Words of Hope

A Word Study on the Biblical Word "Hope"

Study #32 - A Full Hope

We now come to one of the most unusual words for "hope" found in the Old Testament. It is the Hebrew word "kesel" and its feminine derivative "kisla" (Strong's #s 3689, 3690 and Theological Word Book #1011a,b).  Two things make this word unusual: 1) It's root meaning, and 2) It's two diverse meanings depending on the context.  The root meaning of kesel and kisla is "to be fat" (from the root "kasal").  Brown, Driver & Briggs in their Hebrew Lexicon  state that its Arabic cognate refers "to that which is thick, plump, or fat".  Gesenius states that "The primary meaning appears to be - to be fleshy, to be fat".  We find this most basic meaning in contexts where the word refers to the "flanks" or "loins" of a man or animal ("the internal muscles of the loins, near the kidneys, to which  the fat adheres" - Gesenius): See for example Leviticus 3:4,10,15; Job 15:27; Psalm 38:7.  This root meaning of "fatness" however finds expression in two very diverse ways - In some contexts this word means "folly" or "foolishness" and in others "hope" or "confidence"!  At first glance this seems to be most unusual or even contradictory, but a quick look at an English Dictionary will reveal that even our English word "fat" holds a wide variety of meanings.  We use this word not only to describe animal tissue that is oily or greasy, or of that which is plump or obese, but also of that which is abundant, rich, productive, or fertile.  Most of us older folks understand what is meant by "the fat of the land" or "a fat year" in business or farming.  On the negative side, the English word "fat" may refer to one who is slothful, stupid, or foolish very much the same as in Hebrew!  And so the very same word may have a negative or a positive connotation depending on the context of its use.  Gesenius refers to "kesel" as "a word of middle signification applied in a good sense to strength, firmness, boldness, whence confidence and in a bad sense  to languor and inertness ... applied to that which is nearly allied to these, folly ..." (emphasis mine).  Likewise Delitzsch remarks that "kisla" is "ambiguous" since the root meaning "to be fat, signifies both the awkwardness of stupidity and the boldness of confidence" (emphasis mine).  So "fatness" can mean something good depending upon what you are fat with!  Consider these Old Testament examples that use "fat" in a positive way (various Hebrew words are translated as "fat" in these verses): 1) When Moses sent out the 12 spies into the land of Canaan they were to find out what type of land it was, whether "good or bad" ... "fat or lean" (Numbers 13:19,20); 2) When Ehud led Israel in battle against Moab the Israelite army killed about 10,000 Moabites "all lusty (Hebrew, "fat"), and all men of valour" (Judges 3:29).  Here other versions translate the word "fat" as "robust" (NASB) or "vigorous" (NIV).  As military men of valor they clearly were not obese or sluggish, but "well filled out" with muscular strength!; 3) Nehemiah encouraged the mourning Israelites to stop crying and to start celebrating, telling them to "Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet ... neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).  Clearly he was not advocating an unhealthy diet here, but was speaking of "richly prepared food" (Gesenius).  See also Genesis 49:10 for this same idea.  We may also think of the "fatted calf" which was set aside for just such festive occasions.; and 4) Nehemiah described the land of promise as "a fat land" ... "full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance" and so the people "did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness" (Neh. 9:25).  See also verse 35.  In all of these places "fatness" is associated with fruitfulness, strength, richness, and fullness.  And so it is with the believer's hope - it is a hope filled with confidence in God, a hope that is abundant, rich and fruitful! We will spend the next study looking at the scripture references to this "fullness of hope", but for now we will close this study with just one:  "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.  Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.  For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken" (Proverbs 3:24,25).  A full hope indeed!