Does God ever wake you in the middle of the night speaking one word? Or give you a dream that you cannot interpret?  Or highlight a verse of scripture but you aren’t sure why Holy Spirit is calling it to your attention?  Or maybe it is a word or a number you see repeatedly that pops out and stirs your spirit.

You may see it in scripture. Then you open your laptop and it is the first word in a news headline.  You get in your car to go buy groceries and another car pulls in front of you with the word on their license plate.  The variety of ways God uses to get a message to us is endless.

In all these cases and more, I first go to prayer asking God to elaborate.  If I don’t hear from Him right away, I ask Him to lead me in my search. Then I run to my Strong’s concordance look up the word.  Since I’ve been doing this for years, my Strong’s Concordance is in pieces from use.  I’ve noticed, however, through sharing with others, many don’t know how to use the Strong’s.

As best I can, I will show you today.

Let’s say you are reading 1 Samuel 15 and you come across verse 23 and the word rebellion jumps out for attention. 

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

You pray but God doesn’t say anything.  So, you pray again and go to your Strong’s Concordance.

First, you look up the word, just like you would in a dictionary.  And this is what you will find:

Note the different Strong’s numbers in the right column.  You have to find the scripture listed where your word appeared.  In this case, 1 Samuel 15:23.

Once you find the scripture address, you go to the right column and write down the Strong’s number– #4805.

Now, go to the back of your Strong’s Concordance and you will find a section called, “Dictionary of the Hebrew Bible–A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Hebrew Bible; With Their Renderings in the  Authorized English Version.” — After this section is another one with Greek words for the New Testament.  Make sure you are in the Hebrew section.

This part of  Strong’s is in alphabetical order.  Go to #4805 and this is what you will find:

Okay—rebellion is listed as one of the definitions with the #4805.  Write out the whole definition on your note pad.  Note also that it says “from 4784.”  Write that number down and go on to #4784.

#4784 is the primary root.  The primary root will always be a two to three letter word – no more. When I am writing out the information I put the primary root number in brackets. <4784> to distinguish it. Write out the definition of the root.

The figures right after the number are the Hebrew letters. Note that the spelling is different than in 4805. The little marks under the first two letters (Hebrew is read from right to left) in 4784 are telling you which vowels are used with the word since, in the Hebrew Alephbet, there aren’t any vowel letters.

FYI – Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5:18? For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

A jot looks like this: This is the letter Yod and it appears like a comma hanging in the air.  It is the smallest Hebrew letter.

A tittle is a small stroke added to a letter to distinguish it from another letter that is shaped similarly.  Example: So, Jesus was saying the smallest letter or mark will be fulfilled.

Now you have the definitions, the primary root and the letters.  Your next step will be to go to each letter and write out its meaning.  Hang in there, we will do that tomorrow.

Shalom ♥