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You Will Be Like the Gods”: the Conceptualization of Deity in the Hebrew Bible in Cognitive Perspective

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“YOU WILL BE LIKE THE GODS”: THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF DEITY IN THE HEBREW BIBLE IN COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE by Daniel O. McClellan A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES Master of Arts in Biblical Studies We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard ............................................................................... Dr. Craig Broyles, PhD; Thesis Supervisor ................................................................................ Dr. Martin Abegg, PhD; Second Reader TRINITY WESTERN UNIVERSITY December, 2013 © Daniel O. McClellan Table of Contents Chapter 1 – Introduction 1 1.1 Summary and Outline 1 1.2 Cognitive Linguistics 3 1.2.1 Profiles and Bases 8 1.2.2 Domains and Matrices 10 1.2.3 Prototype Theory 13 1.2.4 Metaphor 16 1.3 Cognitive Linguistics in Biblical Studies 19 1.3.1 Introduction 19 1.3.2 Conceptualizing Words for “God” within the Pentateuch 21 1.4 The Method and Goals of This Study 23 Chapter 2 – Cognitive Origins of Deity Concepts 30 2.1 Intuitive Conceptualizations of Deity 31 2.1.1 Anthropomorphism 32 2.1.2 Agency Detection 34 2.1.3 The Next Step 36 2.2. Universal Image-Schemas 38 2.2.1 The UP-DOWN Image-Schema 39 2.2.2 The CENTER-PERIPHERY Image-Schema 42 2.3 Lexical Considerations 48 48 אלהים 2.3.1 56 אל 2.3.2 60 אלוה 2.3.3 2.4 Summary 61 Chapter 3 – The Conceptualization of YHWH 62 3.1 The Portrayals of Deity in the Patriarchal and Exodus Traditions 64 3.1.1 The Portrayal of the God of the Patriarchs 64 3.1.2 The Portrayal of the God of the Exodus 69 3.2 The Conflation of YHWH and the God of the Patriarchs 75 3.2.1 The Historical Data 76 3.2.2 Conceptual Blending 79 3.3 Subsequent Conceptual Development 89 3.3.1 Isaiah 90 3.3.2 Deuteronomy 93 3.3.3 Deuteronomistic Literature 96 3.3.4 Ezekiel 98 3.3.5 Deutero-Isaiah 101 3.4 Summary 104 Chapter 4 – The Conceptualization of Deity 109 4.1 Generic Deity in the Hebrew Bible 109 4.1.1 The Primeval History 109 4.1.2 The Jacob Cycle 112 4.1.3 Deuteronomy 123 4.1.4 Isaiah 126 4.1.5 Ezekiel 127 4.2 The Semantic Base and Domains of Deity 128 4.2.1 The Semantic Base of Deity 129 4.2.2 Semantic Domains of Deity 133 4.3 Summary 138 Chapter 5 – Conclusions 139 Appendix A: Glossary 144 Appendix B: Occurrences of the Hebrew Words for “Deity” 146 Appendix C: Hebrew Words for “Deity” Not in Reference to YHWH 149 Bibliography 150 Abbreviations AJBA Australian Journal of Biblical Archaeology AJSLL American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures ANET Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament. Third Edition. Edited by James B. Pritchard; Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969. AoF Altorientalische Forschungen ASR American Sociological Review BAR Biblical Archaeology Review BASOR Bulleting of the American Schools of Oriental Research BBR Bulletin of Biblical Research BCog Brain and Cognition Bib Biblica BibArch Biblical Archaeology BJRL Bulletin of the John Rylands Library BSac Bibliotheca Sacra BT Bible Translator BTB Biblical Theology Bulletin BuB Babel und Bibel: Annual of Ancient Near Eastern, Old Testament, and Semitic Studies. Edited by Leonid Kogan; Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 2006. CAD The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. Edited by A. L. Oppenheim, et al.; Chicago: Oriental Institute, 1956–2011. CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly CEDHL Ernest Klein, A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language for Readers of English. Jerusalem: Carta, 1987. CMHE Frank Moore Cross. Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic. Harvard: Harvard University Press, 1973. CogLing Cognitive Linguistics CogPs Cognitive Psychology CogSci Cognitive Science ConS Conspectus COS The Context of Scripture. 3 vols. Edited by William W. Hallo Leiden: Brill, 1997–2003. DELTA Documentação de Estudos em Lingüística Teórica e Aplicada DevPsych Developmental Psychology DDD Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible. Second Edition. Edited by K. van der Toorn, B. Becking, and P. W. van der Horst; Leiden: Brill, 1999. DSD Dead Sea Discoveries DWdO Die Welt des Orients EuroJTh European Journal of Theology FPP Faculty Publications and Presentations GBH Paul Joüon and Takamitsu Muraoka. A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Rome: Editrice Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 2006. GBHS Bill T. Arnold and John H. Choi, A Guide to Biblical Hebrew Syntax. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. GKC Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar. Translated by A. E. Cowley. Second Edition. Edited by E. