Sohd: A COUNCIL to COUNSEL

COUNCIL: sohd, masculine noun (Strong’s 5475), from verb yasad (Strong’s 3245)

What do you think of when you hear the word “council”? 

It is helpful to understand the difference between council and counsel. A council is a group of advisors. It is always plural. A council can give counsel. To give counsel means to give advice (noun). But what is the difference between advice and advise? To advise (verb) is to give advice/counsel/instruction (noun). A council can advise someone by giving advice or counsel. Clear as mud? In Hebrew, all these English words and concepts can be captured in the word sohd.

Sohd is generally translated as council. I say generally because Biblical translations seem to struggle with this word. For example, looking at the NASB translation, the Hebrew word sohd has been translated in the following ways:

• Council
• Secret discussions
• Associates
• Protection
• The Secret
• Fellowship
• Plans
• Company
• Intimate
• Consultation
• Circle

The NASB isn’t alone in this, seemingly, diluted translation of sohd. However, using “council” as the basis of this word, we can see how all these translations are connected. A good council is a gathering of associates, a fellowship, a company of intimates, a circle of friends. This council meets to consult with each other and come up with plans… and sometimes those plans are kept in secret (in confidence) in order to protect those they are counselling. This is the wider idea of sohd. It is a group (council) of advisors who, if they are good councillors, will protect and care for those they are counselling.

Council of the Holy Ones

The acknowledgement that YHWH has a heavenly council of supernatural (angelic) beings, with whom He interacts and discusses the state of the world, is rarely discussed in church circles.

This gathering of supernatural beings, with YHWH as the head (or Chair) of the gathering, is sometimes described as the Divine Assembly or the Assembly of the Holy Ones (See Job 1:6, Job 2:1, 2 Chronicles 18:18-30, Psalm 82:1, Deuteronomy 32:8 (LXX)). Ethan the Ezrahite used sohd to describe this gathering of divine beings:

Psalm 89:5-7

[Ethan the Ezrahite:] The heavens will praise Your wonders, YHWH; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies is comparable to YHWH? Who among the sons of the mighty is like YHWH, a God greatly feared in the council [b-sohd] of the holy ones, and awesome above all those who are around Him?

Does YHWH need a Council to debate and argue thoughts and ideas? No, YHWH can do all things on His own, but He wants to hear from His heavenly-host family and His earthly family. YHWH wants an open forum, a place of sharing and listening. He wants to model a community built on relationships that actually commune with each other.

We get a glimpse of this open forum council in the book of Job when the sons of Elohim presented themselves before YHWH and Ha-Satan showed up to the gathering. YHWH and the Adversary (ha-satan) had a debate centred on the faithful man, Job. The Adversary said that Job was only faithful because his life was good and blessed with all that God had given him. The Adversary suggested that if those blessings were taken away, Job would turn against God. YHWH, allowed that theory to be tested. As a result, Job lost everything. 

Job’s small council of friends tried to give an explanation as to why Job’s life took a sudden turn for the worse. In their minds, Job must have disobeyed God and his troubles were the result of his disobedience. Job, however, was adamant about his innocence. He had done nothing wrong to deserve such sorrow. 

Eliphaz, one of Job’s “friends” asked Job this, “Do you hear the secret discussion council [ha-v-sohd בְּסֹדָם֙] of God, and limit wisdom to yourself? What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that we do not?” (Job 15:8-9).

In other words, Eliphaz was saying, we’re your councillors, Job. Do you think God speaks only to you? We have insight and you should listen to us. 

The truth was, Job had no idea of what was discussed about him between YHWH and the Adversary. He had no insights to the spiritual battle that was centred on his life.

Although his friends wanted Job to listen to them, they, in turn, did not listen to Job. Essentially they turned on him, pointing fingers of blame towards Job with the expectation that Job should carry the burden of grief on his own, because he deserved it. 

Job lamented when his friends, his circle of council, turned on him. He said, “all (my) sohdi [סוֹדִ֑י] loathe me, and those I love have turned against me” (Job 19:19).

