Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Dave Washburn <dwashbur AT nyx.net>]

On Friday 07 February 2003 16:21, Lew Osborne wrote:
> Dave
>
> Taking what I said concerning "Keil & Delitzsch suggest "celestial being,"
> The word Elohim has the meaqning of mighty ones. Psalm 8 relates it to
> angels and indicates by the reference there that it were these mighty ones
> or angels described elsewhere in Psalms as ministering spirits that were
> involved in the creation. Exodus 7:1 Yahweh calls Moses an Elohim. In Deut
> 10:17 the word is used in relation to gods of other nations made of wood
> and stone. The same applies in Deuteronomy 29:26 and in other places.
> Judges 10:6 is specific as the elohim of Syria. In Exodus 21:4 the word
> elohim refers to the judges of Israel
>
> There are others but this will suffice.
>
> In saying that it matters not what is suggested by scholars, and I have a
> great respect for them, their comments must be taken with the whole and the
> position is that in context some times the word elohim does relate to
> celestial beings but a full examination of the word does indicate that it
> does not only mean 'celestial beings'. That meaning is deceptive without a
> full understanding of this word and its usage.

They didn't say, nor did I, that it *only* means "celestial beings."  They 
said that was the most likely meaning in this particular context.  I'm aware 
of the other meanings, and so were they.


Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur