Biblical Hebrew Forum

[cornelis den hertog <cok17 AT hotmail.com>]

Since the replies to my email about the name question in Exod 3.13 are at least in part similar, I deal

with them collectively.

 

1) The Hebrew word shem would not only mean ‘name’ but also ‘fame’, ‘reputation’, ‘character’,

‘nature,’ ‘identity’ (see Karl Randolph, Bryant Williams, George Athas). In my view, it shares the first

two meanings with the English word ‘name’. I am not so sure of the other glosses. Are there biblical

texts showing that evidently?

2) What is more, in Exod 3.13 the word shem is met in the context of a certain question: ‘What is

his name?’ Can this question mean ‘What is his character?’ (esp. the mail of Bryant Williams goes in

that direction). I don’t think so. Virtually the same question is found in Gen 32.28: ‘What is your name?’

The answer is simply ‘Jacob’, without anything more. Should we not take into account the fact that 

the type of sentence in which a word such as shem occurs may restrict the possibilities of its

meaning?

3) With reference to the need of a name, Bryant Williams writes that the Israelites were praying for a

long time. I don’t see any indication of that. The call narrative talks about crying and calling for help.

Nowhere it is said that this addresses God. The prologue reads even ‘their plea-for-help went up to

God’ (2.23), as if it was an initiative of its own!

4) Bryant does not suggest that the Israelites need the divine name for praying, in my view rightly.

If one suggests it, the question would raise why they didn’t miss the name before. Nevertheless, the

initial question why in the given context the Israelites are asking for the divine name still stands.

 

Cornelis den Hertog

 

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From: bjwvmw AT com-pair.net
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2013 09:48:29 -0800

Dear Cornelius,

 

I would think that the issue of "name" is much more broad than how we understand it in English. In fact, Shem = Name is not really that close since Shem has a much broader connotation in Hebrew than is normally found in English.

 

I would probably indicate that the Israelites were going to ask not only about the "name" as we understand in English, but also the "character, nature, reputation" of God. Thus, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" would not only indicate to the Israelite the eternality of God, but the stories about the founding Patriarchs of the Israelites would also know about His omnipotence, etc. Thus, when Moses asks regarding what name is he going to tell the Israelites, then God answers with 'EHYH 'ASHER 'EHYH...'EHYH (LXX: EGW EIMI hO WN...hO WN).

 

Cornelius asked:

And why exactly do they need the divine name in their particular situation?

 

Bryant responds:

I would say that the Israelites have been praying to God for a long time. God in Exodus 3 has said that He has heard their prayers. Furthermore, it would seem to the Israelites after praying for more than 400 yrs, that their God was impotent, deaf, dumb, blind to their situation? Most likely, knowing the frailties of the human condition and nature especially of those who have been bondage for 400 yrs.

 

Who is this God that you say has sent you Moses? Is He able to change our situtation? You get the picture. All of these questions and more are behind the question of Moses about the Name of the God who sent him. Subsequent events would prove to the Israelites who YHWH would be. Even in their unbelief later, did God prove who He is.

 

Rev. Bryant J. Williams II