The meanings of the Hebrew word "olam"

Reading a translation of any book is just not the same as reading it in its original language and is adequately stated in the phrase "lost in the translation." Whenever a text is translated from one language to another it loses some of its flavor and substance. The problem is compounded by the fact that a language is tied to the culture that uses that language. When the text is read by a culture different from the one it is written in, it loses its cultural context. A biblical example of this can be found in the Hebrew word tsur which is translated as a rock - He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly moved (Psalm 62:2, RSV). What is a rock and how does it apply to God? To us it may mean solid, heavy or hard but the cultural meaning of the word tsur is a high place in the rocks where one goes for defense, a place of salvation. Mr. Jeff Benner made interesting meanings concerning the Hebrew word "olam" in his book entitled The Living Words. The Living Words reveals the Hebraic meaning of many important words in the Bible providing the student of the Bible with a more in-depth understanding of the Word of God. Mr. Benner, is founder of the Ancient Hebrew Research Center (www.ancient-hebrew.org) and the Mechanical Translation of the Hebrew Bible Project (www.mechanical-translation.org), has authored many books on the subject of the Ancient Hebrew alphabet, language and culture and speaks around the country on this same subject. Mr. Benner's goal is to teach proper Biblical interpretation by providing others with the tools needed to read and understand the Bible from its original Hebraic context.

See: Ancient Hebrew Word Meanings