Cultivating And Guarding Our Place In Christ
Adam did not “cultivate” and “keep” (guard) the place where God had put him (the Garden of Eden) and was cast out (Genesis 2:15). In the New Testament, Jude warns Christians of the same danger, using angels who did not guard their dwelling place in the Lord as our example. Their rebellion against Him would cause them to be “kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 6)
Genesis 2:15 – (See the Bible study Biblical Principles For Marriage.)
15 Then the Lord God took the man and put [“to deposit, to rest, to settle down and remain, to be quiet”] him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it [5647] and keep it [8104].
NASU
OT:5647 `abad (aw-bad')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.:
KJV - be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, husbandman, keep, labour (-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve (-ingself,), (be, become) servant (-s), do (use) service, till (-er), transgress [from margin], (set a) work, be wrought, worshipper,
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to work, to serve
a) (Qal)
1) to labor, to work, to do work
2) to work for another, to serve another by labor
3) to serve as subjects
4) to serve (God)
5) to serve (with Levitical service)
b) (Niphal)
1) to be worked, to be tilled (of land)
2) to make oneself a servant
c) (Pual) to be worked
d) (Hiphil)
1) to compel to labor or work, to cause to labor, to cause to serve
2) to cause to serve as subjects
e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve
`abad (aw-bad') [OT:5647] – “to serve, cultivate, enslave, work.” This root is used widely in Semitic and Canaanite languages. This verb appears about 290 times in all parts of the Old Testament.
The verb is first used in Genesis 2:5: “...and there was not a man to till the ground.” God gave to man the task “to dress [the ground]” (Genesis 2:15; 3:23; cf. 1:28, NASB). In Genesis 14:4 “they served Chedorlaomer...” means that they were his vassals. God told Abraham that his descendants would “serve” the people of a strange land 400 years (Genesis 15:13), meaning, as in the NIV, “to be enslaved by.”
`Abad is often used toward God: “...ye shall serve God upon this mountain” (Exodus 3:12), meaning “to worship” as in the NASB and the NIV. The word is frequently used with another verb: “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him...” (Deut. 6:13), or “...hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him...” (Deut. 11:13). All nations are commanded: “Serve the Lord with gladness...” (Psalm 100:2). In the reign of Messiah, “all nations shall serve him” (Psalm 72:11). The verb and the noun may be used together as in Numbers 8:11 “And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord... that they may execute the service of the Lord.”
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
OT:8104 shamar (shaw-mar')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:
KJV - beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep (-erself,), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch (-man).
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to keep, to guard, to observe, to give heed
a) (Qal)
1) to keep, to have charge of
2) to keep, to guard, to keep watch and ward, to protect, to save life; watch, a watchman (participle)
3) to watch for, to wait for
4) to watch, to observe
5) to keep, to retain, to treasure up (in memory)
6) to keep (within bounds), to restrain
7) to observe, to celebrate, to keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), to perform (a vow)
8) to keep, to preserve, to protect
9) to keep, to reserve
b) (Niphal)
1) to be on one's guard, to take heed, to take care, to beware
2) to keep oneself, to refrain, to abstain
3) to be kept, to be guarded
c) (Piel) to keep, to pay heed
d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from
1 Timothy 6:20-21 – Like Adam we are called to guard that which has been entrusted to us by the Lord. The good news is that, as we’ll see in the verses right below, we are not asked to do this alone. By not “cultivating” their walk with the Lord, becoming deeply rooted in His truth, some will go “astray from the faith.”
20 O Timothy, guard [5442] what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called "knowledge" —
21 which some have professed and thus gone astray [795- “to miss the mark, i.e. (figuratively) deviate from truth”] from the faith. Grace be with you.
NASU
NT:5442 phulasso (foo-las'-so)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
probably from NT:5443 through the idea of isolation; to watch, i.e. be on guard (literally of figuratively); by implication, to preserve, obey, avoid:
KJV - beward, keep (self), observe, save. Compare NT:5083.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
1. Active, to guard
a. to watch, to keep watch (Luke 2:8)
b. to guard or watch, have an eye upon (Acts 12:4)
c. to guard a person (or thing) that he may remain safe, i. e. lest he suffer violence, be despoiled, etc.,
equivalent to to protect: teen auleen (Luke 11:21)
d. to guard, i. e. to care for, take care not to violate; to observe: ton nomon (Acts 7:53)
2. Middle voice:
a. to observe for oneself something to escape, i. e. to avoid, shun, flee from:
b. to guard for oneself so as not to violate (Matthew 19:20)
2 Timothy 1:12-14 – Paul is encouraging us, saying that we do not (and cannot) have to guard alone. The Holy Spirit is there for all who have turned to the Lord in repentance. As every believer comes to understand, it is impossible for us to do this in our own strength. We must “work together with Him” in order to overcome (2 Corinthians 6:1).
