiment in his prayer in the cave (Psa 142:6 [H 7]). In the days of Jeroboam’s revolt against the Davidic dynasty, the Lord defeated the northern kingdom and its forces at the hand of Abijah, and the Judean army “prevailed” despite a well laid ambush (II Chr 13:18).
As a parallel to the more usual verb ḥāzaq, the word is employed repeatedly in God’s charge to Joshua to be strong for the arduous tasks he assumed at the death of Moses (Josh 1:6,7,9,18). Moses spoke similar words of encouragement to his understudy (Deut 31:7, 23). He charged the people in like manner (Deut 31:6).Weber, C. P. (1999). 636 חָזַק. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (276). Chicago: Moody Press.

1.17 affirmation and pressure in one verse

2.5  Sanctify yourselves...  I wonder what they did to sanctify themselves.  Was there some ceremony, some process they went through get there, or is this just telling them to have this attitude?

2.11  Lord of all the earth...  instead of the Lord your God.  Thinking about the word choice.

4.24  The peoples will know and Israel would fear the Lord.  Have you gone from knowing to fearing/

5.9  This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you...

After all the males were circumcised … the LORD acknowledged the completed task by declaring, Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you. Since the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, they did not practice circumcision until they were about to leave. No doubt the Egyptians prohibited the practice since it was reserved for their own priests and upper-class citizens. “The reproach of Egypt” may refer to the Egyptians’ mocking the Israelites for not having possessed the land of Canaan.  --Donald K. Campbell
Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures (Jos 5:8–9). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

7.6  until evening...  That was probably a long time.  I'm not sure we think we have that much time to wait anymore.  I assume that there was some significance to waiting till evening, maybe an evening sacrifice? 

7.13  Sanctify yourselves...  Apparently an action that is repeated as needed.