Towards, unto, into and in Theos

We have covered a number of prerequisites that get us to the point where we can focus on the path forward and the main thrust of the argument.

As has already been intimated, particularly in the ‘homographs’ section, the contention of this blog is that one of the titles which the creator of the heavens and earth has chosen to call himself by is ‘el (אל) and that the meaning(s) of that title can be inferred by reference to the homographs of that term. If we follow, therefore, the meanings of these homographs we should be able to gain a greater understanding of that one who calls himself, among other things, ‘el (אל). We saw that the meaning of the name that he has chosen to call himself by (Yahweh יהוה) has at its core the idea of being/becoming him. Knowing the meaning of ‘el (אל) will help us to fulfill that promise.

Besides the use of אל as a title to describe him, there appear to be at least 5 further homographic uses of אל.

1. as we have seen in previous blogs the use of אל as the preposition ‘to’/’unto’.
2. again, as noted in previous blogs, the use of אל as the less common negative ‘no’/’not’/’nor’/’neither’
3. the use of אל as a word for ‘power’ particularly in the sense of ‘control’
4. the use of אל as a less common variant for the word ‘this’.
5. the use of אל as a less common word for ‘oath’

The use of אל as a title for him is nicely illustrated in Exodus 34 where it is combined with the name Yahweh (יהוה) after Mosheh has asked him to reveal himself.

And Mosheh said unto Yahweh, see, you say unto me, Bring up this people, and you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, I know you by name, and you have also found grace in my eyes. (Ex.33.12)

I have highlighted the terms ‘unto’ (אל) and ‘people’/’with’ (עם) as we referred to these homographs in the homograph prerequisite post and, specifically, in relation to Exodus 3 and the revelation about Yahweh’s name. Mosheh is clearly referring back to that time when he says that Yahweh has commanded him to bring up this people from Mitsraym which was the context of the revelation of his name in Exodus 3. Mosheh goes on to say:

Now therefore I pray you, if I have found grace in your eyes, make me to know now your way, that I may know you, that I may find grace in your eyes: and consider that this nation is your people. (Ex.33.13)

At the heart of what Mosheh is trying to understand are the ideas of his name and his way, as if the two were somewhat synonymous. This appears to be the case when Yahweh says that he will place Mosheh in a gap in the rock where he will be covered over while Yahweh passes by and calls his name.

Mosheh goes up into the mountain with two tables of stone to replace the first broken set and Yahweh descends and stands with him there and passes by calling his name:

And Yahweh passed by before him and called, Yahweh, Yahweh ‘el (אל), merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in lovingkindness and truth. Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means acquit, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the children’s children unto the third and unto the fourth [generation]. (Ex.34.6,7)

‘el (אל) is here fundamentally associated with the calling of the name of Yahweh before Mosheh in a context of direction. Direction of speech between Mosheh and Yahweh; direction of the passage of the one calling his name and the juxtaposition of the term ‘way’ with the name.

The first in our list of homographic occurrences of אל is the translated ‘to’/’unto’ which we have already seen used above in Exodus 33. It is used in geographical terms, that is, unto a place and it is used in interactive speech, unto one another.

An example of the first is its first occurrence in the word:

And ‘elohym said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so (Gen.1.9)

Whereas an occurrence that could be said to encapsulate both is when the pattern for the Kaporeth (‘mercy seat’) is revealed:

And the Kerubym shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the kaporeth with their wings, and their faces are man unto his brother; unto the mercy seat shall the faces of the kerubym be. (Exodus 25.20)

Here, the interaction between the brother kerubym is seen as an unto/unto relationship and their faces are directional toward the place of the kaporeth where both the glory of Yahweh falls and the blood of the bullock and goat are sprinkled on the day of the atonements.

The second homographic use of אל is as the less common word for the negative, being an inversion of לא (lo’). We saw both these terms in use earlier. Firstly, לא (lo’) in use in Hoshea 1 – not my people and not mercy. We saw the use of אל in Ruth 1 where Ruth says, Intreat me not to leave you…

Another occurrence of the word אל translated as the negative occurs in Genesis:

And ‘Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray you, between me and between you and between my shepherds and between your shepherds for we are brothers. (Gen.13.8)

I’ve emboldened ‘unto’ here as it is also the word אל but the other occurrence is also emboldened as ‘no’. ‘Abram and Lot are in a close familial relationship. Pursuant to this, so should their shepherds, part of their households, be; just as the flock or people should be as one with their shepherd or head, as we saw in the section on homographs when we dealt with ‘I will be with thee/thy people’. Their relationship is characterised by the word ‘between’ which is often used in covenant making language. The relationship is one of speech, just as in Exodus Mosheh was involved in a reciprocal speech arrangement with Yahweh. In order for them to remain as one (the use of ‘brothers’ hinting at family unity and also being descriptive of the unity of the brother kerubym – see above) he intreats Lot that there should be no strife. Of course, the way that they resolve this issue is to separate their flocks and households owing to the need to find grazing.

A further homographic use of אל is as ‘power’ but particularly in the context of control. The idea of force, might and strength seem to be conveyed by other Hebrew words. An example of its use is also in Genesis:

It is in the power of my hand to do you evil: but the ‘elohym of your father spoke unto me last night saying, Take heed that you speak not with Ya’aqob good or evil. (Gen.31.29)

Again, note the occurrence of ‘unto’ in this verse. Here is a conversation of conflict and confrontation, not of reciprocity leading to oneness of mind. Laban, Ya’aqob’s father-in-law, asserts that he has the ability to exert harm over Ya’aqob, presumably either by his authority over his daughters or, more likely, by the force of men he has with him. The truth is that it is ‘elohym who has control here and Laban, reluctantly, has to recognise that. Further occurrences of אל as control, that is ‘the power of my hand’, are largely concerned with Yahweh.

The next homographic use of אל is as a less common form of the more common אלה (these), where אל is translated as ‘this’:

Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you; for to you and to your seed I will give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I sware to ‘Abraham your father (Gen.26.3)

I have emboldened quite a bit here which is pertinent in the light of several of the foregoing blogs. Firstly, I will be (‘ehyeh אהיה) as used in the formation of the name of Yahweh in Exodus 3. With you (עמך), homographically ‘thy people’ as discussed in the homographs blog. ‘To’ as the truncated form of ‘unto’ as referred to in the blog on truncations. Finally, and the reason for its inclusion here is the word for ‘these’, which interestingly is in the singular and would be best translated ‘all the lands, the this‘ intimating possibly that the many lands are to become one singular inheritance in the ‘el.

Yahweh is speaking to the son of ‘Abraham, Yitshaq, to reaffirm the promises which he swore to his father about the future possession of the lands in that region. These promises were made with a view to their being accomplished in a time to come when all three of the patriarchs would see them come to pass.

The last homographic usage of אל is as a word translated ‘oath’ but is not the more common word mentioned above and in our blog on homographs.

Then shall you be clear of my oath, when you come unto my kindred; and if they give not to you, you shall be clear of my oath. (Gen.24.41)

The word ‘clear’ in this verse is the same as the word acquit in Ex.34.7 (see above), interestingly. The words emboldened are the homographic ‘oath’ and the full and truncated ‘to’/’unto’. Here ‘Abraham’s servant is recalling the oath that his servant made him swear to him concerning the fetching of a bride for Yitshaq, his son.