Name YHWH Research Articles

Qur’anic Understandings of the Divine Name Yhwh

ABSTRACT Although the Qur’an never explicitly mentions the name yhwh, this study demonstrates that it reveals cognizance not only of the divine name but also of the elaboration of its meaning by paralleling interpretations found in some of the earliest rabbinic traditions, evidently building on traditions that were circulating amongst Jewish communities of Late Antiquity. I propose that the absence of an explicit mention of yhwh in the Qur’an points to the Qur’an’s oral rather than literary genesis. This study analyses Pharaoh’s inquiries about who and what the Lord is (in Q 20.49–55; 26.23–28). The Qur’an responds to these questions, whereas in the Exodus account, Pharaoh’s questioning about yhwh remains unanswered. The Qur’an appears to interpret the meaning of yhwh as God’s continuous generative action, the originating cause of every thing, and God’s existence, transcendence and omnipresence, echoing some explanations of the divine name in the earliest rabbinic traditions. Thus, the Qur’an engages with some of its audience by referencing Jewish understandings of the divine name. By reframing and reinterpreting some biblical stories, the Qur’an provides exegetical contributions to these narratives, highlighting its unique and critical role in the broader religious discourse during Late Antiquity.

YHWH: A győzedelmes harcostól Izrael Istenéig

The aim of the study is to present the genesis of the name and concept of YHWH, primarily based on the results of the most recent research into the viewpoints of religious history. The significance of the Shasu nomads is primary in this regard, as the name YHWH occurred in connection with them in Egyptian inscriptions. It is highly likely that Moses and the group led by him in the southern areas (Sinai, Paran, Midian, Seir, Edom) encountered the YHWH warriors and the earlier form of the name YHWH. After entering the land of Transjordan and Canaan, the god-warrior YHWH adopted the attributes of the highest Canaanic god, El; moreover, it may be stated that a fusion – in the sense of religious history – was completed. In Genesis 49, Jacob asked for the blessings of El-Shaddai for Joseph. The Shaddai deities were the escorts of the storm-god Amurru. The next phase in religious history was the struggle between YHWH and Baal. Although the adoption of the attributes of the Canaanite storm-god was realised, the fusion was not perceived. The glorious divine warrior YHWH now also personified the storm-god, bringing rain and fertility. The YHWH divine image encountered the attributes of the Sun (solarisation) in Jerusalem, as attested by the archaeological finds from the period of pre-exile Israel.

“The Canaanites were then in the Land” and Other Shechemite Ironies

AbstractThe Hexateuchal narrative arc begins with Abram’s encounter with Yhwh in Shechem in Gen 12:6–7 and ends with Joshua’s covenant at the same place in Josh 24:25–26. These “bookends” make mention of a particular tree in Shechem, which also features in Gen 35:1–4. The inherited Priestly tradition claimed that none of the ancestors in Genesis knew the name Yhwh, but the Hexateuchal editors of the Persian period insist that both El and Yhwh were known in Shechem and Bethel. In effect, these editors defend northern Yahwism against its southern detractors, and resist any supersessionist proposal that would turn the ancestral memories of the Samarian province into mere history. Israel was born in the house of El, and the ancestors of Israel, who came from beyond the riverine borders of the Euphrates and the Nile, had no clear understanding of Yhwh until they set foot in Canaanite country.

Kinship, Incest, and Slavery: A Thematic Constellation in the Triteuchal Political Theology of the Divine Name

AbstractIncest (“revealing the nakedness of the flesh of one’s flesh”) and slavery are presented in the Triteuch (Gen 1 through Lev 26) as twin threats to kinship creation (becoming “one flesh”) as the uniquely human matrix for fulfilling the commandment “be fruitful and multiply.” The serpent’s duplicitous nakedness symbolizes incestuous reproduction; the Tower builders, who seek to preserve their “one lip,” acquire one name, and avoid fragmentation into distinct kinship groups, “imagine” (zāmam, suggesting incest) a new way to reproduce themselves and their name; Pharaoh attempts to efface Israelite kinship and its “names” with the selective genocide of the males. The divine name YHWH, glossed as “I will be,” represents the freedom to give names to one’s children—the expression of the continuity of kinship creation (antitype of slavery)—and also the indexical uniqueness of each “I”-sayer—the interlinguistic basis of the oneness of humanity (antitype of the Tower).

