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  • From: Hedrick Gary <GaryH AT cjfm.org>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Isaiah 44:15 idol of fire god?
  • Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:07:33 -0600

I agree with you, Kevin. In translation, context is everything. The passage
is about idolatry; and the point in 44:15 is simply that one person uses wood
to make a fire so he can bake some bread while someone else fashions it into
an idol and falls down before it in worship. In either case, it's just a
chunk of cellulose. I don't see any indication of deification of the fire.
Just the wood.

Gary Hedrick

On Jan 31, 2011, at 5:53 PM, Kevin Riley wrote:

> Yes, but none of that seems to fit with Is. 44. The point is that the same
> piece of wood that is made into an idol is also used for making a fire and
> cooking. I just don't see worshipping fire in the text.
>
> Kevin Riley
>
> On 1/02/2011 10:47 AM, Hedrick Gary wrote:
>> Let's not forget those interesting passages in the Hebrew Bible where the
>> GOD of Israel appears as "fire." I'm thinking, for instance, of the
>> burning bush (Ex. 3:2) and the pillar of fire that guided them by night in
>> the wilderness wanderings (13:21). There are other instances, as well.
>>
>> Gary Hedrick
>> San Antonio, Texas USA
>>
>> Ex. 3:2 וירא מלאך יהוה אליו בלבת־אש מתוך הסנה וירא והנה הסנה בער באש והסנה
>> איננו אכל׃
>> 13:21 ויהוה הלך לפניהם יומם בעמוד ענן לנחתם הדרך ולילה בעמוד אש להאיר להם
>> ללכת יומם ולילה׃
>>
>> On Jan 31, 2011, at 5:37 PM, Kevin Riley wrote:
>>
>>> Worshipping God in the form of fire is quite old. It has long been found
>>> among Indo-European peoples. But, I don't see that in the Hebrew text.
>>>
>>> Kevin Riley
>>>
>>> On 1/02/2011 10:02 AM, kenneth greifer wrote:
>>>> I was wondering if Isaiah 44:15 might say "...he (the idol maker) will
>>>> make a god and he will worship (he will bow), he makes (it) an idol and
>>>> bows to them (lamo) (or to it)." It also says he will use the wood to
>>>> make a fire to warm himself and to cook. Maybe the quote literally means
>>>> he will make a god and an idol and bow to them both if the god is the
>>>> fire. I heard that in those times some people worshiped fire as a god. I
>>>> don't know if they believed in a god in charge of fire or if they
>>>> thought fire itself was a god. It's a wild guess, but who knows. It
>>>> could explain the word "to them" (lamo). (As usual, I don't actually
>>>> expect anyone to answer, but if you do, please don't do it off-list.
>>>> Thank you.)
>>>>
>>>> Kenneth Greifer





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