What does it mean to say “only begotten” Son?  We begin with the scripture commonly known as John 3:16:

Yahuchanan (John) 3:16-21

For ELOHIYM so loved (אהב ahav) the world (תֵּבֵל tebel), that he gave his only begotten Son (יָחִיד את, eth yachiyd), that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (עוֹלָם חַי chay olam). 17 For ELOHIYM did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son (יָחִיד בֵּן, ben yachiyd) of ELOHIYM. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light (אוֺר 'owr) is come into the world, and men loved (אהב ahav) darkness rather than light (אוֺר 'owr), because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone that does evil hates the light (אוֺר 'owr) neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that does truth (אמת emet) comes to the light (אוֺר 'owr), that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in ELOHIYM.

The difficulty in this interpretation has to do with the meaning of the phrase “only begotten” Son.  This term “only begotten” is translated from the Greek term μονογενης monogenes (mon-og-en-ace'), meaning only-born, i.e. sole:--only (begotten, child).  It is easy to see in this term mono – genes, i.e., one genetic source.  However, even monogenes does not reach the descriptiveness of the Hebrew phrase ben yachide, or even eth yachide.

I submit that the interpretation that uses “only begotten” as the English equivalent of monogenes is an accurate interpretation; however, it does not convey the depth of the Hebrew, because of some of the following problems.  For instance, there is a scriptural reference which indicates that there are many sons of the living ELOHIYM.

Husha (Hosea) 1:10

Yet the number of the children of Yisra’el shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said to them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living ELOHIYM.

Further, the Psalms make a similar reference:

Tehilliym (Psalms) 82:6

I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of EL ELYON.

If there are many sons of the living ELOHIYM, and children of EL ELYON, how is that YAHUSHA is “only begotten”?  We are called to accept this descriptive as complete, and are essentially instructed to resolve the conflictive aspects of this interpretation in our own imagination by concluding that the phrase “only begotten” means something more than “only begotten.” 

When we look at the Hebrew phrase for this condition, we have a foreshadowing of this with Avraham and his son Yitzak, where the word yachide first appears.

B’reshiyth (Genesis) 22:2

And he said אָמַר, Take now לָקַח your son בֵּן (ben), your יָחִיד (yachide) son Yitzak יִצְחָק, whom you love אָהַב, and get you יָלַךְ into the land אֶרֶץ of Moriah מוֹרִיָּה; and offer him עָלָה there for a burnt offering עֹלָה upon one אֶחָד of the mountains הַר which I will tell אָמַר you of.

“Take now your son” is interpreted from the Hebrew word “ben” which is typically translated as “son”; yet, when it comes to the very next phrase, “your son Yitzak” the word is not “ben” but “yachide”.  Ah, important indeed, as Yitzak was not the “only begotten” son of Abraham – do you not remember Ishmael?  However, Ishmael was the son of bondage, being born of a woman under bondage, but Yitzak was the son of the promise.  In this case, however, it is so much more, because he is yachide. 

In the world of the common law, Yitzak would be known as the primogenitor – the first in line to inherit, which might then lend to a translation of “first begotten.”  But in the case of Yitzak, that was not true either.  No, the yachide is the first division of the soul; the first descendant of the initial DNA.  So, “only begotten” is true and accurate, but the Hebrew “yechide” is more accurate.

Now consider that in Yahuchanan 3:16, in the Brit Chadasha, it is not only the word yachide that is designated, but את eth yachide!  YAHUAH ahava ha’aretz, asher natan eth yachide!

As I have written before, lineage is tracked in two different ways under Hebraic tradition: the lineage of the Yahudiym is established through the blood line of the mother, although the mother may trace her bloodline by either her mother or father as is established in Mattithyahu.  The Leviym, however, trace their lineage through the father back directly to Leviy.  The Koheniym trace their lineage through their fathers back directly to Aharon.   However, in both instances, the genealogy of HAMASHIACH is traced through Perets to Yahudah (Mattithyahu 1:3; Lucas 3:33), which means that HAMASHIACH traces his lineage to the children of Perets, known in the modern world as the Ashkenaziym (symbolized by the Golden Lion), as compared to the children of Zarech, known in the modern world as the Sephardiym (symbolized by the Red Lion).

Although Yoceph is in the line of Yahudah, the house of Perets, and a direct descendent of David, the kingship passed through Shalomah, and Yoceph’s lineage differs from the lineage of Miryam at that generation, being a descendent of Nathan rather than of Shalomah.  Miryam traces her lineage, however, to Shalomah, to Uzziyah, to Yoshiyah, and to Yahoyakin (Jahoiachin) (Mattithyahu 1:14).  In short, YAHUSHA was the destined heir to the kingship of the Yahudiym under the bloodline of his mother Miryam.