The Name as ‘Anti-pagan’ Monument

Abstract K.H. Miskotte’s Bijbels ABC, recently translated into English as Biblical ABC s, resources resistance by carefully reading the Hebrew scriptures. This article argues that the central, defining theme of the book is the focus on the Name YHWH as ‘anti-pagan monument par excellence.’ Paganism for Miskotte does not mean the absence of religion nor a particular, polytheistic religion or worldview, but the natural human inclination to declare the existing order sacred. Humanity is profoundly ‘occupied’ and needs the Word, the Name-in-action, in order to be liberated from pagan, religious occupying forces—whether these forces are political, spiritual, military, economical or linguistic. This focus on the ‘anti-pagan’ stance of the Name determines the entire structure of Biblical ABC s, its method and content.

Believe in Yahweh's Name as God Without Eternal Limitations, God Appears and God Almighty Great

This research aims to provide instructions or guidance from spiritual mentors who believe in Jesus Christ related to how to call, mention the person of God with respect to Jesus Christ (Yahweh) and be worshiped as Savior, which consists of 3 (three) characteristics, namely: (1) the name YHWH is called the Eternal God ('ēl 'ōlam) , (2) the name YHWH is referred to as the visible God ('ēl rō'î) , (3) the name YHWH is referred to as God as the Shepherd for His people ('El shadday) as a giver of life, protection and blessing. The method used is to draw conclusions that are explanatory (explanatory) and confirmatory as well as qualitative in the form of library research using content analysis methods. The results showed that the mention of Yahweh's name is known as the eternal God ('ēl 'ōlam), the God who appears to be always present ('ēl rō'î) and the almighty/powerful God ('El shadday). Finally, it can be concluded that the three names Yahweh or EL are suitable and in accordance with the Hebrew phrases in the Bible and can be trusted for Christians to use them in daily life in facing all challenges or problems of life.

Biblical Study on the Controversy of the Name of YHWH in Exodus 6: 3 (2)

There is an understanding that it is impossible for the Creator to have a proper name-proper noun on the grounds that there is only one Creator of the universe and that is for all religions. Biblical facts record in the OT-Hebrew or Tanakh, there are 6750 names of YHWH which appear as proper noun. The problem arises when the world of translation does not agree in transcribing or translating the name of the Creator. In the world of translation, grammatically, any proper noun, especially those with a personality, is always copied according to the sound of the letters that compose it, different from the commom noun (general designation) which can be translated according to the corresponding (local) vocabulary of the language concerned. The facts show that most of the translations “change” the name YHWH to become a general designation but are written in all capital letters to avoid collisions with the common designation that already exists and is the same, namely Adonay (God) or in successive designations such as Adonay YHWH. The next misconception is that the name YHWH is said to have been known only in the time of Moses based on Exodus. 6: 3 (2). Re-translate Exodus 6: 3 (2) accurately states that the name YHWH was known to Abraham-Isaac-Jacob, even their ancestors, preceding His introduction by the name El-Shadday. This research uses qualitative methods with literature review approaches, grammatical studies, exegesis, and analysis.

Not the Name Alone: A Linguistic Study of Exodus 3:14–15

Abstract Exodus 3:14–15 provide an answer to Moses’ question in v. 13, but with surprising unanimity scholars have concluded that v. 14 is the heart of the section due to the supposed significance of the name Yhwh for the determining Yhwh’s original character. This focus on v. 14 has led most scholars to overlook the fact that v. 15a is a second answer to the question, and that v. 15b presents two complementary, but distinct dimensions of the deity. In v. 15b, the demonstratives וזה ‪…‬ זה, the nouns שמי and זכרי, and the temporal adverbial compounds לעלם and לדר דר, each point toward two distinct referents: Yhwh and Elohim. The first clause highlights the timeless nature of Yhwh’s name, while the second clause underscores the need to memorialize Elohim as the God of the ancestors and future Israelite generations.

