Who is the real El? A reconstruction of the theology of Hosea's opponents at Bethel.

摘要

While the relationship between Yahweh and El has been discussed at great lengths over the years, this dissertation attempts to shed new light on this discussion in several areas. While the prophet Hosea has been traditionally associated with the polemic against Baal, I have attempted to show that in Hosea 11–13 in particular the prophet is intent on exposing the Northern Kingdom's fatal mistake of not making a distinction between Yahweh and El. The theological language Hosea uses to describe Yahweh's character in chapter 11 in particular draws strongly on language traditionally used for El, which culminates in Yahweh's claim in 11:9 that he is the real 'el, a typical Hosean play on words. If the Genesis narratives concerning the Bethel sanctuary, particularly Genesis 28, as well as the cult set up by Jeroboam at Bethel can be shown to be associated with the cult of El, is it possible that this cult might also play a role in Hosea's harsh words for Bethel?; In the passages I examined most closely (11:1–12:6) Hosea seems mostly intent on answering the question of identity: who has been Israel's god since her days in Egypt, and who was the god of Jacob at Bethel? The use of the divine name 'el in Hos 11:9 is surrounded by imagery often used for the deity El: Yahweh cannot give up Ephraim/Israel to destruction, his heart has changed, and his compassions have grown warm and tender (v. 8); he will not execute his hot anger, and he alone is the Holy One (qds ) (v. 9). The theme of proper divine identity continues and is applied to the famously difficult verses of Hos 12:4–5, the prophet's treatment of the Jacob/Bethel traditions. A proposed translation of 12:5a is “but El played the prince and prevailed,” which would have celebrated Jacob's original confrontation with the deity El. Like his work in chapter 11, Hosea however is intent on using this Bethel liturgy as an educational event for the Israelites—what is the real name of this “El” that encountered Jacob? The answer to that can be found in Hos 12:6: “Yahweh is the God of Hosts, Yahweh is his name!”