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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] YHWH

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  • From: Jim West <jwest AT highland.net>
  • To: Shoshanna Walker <rosewalk AT concentric.net>, b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] YHWH
  • Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 19:16:18 -0400

Not so- the "names of God" found in the Hebrew Bible are not, originally, aspects of the one god. They are individual, local deities whose names were absorbed (baptised, if you will) by Jewish and Christian tradition into the One God's many names.

Of course Yahweh and Elohim were not interchangeable- nor were El Elyon and El Shaddai and El and all the other local deity names taken over by the Israelite tradition. They were discrete, separate, not to be confused local overlords. That's why there was an El and a Baal for each little town and village. And they were named accordingly.

I think it terribly misleading to suggest that ancient Hebrews or Canaanites walking around the land would have thought they were talking about the same gods when they called them by their different names. In fact, it is eisegesis at its worst.

Jim


Shoshanna Walker wrote:

They are 2 of the many names of G-d, each one referring to a different aspect of G-d. Interchangeable is not a valid context here, the names are used in different places according to which different aspects of G-d are in play.

Shoshanna




BTW, another interesting data point is that SHEM ADONAI [lit., name
of Adonai] is very frequent, while SHEM ELOHIM is not. Clearly, YHWH
and Elohim were not interchangeable.

-Joel

--
D. Jim West

Biblical Studies Resources - http://web.infoave.net/~jwest
Biblical Theology Weblog - http://biblical-studies.blogspot.com





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