Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Dave Washburn <dwashbur AT nyx.net>]

On Tuesday 01 July 2003 12:52, Yigal Levin wrote:
> Since you folks seem to be more interested in the polemics of software than
> in Bible (why don't we send each other good old parchments and leave Bill
> Gates and friends without our support?), I'll try to address David's
> question:
>
> The phrase "qetseph", which means "wrath" or "anger", especially God's, is
> mentioned dozens of times, and mostly in connection with God's anger
> against Israel, just like here. My trusty old PRINTED (gasp!) Mandelkern
> concordance has about 2 columns full. Take a look at Num. 16:22, Dt. 9:19,
> Isaiah 64:8, Zach. 1:2. It's also used for human anger, such as in Gen.
> 41:10 and Esther 2:21.
>
> The problem here is in the story itself. The armies of Israel and Judah
> (and Edom), accompanied by the prophet Elisha, attack Moab and are
> successful. Then, the king of Moab sacrifices his son, and suddenly, a "big
> wrath" comes upon Israel and forces them to retreat.

Yigal,
One solution that I've seen before says that the "big wrath" was on the part 
of the soldiers of Israel, who were so disgusted by the Moabite king's act 
that they didn't have the stomach to continue the fight and went home.  I 
tend to think that this idea has a lot to commend it, but I'd be interested 
in your opinion.

-- 
Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
"God does a lot of things in the Psalms
that He can't get away with in systematic theology."