12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard [5442] what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
13 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
14 Guard [5442], through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.
NASU
2 Peter 2:1-5 – In this chapter, which is very similar to Jude (a warning from God for Christians to guard their hearts and keep their place in Him), Peter warns of false prophets that will arise and lead astray many in the church through destructive heresies. In Satan’s last surge of deception before the return of Christ at the end of this age they will be especially prevalent. Noah, a preacher of righteousness, the one who stood firm and “kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7) during an extremely ungodly time on earth, was kept/preserved by God, along with his family. Jesus said that at His return it will be “just like the days of Noah” (Matthew 24:37). The final flood of judgement on the wicked will not touch those who have guarded their hearts through the help of the Holy Spirit. As it was in the days of Noah, the judgment of the wicked will only serve to elevate the righteous. (See the Bible study Noah; A Sign Of The End.)
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;
3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;
5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved [5442] Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;
NASU
Psalm 121 – The psalmist is declaring the Lord as the keeper/protector/guard/preserver of Israel. He is the same Helper for spiritual Israel (Jews and Gentiles in Him; Gal. 6:16) today as well (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7).
1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps [8104] you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps [8104] Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper [8104]; The Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will protect [8104] you from all evil; He will keep [8104] your soul.
8 The Lord will guard [8104] your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.
NASU
Psalm 121
1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills — From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve [see 2 Peter 2:5 above] you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.
NKJV
Hosea 2:19-21
19 "I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion,
20 And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness [530]. Then you will know the Lord.
21 "It will come about in that day that I will respond," declares the Lord. "I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth,
NASU
OT:530 'emuwnah (em-oo-naw'); or (shortened) 'emunah (em-oo-naw')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
feminine of OT:529; literally firmness; figuratively security; morally fidelity:
KJV - faith (-ful, -ly, -ness, [man]), set office, stability, steady, truly, truth, verily.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness
Lamentations 3:21-25
21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.
22 The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness [530].
24 "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him."
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.
NASU
The Consequences Of Not Cultivating Faithfulness
Hebrews 3:12-19 – To be unbelieving is to be unfaithful (see the note below).
12 Take care, brethren [“holy brethren” in v.1], that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving [570] heart that falls away [868] from the living God.
13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast [2722] the beginning of our assurance [5287- “a setting or placing under, foundation”; see more below] firm until the end [see Hebrews 3:5-6; Matthew 10:22, 24:13],
15 while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED [“irritation, to make bitter”] ME."
16 For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?
17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?
19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief [570].
NASU
NT:570 apaistia (ap-is-tee'-ah)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:571 [see Luke 12:35-48 below]; faithlessness, i.e. (negatively) disbelief (lack of Christian faith), or (positively) unfaithfulness (disobedience):
KJV - unbelief.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. unfaithfulness, faithlessness (Romans 3:3)
2. lack of faith, unbelief (Mark 16:14)
NT:868 aphistemi (af-is'-tay-mee)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:575 and NT:2476; to remove, i.e. (actively) instigate to revolt; usually (reflexively) to desist, desert, etc.:
KJV - depart, draw (fall) away, refrain, withdrawself.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. transitively, in present, imperfect, future, 1 aorist active, to make stand off, cause to withdraw, to
remove; to excite to revolt (Acts 5:37)
2. intransitively, in perfect, pluperfect, 2 aorist active, to stand off, stand aloof (Luke 13:27)
NT:2722 katecho (kat-ekh'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:2596 and NT:2192; to hold down (fast), in various applications (literally or figuratively):
KJV - have, hold (fast), keep (in memory), let, make toward, possess, retain, seize on, stay, take, withhold.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. to hold back, detain, retain
a. tina, from going away, followed by tou mee with an infinitive (Luke 4:42)
b. to restrain, hinder (Romans 1:18)
c. to hold fast, keep secure, keep from possession of: with the accusative of the thing, ton logon
(Luke 8:15)
2. equivalent to Latin obtinere
a. to get possession of, take (Matthew 21:38)
b. to possess (1 Cor. 7:30)
NT:5287 hupostasis (hoop-os'-tas-is)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from a compound of NT:5259 and NT:2476; a setting under (support), i.e. (figuratively) concretely, essence, or abstractly, assurance (objectively or subjectively):
KJV - confidence, confident, person, substance.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. a setting or placing under; thing put under, substructure, foundation:
2. that which has foundation, is firm;
a. that which has actual existence; a substance, real being:
b. the substantial quality, nature, of any person or thing (Hebrews 1:3)
c. steadiness of mind, firmness, courage resolution
In this passage the writer of Hebrews shows what happens when we do no cultivate faithfulness. Using the Israelites journey through the wilderness as a picture, he is warning the “brethren,” those who have received Christ, to be careful to not allow unbelief (“unfaithfulness, faithlessness, lack of faith”) to lodge in their hearts resulting in their not entering into the promised “rest” in Christ (i.e. eternal life). Instead of guarding their hearts, nurturing and developing a steadfast spirit within them, they cultivated a disobedient, sinful lifestyle and became hard hearted. After being set free from Egypt, the place of slavery and bondage, they would be denied entrance into the final, promised destination of “rest” in Christ.
