Biblical Hebrew Forum

["JAMES CHRISTIAN READ" <JCR128 AT student.apu.ac.uk>]

Karl wrote:
For example, what does it mean "to call upon the name of YHWH"? Is
this an indication that at this time people were starting to worship
other gods, and so the name, though it may have been known earlier,
was not specified because there was no need to before? Does the verse
say that the name was unknown, or just that they started calling upon
his name?
END QUOTE

JCR: No. You're quite right. It doesn't say the name 
was unknown. It just says that they started to call 
בשם יהוה. Whether the worship of idols and or other 
gods had already begun at this point I wouldn't know 
and as the context makes no mention of it I feel it 
to be largely irrelevant to the meaning of this phrase. 

One thing I am not sure of is how we are to understand 
Genesis 4:26 in light of Genesis 4:1 which states 
והאדם ידע את חוה אשתו ותהר ותלד את קין ותאמר קניתי איש את יהוה 
This seems to indicate that Eve was already using Yah's 
name before Seth was even born.

Now bearing in mind that Genesis 2:4-4:26 (as you see 
it Genesis 2:5-5:1) are presented as one document with 
most probably one author I see possible ways we can 
interpret Genesis 4:1 and 26.

a) We are to understand verse 26 entirely chronologically 
and that calling on Yah's name began at the time of the 
birth of Enosh. In this case we would understand 
Genesis 4:1 to be a paraphrase and not a word for word 
quote. Or that the calling meant calling in faith or 
as an act of worship/service.

b) We are to understand verse 26 as referring generally 
to Genesis 2:4-4:26 which very fittlingly is the 
expanded account of the dawn of mankind.

As for the number of people by the time of Enosh's 
birth while I agree that Adam and Eve had been having 
both sons and daughters it is quite clear that Seth 
was Eve's third son. The reason I can say this 
confidently is because Cain was her first, Abel was her 
second and when Seth was born Eve said אלהים זרע אחר--תחת הבל כי הרגו קין 
(God has appointed me another
 offspring in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.)
If Seth was Abel's replacement it is clear that Eve 
had not produced any other male offspring in the 
meantime. 
Yes, it is true that Cain had been off making babies 
for a while but I strongly doubt that Cain had been 
teaching his children to לקרא בשם יהוה. This makes me 
feel that 'calling on YHWH's name' meant the righteous 
act of calling on and depending on his name in faith. 
This would have started with righteous Abel's family 
had he had the time to start one but as his life was 
cut short it was his replacement, Seth's family that 
made the start of 'calling on YHWH's name [in faith]'.


James C. Read
UK

d זרע אחר--תחת הבל כי הרגו קין (God has appointed me another
 offspring in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.)
If Seth was Abel's replacement it is clear that Eve 
had not produced any other male offspring in the 
meantime.
Yes, it is true that Cain had been off making babies
for a while but I strongly doubt that Cain had been
teaching his children to לקרא בשם �