Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lisbeth S. Fried" <lizfried AT umich.edu>]

Absolutely!
The Seraphim (probably snake-like creatures with 6 wings)
may have been part of the us in Isaiah 6, they're right there.
I don't know tho, since they only stand and wait on YHWH,
if they get a vote, otherwise YHWH would be talking to someone
else, er, Someone Else.
Best,
Liz

> -----Original Message-----
> From: jnall [mailto:jnall AT alltel.net]
> Sent: Tue, January 29, 2002 5:03 PM
> To: Lisbeth S. Fried; Biblical Hebrew
> Subject: Re: Elohim plurality
>
>
>
>
> This may be considered a dumb question, but I have been told that no
> question is dumb if it is ask seeking knowledge, so here goes;  where were
> the angles of God at this time and if they were present would they not be
> part of us and we?  Does the translation allow this or indicate it?
> A partial introduction.  I am a retired HS Science instructor
> with an MSE in
> Physical/Science and teaching degrees in Chemistry, Physics,
> Biology and the
> General sciences and some off campus College teaching.  This only
> means now
> that I am retired and enjoying sitting back and enjoying your insightful
> response.  Now back to LURKING  Jesse L. Nall jnall AT alltel.net
> >>
> >> Synonymous parallelism suggests ("shoots down" was perhaps too
> >> strong, how about "calls into question") that "I" and "us" have the
> >> same referent.
> >I don't understand what you're basing this on?
> >How would it have been written if they had different referents?
> >YHWH is in charge, and is doing the sending, but like a true
> >leader, he's asking the rest of the divine beings/gods whom he
> >should send. For all I know he could be talking to the Seraphim.
> >If he were talking to himself, wouldn't you expect,
> >"Elohim said in his heart (!), whom should I send."
> >He wouldn't refer to others.
> >There are other texts (e.g., Psalms 29, 82) which indicate
> >the presence of other gods.
> >How do you translate Elohim in Psalm 82:1?
> >It should probably be "Elohim stood forth in the council of El.
> >In the midst of the gods, he judged."
> >So Elohim is a proper name here.
> >Weird stuff.
> >But it ought not be doubted that the Biblical writers
> >conceived of more than one god and that the word Elohim
> >can indicate more than one god.
> >Liz
>
>