Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Ian Hutchesson <mc2499 AT mclink.it>]

The discussion based on an early usage of the phrase el elyon (as against
one or the other of the two words) is at best based on guessing, for there
is no evidence that it was ever used early, though I have indicated that
there is plenty of evidence to show that it was in use in the second
century BCE.

I think Lloyd's persistence with his analysis involving el elyon has no
support at all.


Ian

At 14.17 22/01/99 -0800, Lloyd Barre wrote:
>It seems to me that the controlling image in this passage is that of a
father giving his sons an inheritance.  Verse 9 explicitly states that
Yahweh received Jacob as his inheritance.  The preceding verse mentions
many nations have been created to be an inheritance for others besides
Yahweh.  Thus, we should find a parallel group for Yahweh to receive this
other nations.  That would be, reading with the LXX, the sons of El.  This
would then point to El as being the giver of the inheritances, the father
of the sons.  Fathers gives sons an inheritance.  Thus, Elyon must be the
father who gives the inheritances to his sons which makes him the same as
El.  So,
>El Elyon=the father who creates and gives the inheritance
>The nations including Jacob=the inheritance itself
>Yahweh and all the other sons of El=the recipients of the inheritance.
>
>The text also makes the point that the number of nations created and given
as an inheritance correspond to the number of Elyon's sons.
>
>This argument is advanced on the basis of finding that my interpretation
of the texts offers one in which the imagery of inheritance is coherent.
>
>Lloyd Barre