Mattithyahu (Matthew) 1:12-17

And after they were brought to Babylon, (14) Yahoyakin begat (1) She’altiy’el; and She’altiy’el begat Zerubbavel; 13 And (2) Zerubbavel begat Aviyhud; and (3) Aviyhud begat Elyaqiym; and (4) Elyaqiym begat Azzur; 14 And (5) Azzur begat Tsadoq; and (6) Tsadoq begat Yoqiym; and (7) Yoqiym begat El’ayil; 15 And (8) El’ayil begat El`azar; and (9) El`azar begat Matthan; and (10) Matthan begat Ya`aqov; 16 And (11) Ya`aqov begat (12) Yoceph the father of (13) Miryam, of whom was born (14) Yahusha, who is called Mashiach. 17 So all the generations from Avraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon to HaMashiach are fourteen generations.

The deity of HAMASHIACH is confirmed without the corruption of the bloodline in the divine conception, as the blood is not corrupt in any respect and is derived exclusively from a divine source; hence redemption of the kingship was possible only in the divinity of HAMASHIACH. 

Under this lineage, YAHUSHA HAMASHIACH rightfully took the throne of the Yahudiym under the law of nations.  Although the rise of Zerubbavel to restore the temple in Yerushaliym was heralded as the acts of a messiah, Yahudiah was not restored as an autonomous nation until the rise of the Benyamiym under Yahudah Makkaby (Judah the Hammer).  The temple was again rededicated and autonomy of Yahudiah (not Israel) was restored for several generations, yet never under the kingship of a descendant of David, to fall once again under the political supremacy of emerging Rome, who placed Herod, an Edomi son of Esau, at the helm of the political jurisdiction called Judea (Yahudiah) under Rome at the time of the arrival of HAMASHIACH. 

In the same way that the kingdom of the Yahudiym was called to obey the edicts of the occupying armies of Babylon, or Persia – and it was by the edict of Cyrus, as readopted by Darius that gave permission for the return of the Yahudiym to Yerushaliym to rebuild the temple.  (Similarly, it is U.N. Resolution S-181 that created the edict to go and rebuild Yerushaliym in the modern era.) 

Now, let us consider the presentation of YAHUSHA HAMASHIACH at the time of his death.

Yahuchanan (John) 19:13-20

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought YAHUSHA forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Ivriyt, Gabbatha. 14 And it was the preparation of the Pecach, and about the sixth hour: and he said unto the Yahudiym, Behold your King! 15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate said unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. 16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took YAHUSHA, and led him away. 17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Ivriyt Gulgoleth: 18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and YAHUSHA in the midst.

19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, YAHUSHA OF NATSARIYTH THE KING OF THE YAHUDIYM. 20 This title then read many of the Yahudiym: for the place where YAHUSHA was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Ivriyt, and Yavaniy, and Latin.

יהושוע

הנצארי

ומלק

היהודים

YAHUSHUA HaNetzeri v’Malek H’Yahudiym

Of course, this became problematic when the acronym יהוה was revealed in this coronation.  In this passage, expressed by the eye witness Yohuchanan, YAHUSHA is presented first to the leadership of Yahudiym, Pilate saying “Behold! Your king!”  After his presentment under the authority of Rome, and prior to his death, he is proclaimed in writing in the three official languages of the Empire that YAHUSHA was the king of the Yahudiym.  This, therefore, became a reality as a matter of Roman law, and was therefore binding on all of the earth.  The throne of David was then reinstated over the kingdom of Yahudah, but without the blood corruption of the line.  More importantly for us who accept HAMASHIACH as the ben Elohiym, at the moment of his death He was proclaimed YAHUSHA YAHUAH.  I will let that sit for a moment.

Now, consider that the phrase in Hebrew also reflects that in addition to being the one from Nazareth (Netzeroth – the city of branches), he is also declared to be the branch – Ha’Netzeri.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 60:21

Your people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the Branch (ha’netzer) of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.

Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) 23:5

Behold, the days come says YAHUAH, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch (tzemach tzadik), and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment (mishpat) and justice (tzedakah) in the earth.

Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) 33:15

In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment (mishpat) and righteousness  (tzedekah)  in the land.

Zakaryahu (Zechariah) 3:8

Hear now, O YAHUSHA the high priest, you, and your fellows that sit before you: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.  

Zakaryahu (Zechariah) 6:12

And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaks YAHUAH TSEVA’OTH, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of YAHUAH:

YAHUSHA HAMASHIACH – the BRANCH; the duly ordained and lawful king of the Yahudiym (malek ha’melekiym); there has never been another since his crowning.