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בָּחַן (Bachan): To Examine, Test, Prove · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to Reformed Thinking. I'm your host and joining me
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today is our expert. It's good to be here, ready to
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dig into another fascinating piece of the Hebrew Scriptures.
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Absolutely. Today we're focusing on a
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specific Hebrew verb button. Now this word pops up quite a
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bit in the Old Testament. It really does.
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And it gives us this, well, this compelling picture of how God
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interacts with his people. So we're going to unpack its
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literal origins, its metaphorical uses, which are
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quite widespread, and what it really teaches us about God's
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ways. That's the plan.
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We'll look at how it shows God's close observation not just of
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individuals, but whole communities too.
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Hopefully you'll get some new clarity on you know why and how
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God tries hearts and minds and what that really means for us in
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our walk of faith. Right.
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So if you've ever thought about those times when it feels like
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God is examining you, or maybe just wondered how Scripture
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portrays that whole process, this Deep Dives is definitely
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for you. Let's get started.
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OK, let's unpack this word. To really get a handle on it, we
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need to go back to the beginning.
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What's the core? The sort of physical meaning of
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where does it start? OK, so at its most basic, that's
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bone. It paints a picture of testing
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precious metals. Think about gold or maybe silver
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being put into Crucible. OK, like a high temperature pot?
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Exactly. A vessel that can take intense
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heat, and the whole point of heating it up like that is to
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find out the true nature of the metal.
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You know, are there imperfections or is it genuinely
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pure? So separating the good from the
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bad, essentially. Precisely.
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It's about separating the pure from the impure, the valuable
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stuff from the well, the dross. And this very literal act, this
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physical process, it really sets the stage for all the other
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meanings the word takes on. And the sources often mentioned
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this process happens alongside another verb that one means to
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smelt or to purify. So you have rest the testing and
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the smelting or purifying often working together.
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So it's a two-part thing sometimes.
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Kind of think about the heat. It doesn't just warm the metal,
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it fundamentally changes it, or rather reveals its true state.
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Impurities, the dross. They either rise to the top so
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they can be skimmed off, or they just fall away, leaving behind
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the pure refined metal. So it sounds very deliberate,
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not just a quick look. Oh, absolutely not.
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Imagine an ancient Goldsmith, or maybe an assayer, someone whose
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whole job was testing metal purity.
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They'd be intensely focused, watching that molten metal,
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looking for any sign of impurity rising or falling away.
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Right. Their reputation would depend on
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getting it right. Exactly.
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It wasn't casual. It was a rigorous, meticulous
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investigation, a critical examination to nail down the
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true purity, the value, the integrity of the metal.
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That's a great visual. So a very practical hands on
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process initially, but then you said it moves beyond that,
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becomes broader. It really does.
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While that's the origin, the physical route the text show is
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used metaphorically way more often in the Old Testament.
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That intense process of testing goal becomes this perfect
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analogy for investigating things that aren't physical, especially
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things in the personal realm. Character, motives, intentions.
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I see the connection. It's about proving, trying, or
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examining these inherent qualities, and often the
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implication is that this process reveals someone's true
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character, or it's part of the purification process for them.
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So the analogy holds. Heat reveals the metals
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composition. And metaphorical testing reveals
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the genuine nature of a person, or maybe even a situation.
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It's all about scrutiny, careful examination to discern what's
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really there underneath the surface.
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Not just a glance, but a deep look.
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OK, now here's where it gets really fascinating for me.
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When we look at texts in Scripture, overwhelmingly it's
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God who's doing the testing. What does that tell us about his
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character, his relationship with us?
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Well, it tells us a lot. First, it shows God is deeply
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involved, actively engaged in the lives of his people.
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He's not some distant observer. He's.
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Hands on, so to speak. In a divine sense, yes.
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And it points to his omniscience, his all knowing
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nature. He doesn't just see, he
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examines. And this divine examination
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isn't arbitrary. It's never random.
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It's always purposeful. Purposeful now.
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It's aimed at uncovering truth, refining character, and
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ultimately bringing about his good ends.
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The sources are really consistent on this.
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God is the primary subject, the main one doing the adding.
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That makes it the most significant way the verb is
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used. So it paints a picture of a God
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who is present, who sees everything, and whose actions
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always have a reason behind them.
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Exactly. His kissing is never just for
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kicks, it always has an intended outcome, a goal he's working
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towards. So thinking about that divine
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examination, what specific parts of a person or maybe aspects of
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life does God most often test or examine with this word?
