Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 01/09/2003 11:54, CS Bartholomew wrote:

> This is a spin off from the Mal. 2:16 discussion.
>
> Mal. 2:11 bgdh yhwdh wtw(bh n(#th by#r)l wbyrw#lM ky xll yhwdh qd# yhwh )#r
> )hb wb(l bt )l nkr
>
> What exactly is the nature of the tw(bh which is being denounced here?
>
> I am referring particularly to the last clause wb(l bt )l nkr.  I notice
> that the LXX removes all reference to marriage. Is this a legitimate move?
>
> Is the abomination tw(bh the idolatry that results from marriage to
> idolaters or is this a prohibition of intermarriage with another tribe or
> nation or race? 
>
> The question comes up in discussions with neo-pagans about the connection
> between gods, tribes, nations, and races in the ancient world.  I know that
> the conventional wisdom on this subject is that "race" is a modern notion
> but the neo-pagans which I am discussing this with are rather dismissive of
> conventional wisdom.
>
> Anyway, what can we make of this tw(bh (abomination)? Is it marriage to
> someone from another tribe or nation or race?
>
> greetings,
> Clay Bartholomew 
>
>
>  
I would suggest that, to put this in modern terms, it is marriage to 
someone of another religion. In Malachi's time the faithful remnant were 
concerned about avoiding intermarriage not so much across races as with 
those Jews who had abandoned the pure religion during the exile, or 
perhaps more accurately had not embraced the new-found purity of 
religion, which had been the minority before the exile, cf. Jeremiah, 
but dominant afterwards cf. Ezra, Nehemiah.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/