The New Testament κύριος problem and how the Old Testament speeches can help solve it

The New Testament (NT) κύριος problem forms part of a larger interconnected network of challenges, which has the divine name Yhwh as the epicentre. To put it plainly, if the term κύριος is an equivalent for the divine name Yhwh and if the term κύριος in the Yhwh sense is applied to Jesus, the implication is that Jesus is put on par with Yhwh. This problem therefore, forms part of a matrix of interconnected issues in a constant push and pull relation. There is no easy way to address this problem, but one must start somewhere. This study will attempt to introduce, illustrate and explain the complexity of the NT κύριος problem to contribute to a deeper understanding of the problem and to appreciate its intricacies. The aim is therefore to illustrate the intricacy of the problem by showing where the NT κύριος problem might have originated and how it evolved. These intricacies will then be pulled into a singular focus made possible by the explicit κύριος citations. These citations, in turn, will be categorised as Theos, Davidic and Jesus speeches and analysed in an attempt to contribute to a possible solution. Contribution: This article fits in well with the contestation of ‘historical thought’ and ‘source interpretation’. It deals with significant religious expressions found in the Hebrew Scriptures (in both the Hebrew and Greek vernacular). It not only interprets these sources, but it also aims to show the history of how these expressions were interpreted, thus, contributing to interdisciplinary discourses.

The Elder Testament: Canon Theology Trinity

The Elder Testament: Canon Theology Trinity

Essays Introducing a Jewish Perspective on the Gospel of John

This article’s aim is to highlight the impact that plain sense readings of the Gospel of John have on educated Jewish and Christian lay persons but who typically do not aspire to learn or appropriate current scholarly theories seeking to explain sacred texts in a technical and often inordinately complex fashion. Essay topics include: 1) the anonymous author (“John”), the relationship of his gospel to the Synoptic Gospels, his interpretation of Jewish actions and customs, and his influence on a distinct group of early Christians, the “Johannine” community; 2) John’s portrayal of Jesus’ self-identification in using the divine name YHWH; 3) John’s description and interpretation of various Jewish responses to Jesus, as well as the author’s understanding of the reasons for Jews rejecting the message and person of Jesus; and 4) John’s portrayal of the early break between Judaism and Christianity, laid entirely at the feet of “the Jews.”

Revealing the Name: An Investigation of the Divine Character Through a Conversation Analysis of the Dialogues Between God and Moses in the Book of Exodus

YHWH’s statement to Moses, אהיה אשר אהיה , has been much discussed by biblical scholars and theologians. For much of the last century this discussion related to matters of etymology or history of religion, or the precise grammar of the text. However, recently there has been renewed interest in understanding the statement in its present context as part of the book of Exodus, and in particular its role in the call of Moses. My thesis seeks to deepen understanding of the implications of this statement through a close reading of the dialogues between Moses and YHWH. My close reading of individual dialogues involves three steps: first investigation of the way in which the narrator portrays the actions of the characters, then the manner in which the narrator portrays individual speech of the characters and finally the way in which an analysis of the dialogues utilising principles from the socio-linguistic field of Conversation Analysis adds to an understanding of the characters. Through this close reading I show that the phrase אהיה אשר אהיה is best understood as linking the meaning of the name YHWH to the verb “to be” and in particular God’s promise to “be with” Moses in 3:12. The phrase affirms both YHWH’s presence with Moses and his freedom to be present in the manner he chooses and the implications of this affirmation of presence and freedom are worked out more fully in the narrative of Exodus. In the thesis my reading of the dialogues in Exodus 3-4 shows that YHWH transforms Moses into the means by which YHWH delivers his people from Egypt and also by which YHWH is present with his people. My examination of the dialogues in Exodus 5-7 demonstrates that YHWH’s plans are accomplished by his speech which re-designates and reshapes those with and about whom he is speaking. My analysis of Exodus 19-24 finds that the dialogues demonstrate YHWH’s freedom to be present as he chooses to different people at different points. Exodus 32:7-33:11 gives further meaning and significance to the divine name in terms of YHWH’s withdrawal in response to the idolatry of the people. From the final section of dialogue, Exodus 33:12-34:35, I show that the intercession of Moses is critical to the demonstration of YHWH’s mercy and compassion. My analysis of each of these dialogues demonstrates that a key means by which YHWH is present to his people is in and through Moses.

