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Joshua 1–8; 23–24

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Joshua 1:8

Introduction

In contemporary culture, the word “meditation” often brings to mind images of silent rooms, crossed legs, and a quest to empty the mind of all thought. But meditation in ancient biblical times was far from silent or inactive. Originating from the Hebrew term hagah, early meditation was an innate interaction with divine scripture. The ancient readers did not seek emptiness; instead, they filled their minds and mouths with Scripture, softly reciting and reflecting on its truths continuously.

Rather than a brief mental practice, meditation was designed as a spiritual discipline to fuse mind, voice, and heart, thereby changing one’s fundamental character. In this post, we will dive deep into the world of hagah to uncover how this “noisy” meditation can lead to true spiritual prosperity and success.

Let us study the scriptures and “meditate therein day and night,” as counseled by the Lord in the book of Joshua (1:8). 

President Thomas S. Monson

Hebrew Origin

The Hebrew word hagah (הגה) is a primitive root that serves as the foundation for the biblical concept of meditation. Unlike the modern Western or Eastern understanding of meditation as a silent, internal exercise, the origin and meaning of hagah suggest a noisy, active, and visceral engagement with a subject.

Hagah is spelled with the Hebrew letters Hey (ה), Gimel (ג), and Hey (ה).

• Hey (ה): Represents a man with upraised arms, signifying looking, revealing, or wondering.
• Gimel (ג): Represents a foot, signifying walking or gathering.
• The “Story” of the Letters: Taken together, the letters suggest the act of active pondering until revelation comes.

Linguistically, hagah can be understood as muttering, moaning, growling, uttering, musing, or speaking. In the Old Testament, this is a common description for internalizing scripture by murmuring it softly.

Onomatopoeia and Animal Metaphors

Hagah is an onomatopoeic word, meaning its sound mimics the action it describes—specifically, a low, rumbling sound. The sources that highlight two primary animal metaphors that define its meaning:

• The Lion’s Growl: Hagah describes the sound a lion makes as it stands over its prey. This represents a state of intense focus, passion, and protection over the “food” (Scripture) that one is about to consume.
• The Cow’s Cud: Hagah is like the biological process of rumination seen in kosher animals like cows or deer. Just as a cow brings food back up to chew it repeatedly until every nutrient is extracted, hagah involves repeatedly bringing a word or truth back to the mind and mouth to fully digest its meaning. 
• “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth”: Just as a cow brings food back up to chew it repeatedly to extract every nutrient, Joshua was to repeatedly recite the Law to extract every ounce of spiritual nutrition and wisdom. By keeping the words in his mouth, he was moving beyond mere intellectual reading to a deep assimilation of the truth into his very being.

The Oral and Visual Nature of the Word

The ancient meaning of hagah encompasses both the mouth and the mind:

1. Audible Expression: In ancient times, because scrolls were expensive and rare, people meditated by reciting Scripture aloud to themselves. It was an oral activity that involved the tongue and voice, not just the mind.
2. Envisioning: Scholars note that the phrase hagah be (meditating on) often implies visual thinking or imagining. It involves picturing God’s past deeds of salvation or “giving a long loving look” at His works to make the past become a present reality for the reader.
3. Focus: The focus is objective and external, centered on the “Book of the Law,” God’s works, and His promises. It is about looking to someone higher than oneself.

Key Biblical Occurrences

• Joshua 1:8: Joshua is commanded to not let the “Book of the Law” depart from his mouth, but to hagah (meditate) on it day and night to ensure success.
• Psalm 1:2: The “blessed man” is described as one who delights in God’s instruction and hagah (meditates) on it constantly.
• Isaiah 31:4: Uses the word specifically to describe the growl of a lion over its prey, illustrating the intensity required in meditation.

Transition from Hebrew to Greek Cultures

The transition from Hebrew to Greek cultures brought a shift in the terminology and connotations of meditation, moving from a primarily onomatopoeic, animal-like visceral action to terms emphasizing practice, deliberate plotting, and cognitive reflection.

Shifts in Terminology and Meaning

• From Hagah to Meletaō: While the Hebrew hagah is rooted in the sounds of growling or muttering, the primary Greek equivalent used by the apostles is meletaō (μελετάω). This Greek word means to “take care of,” “revolve in the mind,” or “imagine”.
• Meditation as “Practice”: In the Greek culture of the New Testament, meletaō (as seen in 1 Timothy 4:15) is often translated as “practice” or “cultivate”. This indicates that meditation had transformed into a structured way of life and the pursuit of one’s purpose. 
• Deliberate Activity: It was used more to describe purposeful, conscious activity. For example, in Acts 4:25, the Greek meletaō is used to describe how people “plot” (meditate) in vain, indicating that meditation is a deliberate act, whether used for good or evil.

Cultural Context and Adaptation

• Relatability to the Roman Empire: Paul and other New Testament writers used Greek connotations because the entire Roman empire was already familiar with meditation. Using Greek language allowed new Christians—both Jews and Gentiles—to relate the biblical discipline to the culture they lived in.
• Cognitive and Volitional Focus: While Hebrew meditation was highly oral, Greek terms like logizomai (used in Philippians 4:8) emphasize thinking, considering, and letting the mind dwell on specific virtues. 
• Visual Absorption: The Greek culture also expressed meditation through visual metaphors. In James 1:25, the concept of meditating on the law is described using the Greek word parakupsas, which means “looking intently” or “bending over” with penetrating absorption.

Continuity of the Oral Tradition

Despite these cultural shifts, the Greek term meletan (the infinitive of meletaō) originally maintained an oral foundation. Like the Hebrew hagah, it first denoted an oral activity—reciting or repeating aloud from memory—before it eventually developed the extended meaning of “contemplation” or “reflection” divorced from vocalization. However, by the time of the Enlightenment, Western (Greek-influenced) thought shifted “meditation” almost entirely into a silent, interior act of the mind, a departure from the original vocal and audible nature of both the Hebrew and early Greek concepts.

Meditate and Feasting

Nephi may have had in mind this ancient practice of hagah when he implored us to “feast upon the words of Christ” (2 Nephi 32:3) in the Book of Mormon. The relationship between “feasting” and the Hebrew word hagah is central to understanding ancient biblical meditation as a passionate, active, and nutritional process rather than a silent, mental one. In the sources, feasting on God’s word is illustrated through two primary animal metaphors that define the mechanics of hagah. The lion feasting on its prey and kosher animals chewing the cud.

“Eating the Book”

The concept of feasting and meditating is also tied to the prophetic command to literally “eat the scroll” or “eat the book” as seen in the experiences of Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and John.

• Internalization: In ancient Near Eastern contexts, “eating” or “chewing” written words represented internalizing and memorizing them so they could be spoken from a place of deep personal knowledge.
• The Order of Intake: The process is described as eating (appropriating), digesting (meditating), and the effect of digesting (transformation). Jeremiah explicitly states, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart”.

There is contrast between this “feasting” with modern habits of “hurried reading” or “merely nibbling” at the banquet table of the Gospel. True hagah requires one to “take it slow” and “chew” prayerfully, carefully, and intentionally. By treating the Word as a “three-course dinner” rather than a snack, the practitioner develops a “craving” and “hunger” for God that leads to spiritual prosperity.

The relationship between “feasting” and the Hebrew word hagah is central to understanding ancient biblical meditation as a passionate, active, and nutritional process rather than a silent, mental one. In the sources, feasting on God’s word is illustrated through two primary animal metaphors that define the mechanics of hagah.

Feasting vs. Nibbling

Contrast this “feasting” with modern habits of “hurried reading” or “merely nibbling” at the banquet table of the Gospel. True hagah requires one to “take it slow” and “chew” prayerfully, carefully, and intentionally. By treating the Word as a “three-course dinner” rather than a snack, the reader develops a “craving” and “hunger” for God that leads to spiritual prosperity.

Meditate and Ponder

Pondering and meditating are essentially synonymous. While modern usage often views pondering as a purely mental exercise, the ancient scriptural concept of hagah integrates this internal reflection with outward expression. While pondering is the mental act of weighing and reflecting, meditation is the broader discipline that takes that internal pondering and gives it a voice—integrating the mind, heart, and mouth to fully internalize God’s truth.

Personal Application

I’ve found this ancient word of hagah to be a valuable pearl of great price. Too often I find myself “chewing” or replaying things in my mind which have no nutrition or value. The Lord’s counsel is to meditate or chew on things that matter most so I can “observe to do according to all that is written therein”. This opens to door for the Lord to make my “way prosperous, and then [I can] have good success.” Perhaps, a good question is: what do we chew upon? Is it nutritious or poisonous? 

Conclusion

In the end, the original meaning of meditation pushes back against our current preference for silent, abstract thought, instead calling us to embrace a loud, engaged, and visceral lifestyle of interacting with the Word. When we reclaim the Hebrew root “hagah,” we are encouraged to move past superficial reading and instead, to ruminate on and absorb God’s promises until they are fully integrated into our spirit, much like “chewing the cud” or “growling.” This ancient discipline is not an exercise in emptying the mind to find inner calm, but a purposeful filling of the mind and mouth with divine truth to achieve total heart transformation. True spiritual success, demonstrated by Joshua and David, stems from perpetually reflecting on and internalizing scripture, which roots us firmly like “trees of life,” ensuring continuous fruitfulness and stability through changing times. As you move forward, do not simply “nibble” at the banquet table of the Gospel; instead, feast with passion, ponder the Words of Life throughout your day, and let this ancient art transform your life from the inside out.