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The sources point to several key areas where God applies his
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scrutiny. It's quite revealing.
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First, and maybe most prominently, he tests our
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innermost being. Specifically, the texts mention
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the heart and the kidneys. Heart and kidneys.
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That sounds very specific. It does to our modern ears, but
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in Hebrew thought it's deeply symbolic.
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The heart that's live often stands for more than just
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emotion. It represents the mind, the
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intellect, the will, our deepest intentions, our thoughts, our
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core commitments. OK, so the Control Center
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almost. You can think of it that way.
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And the kidneys, Cleo sometimes translated as reigns.
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We're seen as the seat of our deepest emotions, our
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affections, even our conscience, our innermost feelings.
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So when God tests the heart and kidneys.
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He's looking right into our very core, into what truly drives us,
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what we really desire, what fundamentally motivates our
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actions. It's about getting to the
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absolute root of who we are. Wow, are there specific verses
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that illustrate this? Oh definitely.
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Jeremiah 11.20 is a classic example.
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I, Yahweh, am searching the heart, testing the kiddies.
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It's a clear statement of God's deep insight.
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Searching and testing both actions.
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Yes, and it's repeated. Jeremiah 12.3 has the prophet
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saying to God, but you owe Yahweh, no me.
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You see me and you test my heart towards you.
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He acknowledges God's scrutiny. OK then Jeremiah 17.10 says
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again, I Yahweh search the heart.
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I test the kidneys just bit later.
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Jeremiah 20.12 addresses God as O Yahweh of hosts who test the
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righteous who sees the kidneys in the heart.
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So it's a recurring theme in Jeremiah.
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Very much so, but not just there.
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Look at the Psalm. Psalm 7, point sings, declares
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God test the hearts and kidneys. Psalm 17.3 David confesses You
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have tested my heart. You visited me in the night.
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He's saying God has examined him deeply.
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Proverbs 17.3 makes that direct comparison.
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We talked about the refining part is for silver and the
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furnace for gold, but Yahweh tests hearts.
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It connects the metaphorical testing right back to the
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literal refining process. That's.
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Powerful. And even in Chronicles, first
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Chronicles 29 point Zen, third, King David understands this
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about God. He knows God tests the heart and
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delights in uprightness. So this isn't about a
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superficial look. It's a deep dive into our hidden
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motives, our affections, the very core of our character.
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OK, so heart and kidneys are inner being.
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What else does God test? Second, the sources show God
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tests individuals and people directly.
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Not just their inner parts, but the whole person.
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He tests people to scrutinize them, to prove them engaging
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directly with their overall character and how they're
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walking in faith. So like an assessment of the
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person themselves? Exactly.
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Consider Psalm 11.4 to 5. It says his eyelids try the
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children of men that were try theirs deaths.
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It means God thoroughly examines people.
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His eyelids try like a close, scrutinizing look.
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That's the idea. Or look at Psalm 26.2 where the
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psalmist actually asks God, test me, O Yahweh, and try me.
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He's inviting that scrutiny, showing he's willing to be
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examined and hopefully found genuine.
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It takes some courage. It certainly implies confidence
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in his integrity, or at least a desire for it.
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Then you have Psalm 66.10 talking about God testing His
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people. Just like silver is tested,
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refined by fire, Psalm 81.8 implies a test of obedience when
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God pleads with Israel to listen to Him.
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And Psalm 139.23 is perhaps the most well known plea.
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Search me, O God, and know my heart.
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Test me and know my anxious thoughts.
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It's a request for that deep internal examination.
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You're. Right, I know that one.
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And think about Job. Job 7.18 seeks of God examining
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humans by sending trials that you should visit him every
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morning and test him every moment.
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It connects testing with life's difficulties.
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So trials can be a form of testing.
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Yes, and Job 23.8 gives that incredible statement of faith.
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When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
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He sees the trial as a refining process orchestrated by God.
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These passages really show God interacting directly with
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individuals, allowing their true nature to come to the surface.
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OK, so inner being individuals. What else?
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Third, God tests our ways or our conduct, our behavior.
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It's not just about what's happening inside, but how that
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Interstate actually plays out in our actions, our daily path, our
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life choices. So actions matter too.
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Definitely Jeremiah 6.27, we mentioned it briefly has God
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appointing Jeremiah to test their ways, acting like an
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assayer, examining the people's behavior in spiritual condition.