The Divine Christ: Paul, the Lord Jesus, and the Scriptures of Israel by David B. Capes

Reviewed by: The Divine Christ: Paul, the Lord Jesus, and the Scriptures of Israel by David B. Capes Joshua Coutts david b. capes, The Divine Christ: Paul, the Lord Jesus, and the Scriptures of Israel (Acadia Studies in Bible and Theology; Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018). Pp. xvii + 206. Paper $24.99. David Capes considers the relation of Jesus and God in Paul's theology through the lens of God's name, and with particular attention to Paul's use of OT texts in which the name Yhwh (rendered kyrios in Greek translation) occurs. This was the subject of Capes's doctoral work, published as Old Testament Yahweh Texts in Paul's Christology (WUNT 2/47; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1992) and was revisited as the topic of his 2016 Hayward Lectures at Acadia University. These lectures form the base for this volume, in which C. [End Page 331] aims to situate his earlier work in the context of more recent scholarship and advance the conversation on Pauline christology. In the first two chapters, C. orients his readers to the terminology of his subject matter, the divine name, and to the broader field of Pauline christology. He contends that kyrios ("Lord") was a widely used rendering of Yhwh among Greek-speaking Jews of the first century, and that, consequently, Paul's application of the title to Jesus is as christologically significant as it is Jewish. This constitutes a major challenge to the central thesis of Wilhelm Bousset and his followers that Paul's kyrios christology is explicable only in a pagan religious environment, removed from the constraints of monotheism. The next three chapters constitute the heart of the argument, featuring a focused study of kyrios language in the undisputed Pauline epistles. In chap. 3, C. demonstrates that Paul uses kyrios of Jesus predominantly in ethical, eschatological, or liturgical contexts. In all three, the way Jesus relates to his church is reminiscent of the relationship of Yhwh to Israel in the OT. Chapters 4 and 5 offer an analysis of the thirteen OT citations featuring the divine name, that is, "Yhwh texts." By close analysis of these citations in their context, C. demonstrates that the implied referent of kyrios is God in roughly half of the citations (chap. 4), and Jesus in the rest (chap. 5). This has significant implications for Paul's christology, which C. explores in his final chapter. In short, Paul demonstrably considered Jesus to be "constitutive of God's unique identity" (p. 151). C. explains this striking phenomenon by pointing to a number of "forces and factors," which include the Jewish category of divine agency and the expectation of the return of Yhwh; Paul's religious experience(s), which generated fresh exegesis of OT texts; and the words, deeds, and exegesis of Jesus himself, as remembered by his earliest followers. In this explanation, C. draws on the work of fellow proponents of "early high christology," including Alan Segal, Richard Bauckham, N. T. Wright, and Larry Hurtado. Those familiar with C.'s 1992 monograph will note that the current publication maintains essentially the same content and thesis, albeit reorganized and updated. For instance, his treatment of Yhwh texts no longer includes 2 Tim 2:19, likely because of its disputed authorship. Moreover, at several points C. engages with more recent scholarship (I count thirty-two bibliographic entries that postdate 1992). There is perhaps some ambiguity regarding the intended audience of the book. On the one hand, the detailed treatment of Paul's "Yhwh texts" in the context of scholarship communicates best to specialists. Yet, on the other hand, the introductory discussion of the relationship between Yhwh/kyrios and its rendering in English Bibles as Lord/Lord seems aimed at a broader audience. On the whole, C.'s engagement with scholarship is light, and his references representative rather than exhaustive. This allows him to keep the larger picture before his readers but means that the argument is unlikely to be regarded as an advance in the scholarship on Paul's christology. In sum, the book is both a re-presentation of C.'s seminal 1992 monograph and a clear introduction to a crucial aspect of Pauline christology. As N...

