TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS............................ XIII ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................ XV CHAPTER ONE A PROPOSAL............................ 1 Introduction............................. 1 1.1 The Evolutionary Approach................... 3 1.2 The Social-Scientific Approach................ 8 1.3 The Theological Approach................... 13 The Focus on Idol in Recent Works............. 19 A Broader Correspondence between The Emerging Thesis and the OT Data......................... 29 1.4 The Statement of Problem................... 31 1.5 Method/Strategy......................... 32 1.6 The Scope and Limitation.................... 32 1.7 An Outline/Work Plan..................... 33 CHAPTER TWO THE CONCEPT OF IDOL AND A RATIONALE FOR ANICONISM............................ 35 Introduction............................. 35 2.1 Idols in the Religions of AWA and a Definition of Aniconism. 35 An Analysis of Mettinger s Classification, and an Alternative 37 The Form of a Cult Image in the Religions of AWA.... 39 A Case Summary of Shamash (The Babylonian Sun God).. 40 The Revelation of a Deity s Form............... 42 Other Case Summaries..................... 42 Iconology in AWA and the Ontological Divinity of Cult Images 44 Idols as Bodies of Gods or Gods of Heaven and Earth (B.D. Sommer s Proposal)................. 45 An Evaluation of Iconology of AWA in Light of Sommer s Proposal........................... 46 Iconology in Relation to the Ambivalent Omnipresent Nature of Deities.......................... 51
VIII TABLE OF CONTENTS Iconological Premises...................... 56 An Analysis of the Iconological Premise of Divine-Human Co-operation......................... 58 The OT Concept of an Idol and its Form.......... 64 The Awareness of the OT Writers about Idols....... 67 The Proposed Definition of Aniconism in Light of the Concept of an Idol.......................... 72 2.2 Demarcation between Yahwistic Aniconism and Aniconism per se.............................. 72 A Further Explanation of Demarcation............. 78 2.3 Conclusion............................ 81 CHAPTER THREE THE BASIS FOR THE ANICONIC YAHWEH.......... 83 Introduction............................. 83 3.1 MacDonald s Interpretation of Deut. 4............. 84 3.2 Assessment and Alternative to MacDonald s Interpretation of Deut. 4............................. 87 Challenging Henotheism in MacDonald s Argument: Psalm 82. 88 An Evaluation of Scholarly Interpretations of Ps. 82.... 89 An Alternative Reading of Ps. 82.............. 96 Countering the Specific Issue in MacDonald s Interpretation of Deut. 4............................ 104 3.3 Yahweh s Exclusive Divinity in Deut. 4............ 107 The Problem and Potential in Alexander Rofé s Analysis of Deut. 4............................ 107 A Further Argument..................... 110 Divine Nomenclature..................... 110 The First Invitation..................... 113 The Allotment of Celestial Bodies.............. 116 The Second Invitation.................... 119 3.4 The Meaning of Yahweh as the Only God of Heaven and Earth 122 Scholarly Understanding.................... 122 Divine Presence as the Reason for Yahweh s Aniconic Nature 126 The Connection Between Divine Presence and Rejection of Idolatry.......................... 127 The Unseen Divine Form as the Climax of the Discourse. 127 The Available and Immediate Divine Presence (Deut. 4:1 8, 29 30)......................... 129
TABLE OF CONTENTS IX The Immediate and Indivisible Divine Presence (Deut. 4:9 14)............................. 139 3.5 Yahweh s Indivisible Person: A Supplementary Reading of Deut. 6:4............................ 149 3.6 The Lack of Commonality: A Supplementary Reading of Isa. 40:19-20.......................... 155 3.7 Conclusion............................ 164 CHAPTER FOUR INCOMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE ANICONIC YAHWEH AND IDOL............................ 167 Introduction............................. 167 4.1 A Brief Review of the Scholarly Discussion on the Rejection of Idolatry............................ 169 4.2 An Adaptation of Ellen van Wolde s Text-Semantic Approach. 171 4.3 The Ontological Incompatibility between Yahweh and Idol. 175. 175............. עצבים A Text-Semantic Analysis of Psalm 115.......................... 176 Yahweh s Heavenliness and Divine Function (Ontological Divinity)........................... 176. 179............. (עצבים) The Earthly Origin of Idols. 181... (עצבים) An Elaboration of the Earthly Origin of Idols. 186..... (עצבים) The Absence of Divine Function of Idols. 