Bosom

I became interested in the word bosom as I studied the phrase "taken unto himself" in Alma 45 and Alma 46.  The connection comes from this verse:

69 And Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt in the midst of Zion; and it came to pass that Zion was not, for God received it up into his own bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, Zion is Fled. (Moses 7)

The Hebrew meaning of bosom reminds me of the metaphor of Zion as a hidden garden. The bosom is where you keep something that is both cherished and protected/hidden from plain view.

Bosom --חֵיק (ḥêq)

The word is translated in various ways, including 'lap' and 'arms.' It can even refer to the cloak covering the chest, where important things are stored (even the hands). As with many Hebrew terms, there is both a positive and and negative connotation to this term.  In the positive sense, the bosom of the Lord is a symbol of divine care and protection, as in Enoch.  See also this verse:

11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40)

In this Psalm, the author pleads with God to act on Israel's behalf by no longer withdrawing His hand in protecting and defending His people:

11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom. (Psalm 74)

In the negative context, the word can refer to divine judgement as well, as in these verses:

6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,

7 Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom. (Isaiah 65)

According to the NIDOTTE, the expression in Hebrew is “pay back/measure/bring into the lap.” (See also Psalm 79:12 and Jeremiah 32:18.) The verses above offer a twist on the more familiar expression "burning in the bosom." 

One additional negative example: 

11 Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.

12 They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers’ bosom. (Lamentations 2)

In this verse, the author uses very stark imagery to make it clear that in the day of judgement a mother will not be able to save her precious child -- the children die in their mothers' arms. 

Let's close on a more positive note.  Getting back to Enoch, we learn some important truths from the Doctrine & Covenants about the gathering, centered on the word "bosom." For example, in Doctrine & Covenants 76, Christ is described three times as being "in the bosom of the Father" (see verses 13, 25, and 39).  Then in section 38, we see these three references to "bosom":

4 I am the same which have taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom; and verily, I say, even as many as have believed in my name, for I am Christ, and in mine own name, by the virtue of the blood which I have spilt, have I pleaded before the Father for them. ...

30 I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear. ...

38 See that all things are preserved; and when men are endowed with power from on high and sent forth, all these things shall be gathered unto the bosom of the church. (Doctrine & Covenants 38)

From these verses, we see that just as Christ is in the bosom of the Father, Enoch has been taken into the bosom of Christ. The same blessing is promised to us if we will "treasure up wisdom in [our] bosoms."  Finally, the gathering of property and possessions into the "bosom of the church" happens as a result of temple covenants and blessings.  It is the surrendering of our will to God, allowing Him to lead us, that creates peace and abundance on earth and brings about the conditions of the Second Coming. All of this is taught beautifully using the word bosom.

One final example is found in section 88, in reference to the celestial heirs and the final "resting" state of the earth:

4 This Comforter [the Holy Spirit of Promise] is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;

5 Which glory is that of the church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus Christ his Son—

6 He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;

...

12 Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—

13 The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.

...

17 And the redemption of the soul is through him that quickeneth all things, in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it.

18 Therefore, it must needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that it may be prepared for the celestial glory;

19 For after it hath filled the measure of its creation, it shall be crowned with glory, even with the presence of God the Father;

20 That bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified. (Doctrine & Covenants 88)

"Your ruin is as deep as the sea"

I've posted before on the symbolism of the promised land in the Book of Mormon.  "Crossing the great waters"  has deep significance related to the establishment of a covenant people.  Think of Moses, the Jaredite, the Lehites, (maybe even the founding fathers of the US, who are mentioned in Nephi's vision, who helped create a setting where the restoration could take hold).  In each case, a prerequisite to establishing a covenant people is a crossing of the great waters by divine providence.

Lehi puts it this way:

6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.
7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever. (2 Nephi 1)

It makes sense to me, then, that crossing the great waters is an apt symbol of establishing a new covenant with God.


Along these lines, I found a subtle connection with the Old Testament book of Lamentations:

What can I ·say [testify] about you, [L daughter] Jerusalem?    What can I compare you to?What can I say you are like?    How can I comfort you, ·Jerusalem [L virgin daughter Zion; C location of the Temple]?Your ·ruin [wound] is as ·deep [great] as the sea.    ·No one [L Who…?] can heal you. (EXB, Lamentations 2:13)

This entire chapter mourns the loss of the covenant people, the temple, and God's protection. It's very sad to read.

