Stage 3 · Moses Maimonides (1138–1204)

Moreh Nevukhim: Part I, Chapter 22 — Bo (Coming)

דלאלהֵ אלחאירין — The Guide of the Perplexed

Bo ('to come') was laid down in Hebrew for an animal's coming toward a place or person, and for its entering a place. It was then borrowed for the befalling of something that is no body at all — even for a privation ('and evil came'). On this basis it is borrowed of the Creator, for the alighting of His command or His Indwelling: 'lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud' (Exod 19:9). Hover a phrase to see its English light up; tap any word for a gloss; dotted words are key terms.

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Part One · Chapter Twenty-Two — Bo

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Bo. 'Coming' in the Hebrew tongue was laid down for the coming of an animalI mean its advancing toward some place or another person: 'thy brother came with subtlety' (Gen 27:35). And it was also laid down for the entering of an animal into some place: 'and Joseph went into the house' (Gen 39:11); 'when ye come into the land' (Lev 23:10).

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And this noun was borrowed for the befalling of a matter that is no body at all: 'when thy word cometh to pass, then we will do thee honor' (Judg 13:17); 'from these things that shall come upon thee' (Isa 47:13). It was even borrowed for a privation: 'and evil came' (Job 30:26); 'and darkness came' (Job 30:26).

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And in accordance with this borrowing — borrowed for what is no body at allit was also borrowed of the Creator, mighty and exalted, either for the alighting of His command or for the alighting of His Indwelling. In accordance with this borrowing it is said: 'lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud' (Exod 19:9); 'for the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it' (Ezek 44:2); and everything resembling this means the alighting of the Indwelling.

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'And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee' (Zech 14:5) — the alighting of His command, or the fulfilment of the promises He pledged through His prophets; and that is His saying 'all the saints with thee,' as though to say 'and the word of the Lord my God shall come by the hand of all the saints with thee,' addressing Israel.

English is a working draft — alignment is sentence-by-sentence.

Scripture cited in this chapter