Biblical Hebrew Forum

[John Ronning <ronning AT ilink.nis.za>]

Lloyd Barre wrote:

> Dear List Members,
>
> I am interested in your opinions on Deut 32:7-9.  I have provided a
> summary of my view on
> it to get things going.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Lloyd Barre
>
>
> Think back to the older days,
> think over the years, down the ages.
> Ask of your father, let him teach you;
> of your elders, let them enlighten you:
>
> When Elyon gave the nations their inheritance,
> when he divided the sons of men,
> he fixed their bounds according to the number of the sons of El,
> Yahweh's portion is his people,
> Jacob his inheritance.
>
>
> The introduction begins with the statement that a student may learn of
> an ancient event, the
> knowledge of which first came to his grandfather's generation.  The
> event was an executive
> decision by El who assigned his divine "sons" to rule over various
> peoples.  Here Yahweh is
> made the preeminent "son of El" who has been assigned the people of
> Jacob.  This
> theological scheme is illustrated in the following diagram:
>
>                                           El
>                                         |
>                                   Sons of  El
>                                         |
> Chemosh        Dagon          Baal    Yahweh        Milcom
> Hadad        Qos
>         |                     |                 |
> |              |                   |              |
>    Moab           Philistia       Canaan     Jacob        Ammon
> Aram      Edom

Dear Lloyd,

My view is that Elyon and El are other names or epithets for Yhwh, since
the same song/poem says there is no God (Elohim) besides Yhwh (v. 39)
and in the same song Yhwh is called El Enumah (God of faithfulness) in
v. 4 and is called El "who was in labor with you") in v. 18, and in v.
21 the idols are called "not-El" (which is what Yhwh is according to
your interpretation).  Not to mention v. 17 which calls the other gods
demons (shediym), not "lesser brothers of Yhwh".

As for the "sons of El/Elohim," the same song/poem says that God "begot"
Israel (v. 18).  Deut 14:1 says "You are the sons of Yhwh your God, you
shall not cut yourselves . . ."  Hos 1:10/2:1  God's people are called
beney 'el xay, sons of the living God - the same verse has "the sons of
Israel" perhaps providing the reason for the MT of Deut 32:8, the
interpretation being that the sons of God are the sons of Jacob who went
into Egypt, numbering 70, being also the number of nations listed in
Genesis 10.  The tradition behind the MT (if not the original reading)
evidently wanted to avoid the interpretation "angels of God" (LXX).


Yours,

John Ronning