The object of this warning is made even clearer when it says, “Today if you hear His voice.” This can only be those who have been given ears to hear through repentance, meaning a Christian. They started in belief, but because of continued sin fell away in unbelief (see the Bible study Unbelieving Believers). They did not “hold fast” the beginning of their “assurance” firm until the end. As with the rebellious among God’s people who rebelled in their wilderness journey, the Lord will not be “well-pleased” with those in the church who rebel against His Lordship on their way to the Promised Land of their eternal inheritance in Him.
Paul warns us in 1 Corinthians 10:1-12 to be careful not to act as they did and fall away from Christ. He said that with most of them God was not “well-pleased” and they died in the wilderness, without ever obtaining the promise of the Promised Land (see the Bible study Well Pleased). As they discovered, the promise alone wasn’t enough. It required obedience on their part along the way.
To “hold fast” is “to hold down, to hold back, detain, retain, to keep secure, to possess” (see the Bible study Holding Fast To The Lord). The Greek we interpret into English as “unbelief” is apaistia (ap-is-tee'-ah). It’s defined as “unfaithfulness, faithlessness, lack of faith, unbelief.” So we see that the opposite of faithfulness is unbelief, or unfaithfulness. It is that which will cause a believer (faithfulness) to become an unbeliever (unfaithfulness/faithless), resulting in their being denied entrance into the promised rest in Christ. They are the foolish virgins who through careless neglect did not “keep secure,” through submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit, their place (like Adam) in Christ.
Luke 12:35-48 – This parable of Jesus is another strong word of exhortation and warning to His followers to be “dressed in readiness” for His return (see the Bible study The Shame Of Nakedness which is chapters 19-26 in my book The Resurrected Bride). The Lord’s servants (Christians) who do not listen, guarding/keeping their hearts by faith, will be cut in pieces (see Nehemiah 1:8-10 below, Psalm 50:16-22) and assigned “a place with the unbelievers.” The Greek for “unbelievers” is taken from the Greek word for “unbelief” above. It’s similarly defined as “unfaithful, faithless, without faith or trust, unbelieving.”
41 Peter said, "Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?"
42 And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?
43 "Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.
44 "Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
45 "But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk;
46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces [1371], and assign him a place with the unbelievers [571].
NASU
NT:1371 dichotomeo (dee-khot-om-eh'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from a compound of a derivative of NT:1364 and a derivative of temno (to cut); to bisect, i.e. (by extension) to flog severely:
KJV - cut asunder (in sunder).
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
to cut into two parts; Exodus 29:17 (Matthew 24:51; Luke 12:46)
NT:571 apistos (ap'-is-tos)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:1 (as a negative particle) and NT:4103; (actively) disbelieving, i.e. without Christian faith (specially, a heathen); (passively) untrustworthy (person), or incredible (thing):
KJV - that believeth not, faithless, incredible thing, infidel, unbeliever (-ing).
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
without faith or trust
1. unfaithful, faithless (Luke 12:46)
2. incredible, of things (Acts 26:8)
3. unbelieving, incredulous (John 20:27)
Matthew 24:45-51 – This is the same passage as Luke’s right above from Matthew’s perspective. He adds the word “hypocrite” to describe the unfaithful servants of the Lord that will be cut to pieces by Him.
45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?
46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. [See the Bible studies Jubilee and The Right To Possess.]
48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,'
49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.
51 He will cut him to pieces [1371] and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
NIV
Jude 12-13 – Jude has much to say regarding the Christian’s guarding of their place in Christ. (See the note below.)
12 These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly [1364] dead, uprooted;
13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.
NASU
NT:1364 dis (dece)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
adverb from NT:1417; twice:
KJV - again, twice.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
twice (Mark 14:30,72)
Jude helps us to re-establish the railing of security that the devil has removed from the church causing many to fall away from the faith (i.e. unfaithfulness) right before the return of Christ. Per Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, one of the meanings for 'emuwnah (em-oo-naw'), the Greek for “faithfulness,” figuratively speaking, is “security.” (See Psalm 78:22 above on p. 3 regarding trusting and security in the definitions for the verse.)
