Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Walter Mattfeld" <mattfeld AT mail.pjsnet.com>]

I thought Elohim was determined by Secular scholars to be an archaic "plural
of majesty."

Acccording to Dalley-

"THE GODS" is used to refer to Nergel. This is a Phoenician and Punic usage,
also found in the Old Testament when Yahweh is called ELOHIM "gods", and in
Amarna letters from Phoenician cities where Pharaoh is addressed as "MY
GODS" (RlA, s.v. Elohim)"
(p.177 note 11, "Nergal and Ereshkigal Notes." Stephanie Dalley. Myths From
Mesopotamia, Creation, The Flood, Gilgamesh and Others. Oxford & New York.
Oxford University Press. 1989, 1991)
Note: RlA is Reallexikon der Assyriologie


All the best, Walter

Walter Reinhold Warttig Mattfeld
Walldorf by Heidelberg
Baden-Wurttemburg, Germany
www.bibleorigins.net