09-28-2019, 12:16 AM
There are several ways to say "forever" in Hebrew.
לָעָד "forever"
לְעוֹלָם "forever"
לָנֶ֫צַח "forever"
לְנֵ֫צַח נְצָחִים "forever and ever"
לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד "forever and ever"
There are other such combinations, but the addition of more than one expression extends the emphasis from "forever" to what we would say as "forever and ever." In Greek, it would be the difference between εἰς αἰῶνα "forever" and εἰς αἰῶνα τῶν αἰώνων "forever and ever."
לָעָד "forever"
Psalm 111:10
רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יהוה שֵׂכֶל טוֹב לְכָל־עֹשֵׂיהֶם תְּהִלָּתוֹ עֹמֶדֶת לָעַד׃
The fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom; all who do them have good sense. His praise stands forever.
רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יהוה שֵׂכֶל טוֹב לְכָל־עֹשֵׂיהֶם תְּהִלָּתוֹ עֹמֶדֶת לָעַד׃
The fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom; all who do them have good sense. His praise stands forever.
לְעוֹלָם "forever"
Psalm 136:26
הוֹדוּ לְאֵל הַשָּׁמָיִם כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃
Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loving faithfulness is forever.
הוֹדוּ לְאֵל הַשָּׁמָיִם כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃
Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loving faithfulness is forever.
לָנֶ֫צַח "forever"
Psalm 74:19
אַל־תִּתֵּן לְחַיַּת נֶפֶשׁ תּוֹרֶךָ חַיַּת עֲנִיֶּיךָ אַל־תִּשְׁכַּח לָנֶצַח׃
Do not give the soul of your turtledove to a wild beast, nor forget the life of your poor one forever.
אַל־תִּתֵּן לְחַיַּת נֶפֶשׁ תּוֹרֶךָ חַיַּת עֲנִיֶּיךָ אַל־תִּשְׁכַּח לָנֶצַח׃
Do not give the soul of your turtledove to a wild beast, nor forget the life of your poor one forever.
לְנֵ֫צַח נְצָחִים "forever and ever"
Isaiah 34:10
לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם לֹא תִכְבֶּה לְעוֹלָם יַעֲלֶה עֲשָׁנָהּ מִדּוֹר לָדוֹר תֶּחֱרָב לְנֵצַח נְצָחִים אֵין עֹבֵר בָּהּ׃
Night and day it will not go out; its smoke will ascend forever. From generation to generation it will be ruined, none shall pass through it forever and ever.
לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם לֹא תִכְבֶּה לְעוֹלָם יַעֲלֶה עֲשָׁנָהּ מִדּוֹר לָדוֹר תֶּחֱרָב לְנֵצַח נְצָחִים אֵין עֹבֵר בָּהּ׃
Night and day it will not go out; its smoke will ascend forever. From generation to generation it will be ruined, none shall pass through it forever and ever.
לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד "forever and ever"
Psalm 119:
וְאֶשְׁמְרָה תוֹרָתְךָ תָמִיד לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׃
And I shall always keep your Torah forever and ever.
וְאֶשְׁמְרָה תוֹרָתְךָ תָמִיד לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׃
And I shall always keep your Torah forever and ever.
There are other such combinations, but the addition of more than one expression extends the emphasis from "forever" to what we would say as "forever and ever." In Greek, it would be the difference between εἰς αἰῶνα "forever" and εἰς αἰῶνα τῶν αἰώνων "forever and ever."