Interestingly enough, dichotomeo (dee-khot-om-eh'-o), the Greek word interpreted “cut him in pieces” in Luke 12:46 and Matthew 24:51 above ) is taken from dis (dece), the Greek for “doubly” (“twice” in other versions). This description from Jude of the “doubly dead, uprooted” unfaithful Christian for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever is to put back the ancient boundary of the fear of the Lord that Satan has removed from the church through his “doctrines of demons” that Paul spoke of; “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons…” (1 Timothy 4:1/NASU)
This boundary is to keep us in Himself so as not to fall away from Him. Satan began this moving of the boundary, the railing of security in the garden of Eden through “faithfulness” when he put within Adam and Eve’s mind the thought to question God’s word (Genesis 3:4-5). Their disobedience to the Lord would cost them their secure place in Him. Peter warned us, saying, “be on your guard [5442- see 1 Tim. 6:20-21 above] so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.” (2 Peter 3:17/NIV) The NAS version says, “…and fall from your own steadfastness.”
In Deuteronomy we read that the Lord gave the following building code to the Israelites;
“When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it.” (Deuteronomy 22:8/NASU)
A “parapet” (pear-a-pet) was a guardrail along the flat roofs of the homes to keep a person from falling off. If you did not put the rail in place and someone fell to their death you would be held accountable for them. If, on the other hand, you built the parapet and a person fell, which would mean they somehow went around the protective barrier in front of them, the guilt is on them. Spiritually speaking, the parapet (the railing of security) is the truth that brings fear of the Lord. It protects His people from going too far resulting in their “falling away” from Him in unbelief (unfaithfulness).
Many in the church, having once been given eyes to see, no longer see (or hear) because of their acceptance of Satan’s lies and now tragically believe this falling away from Christ by one of His followers could never occur, in particular his doctrines regarding salvation. Satan’s doctrine of so-called “Eternal Security” actually creates the opposite; eternal insecurity (see Deuteronomy 28:66 below). It grants a false freedom in Christ that, if not repented of, will result in our being cut in pieces, much like the sacrificial animals used in the covenant ceremony. There is eternal security in Christ only when you are faithful. May the fear of the Lord keep us near Him, and in Him.
Psalm 101:6-8 – Through the psalm of David the Lord declares that only the faithful may dwell with Him and that only those whose walk is “blameless” can serve Him (see the Bible study Noah; A Sign Of The End). He also declares that anyone who “practices deceit” shall not dwell within His house (see the Bible study Taking The Lord’s Name In Vain), and that if we speak falsehood we shall not “maintain” our position before Him, or be “secure” before Him (see 2 Peter 3:17).
6 My eyes shall be upon the faithful [539] of the land, that they may dwell with me; He who walks in a blameless [8549] way is the one who will minister to me.
7 He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain [3559] his position before me.
8 Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, So as to cut off from the city of the Lord all those who do iniquity.
NASU
OT:539 'aman (aw-man')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; properly, to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain; once (Isa 30:21; interchangeable with OT:541) to go to the right hand:
KJV - hence, assurance, believe, bring up, establish, fail, be faithful (of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the right.
(Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to support, to confirm, to be faithful
a) (Qal) to support, to confirm, to be faithful, to uphold, to nourish
1) foster father (a substantive)
2) foster mother, nurse
3) pillars, supporters of the door
b) (Niphal) to be established, to be faithful, to be carried, to make firm
1) to be carried by a nurse
2) to made firm, to be sure, to be lasting
3) confirmed, established, sure
4) verified, confirmed
5) reliable, faithful, trusty
c) (Hiphil) to stand firm, to trust, to be certain, to believe in
1) to stand firm
2) to trust, to believe
OT:8549 tamiym (taw-meem')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from OT:8552; entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth:
KJV - without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright (-ly), whole.
(Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
complete, whole, entire, sound
a) complete, whole, entire
b) whole, sound, healthful
c) complete, entire (used of time)
d) sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity
e) what is complete or entirely in accord with truth and fact (neuter adjective/substantive)
OT:3559 kuwn (koon)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous):
KJV - certain (-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness, fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet, ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self), provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright, fast, forth), be stable, (e-) stablish, stand, tarry, very deed.
(Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to be firm, to be stable, to be established
a) (Niphal)
1) to be set up, to be established, to be fixed
a) to be firmly established
b) to be established, to be stable, to be secure, to be enduring
c) to be fixed, to be securely determined
2) to be directed aright, to be fixed aright, to be steadfast (moral sense)
3) to prepare, to be ready
4) to be prepared, to be arranged, to be settled
b) (Hiphil)
1) to establish, to set up, to accomplish, to do, to make firm
2) to fix, to make ready, to prepare, to provide, to provide for, to furnish
3) to direct toward (a moral sense)
4) to arrange, to order
c) (Hophal)
1) to be established, to be fastened
2) to be prepared, to be ready
d) (Polel)
1) to set up, to establish
2) to constitute, to make
3) to fix
4) to direct
e) (Pulal) to be established, to be prepared
f) (Hithpolel) to be established, to be restored
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