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and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Exod. 34:6). The
contrasting idiom, meaning “quick to anger,” might literally mean “short of
face/nostrils.” It implies a changeable countenance, a capricious disposition. Prov. 14:17
uses this idiom with a little stronger emphasis: “He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly:
and a man of wicked devices is hated.” The accuracy of this translation is supported by
the parallelism of the phrase and “a man of evil devices.” Clearly
must mean
something evil in God’s sight.
Finally, the dual form can mean “wrath” (only in 4 passages): “Surely the churning of
milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the
forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife” (Prov. 30:33; cf. Exod. 15:8).
The singular form means “nose” about 25 times. In Num. 11:19-20 the word
represents a human nose: “You [Israel] shall … eat [the meat God will supply] … a
whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you” (
NASB
).
Isa. 2:22 makes it clear that the word represents the place where the breath is: “Stop
regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils (
NASB
). Perhaps the
NASB
translation
in such passages is acceptable. The first passage, however, refers to the two holes or
nostrils, while the second passage appears to refer to the entire frontal part of the nasal
passages (where one is aware of breath being present). This word may be used of the
structure protruding from one’s face: “… They shall take away thy nose and thine ears;
and thy remnant shall fall by the sword …” (Ezek. 23:25; cf. Song of Sol. 7:4).
*
is
applied also to the “nose” of animals. In Job 40:24, God speaks of a large water animal:
“He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.”
The word can be used anthropomorphically of God. Certainly passages such as Deut.
4:15-19 make it clear that God is a Spirit (John 4:24) and has not a body like men. Yet,
speaking figuratively, it may be said: “They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel
thy law: they shall put incense before thee [literally, “in thy nostrils”], and whole burnt
sacrifice upon thine altar” (Deut. 33:10; cf. Ps. 18:8, 15). The idiom “high of nose”
means “haughty” (cf. the English idiom “to have one’s nose in the air”): “The wicked,
through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God …” (Ps. 10:4).
The singular form often means “anger” or “wrath.” This meaning first appears in
Gen. 30:2: “And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel.…” This meaning is applied
to God as a figure of speech (anthropopathism) whereby He is attributed human
emotions. Since God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable and since anger is an emotion
representing a change in one’s reaction (cf. Num. 25:4), God does not really become
angry, He only appears to do so in the eyes of men (cf. Prov. 29:8). The Spirit of God can
seize a man and move him to a holy “anger”(Judg. 14:19; 1 Sam. 11:6).
B. Verb.
(
, 599), “to be angry.” This verb, which has cognates in most of the
Semitic languages, occurs 39 times in biblical Hebrew and in all periods. The verb
appears in Isa. 12:1: “O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me.…”
FOR NOTHING
(
3
, 2600), “for nothing; for no purpose; useless; without a cause; for no
reason.” The 32 appearances of this word are scattered throughout every period of
biblical Hebrew.