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  • From: bhebrew AT shields-online.net
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] G.Gertoux and the Name...
  • Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 08:35:46 +1000

Dear Rolf,

Thanks for your reply. There are a few points which need to be considered.

1. A distinction should be made between אדון and אדוני. The latter
is used primarily of Yhwh and it is thus apparent that there is a graphic
distinction between the use of a simple title and the term associated with
Yhwh.

2. Your assessment that אדוני is always a title in the DSS seems overly
subjective. If you were to substitute אדני for יהוה in many places in
the Tanak it would also make sense as a title in spite of the fact that it
substituted for a name—the clauses make just as much sense either way.
However, there are good grounds for doubting your dismissal of the validity
of this substitution (I'll expand in the points below). You seem only willing
to concede the substitution if the DSS employ an extensive quotation from the
Tanak, but scholars widely acknowledge a far broader range of intertextual
relationships exist beyond extensive verbatim quotation. At the very
least—were you seeking to be more objective—you would need to claim that
the evidence could be fairly interpreted either way. Beyond this, however,
there is more evidence which I think swings things in favour of the notion
that אדוני is used in place of יהוה in at least some of the DSS.

3. Your assessment of the use of אל as a substitute for יהוה could
easily be applied with similar results to אדוני. How do you decide that
a particular use of אל is replacing יהוה? Only instances where there
are quotations or allusions to biblical passages would provide adequate basis
for drawing the conclusion that אל is functioning as a substitute.

4. The situation in most of the references I cited previously is that the
books never use the tetragrammaton yet use אדוני in contexts which are
strongly reminiscent of phrases in the Tanak which do use it, and where the
Tanak does not use אדני.

5. Of the texts I cited, a number do not use אל or similar forms at all
(specifically, 4Q521, 4Q507, 4Q435, 4Q508, 1Q34bis, 4Q434, 4Q577, 4Q527,
4Q526, 4Q384). These are clearly not using אל as a substitute for יהוה.

6. You seem to assume that the texts are consistent in their use of alternate
forms as graphical substitutes for יהוה.

In the end, then, I think there are clear idications that אדוני is used
in a number of places among the DSS sectarian literature as a substitute for
יהוה.

Regards,

Martin Shields.




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