Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Hedrick Gary <GaryH AT cjfm.org>]

I agree with you, Kevin. In translation, context is everything. The passage 
is about idolatry; and the point in 44:15 is simply that one person uses wood 
to make a fire so he can bake some bread while someone else fashions it into 
an idol and falls down before it in worship. In either case, it's just a 
chunk of cellulose. I don't see any indication of deification of the fire. 
Just the wood.

Gary Hedrick

On Jan 31, 2011, at 5:53 PM, Kevin Riley wrote:

> Yes, but none of that seems to fit with Is. 44.  The point is that the same 
> piece of wood that is made into an idol is also used for making a fire and 
> cooking.  I just don't see worshipping fire in the text.
> 
> Kevin Riley
> 
> On 1/02/2011 10:47 AM, Hedrick Gary wrote:
>> Let's not forget those interesting passages in the Hebrew Bible where the 
>> GOD of Israel appears as "fire." I'm thinking, for instance, of the 
>> burning bush (Ex. 3:2) and the pillar of fire that guided them by night in 
>> the wilderness wanderings (13:21). There are other instances, as well.
>> 
>> Gary Hedrick
>> San Antonio, Texas USA
>> 
>> Ex. 3:2 וירא מלאך יהוה אליו בלבת־אש מתוך הסנה וירא והנה הסנה בער באש והסנה 
>> איננו אכל׃
>> 13:21 ויהוה הלך לפניהם יומם בעמוד ענן לנחתם הדרך ולילה בעמוד אש להאיר להם 
>> ללכת יומם ולילה׃
>> 
>> On Jan 31, 2011, at 5:37 PM, Kevin Riley wrote:
>> 
>>> Worshipping God in the form of fire is quite old.  It has long been found 
>>> among Indo-European peoples.  But, I don't see that in the Hebrew text.
>>> 
>>> Kevin Riley
>>> 
>>> On 1/02/2011 10:02 AM, kenneth greifer wrote:
>>>> I was wondering if Isaiah 44:15 might say "...he (the idol maker) will 
>>>> make a god and he will worship (he will bow), he makes (it) an idol and 
>>>> bows to them (lamo) (or to it)." It also says he will use the wood to 
>>>> make a fire to warm himself and to cook. Maybe the quote literally means 
>>>> he will make a god and an idol and bow to them both if the god is the 
>>>> fire. I heard that in those times some people worshiped fire as a god. I 
>>>> don't know if they believed in a god in charge of fire or if they 
>>>> thought fire itself was a god. It's a wild guess, but who knows. It 
>>>> could explain the word "to them" (lamo). (As usual, I don't actually 
>>>> expect anyone to answer, but if you do, please don't do it off-list. 
>>>> Thank you.)
>>>> 
>>>> Kenneth Greifer