Lexical Summary hun: To be easy, to be ready, to be prepared Original Word: הוּן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be ready A primitive root; properly, to be naught, i.e. (figuratively) to be (causatively, act) light -- be ready. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be easy NASB Translation regarded it as easy (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [הוּן] verb be easy (Arabic  be light, easy, compare  ,  (see אוּן), Aramaic Late Hebrew הוֺן gentleness,  ,  is mind, sense; see conjectures on development of meanings Fl ChWB i. 423) — only Hiph`il Imperfect וַתָּהִינוּ followed by Infinitive Deuteronomy 1:41 regard as easy to go up, or make light of going up; so Thes Kn Ke Di RVm (construct. as Numbers 14:44 וַיַּעְמִּלוּ לַעֲלוֺת, though "" to this in Deuteronomy is Numbers 14:43). Topical Lexicon Biblical Settingהוּן appears once, in Deuteronomy 1:41, within Moses’ retrospective address on the plains of Moab. After Israel’s refusal to enter Canaan at Kadesh-barnea and the subsequent divine judgment, the people confessed, “‘We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight….’ So each of you put on his weapons of war, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country” (Deuteronomy 1:41). The verb paints a picture of Israel’s presumption that conquest would now be “easy,” a light matter requiring little cost. Narrative and Historical Significance 1. Post-Rebellion Presumption Israel’s first reaction to Yahweh’s command to possess the land had been fear (Numbers 14:1-4). When judgment fell, the pendulum swung to rash confidence. הוּן marks this self-assured overcorrection—an attempt to obtain the blessing of victory while bypassing the indispensable element of obedient faith. 2. Covenant Context The covenant stipulates that victory is inseparable from submission to God’s voice (Leviticus 26:7-8; Deuteronomy 28:7). By treating the campaign as “easy,” the nation implicitly demoted divine presence to a formality. The result was immediate defeat at Hormah (Deuteronomy 1:44), confirming that covenant outcomes turn on obedience, not bravado. Theological Themes 1. The Folly of Presumptuous Faith Scripture distinguishes between faith grounded in the revealed will of God and presumption that merely uses religious language. Israel’s self-confidence without divine sanction echoes Saul’s unauthorized sacrifice (1 Samuel 13:8-14) and Jehoshaphat’s rebuke for joining Ahab (2 Chronicles 19:2). 2. Repentance and Obedience Genuine repentance bears the fruit of listening (Matthew 3:8). Israel’s words, “We have sinned,” were orthodox, yet הוּן exposes a heart still unwilling to submit. The episode warns that remorse devoid of obedience can quickly morph into overconfidence. 3. Human Estimates versus Divine Reality By labeling the hill-country campaign “easy,” Israel substituted human assessment for divine appraisal. Proverbs 3:5-6 counsels trusting the Lord rather than one’s own understanding. The single occurrence of הוּן therefore underlines the larger biblical motif: human calculations are unreliable indicators of spiritual success (Psalm 20:7; 2 Corinthians 3:5). New Testament Resonance The attitude signified by הוּן resurfaces whenever discipleship is presumed to be effortless. Jesus cautions potential followers, “Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27). Likewise, Peter’s boastful claim, “I will never deny You” (Matthew 26:35), parallels Israel’s hasty promise. Only after failure did Peter learn dependence on grace—a lesson Israel was meant to grasp in the wilderness. Ministry Applications 1. Assessing Ministry Ventures Leaders must avoid treating spiritual assignments as “easy.” Prayerful seeking of divine guidance (James 1:5) precedes action. Strategic planning is biblical (Luke 14:28-32), but confidence rests in God, not in methods or numbers. 2. Cultivating Authentic Repentance Pastoral care should distinguish between verbal confession and heart transformation. Counseling that rushes people from sorrow to service without addressing root disobedience risks reproducing Israel’s הוּן response. 3. Guarding Against Reactionary Extremes The Kadesh-barnea narrative warns that rebellion can be followed by equal-and-opposite presumption. Churches emerging from seasons of fear or stagnation need deliberate, Spirit-led steps rather than impetuous activism. Related Biblical Concepts • “Lightly” regarding battle: “Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you” (Numbers 14:42). Summary Though occurring only once, הוּן crystallizes a pivotal moment when Israel, stung by judgment, swung from paralyzing fear to rash self-confidence. The term exposes the danger of labeling spiritual challenges “easy” when the Lord has not commanded the advance. Its solitary appearance therefore serves as a concise but potent reminder that victory in God’s kingdom is never secured by human optimism but by humble, attentive obedience to His word. Forms and Transliterations וַתָּהִ֖ינוּ ותהינו vattaHinu wat·tā·hî·nū wattāhînūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 1:41 HEB: כְּלֵ֣י מִלְחַמְתּ֔וֹ וַתָּהִ֖ינוּ לַעֲלֹ֥ת הָהָֽרָה׃ NAS: of war, and regarded it as easy to go KJV: of war, ye were ready to go up INT: his weapons of war and regarded to go the hill 1 Occurrence |
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