◄ 2089. zeh ►
Lexical Summary
zeh: this, that

Original Word: זֶה
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: zeh
Pronunciation: zeh
Phonetic Spelling: (zeh)
KJV: lamb
Word Origin: [(1 Samuel by permutation for H7716 (שֶׂה שֵׂי - sheep)]

1. a sheep

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
lamb

('ab Samuel by permutation for seh; a sheep -- lamb.

see HEBREW 'ab

see HEBREW seh

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
typographical error for seh, q.v.

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Strong’s number 2089 designates a Hebrew adverb that heightens immediacy—“at this moment,” “now,” “then.” Though this exact spelling does not surface in extant Old Testament verses, its lexical family permeates Scripture, shaping a theology of the present moment. Scripture repeatedly uses the cognate forms to summon God’s people to decisive response, to frame prophetic warnings, and to highlight the unfolding of salvation history.

Temporal Emphasis in Narrative

Narrators employ the wider “now/this” family to move accounts forward, signaling a key turn or fresh divine initiative. In Exodus 3:10 Moses hears, “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh,” an urgent commission that shifts the narrative from the wilderness to the courts of Egypt. Joshua later mirrors this urgency: “Now then, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). Such occurrences illustrate the theological conviction that God’s redemptive plan advances in real time and demands timely obedience.

Covenantal Appeals

The Mosaic covenant often embeds the adverb in calls to listen and obey. Deuteronomy 4:1: “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live.” The text ties covenant blessing to immediate attention; holiness is never relegated to a vague future but anchored in present responsibility. This motif resurfaces in prophetic indictments (e.g., Isaiah 1:18; Jeremiah 7:3) where “now” introduces either opportunity for repentance or certainty of judgment.

Prophetic Urgency and Eschatology

Prophets saturate their oracles with the sense of “now” to compress eschatological realities into current experience. Joel 2:12: “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart.” The present is portrayed as the decisive arena in which eternal destinies pivot. This reaches a climax in Messianic proclamation: Zechariah 9:9—though framed in future tense—unfolds within a prophetic “now” that anticipates the triumphal entry. In the New Testament, the Greek νῦν often translates the same idea, declaring, “Now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Wisdom Literature and Present Opportunity

Proverbs and Ecclesiastes ground wisdom in timely action. Proverbs 27:1 warns, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” Though not lexically identical, the concept parallels the Hebrew adverb’s insistence that wisdom is exercised in the immediate context of daily choices.

Liturgical and Poetic Nuances

Psalms frequently pivot on the theological “now.” Psalm 115:2 pleads, “Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God now?’” The adverb frames a liturgical challenge, compelling the congregation to recall God’s present faithfulness. Psalm 118:25 sings, “O LORD, save us, we pray. We beseech You, O LORD, cause us to prosper now,” intertwining worship with urgent petition.

Christological Fulfillment

The Gospel writers adopt the Septuagint’s rendering to announce kingdom reality. In Luke 4:21 Jesus declares, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing,” echoing the Old Testament’s redemptive “now.” His resurrection transforms the temporal marker into an eternal guarantee: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:20), a statement that weds past event, present power, and future hope.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

1. Evangelism: The vocabulary of immediacy undergirds the call to decision; postponement is spiritually perilous (Hebrews 3:15).
2. Discipleship: Believers are urged to embrace obedience “now,” trusting God to supply grace for each moment (Philippians 2:12-13).
3. Corporate Worship: Liturgies can echo Scriptural patterns by framing petitions and praises within the present reality of God’s reign.
4. Counseling: Reminding the hurting that God meets them “now” anchors care in divine presence rather than distant resolution.

Historical Insight

Rabbinic tradition noticed the adverb’s role in midrashic argument, using it to limit or expand legal applications. Early Christian preachers likewise leveraged “now” to assert the immediate availability of the gospel, as attested in patristic homilies on texts such as Romans 8:1, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Related Hebrew and Greek Terms

• Hebrew עַתָּה (attah) – “now,” dominant temporal adverb in the Old Testament.
• Greek νῦν (nun) – primary New Testament equivalent.
• Greek σήμερον (sēmeron) – “today,” often conveying similar force.

Summary

While Strong’s 2089 itself lacks attested verses, its semantic sphere saturates Scripture with the theology of immediacy. The biblical witness insists that God speaks, delivers, and commands in the present tense. For the believer, every “now” is thus charged with covenant privilege and responsibility, anchoring faith in the God who is eternally “I AM.”

Links
Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts
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