Identifying the "Angel of the Lord" in the Book of Judges: A Model for Reconsidering the Referent in Other Old Testament Loci
The construction "angel of the Lord" appears more times in Judges than any other book in the Hebrew Scripture, but there is no scholarly consensus on the identity of this nameless angel. Some interpreters see this messenger as one of many angelic envoys. Others assert that this angel is a...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
2010
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| In: |
Bulletin for biblical research
Year: 2010, Volume: 20, Issue: 1, Pages: 1-18 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
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| Summary: | The construction "angel of the Lord" appears more times in Judges than any other book in the Hebrew Scripture, but there is no scholarly consensus on the identity of this nameless angel. Some interpreters see this messenger as one of many angelic envoys. Others assert that this angel is a theophany or Christophany, arguing variously that (1) grammar indicates the definiteness of the angel; (2) the angel speaks in the first person; (3) looking at the angel is viewed as looking at Yahweh; (4) many feared for their lives upon encountering the angel; (5) the angel possesses attributes similar to God's; and (6) the angel no longer appears after Jesus arrives. All but one of these arguments can be applied in identifying this angel in Judges. This article reviews the common lines of evidence by appealing to proper conventions of grammar, ancient Near Eastern customs regarding envoys, and Jewish theology. After reviewing the difficulties with each of these arguments, the article will propose a coherent view that is in keeping with sound hermeneutics and can serve as a model for reconsidering the referent when it appears elsewhere in Scripture. |
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| ISSN: | 2576-0998 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Bulletin for biblical research
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/26423961 |