Biblical Hebrew Forum

[ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk (Ben Crick)]

On Thu 24 Aug 2000 (11:28:41), wross AT farmerstel.com wrote:
> In my mind, I loosely translate e:LoHiYM as "supreme(s)", and context says
> whether that is God, gods, judges, or what have you. Doesn't EL have to do
> with "high"?

 Hi Bill!

 You may well be right; but to my mind "God Most High" is 'eL `eL:YoWN in
 Genesis 14:18 and many other places (from the root `aLaH, to ascend or go up
 on high). Abra[ha]m identified 'eL `eL:YoWN with YHWH (Gen 14:22). Thus He is
 distinguished from the 'gods many and lords many' of the Canaanites /et al./,
 the  Ba`aLiYM or /numines loci/. The LXX has hO QEOS hO hUYISTOS. Compare the
 use of hUYOW in John 3:14 and elsewhere.

 We have had long threads in the past on the meanings of 'eL, 'eLIYM and
 'e:LoHiYM. See the archives...

 Shalom
 Ben
-- 
 Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
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