Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Jonathan D. Safren" <yonsaf AT beitberl.ac.il>]

I'm emending the second-last sentence in my previous posting

----- Original Message -----
From: Andrew & Debby Kulikovsky

Subject: npsh

>I am trying to understand the meaning and implications of the verb npsh.
The 3 OT occurrences all seem to indicate recovery from
tiredness/exhaustion. But the most troubling instance is Ex 31:17 which
talks about God being refreshed.

>Is this an anthropomorphism? If so, in what sense? Any ideas?


Definitely an anthropomorphism. It goes back to the First Creation Story in
Gen. 1:1-2:4, in which God, after having created the world, "ceased from all
his work". Having worked hard, He deserved a day of R & R.
This story is the narrative basis for the Sabbath laws in the Torah, in
which not only free men, women and children, but also bondsmen and
bondswomen - and even beasts of burden! - deserve a day of rest.

The Tanakh is replete with anthropomorphhisms. Witness the discussion on
this list of God's anger and his "burning nose". God has human emotions:
love, hate, anger, goodwill, satisfaction. Leaving aside for a moment all
the ANE parallels and possible polytheistic backgrounds, how else can one
describe God as a Divine being except in human - or animal (in practice God
is described as bovine) - terms? What other possibilities do we have ?
--------------
Jonathan D. Safren
Dept. of Biblical Studies
Beit Berl College
Beit Berl Post Office
44905 Israel

"sha'alu shelom yerushalayim yishlayu kol 'ohavayikh"



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