Of note, this destruction took place shortly after Lehi and his family were safely guided away from Jerusalem.

Verse 10 of the same chapter is also noteworthy, as it sets up a preface for one of the major themes of the Book of Mormon. Notice the contrasting elements of this passage:

The elders of ·Jerusalem [L the daughter of Zion; C the location of the Temple]    sit on the ground in silence.They throw dust on their heads    and put on ·rough cloth [sackcloth; burlap; signs of grief or repentance].The young women of Jerusalem    bow their heads to the ground [C in sorrow]. (Lamentations 2, Expanded Bible)

Compare this with the final passage in the Book of Mormon (quoting Isaiah 52):

31 And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled. (Moroni 10)

(See also 2 Nephi 1:14, 21, 23 and 2 Nephi 8:24-25.)

Also compare this language from the title page:

Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever...

The Book of Mormon highlights the theme of God remembering (and re-establishing) His covenant people in the latter days. Crossing the deep waters is one more way this is symbolically depicted. We'll close this post with a verse from Nephi's psalm:

20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. (2 Nephi 4)

EDIT: Not surprisingly, Stisa has already written on a related aspect of this symbolism in this post.

Zion as an enclosed garden

This post will focus on a connection between two Hebrew roots and some of the associated symbolism.

גָּנַן -- "ganan: to cover, surround, defend"

"Ganan" is a primitive root which appears 8 times in the Old Testament, typically in this context:

35 For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. (Isaiah 37)

גַּן -- "gan: an enclosure, garden"

"Gan" derives from "ganan" (according to BibleHub) and appears 42 times in the Old Testament. The connection seems pretty obvious -- an enclosed garden is covered, surrounded, and defended from outsiders in order to protect and preserve the precious things found inside it.


With that background and overview out of the way, let's look at how these roots are used and what we can learn from it.

1) "Gan" is the word used in the phrase "Garden of Eden." 

There is definite temple relevance in thinking of the garden of Eden as an enclosed garden that is covered and defended from outsiders to protect and preserve the precious things inside it.

2) The Lord is the master of the garden.  

This is made abundantly clear in numerous passages -- the Lord alone does the defending of His garden. Notice the language used to describe the covenant of obedience required by the Lord in Deuteronomy 11, and the blessings and curses associated with the covenant in verses 26-28:

11 Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. 2 Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm; ... 7 But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done.
8 Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 9 and so that you may live long in the land the Lord swore to your ancestors to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. 11 But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. 12 It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.
13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— 14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. 15 I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
...
26 See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse— 27 the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; 28 the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known. (Deuteronomy 11, NIV)

In this passage "gan" is actually found at the end of verse 10, describing a common vegetable garden in Egypt.  The Lord warns the people that the promised land where He is leading them is not like a common garden, it is "a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven," cared for by the Lord so long as the covenant is kept.

3) Zion as an enclosed garden

The concept of Zion as a walled city on a mountain that flourishes by rain from the heavens is beautiful and multi-layered.

This promise comes at the cost of accepting the terms of the covenant. In righteous times, Zion flourishes.  In times of corruption, the curses come into view.

When Israel departs from the covenant, they are destroyed.  In Lamentations we read about the sad demise of the covenant people, and the House of Israel is likened to a garden that is being dug up (again demarcating the use of the root "gan" in bold)

6 He has laid waste his dwelling like a garden;
    he has destroyed his place of meeting.
The Lord has made Zion forget
    her appointed festivals and her Sabbaths;
in his fierce anger he has spurned
    both king and priest.

7 The Lord has rejected his altar
    and abandoned his sanctuary.
He has given the walls of her palaces
    into the hands of the enemy;
they have raised a shout in the house of the Lord
    as on the day of an appointed festival. (Lamentations 2)

4) Isaiah uses this symbolism to describe the re-establishment of a covenant people

2 

2 look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many. 3 The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. (Isaiah 51, see also 2 Nephi 8)