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The verb, when employed of God, is frequently complemented by" the Heavens," inasmuch as the heavens are without change or mutation, that is to say, they do not individually change, as the individual beings on earth, by transition from existence into non-existence.

The verb is also employed in descriptions of God's relation (the term" relation" is here used as a homonym) to existing species of evanescent things: for those species are as constant, well organized, and unvarying as the individuals of the heavenly hosts. Thus we find," Who sitteth over the circle of the earth" (Isa. xl. 22), Who remains constantly and unremittingly over the sphere of the earth; that is to say, over the things that come into existence within that sphere.

Again," The Lord sitteth upon the flood" (Ps. xxix. 10), i.e., despite the change and variation of earthly objects, no change takes place with respect to God's relation (to the earth): His relation to each of the things which come into existence and perish again is stable and constant, for it concerns only the existing species and not the individuals. It should therefore be borne in mind, that whenever the term" sitting" is applied to God, it is used in this sense.

CHAPTER XII
THE term kam (he rose) is a homonym. In one of its significations it is the opposite of" to sit," as" He did not rise (kam) nor move for him" (Esth. v. 9). It further denotes the confirmation and verification of a thing, e.g,:" Tjie Lord will verify (yakem) His promise" (I Sam. i. 23):" The field of Ephron was made sure (va-yakom) as the property of Abraham" (Gen. xxiii. 17)." The house that is in the walled city shall be established (ve-kam)" (Lev. xxv. 30):" And the kingdom of Israel shall be firmly established (ve-kamah) in thy hand" (I Sam. xxiv. 20). It is always in this sense that the verb is employed with reference to the Almighty; as" Now shall I rise (akum), saith the Lord" (Ps. xii. 7), which is the same as saying," Now shall I verify my word and my dispensation for good or evil."" Thou shalt arise (takum) and have mercy upon Zion" (Ps. cii. 13), which means: Thou wilt establish what thou hast promised, viz., that thou wouldst pity Zion.

Generally a person who resolves to set about a matter, accompanies his resolve by rising, hence the verb is employed to express" to resolve" to do a certain thing; as," That my son hath stirred up my servant against me" (I Sam. xxii. 8). The word is figuratively used to signify the execution of a divine decree against a people sentenced to extermination, as" And I win rise against the house of Jeroboam" (Amos vii. 9):" but he win arise against the house of the evildoers" (Isa. XXXi. 2). Possibly in Psalm xii. 7 the verb has this latter sense, as also in Psalm cii. 13, namely: Thou wilt rise up against her enemies.

There are many passages to be interpreted in this manner, but in no way should it be understood that He rises or sits-far be such a notion 1 Our Sages expressed this idea in the formula," In the world above there is neither sitting nor standing ('amidah)": for the two verbs 'amad and kam are synonyms [and what is said about the former is also applicable to the latter].