Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Shoshanna Walker" <rosewalk AT concentric.net>]

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

This is what Ibn Ezra said, which I posted:


Ibn Ezra suggests that the name Elohim is derived from Eil [literally
meaning strength].  It appears in the plural form as a matter of reverence,
for every language has its reverent form of address [as in the 'plural of
majesty'], but no idea of plurality is to be inferred from this form as
evidenced by the fact that the verb Bara, created, IS IN THE SINGULAR


>
> 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
>
>
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