Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Daniel Wagner" <dan.wagner AT netzero.net>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Bearpecs AT aol.com>
To: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2001 12:11 AM
Subject: Re: I AM


> Nowhere else does the word EHYEH mean "I am identified as...."  On the 
> contrary, in many verses G-d speaks in the first person: ANI Y.H.W.H. 
> meaning 
> "I am" you-know-who.
> 
> In a message dated 5/2/01 3:20:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> dan.wagner AT netzero.net writes:
> > correctly translate it "I am I AM." 
> 

You misunderstand the essence of my argument. True, _EHYEH_ is not the 
standard means of expressing "self-identity," per se, but identity is not my 
real point. Whenever we find God as the subject of _EHYEH_ it indicates some 
aspect of God's relationship to His people. Here is the data for 1CS of HYH 
with God as subject of the verb:

3 X in Exodus 3 (In my view, once to introduce the Name, twice as the Name)
2 X miscellaneous ("I will be like dew" Hos.; "... a wall of fire ... for 
glory in her midst," Zech)
The remainder of occurrences (22X) indicate a special relationship of God 
with His people:
7 X "I will be with _______" (Exodus-Judges)
12 X "I will be a God to [My people]" (5X Jeremiah, 5X Ezekiel, Hos., Zech)
3 X "I will be a Father to [David's Son]" (Samuel)

So in Exodus 3:14 i think it is the same. God is asked for an answer to give 
to the question "What is His name?" His answer is "I will be / I am: I-AM" 
and by the "I-AM" He is whatever is needed in regards to relationship with 
His people. But the Name is only "I AM" (or "I-WILL-BE", in theory; i'll 
comment on the tense elsewhere). 

Thus, the first _EHYEH_ is not so much an identification statement as it is a 
covenant promise formula to say "I will be ________." 

But as concerning your question, why does he not use the noun clause formula 
with 
_)aNI_ (as used for "I am YHWH") to introduce the name here, the reason 
should be obvious enough. I'll comment on that more on the other post which 
assumed i was motivated by mere theological agenda. Hardly is a noun clause 
possible with a verb!

Dan Wagner



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