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It shows the examination extends beyond hidden motives to the
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outward manifestation of character.
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How we actually live reveals what's inside.
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That makes sense. Interstate and outer actions are
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connected. They are.
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And finally, sometimes God's testing applies to a whole
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community or nation, and in these cases it often seems to
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have a redemptive or a cleansing purpose.
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Like purifying a whole group. Yes, Zechariah 13.9 makes that
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explicit link again. I will test them like one test
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gold. He's talking about bringing a
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remnant of his people through fire.
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This passage and Psalm 66.10 again they describe this as a
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kind of purificatory judgement within God's history with His
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people. So judgement, but for
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purification, not just destruction.
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Exactly. It's using that image of
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purifying fine metal. It's about shaping the
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community, bringing them through trials and difficulties
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together, aiming for a state of greater collective purity and
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faithfulness, maybe preparing them for his service in a new
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way. OK, so the testing isn't just
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about finding out what's there, it's about doing something with
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that information or through the process itself.
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What would you say is the main goal, the overarching purpose of
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God's testing, especially for individuals?
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That's a great question. The purpose seems to be
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multifaceted, but it's always presented as being for a good
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end, something aligned with His character and His plans for His
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people. First off, it's about revelation
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and clarity. God's testing reveals our true
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nature. It shows the real depth of our
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faith, or lack thereof. It shows the genuineness of our
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obedience. It really brings to light what's
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hidden in our hearts and minds. Things we might not even see
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ourselves. Often, yes, it exposes motives
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and intentions we might be unaware of or trying to ignore.
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It's a divine showing forth of what's truly inside.
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OK, Revelation. What else?
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2nd, and very closely linked is refinement and purification.
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This is that gold analogy again. The testing aims to remove the
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impurities to dross from our lives.
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And dross isn't just sin. Not necessarily just outright
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sin. It could be self-reliance,
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hidden idols, misplaced affections, anxieties, anything
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that hinders our relationship with Him or makes us less useful
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in his service. The testing process helps to
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burn that away. So it makes us pure, like the
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gold. Exactly, it's a purification
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process, making us more like that precious metal,
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transforming us into something more valuable and fit for his
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purposes. That line from Job 23 point
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Mizzio. When he has tested me, I will
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come forth as gold that captures it perfectly, coming out
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stronger, purer, more authentically his.
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Revelation Refinement. Is there more?
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Yes. Third, it serves for shaping and
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development spiritual growth. We saw this with Job 7.18, how
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testing can involve challenges, even calamities.
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Job 34.36 talks about trial by suffering.
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Right, suffering is a test. These events, as difficult and
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sometimes painful as they are, they serve to mold us, to
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strengthen us. They build perseverance,
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patience, hope, Christ like character.
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They are tools God uses to foster spiritual maturity.
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So it's formative. Very much so.
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And finally, it relates to accountability and
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righteousness. God acts as a righteous judge.
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He tests hearts and kidneys, the deepest parts, partly to hold
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individuals accountable. It's a just assessment, ensuring
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that truth and justice prevail even in the hidden places of our
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lives. His testing is always perfectly
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fair according to His righteous standard.
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OK, that provides a really comprehensive picture of God's
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purpose and testing. But you mentioned earlier the
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sources also talk about humans testing God.
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How is that different? What does that imply?
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Yes, this is a really crucial distinction.
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It helps us see the nuances of this even more clearly.
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When humans test or tempt God using the same verb, it almost
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always carries a different negative connotation.
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Negative how? It typically signifies unbelief.
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It's like a challenge to God's authority, or a questioning of
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his promises, his character, his goodness.
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Imagine questioning the quality of the goal before it's even
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been refined, or doubting the refiners skill.
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It implies suspicion, doubt, a real lack of trust.
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So it's coming from a place of skepticism.
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Often, yes. Look at Malachi 3 point cent.
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Now this one is interesting because God actually invites
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them to test him regarding tithes.
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Test me now in this says Yahweh, if I will not open for you the
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windows of heaven. So sometimes it's OK.
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In that specific context, it's an invitation to experience his
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faithfulness by being obedient first.
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It's not skeptical testing, it's more like obey and see if I'm
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not faithful. But then contrast that with
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Malachi 3.15 which speaks negatively of the wicked who
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tested God and escaped immediate judgment, implying they brazenly
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challenged him. OK.
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I see the difference. And Psalm 95.9 is very clear.