Job, again, brought up the word sohd when he lamented about his earlier, easier, life:

Job 29:2-6

“Oh that I were as in months gone by, as in the days when God watched over me; when His lamp shone over my head, and by His light I walked through darkness; just as I was in the days of my youth, when the protection council [b-sohd בְּס֥וֹד] of God was over my tent; when the Almighty was still with me, and my children were around me; when my steps were bathed in cream, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me!”

Job lamented the good old days, when God was his intimate friend, his family was intact, and his life was easy. He identified his true Councillor as YHWH, and Job felt he had lost the connection to God that had once been easily accessible  to him. As the story goes, YHWH reminded Job that He never left, He had always been over Job’s house (like He has been over all creation), watching Job, loving Job, and available for counsel. 

Psalm 25:12-15

[David:] Who is the person who fears YHWH? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. His soul will dwell in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. The counsel secret [sohd ס֣וֹד] of YHWH is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant. My eyes are continually toward YHWH, for He will rescue my feet from the net.

Although Job struggled with his life’s terrible turn of events, he never stopped communicating with God. He cried out to God. He accused God. He sank to the depths of despair and wished for his own death, but he never stopped talking to YHWH. Even though his theology took a dark and winding turn, he never gave up on God and God never gave up on him. He sought counsel with God and he received counsel from God. 

At the end of his terrible trial, Job was given a double blessing to restore what was lost in his life. From a bad council of friends to good counsel from God, Job learned the value of having an honest, heart-on-your-sleeve, relationship with YHWH, the One who gives the best counsel.

Finding A Good Human Council

Our first introduction to sohd in the Torah can be found in Jacob’s prophetic words about his twelve sons. In his speech, He grouped his second and third son together and delivered a rather bleak vision of their future:

Genesis 49:5-7

“Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are implements of violence. May my soul not enter into their council [b-sohdam בְּסֹדָם֙]; may my glory not be united with their assembly; for in their anger they killed men, and in their self-will they lamed oxen.

Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel. I will scatter them in Jacob, and disperse them among Israel.”

Followers of YHWH should not put their trust in humans who kill people, who maim animals, and who are generally cruel, fierce, and angry people. These humans, clearly, do not make good councillors/counsellors.

Proverbs 3:31-32

Do not envy a violent person, and do not choose any of his ways. For the devious are an abomination to YHWH; but He is intimate a (personal) counsellor [sohdoh סוֹדֽוֹ] with the upright.

Proverbs gives us advice on what a good council provides. For example, plans can have a successful outcome with an effective council:

Proverbs 15:22

Without consultation a council [sohd ס֑וֹד], plans are frustrated, but with many counsellors they succeed.

The Political forum has made it very clear that a group of human councillors are rarely successful in their duties to be humble public servants. They can do good things, but their human desires for wealth and notoriety often become stumbling blocks to their true purpose of being servants to their communities. When God is not at the centre of council, a darker force often takes the role of council chair. A Godly Council of believers always points people to YHWH, as the Chair of the Council.

The Worldly Council Problem

When humans are put in places of authority, there is a terrible temptation to raise themselves up for gain. They stop listening to their constituents and put their own desires above others. There’s no point in participating in a council if you’re not willing to listen to the people you are meant to serve. A council gathering requires open communication and active listening. 

Jeremiah 23:18

“But who has stood in the council [b-sohd בְּס֣וֹד] of YHWH, that he should see and hear His word? Who has paid attention to His word and listened?”

Jeremiah sought God’s counsel and devoured God’s instructions, but it left him feeling rather lonely:

Jeremiah 15:16-17a

Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became a joy to me and the delight of my heart; for I have been called by Your name, YHWH God of armies. I did not sit in a circle (council) [v-sohd בְסוֹד] of revelers and celebrate. Because of Your hand upon me I sat alone…

Jeremiah felt like an outsider. He wasn’t part of the worldly council. He sat alone at the table. But YHWH affirmed Jeremiah’s faithfulness. Jeremiah listened to YHWH and shared His message of warning. In comparison, many of the “so-called” prophets of the day did not speak the words of YHWH. They had their own self-absorbed agendas to bring to the Council table:

Jeremiah 23:21-22

[YHWH:] “I did not send these prophets, but they ran. I did not speak to them, but they prophesied. But if they had stood in My council [b-sohdi בְּסוֹדִ֑י], then they would have announced My words to My people, and would have turned them back from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds.”

