JHVH

by meadow77 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  onacruse

  ballistic, the Tetra (a noun) is a derivative, like most Hebrew words, from a root verb (in this case hawah. This verb means, basically, "to be." As with all Hebrew verbs, the sense to be taken is either "perfect (as in a completed action)" or "imperfect (as in yet to be completed action)."

  Considering God as infinite and dynamic, the "proper" sense would be the imperfect, hence the idea of "I shall prove to be," rather than "I am."

  James Moffatt attempts to capture this thought when he translates the Tetra as "the Eternal."

  Craig
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  Satanus

  Ballistic

  There were many names and title for god in the ot, some plural, some singular. One of the patrirchs' wives carried the teraphim (family gods). It indicates that the early jews weren't monotheistic. Nor did they know which god(s), or what kind they were dealing with. The phrase you ask about shows that very well.

  Some scholars think the jewish god had its roots in the ugarits, a small palestinian tribe. Yahweh was one of many ugarit gods.

  SS