189.............. צלם A Text-Semantic Analysis of 2 Kings 11 (Lack of Mutual Ontology and Incompatibility) 190 Daniel 3 (Lack of Mutual Ontology and Incompatibility). 194. 199............. תּרפים A Text-Semantic Analysis of Genesis 31.......................... 200 Ontological Incompatibility between Yahweh and Laban s Cult Image............................ 201 The Offense of Idolatry and the Rationale for Aniconism.. 209 Incompatibility between Idolatry and the Socio-Familial Structure of Israel......................... 211 Judges 17-18......................... 213 Ontological Incompatibility between Yahweh and Micah s Cult Image.......................... 214 The Seriousness of the Offense of Idolatry and Aniconism s Rationale........................... 216 Incompatibility between Idolatry and the Socio-Familial Structure of Israel......................... 219
X TABLE OF CONTENTS. 222.............. מסּכה A Text-Semantic Analysis of Ontological Incompatibility between Yahweh and Idols in Exod. 32-34........................ 222 The Extent of Divine Presence and Inauthentic Divinity of. 223............................ מסּכה. 226... מסּכה Cultic Comportment and Inauthentic Divinity of The Supposed Supernatural Origin and Inauthentic Divinity. 233.......................... מסּכה of. 243................. Idolatry and the Sin of מסּכה. 246... גּלולים and תועבה,שׁקוצים A Text-Semantic Analysis of Ezekiel 5: Idolatry as the Most Serious Offense against Yahweh.......................... 246 Incompatibility between idolatry and Israel........... 249 Ezekiel 7: Idolatry as the Most Serious Offense against Yahweh.......................... 151 Dialogue with N.M. Sarna and an Examination of Eze- kiel 8, 9 & 11....................... 256 Sarna s Argument for a Greater Gravity of Socio-Moral Offenses 257 An Assessment of, and Alternative to, Sarna s Thesis..... 258 The Issue of Comparison and Divine Anger and the Offense of Idolatry.......................... 258 The Intention of Divine Retribution and the Offense of Idolatry 262 Yahweh s Retribution, His Wrath and the Offense of Idolatry 264 The Divine Restoration and the Offense of Idolatry...... 267. 269.............. אלילים A Text-Semantic Analysis of A Text-Semantic Reading of Isaiah 2............ 270 Prophetic Accusation and the Offense of Idolatry....... 270 The Divine Judgment and the Offense of Idolatry....... 274 Literary Parallels between the Second and Third Sections of Isaiah 2......................... 274 Polar Opposites within the Third Section (Isa. 2: 11f.).... 275 A Cause-Effect Relation between Idolatry and People s Dispersion.......................... 277 The Final Remark in Isaiah 2: 22, Isaiah 10 and the Offense of Idolatry.......................... 278 4.4 Conclusion............................ 282 CHAPTER FIVE THE INCOMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE STATUS OF ISRAEL AND IDOL............................ 285 Introduction............................. 285 5.1 A Brief Review of Scholarly Debate and a Proposal..... 286
TABLE OF CONTENTS XI 5.2 A Dialogue with C.H.T. Fletcher-Louis Proposal....... 287 Fletcher-Louis Second Thesis: Humanity is Yahweh s Idol. 288 An Evaluation of Fletcher-Louis Second Thesis....... 289 אלהיםMiddleton s Interpretation of in Gen. 1 צלם..... 290 An Important Supplementation to Middleton s Argument. 293 A Lacuna in Fletcher-Louis Third Thesis (Israel is Yahweh s Idol)............................. 298 Abraham as Yahweh s Image: The Link Between Humanity and Israel......................... 299 Abraham s Call and Redemptive Creation........... 299 Abraham s Installation..................... 300 Abraham s Function...................... 304 Israel as Yahweh s Image.................. 309 The Creative Redemption of Israel: The Creation Parallel.. 309 The Installation of Israel in Yahweh s Sanctuary....... 311 The Function and Status of Israel............... 312 Fletcher Louis Fourth Thesis: the High Priest Aaron as Yahweh s Idol.............................. 313 An Evaluation of Fletcher-Louis Fourth Thesis........ 314 The First and Second Parallels............... 314 The Third and Fourth Parallels............... 316 A Further Argument from Deuteronomy........... 317 MacDonald s Explanation................... 317 An Alternative to MacDonald s Explanation.......... 317 5.3 A Further Elaboration of the Israel-Idol Contrast....... 320 The Creation of Israel...................... 323 The Feeding of Israel...................... 324 5.4 Conclusion........................... 326 CHAPTER SIX SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION................. 329 APPENDIX............................... 339 BIBLIOGRAPHY............................ 347 AUTHOR INDEX............................ 379 SCRIPTURE INDEX........................... 385