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It recalls Israel testing God in the wilderness.
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Your father's tested me. They tried me, though they had
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seen my work. They doubted His provision and
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goodness despite seeing miracle after miracle.
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Right, complaining in the desert.
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Exactly. It was a posture of skepticism,
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defiance, and fundamental distrust in His goodness, even
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after seeing his power. This is worlds apart from God's
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testing of us, which as we've seen, is always righteous and
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ultimately beneficial for His people.
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When humans test God, it's usually an act of suspicion,
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trying to force his hand or prove him wrong, rather than
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submitting in faith. It often comes from a heart
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that's already rebelling. That's a really important
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contrast. Are there any other ways DOS is
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used that sort of broaden our understanding beyond God testing
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us or us testing God? Yes, there's another interesting
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metaphorical extension. It's used for discerning
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information, specifically words. Testing words.
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How does that work? Well, the Book of Job makes this
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comparison twice. It says that just as the mouth
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tastes food to discern its quality, the ear tests words.
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Like judging what you hear. Precisely.
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Job 12.11 asks does not the ear test words as the mouth tastes
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food, and Job 343 repeats it for the ear tests words as the Alate
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tastes food. It highlights this need we have
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for careful discernment for critical examination of what we
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hear. We shouldn't just accept
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everything at face value. So applying the same kind of
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scrutiny to words as an essayer applies to gold.
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That's the idea. Evaluating the truth, the
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quality, the source, the effect of spoken or written words.
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Are they true? Are they helpful?
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Are they pure, or do they contain the dross of falsehood
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or malice? It points towards a spiritual
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discipline of carefully evaluating messages, teachings,
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everything we take in through our ears, not being naive, but
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seeking to understand if words ring true.
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That adds another layer. It's a very versatile word.
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Could you give us a sense, maybe briefly, of how it appears
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grammatically? Does that help understand the
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nuances? It definitely can.
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Understanding the grammatical forms the stems in Hebrew helps
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to see the action from different angles.
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The most common form is the qual stem.
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That's the basic active voice. It occurs 25 times and just
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means the subject is actively doing the testing.
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OK, like God tests. Exactly.
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We see it in different tenses. Perfect tense showing completed
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action like Bunty you tested in Psalm 17.3 or Banani he tested
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me and Job 23.0 done deal. Then the imperfect tense often
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ongoing or future action like Yvonne he will test or he tests
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and Psalm 11.5 describing God's regular activity.
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We also get imperative commands like Brunnani test me and Psalm
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26.2 that direct request to God and infinitives expressing the
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general action like dress and test in Zechariah 13.9 and
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finally the principal bone one who tests or testing in Jeremiah
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11.20 describing God's role as the tester.
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So qual is all about the active performance of testing.
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OK, that's the active voice. What else?
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Then there's the knee fall stem that shows up three times and is
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passive. It means to be put to the test
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or to be tried. Proved.
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Here the subject isn't doing the testing, they are receiving it.
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They are the one being examined. So experiencing the test.
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Exactly in Genesis 42, Joseph's brothers are told by this.
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You shall be tested and your words will be proved.
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They were undergoing the scrutiny.
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Job 34.36 also uses it passively, suggesting Job should
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be tested because of his words. It emphasizes the experience of
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being under trial. OK, active and passive, is that
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it? There's one more very rare one,
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the pool stem. It might appear once in Ezekiel
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21.18. Those scholars debated.
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It's also passive, meaning to be tested maybe with a slightly
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more intensive feel than needful, but it's rarity and the
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debate around that specific verse make it less central than
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qual and E fall. So mostly active God testing and
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sometimes passive us being tested.
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That's the main picture, yes. It highlights both God's action
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and our experience. Now, with all these uses and
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forms, are there related nouns derived from dust that give us
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even more insight? Yes there are, and seeing the
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nouns helps firm up the concepts.
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Some connections are clear, but there's one important
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distinction we need to make first.
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There's the noun booth. It's testing, trial or proof.
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It's the result or the act of testing.
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Like the test itself, right? Isaiah 28.6 uses it in the
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phrase even bond, a tested stone or stone of proof.
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It refers to a cornerstone that had been thoroughly tested and
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proven reliable, stable fit for the foundation.
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It signifies something that is passed the test.
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OK, a proven commodity. Exactly.
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Then there's Bond. This refers to the person doing
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the testing. The assayer, the one who tries
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metals. Ah.
