deuteronomy 32:8 polytheism

Deuteronomy 32:8-9 According to the BHS, a textual variant occurs in the last two words of Deuteronomy 32:8. The NASB translates the last half of the verse as follows: “He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel” (Deut. The textual evidence cited above presents a situation where one reading (that of Deuteronomy 4:19-20 vs. 32:8-9 An argument often made in favor of identifying El, Elyon, and YHWH as the same figure in Deut. 32:8-9 and Psalm 82? Commentators such as Mark S. Smith, Emanuel Tov, and Astour note that the addition of Yahweh to the verse is a later interpolation or editorial gloss. M. Heiser in Deuteronomy 32:8 and the Sons of God:. 1351 0 obj <>stream 32:8-9 on linguistic and theological grounds. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Here’s a diagram which illustrates the extent of the relevant fragment of 4QDeutj (i.e. The Song of Moses … 7 Remember the days of old; consider the years long past. בהנחל עליון גוים In its own turn, Deuteronomy 32:8-9 appears to reflect the Canaanite belief that El had assigned each nation its own guardian god. 4:19-20. Gen 14:22). 32:8-9 is based on a parallel passage in Deut. During a recent online debate the question of the meaning of Deut 32:8–9 was raised as evidence of the Bible’s affirmation of polytheism and the subordinate status of the God of Israel, Yhwh. 32:8 [NASB]). There’s no “their” in the Hebrew and the hiphil of נחל usually means “to give as an inheritance” with a double accusative. and sons of ʿelyôn are you all!”. For one it is reflected in the LXX (for which various manuscripts read either ἀγγέλων θεοῦ or υἱοὶ θεοῦ [cf. A singular “son” of God is a designation for God’s appointed human king (e.g. Your email address will not be published. Thus Deuteronomy may well be offering us a privileged glimpse of a stage in the Israelite tradition wherein El and Yahweh were still considered distinct deities. �0&�ԧS�lnli泀�&g��5� ��S�Ę2����ulQAhlQ�� �iqW����r�1 7���6�Y1���6���i�NlV�,!�l ���,� ��#� c�ּF�4玀HƘ��� ��6q.�HV0/���ڬ"6����T�������#��)Xf٫ F��A��R/�)�qr"\�A����A�F#�R!ר�*��R��� yr��"�6Hn�0A�3T�&�Q���4�Lp���((U\��G���=@ sF�B��\o!�w�Vx �m(�B �� ϔ�r��D����+O�H���3{'�T��"�@���@�6��6��R܆�/�m�����u uI6P��4�W���f�F!�,��C�D!�|���X��;��K���F��V����T�aȊ� ��,$� B 6�A��+���F��K��I����=@Ar�mt�m(�.�6u���-�tiؐ�� 5��u���GPe�x� When he scattered the sons of man, Plural sons appears to refer to the members of a divine court, presumably angelic beings but certainly not “gods” (e.g. In the end, the claims that this passage, read through the light of the fragments from the DSS, preserves evidence of an earlier stage in the religion of the OT, can only be maintained if one ignores the context and reads much into the text. There are essentially two issues raised in discussion of this passage: Ultimately, however, there are too many problems with both of these claims for them to be viable. The argument is entirely anachronistic however, as Deut. The essence of the claim is that the version of this passage preserved in the DSS identifies El Elyon as head of a pantheon who assigns nations to various subordinate deities, and Israel is assigned to Yhwh in this process. Deuteronomy 32:8-9 is a text which emphasizes the idea that a council of divine beings existed, with tiers or rankings of these divine beings. But the portion of Yhwh is his people, Your claims are reasonable, yet I believe you should take note to a couple of points: 1) In the LXX, as you wrote, there are manuscripts how reads “ἀγγέλων” which translate usually as ‘angels'(meaning: servants). Heiser, Michael S., “Deuteronomy 32:8 and the Sons of God,” Bibliotheca Sacra 158 (Jan–Mar 2001) 52–74. �,υ��1���:�@|H�Ud�����`n�. Ask your father, and he will tell you, your elders, and they will inform you. 2. Deuteronomy 32:8 in no way requires one to view Israelite religion as polytheistic. While Yhwh (designated by עליון, ʿelyôn) apportioned the nations according to the proportions of the heavenly court, he himself retained special ownership of the people of Israel. 8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He divided the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. In Deut. Deuteronomy 32:8-9 According to the BHS, a textual variant occurs in the last two words of Deuteronomy 32:8. According to the number of the sons of Israel. %PDF-1.6 %���� In its own turn, Deuteronomy 32:8-9 appears to reflect the Canaanite belief that El had assigned each nation its own guardian god. 2. 1. 32:8-9 on linguistic and theological grounds. 4:19-20 is known to be reliant on Deut. 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