Saved from the Council of Evil

There are Councils for God (the Divine Assembly and the Gathering of His human family) but, as we have noted, there are also man-made councils who oppose God. Throughout the ages the rulers of the nations have sought power, wealth and autonomy. As a result they have actively made the decision to work against YHWH, bringing chaos to the world:

Psalm 2:1-2

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel [noh-s’du נֽוֹסְדוּ] together, against YHWH and against His Anointed…

Not only did these hardened rulers take counsel against God, they also took counsel against YHWH’s devoted people:

Psalm 83:1-5

[Asaph:] God, do not remain quiet; do not be silent and, God, do not be still. For behold, Your enemies make an uproar, and those who hate You have exalted themselves. They make shrewd plans [counsel: sohd ס֑וֹד] against Your people, and conspire together against Your treasured ones. They have said, “Come, and let’s wipe them out as a nation, so that the name of Israel will no longer be remembered.” For they have conspired together with one mind; they make a covenant against You…

David was surrounded by enemies and he often prayed for rescue:

Psalm 64:2-3a

[David:] Hide me from the secret discussion council [mi-sohd מִסּ֣וֹד] of evildoers, from the restlessness of the workers of injustice, who have sharpened their tongues like a sword.

Psalm 31:13-16

[David:] For I have heard the slander of many, terror is on every side; while they took counsel [b’hi’wa-s’dam בְּהִוָּסְדָ֣ם] together against me, they schemed to take away my life. But as for me, I trust in You, YHWH, I say, “You are my God.”

My times are in Your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me. Make Your face shine upon Your servant; save me in Your faithfulness.

David was constantly surrounded by enemies, but he was never surprised that they hated him. Being mocked by enemies was to be expected. The real pain came from the heartbreak of having your trusted council turn on you. Like Job, David lamented when his friends, his council, mocked and insulted him:

Psalm 55:12-16

[David:] For it is not an enemy who taunts me, then I could endure it; nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, my companion and my confidant; we who had sweet fellowship [sohd ס֑וֹד] together, walked in the house of God among the commotion.

May death come deceitfully upon them; may they go down alive to Sheol, For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst. As for me, I shall call upon God, and YHWH will save me.

David wished for his turncoat companions-in-the-faith to die and be sent to the grave, but Yeshua, as the new-David, turned the tables on David’s wishes. Yeshua was taunted, mocked, scorned, insulted, you name it, by his own council in the Jewish faith. At His trial and execution Yeshua bore the condemnation of His brethren, but He did not wish death on His insulters. Regardless of their behaviour, these were His human image bearers. They were meant to be His council of friends, reflecting God’s love and compassion onto the world. Instead of condemning them to death, He turned the tables and died for them instead. He laid down His own life so that they could live. It was a beautiful reversal of the human condition to seek revenge. There was hope in forgiveness and Yeshua paved the highway to God’s eternal Kingdom. All repentant sinners were welcome to get on the road to redemption.

The Council of My People

Every word YHWH utters is good counsel, and that is the purpose of a prophet, to speak good counsel to the people on behalf of YHWH.

Amos 3: 7-8

Certainly the Lord YHWH does (says) nothing unless He reveals His secret plan counsel [sohdoh סוֹד֔וֹ] to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord YHWH has spoken! Who can do anything but prophesy?

Many false prophets made claims of being an informed councillor in God’s court, but had no real connection to God. YHWH had some harsh words to say to those people:

Ezekiel 13:8-9

Therefore, this is what the Lord YHWH says: “Because you have spoken deceit and have seen a lie, therefore behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord YHWH. “So My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will have no place in the council [b-sohd בְּס֧וֹד] of My people, nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, so that you may know that I am the Lord YHWH.

Our faith family is important. God calls this family The Council of My People. We are all members of the council and we should seek advice together, but only if it comes with the acknowledgement that YHWH is the Head of the Council:

Psalm 111:1-3

Praise YHWH! I will give thanks to YHWH with all my heart, in the (company) council [b-sohd בְּס֖וֹד] of the upright and in the assembly.

Great are the works of YHWH; they are studied by all who delight in them. Splendid and majestic is His work, and His righteousness endures forever.

Next week: The Pit