Biblical Hebrew Forum

[GregStffrd AT aol.com]

In a message dated 05/18/2001 7:00:44 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
stoney AT touchwood.net writes:

<< ... Either "I'll be who I'll be" or "I am who I am" is colloquially 
 acceptable.  I incline towards "I am" because Moses' isn't asking who the 
 Deity *will* be at the time the sons of Israel raise the question but who 
 He *was* at the time He commissioned Moses -- which *is* now, when the 
 Deity is speaking.  But it actually makes very little difference, since 
 there is strictly speaking no distinction between present and future tense 
 in English verbs.
  >>

Dear Stoney:

Thank you for your reply. The first thing we need to make clear is that 
arguments from English, especially English tense, have no bearing on the 
subject. The problem with your second proposed translation (I am who I am) is 
that it has no grammatical basis. The first (I'll be who I'll be) is 
essentially the same as "I will be who I will be," to which you previously 
objected, but not the level of speaking one might expect the writer of Exodus 
would attribute to Deity! 

You claim that the response appears to be a sign of irritation. May I ask, is 
that what Moses asked for? I say this because your argument is: "I incline 
towards "I am" because Moses' isn't asking who the Deity *will* be at the 
time the sons of Israel raise the question but who He *was* at the time He 
commissioned Moses."

You assume that the response has to fit with Moses' question, as asked. In 
fact, the grammar shows that YHWH's answer was a way of telling Moses that 
the people would know who he was by what he becomes on their behalf. The 
grammar is actually rather clear when viewed in this contextually supported 
light, particularly with the previously communicated thought in verse 12, 
namely, that YHWH would be with Moses. So, too, he would be with his people, 
and that is how they would come to know him. 

If you have examples involving Hebrew grammar to support your position, then 
please share them with us. This is, after all, a discussion of Hebrew.

Best regards,

Greg Stafford