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  • From: John Ronning <ronning AT ilink.nis.za>
  • To: Rolf Furuli <furuli AT online.no>, Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: I AM THAT I AM
  • Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1998 09:26:19 +0200




Rolf Furuli wrote:

> BTW, if the
> above explanation is accepted [i.e Exod 3:14 is "I will be" not "I am"],
> there is a
> huge gap between Exodus 3:14 and
> the EGW EIMI of John 8:58.

Dear Rolf,

Apparently the Jews who heard Jesus say what is translated by John as EGW
EIMI would
not accept your explanation, since they picked up stones to stone him. I
also doubt
the LXX translators simply overlooked the fact that 'ehyeh normally means I
will be.
Eric Weiss asked "HOW would one say in Hebrew at 3:14 "I AM THAT I AM"?
Perhaps a
better question would be, "How would one say in Hebrew, `I am who I am, in
the past,
present, and future' using the verb hayah to express existence?" Is there a
better
way than 'ehyeh 'asher 'ehyeh? I think the LXX "I am he who (always) is"
captures
this thought quite well. BTW egw eimi found in John 8:58 is also in the LXX
to
translate 'ani hu' (I am he) in Deut 32:39, Isa 41:4, 43:10, and 46:4. 'ani
hu'
(normally would just be "present tense") is used with reference to the past
and / or
future in Isa 41:4, 43:10, 43:13, 46:4, and 48:12). These passages in Isaiah
are
related by some to Exod 3:14, which if correct would reinforce the idea that
Exod 3:14
is not to be confined to the future (or present).

You also wrote

"To translate EHYE in Exodus 3:14 as "I am" both ignores its lexical meaning
and its
use as future, and is clearly
idiosyncratic."

Whatever the translation, it is clearly idiosyncratic - only God (or a
blasphemer)
speaks this way (thus the intent to stone Jesus).

Christmas blessings,

John Ronning






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