Words of Hope

A Word Study on the Biblical Word "Hope"

Study #20 - An Expectant Hope

We have now come to a third Hebrew synonym for the Biblical word "hope" - the Hebrew word "yahal" and its derivatives.  This is #3176 in Strong's Concordance and #859 in The Theological Word Book for those who may have these references.  We had mentioned in study #18 posted May 26th that the root of our previous two synonyms (miqweh and tiqwa) had a basic meaning of "waiting" and of "expectation" (Hebrew qawa).  This same root idea of "waiting" is also found in the word "yahal" as its most basic meaning.  For example, in Genesis 8:12 Noah waited (KJV - "stayed") seven days before sending the dove out of the ark for the third time.  Likewise, Saul waited (KJV - "tarried") seven days for Samuel the prophet to come to Gilgal (I Samuel 13:8).  Job's friend Elihu waited in silence until Job's other friends had finished their speeches before he began to talk (Job 32:11,16).  This same concept of "waiting" is also found in passages in which men "expectantly wait" upon God to answer their prayers or to bring them deliverance:  Psalm 69:3 - "I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God."  Micah 7:7 - "Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me."

Thus the distinctive meaning of "yahal" is that of an expectant hope - a hope that is expressed in patient waiting and trust.  The Theological Word Book of the Old Testament makes several good statements in emphasizing this aspect of the word "yahal":  "However, yahal is used of 'expectation, hope' which for the believer is closely linked with 'faith, trust' and results in 'patient waiting'...This yahal 'hope' is not a pacifying wish of the imagination which drowns out troubles, nor it is uncertain ... but rather yahal 'hope' is the solid ground of expectation for the righteous." (Emphasis mine).  This becomes abundantly clear in passages in which "yahal" is translated by the English word "trust": Job 13:15 - "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him ..."  (Some modern versions give an exact opposite translation to this passage as though Job had lost all patience with God). Isaiah 51:5 - "My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait (Heb.qawa) upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust (yahal)." These passages and others like them make it plain that as believers wait upon the Lord we must do so in patience, in expectation, and in faith!  In our next several studies we will look at some of the passages in which the Hebrew word "yahal" is translated as "hope" and will try to categorize them into some of the various objects in which the believer is to place his "expectant hope".