What does Proverbs 1:27 really mean?

Let’s talk about Proverbs/Mishlei chapter 1 verse 27.

Here it is in the original masoretic text .

כז בְּבֹ֤א כְשֹׁאָ֨וה כְשׁוֹאָ֨ה פַּחְדְּכֶ֗ם וְֽ֖אֵידְכֶם כְּסוּפָ֣ה יֶאֱתֶ֑ה בְּבֹ֥א עֲ֜לֵיכֶ֗ם צָרָ֥ה וְצוּקָֽה:(27)

Here I will give my best translation and then I will publish some English translations.

And your terror comes like a storm and your misfortune like a strong wind (whirlwind ,hurricane),and comes upon you trouble and distress.

I want to point out here the word כְשׁוֹאָ֨ה kh’shoah meaning like a shoah is the modern word for holocaust and interestingly it it used twice in row כְשֹׁאָ֨וה כְשׁוֹאָ֨ה with no clarity other than in Biblical Hebrew double words can amplify meaning.Here the word shoah is used to mean a storm which is likely the words original ancient meaning.However as word usage evolves even in Biblical times the word shoah mean “destruction or desolation”.

Whereas in Psalm 35:8 the word shoah שׁוֹאָ֨ה is used to mean destruction and also in Zephaniah 1:15 the word is used twice to mean destruction and desolation.Now in Ezekiel 38:9 the word shoah is again used as “storm” ,so my opinion is that shoah originally meant storm and evolved to by the fact that in language the literal becomes poetic and then the poetic the literal.So from storm shoah came to mean destruction or desolation in BIblical Hebrew and by medieval Hebrew shoah meant catastrophe or calamity.And now the word almost exclusively means the holocaust.

Now let me display some common Eng. translations

“Proverbs 1:27New International Version

27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
    when distress and trouble overwhelm you.”

Now the King James Version

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.”

This verse is very emphatic ,you have shoah used twice as to mean coming as a storm which often in Hebrew amplifies meaning.Then comes the word “pachdekhem” meaning your terror and then the phrase “eidkhem k’sufah”אֵידְכֶם כְּסוּפָ֣ה ,meaning your disfortune comes like a strong wind(maybe a twister or hurricane or tornado)

And the verse ends saying upon you will be distress and anguish.This verse speaks of a profound and devastating destruction and desolation predicted with the word used twice for the modern word for holocaust which could be “sod” in interpretation (secret meaning).

Just my thoughts on the matter and something to think about,so best wishes and God Bless to all and please put any questions in the comments.


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