Notes from Biblical Languages lecture:

Last night I had my first live session of class where I was logged in with 13 other students to attend a lecture by our instructor, Sarah Wells. To whet our appetite, she gave us two fun examples of word studies in both Hebrew and Greek that help us see the value in digging deeper to the original language of a text.

Take John 1:5 (KJV)

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

If we do a study on the Greek for the word comprehend, we can pull other meanings. The Greek word is "καταλαμβάνω" or "katalambanó" which can be defined as seize tight hold of, arrest, catch, capture, appropriate, (b) I overtake, (c) mid. aor: I perceived, comprehended.

Thus we can see and respect why other translations are worded as such (and there are many, many more):

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (ESV)
The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (NIV)
And the light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out. (ISV)

Another fun one. Take Genesis 2:18 (KJV)

And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make an help meet for him.

If we do a study on the Hebrew for the word "help" we get the word   עֵ֫זֶר or "ezer" which means "a help". Uniquely, in the majority of the occurences in the OT where the word ezer is used, it is used in the sense of a militaristic help. One who came to someone's aid to vanquish enemies. Divine intervention. So after we have studied this word, we have a deeper understanding of the crucial role of a woman in relation to her husband's salvation and defense. Almost a spiritual protector...quite a bit different from our cultural norms of women in kitchen, yes?

This: 

as opposed to

This:
And all that from a little word study!