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The tester. Yes, Jeremiah 6.27 uses this
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when God appoints Jeremiah. I have made you an assayer bone
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and tester among my people that you may know and test duel in
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their way. It directly links back to that
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skilled person from the literal origin.
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Got it, Assayer. Now here's the important
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distinction I mentioned. There are a couple of words that
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sound very similar, bon and bon. These appear in places like
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Isaiah 32.16 and 23.13, and they mean Watchtower or maybe Siege
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Tower. Oh OK, sounds like testing but
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it's a tower. Exactly.
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And it's easy to think they're related because they sound
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alike. But the linguistic sources are
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quite clear. These tower words do not come
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from the root, meaning to test. They likely come from a
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different route altogether, probably related to looking out
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or watching. So same sound, different route,
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different meaning. Precisely.
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It's common trap in Hebrew. Phonetic similarity doesn't
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always mean semantic connection. So bone testing, proof and bona
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Sayer are related to our verb. The tower words are not.
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Keeping that straight is important for accurate
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understanding. That's a really helpful
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clarification. Avoids confusion.
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OK, so Mendes doesn't operate in a vacuum.
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How does it relate to other Hebrew verbs that also talk
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about testing or examining? You mentioned our earlier, are
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there others? Oh yes, it's part of a whole
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network, a semantic field of related terms.
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Seeing how does interacts with these other verbs helps us
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pinpoint its specific nuance. Each word adds a slightly
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different shade of meaning. Like different tools for
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examination. That's a good way to put it.
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We already discussed to smelt to purify.
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That's the closest partner often appearing right alongside Des.
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Think of Ishta as discovering the nature purity and Kia as the
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act of removal of impurity through fire.
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They work together in place like Jeremiah 6, Zechariah 13,
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several Psalms, Proverbs 17.3. It's a key pair.
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OK, testing and purifying. Then there's try to tempt or to
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put to the proof. We saw this used when humans
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test God skeptically, Psalm 95.9, Malachi 3.15, but also
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when the psalmist asks God to test him, Psalm 26.2 alongside
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days. It seems to carry a sense of
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proving through experience, putting something or someone to
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the proof in a practical way. Trying something out.
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Kind of. Then there's simply to know or
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to recognize. When it's paired with, like in
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Jeremiah 6.2712, point 3, Psalm 139.23, it suggests that the
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testing leads to knowledge. The examination reveals
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something which then leads to a deeper understanding or
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recognition of the truth. Testing results in knowing OK.
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The outcome of the test. Right.
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We also see KH3D to investigate, to visit, to attend to.
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It appears with dots in Psalm 17.3 and Job 7.18.
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It has a sense of purposeful scrutiny, a focused
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investigation or visitation. A deliberate inspection.
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Yes and similar are both meaning to see or to perceive is used
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with Jeremiah 12.320 point 1 and Psalm 139.24.
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Suggesting testing involves direct visual inspection is
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paired with it. In Psalm 11.4.
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His eyes behold, his eyelids test.
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Both emphasize the divine gaze, the careful observation involved
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in testing. So seeing is part of testing.
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It can be, and remember that fascinating parallel with doff
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to taste Job 12.1 and 34.3 use it metaphorically.
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The ear tests even words like the mouth tastes food.
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It connects testing to sensory discernment, evaluating the
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quality of words through careful listening.
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Tasting words. I like that.
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It's evocative, isn't it? And finally, to judge it appears
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with Jeremiah 11.20. Oh Yahweh of hosts who judges
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righteously, who tests the heart and the kidneys.
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This pairing reinforces God's role as a righteous judge whose
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examination is part of the just assessment leading towards
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judgement. So testing and judging are
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linked. They certainly can be seeing.
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There's a relation to all these other verbs, smelting, trying,
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knowing, investigating, seeing, tasting, judging.
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It really fills up the picture showing the richness and the
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different facets of examination in the Hebrew mindset.
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This whole exploration of death is incredibly rich.
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Taking all this in, considering the sources, what are some of
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the key theological implications for us, particularly thinking
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from a Reformed perspective? What does this really mean for
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our faith, our lives? That's the crucial question,
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isn't it? Yeah.
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How does this ancient word speak to us today?
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I think docs really illuminate several core truths central to
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our faith, especially within a Reformed framework.
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First, it strongly emphasizes God's sovereignty in absolutely
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everything, including our trials.
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The fact that God is overwhelmingly the one doing the
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testing shows that testing isn't random.
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It's not bad luck or meaningless suffering.
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It's an intentional sovereign act by our Creator.
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He's initiating it, directing. It exactly.
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He initiates these periods for his specific wise purposes.
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He overseas every aspect. So when we face difficulties, we
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shouldn't see them as cosmic accidents, but potentially as
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part of God's deliberate and ultimately good work in our
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lives. His hand is always on the
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thermostat of the refining furnace, so to speak.
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That changes how you view hardship.
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It really does. Second, it underscores his
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perfect intimate knowledge of us that focus on testing the heart
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and kidneys. It's a powerful picture of his
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complete understanding of everything inside us, our
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thoughts, motives, desires, fears, but nothing is hidden.
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Which is both comforting and maybe a little unnerving.
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Both. It's comforting because he knows
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us completely, flaws and all, and still works for our good.
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He knows our weaknesses, our struggles, and his testing is
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calibrated perfectly. But it's also a call to honesty
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and openness before him. We can't hide.
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He sees right through any superficial piety to the reality
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within. He knows us better than we know
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ourselves. OK.
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Sovereignty. Perfect knowledge.
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What else? 3rd and this is so central,
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testing is presented primarily as a means of purification and
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confirmation to Christ. That gold refining image is key.
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God's testing isn't meant to destroy us if we're his
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children, It's meant to cleanse us.
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Removing the draw. Exactly, removing not just
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obvious sin, but also the more subtle things.
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Self-reliance, pride, fear, worldly attachments, idols we
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might not even recognize. The testing process doesn't just
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identify these, it actively helps to burn them away through
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the experience, leaving behind the pure gold of faith, humility
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and Christlikeness. So it's part of our
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sanctification. Precisely.
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It's how he shapes us, molds us more closely into the image of
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his Son. It's often painful, yes, but
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it's a profoundly loving process designed to make us more holy,
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more useful, more truly ourselves in him.
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It yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
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That's a vital perspective. 4th Flowing from His sovereignty and
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purpose, we have the assurance of His good purpose in testing,
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even when it involves suffering, like with Job.
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For the believer, it's not ultimately punitive in the sense
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of condemnation. It's purificatory.
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Romans 8.2 A applies here. He's working all things together
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for good for those who love him. So even the hard tests.
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Even the hardest, the intended outcome for those who belong to
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him is to emerge stronger, purer, more refined, like that
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gold, tried and approved. It's a fundamentally gracious
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work of His hand, preparing us for His eternal purposes,
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building perseverance, character, and hope.
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He permits trials not to break His children, but to build them.
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Assurance in the midst of trial. That's huge.
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It is. And finally, understanding
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guides our proper response to testing.
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Knowing God is the sovereign, wise, loving examiner who tests
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for our ultimate good and His glory should lead us to respond
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with faith and trust, not rebellion or despair.
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So instead of asking why me, maybe ask what are you teaching
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me? Something like that.
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Instead of questioning His goodness or His authority when
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trials come, which is how humans test God and unbelief, we're
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called to yield to His process, to submit humbly, trust His
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wisdom even when we don't understand, and cooperate with
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His refining work, knowing He is shaping us.
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It's about leaning into His hand, not pulling away.
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Faith, trust, submission. Not easy, but essential.
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Absolutely. That contrast between our
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response and the skeptical testing of God is stark.
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Our call is to trust the refiner.
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Wow, that's a really compelling look at just one Hebrew word.
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It definitely makes you stop and think about your own walk, how
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you interpret the challenges life throws your way.
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It reframes things quite a bit. It really does.
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It gives such a clear picture of God's active, purposeful hand in
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shaping His people. His testing is an arbitrary it's
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an act of intricate grace and loving design.
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This deep dive into Tufts certainly offers a lot to chew
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on. Knowing that God examines our
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hearts not to condemn, but to purify, Well, that provides some
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powerful encouragement, doesn't it?
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No matter the circumstance. It really should.
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It leaves us with a question to ponder, perhaps.
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What might it look like for you personally to really embrace
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God's refining work in your life today?
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To yield to that loving, purposeful scrutiny?
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That's a good question to sit with.
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Just thinking about the precision, the care, the
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ultimate goal behind it all, it's profound.
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Well, that brings us to the end of this deep dive.
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Thank you so much for joining us on Reformed Thinking.
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Until next time, may you continue to grow in knowledge
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and in grace.