To Be or Not to Be, That Is the Question: Yhwh and Ea

Over one hundred years have past since Paul Haupt first proposed that the divine name Yhwh is an imperfect hiphil verbal form from the root *√hwy ("to be") that means "he causes to be > he creates." In this article, I propose that the Semitic concept of a *√hwy deity, a deity's whose name is formed from this root, began in the East when Enki, the Sumerian god of subterranean waters, acquired the Semitic name Ea. To this day Ea, written e2-a, is conjectured to derive from the Proto-Semitic root *√ḥyy ("to live"), a hypothesis founded on an old reading of the cuneiform sign e2 and its associative vocalic values that were, at the time, based on later Akkadian dialects. It is now known, however, that, prior to the Ur III period, e2 was read ͗a3 and reflects /ha/. With this refinement in hand it is now possible to show that Ea's name was pronounced either /haya/ and/or /haway/, a third person masculine singular stative or predicative construction of √hyy/hwy. It means "he is/exists." It is feasible, therefore, that the earliest articulation of the West's *√hwy deity was /yahway/, an imperfect yaqtal G-stem. Although this means that /yahwĕ(h)/ qua hiphil is a later development, the subsequent shift to a causative marks a fundamental theological change in the evolution of the Semitic perception of a *√hwy deity's true nature.

Love Conquers All: Song of Songs 8:6b–7a as a Reflex of the Northwest Semitic Combat Myth

Scholars have often noted YHWH's apparent absence from Song of Songs. At best, he appears under name Yah in difficult and morphologically frozen term ... in Song 8:6. In this article, I go beyond ... to suggest that plays role of YHWH in Song. Using Calvert Watkins's work on inherited formulae, I argue that Song 8:6b-7a draws on Northwest Semitic to identify with YHWH, victorious divine warrior. As part of this argument, I identify three inherited formulae in Hebrew Bible, Baal Cycle, and later Christian and Jewish literature: Leviathan, fleeing twisting serpent, rebuke Sea, and as Death. Within Song, phrase as Death connects this passage with Baal Cycle, while references to ... and ... evoke scenes of mythic from rest of Hebrew Bible. This interpretation, I argue, also has mythic resonances in adjuration refrain in Song 2:7, 3:5, and 8:4 and phrase sick with love in Song 2:5 and 5:8.(ProQuest: ... denotes non-US-ASCII text omitted.)...For is as strong as Death, jealousy harsh as Sheol.Its flashes are flashes of fire, flame of Yah.Many waters cannot quench love, neither can rivers drown it.1 (Song 8:6b-7a)The Song of Songs does not explicitly refer to God of Israel under name YHWH or any other epithet. The noun ... in Song 8:6 may contain shortened form of Tetragrammaton, but scholars debate interpretation of this difficult term.2 In this article, I go beyond ... to suggest that YHWH is present in Song in form of love. Drawing on Calvert Watkins's work on inherited formulae, I argue that Song 8:6b-7a utilizes language and imagery from Northwest Semitic to identify with YHWH as victorious divine warrior. As part of this argument, I identify three inherited formulae in Hebrew Bible, Baal Cycle, and later Christian and Jewish literature: Leviathan, fleeing twisting serpent, rebuke Sea, and as Death. Within Song, phrase as Death connects this passage with Baal Cycle, while references to ... and ... evoke scenes of mythic from rest of Hebrew Bible. By way of conclusion, I demonstrate importance of this reading for interpreting adjuration refrain in Song 2:7, 3:5, and 8:4 and phrase sick with love in Song 2:5 and 5:8.I. THE NORTHWEST SEMITIC COMBAT MYTHAs many commentators have noted, Song 8:6b-7a employs rich array of cosmic language to highlight power of (...). In these verses, is set against death (...), Sheol (...), mighty waters (...), and rivers (...), and likened to fire (...) and flame (...). Most commentators, however, downplay mythic significance of these verses, preferring to treat them as theological or philosophical statement about nature of love. Othmar Keel, for example, claims that the statement about being as strong as death cannot have mythical sense in context of Song, but to large degree it owes its strength and intensity to several myths about struggle between powers of life or and those of death. Meanwhile, J. Cheryl Exum calls these verses a succinct credo on subject of love.3 Yet all of these terms and concepts are part of crosscultural tradition of myths, as will be shown now.Many of myths from ancient Near East focus on divine combat. In Enuma Elish, Marduk defeats Ti'amat (the Deep) and her serpentine allies; in Baal Cycle, Baal challenges Yamm (Sea) and Mot (Death) for kingship of gods; and in several passages in Hebrew Bible, YHWH battles variety of aqueous foes, including Yam (Sea), Tehom (the Deep), and Leviathan.4 Traditionally, scholars have explained similarities between these myths in terms of narrative typology and cultural contact. The Enuma Elish, Baal Cycle, and passages from Hebrew Bible are all versions of single combat myth archetype. …

