Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Yitzhak:

I think you and theologians like you are making a big thing out of a common
linguistic practice.

To give an example of a non-theological subject: a wife. A person who is
married can call his wife by her given name, by her title in relation to
him—“wife”, by an endearment—“honey” or “dearest” or not so loving—“old
lady”, or by her actions; if they inspire and encourage—“my better half” or
if he considers her a drag in the relationship—“ball and chain”, and so on.
Yet, in spite of all these different ways of referring to her, she remains
one wife.

We find a similar relationship between Israel and God: God can be called by
his name—יהוה YHWH, by his title אלהים )LHYM, by an attribute—שדי $DY, אל
חיים )L XYYM, and so forth, without it changing the fact that one God is
meant.

What about other gods? Again a mere linguistic practice—an acknowledgement
that other objects have been given that title, without commenting on whether
or not that object deserves the title. Similarly those objects can be called
by their given names, or other terms that identify them, merely for purposes
of identification. Or more accurately, usually the comment is not made, but
a few times the comment is made, namely that those objects don’t deserve the
title.

This is not the same as henotheism, because the other gods are never given
the status of deserving their title as gods. Further, archaeological
discoveries merely illustrate what the Bible repeatedly condemns, namely the
widespread idolatry of the people contrary to Biblical injunction. This does
not mean that there were stages in the development of monotheism—starting
with polytheism, progressing to henotheism and ending with absolute
monotheism.

I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill.

Karl W. Randolph.