Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

KEEPER

Someone granted a certain area of responsibility. The range of meaning for Heb. šomēr, noṣēr is one who “keeps, guards, watches, preserves, obeys.”

In a general sense, one can obey God’s commandments (Deut. 5:10) and the way of the Lord (Judg. 2:22), protect a stranger (Ps. 146:9) or city (2 Kgs. 9:14), and guard one’s mouth. More specifically, a steward, e.g., is endowed with the oversight of a house and its affairs (Eccl. 12:3). Similar types of oversight include baggage keeper (1 Sam. 17:22) and keeper of the wardrobe (2 Kgs. 22:14). Yahweh is praised as the Keeper of Israel, the protector of his people (Ps. 121:3, 5).

In the OT various special areas of jurisdiction are the responsibility of designated officers. The temple official (šōmrē mišmereṯ haqqōḏeš) was a levitical position designated by Yahweh for the service, maintenance, and protection of the tabernacle or temple (Num. 3:28-38; Ezek. 44:14). The “keepers of the threshold” (šōmrê hassap) were in charge of temple income and disbursements (2 Kgs. 12:9; 22:4).

The city guard (Ps. 127:1; 130:6; Isa. 21:11; 62:6; Jer. 51:12), likely a military officer, made nightly rounds to ensure the safety and orderliness of the city (Cant. 3:3; 5:7). He provided oversight of the city walls and gates and their corresponding storehouses (Neh. 11:19; 12:25).

The palace official was responsible for the king, his palace, and his general administration. His most common task was that of doorkeeper or general palace guard (1 Kgs. 14:27; 2 Kgs. 11:5; Esth. 2:2; 2 Chr. 12:10). Other palace officials included the eunuch who kept the king’s wives (Esth. 2:3), the king’s bodyguard (1 Sam. 28:2), the chamberlain responsible for the king’s robes (2 Kgs. 22:14 = 2 Chr. 34:22), and the keeper of the king’s forest (Neh. 2:8).

Finally, the agricultural watchman was entrusted with the care and protection of fields (Jer. 4:17), flocks (1 Sam. 17:20), and orchards or vineyards (Prov. 27:18). Yahweh was metaphorically referred to as the watcher of his vineyard, Israel (Ps. 121:5; Isa. 27:2-6; cf. 5:1-30).

Miles V. Van Pelt






Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)

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