The Revelation of the Name YHWH to Moses: Perspectives from Judaism, the Pagan Graeco-Roman World, and Early Christianity. Edited by GEORGE H. VAN KOOTEN

The Revelation of the Name YHWH to Moses: Perspectives from Judaism, the Pagan Graeco-Roman World, and Early Christianity. Edited by GEORGE H. VAN KOOTEN

The Revelation of the Name Yhwh to Moses: Perspectives from Judaism, the Pagan Graeco-Roman World, and Early Christianity. Themes in Biblical Narrative: Jewish and Christian Traditions 9

The Revelation of the Name Yhwh to Moses: Perspectives from Judaism, the Pagan Graeco-Roman World, and Early Christianity. Themes in Biblical Narrative: Jewish and Christian Traditions 9

The Revelation of the Name Yhwh to Moses: Perspectives from Judaism, the Pagan Graeco-Roman World, and Early Christianity. Themes in Biblical Narrative: Jewish and Christian Traditions 9

The Revelation of the Name Yhwh to Moses: Perspectives from Judaism, the Pagan Graeco-Roman World, and Early Christianity. Themes in Biblical Narrative: Jewish and Christian Traditions 9

The Revelation of the Name YHWH to Moses: Perspectives from Judaism, the Pagan Graeco-Roman World and Early Christianity

The Revelation of the Name YHWH to Moses: Perspectives from Judaism, the Pagan Graeco-Roman World and Early Christianity

Ytsyat mtsryM [The Exodus from Egypt: Reality or Illusion (Exodus 1-15)

Galpaz-Feller, both an Egyptologist and a biblioist by training, addresses the Egyptian background of Exod 1-15. Although a number of scholars have illuminated the Egyptian coloration of the exodus story before, Galpaz-Feller's work stands out because she offers a greater integration of Egyptology and biblical studies in a series of short essays that constitute a running commentary on Exod 15. Galpaz-Feller's analysis of the plague narratives shows her intellectual integrity. She examines and then dismisses the theory that each plague was directed against a particular Egyptian deity, showing that a number of plagues, such as lice, wild animals, and boils, cannot be linked to any Egyptian god. Rather, in Galpaz-Feller's analysis, the plagues are generated from the undoing of creation according to the biblical account of it. However, the special emphasis devoted to the plague of locusts reflects the special valence of locusts in Egyptian culture, and the biblical author's use of heavy and rigid verbs to characterize the pharaoh's heart portrays his guiltiness in the context of Egyptian death religion's emphasis on the lightness of an innocent heart. Galpaz-Feller's discussion of the origins of Israelite monotheism also exemplifies her reluctance to engage in Egypto-parallelomania. She argues that Israelite monotheism was influenced by many theological/cultic concepts of the religions of the ancient world, one of which happened to be Egyptian. The true name of the Egyptian god Ra is a secret, and Galpaz-Feller offers the suggestion that the secrecy of the true name of a deity might be reflected in the name YHWH. She asks whether the revealing of the name YHWH is a true revelation of the deity's name or whether the name YHWH lacks specificity and therefore should be linked to the concept of the secrecy of the true name of a deity. Galpaz-Feller also demonstrates that Akhenaten's religious revolution, worshiping the sun-disk via the king, died with Akhenaten and that certain fundamental aspects of his religion are contradicted hy the contours of Israelite religion in the Bible. Creation, for example, was not an issue for Akhenaten's monotheism, but was certainly a major facet of biblical religion. Galpaz-Feller argues that beyond the Egyptian coloration of the exodus narrative, there are elements that have historical value. Beyond the details that reflect ancient Egyptian culture as it was generally practiced throughout Egyptian history, there are elements that reflect Egyptian culture and history only in the time of Raamses II and the Nineteenth Dynasty. The particular cities that the Hebrew Bible records as having been built by the Israelites were attributed in Egyptian texts to Raamses II. A city in the Nile Delta, Pi-Raamses, not Memphis or Thebes, was the capital during the reign of Raamses, and the brevity of the journeys that Moses and Aaron undertook to visit the pharaoh implies that the capital was near the Israelites in the Nile Delta. …