The Clause "The Lord is a Man of War" ה׳ ℵִישׁ מִלְחָמָה( ) and its Reflexes throughout the Generations

Moshe Bar-Asher

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

A unique usage of an epithet for God appears in the Hebrew Bible. This usage appears only once, in the ancient text of the Song of the Sea (Exod 15:1-19). For at least fifteen hundred years after the Song, beginning within the Hebrew Bible itself and concluding with various genres of rabbinic literature, it is possible to discern the views expressed with regard to this idiom. It is possible to discern these views both from the way this unique expression was transmitted, and the way it was re-used in the Tannaitic period. In this study I will trace the various transformations of this expression and discuss them. 2. This study is, of course, primarily diachronic. The study of this divine epithet has both linguistic aspects regarding one of its components, as well as extra-linguistic aspects that are relevant to the realm of religious beliefs. It can be said that these theological considerations determined the attitudes of later generations to the epithet. This finds expression within the Hebrew Bible itself, as well as in extra-biblical sources and the earliest biblical exegetes, namely the translations of the Bible into various languages.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationStudies on the Texts of the Desert of Judah
EditorsJan Joosten, Daniel Machiela, Jean-Sébastien Rey
PublisherBrill Academic Publishers
Pages1-15
Number of pages15
DOIs
StatePublished - 2018

Publication series

NameStudies on the Texts of the Desert of Judah
Volume124
ISSN (Print)0169-9962

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Brill Academic Publishers. All rights reserved.

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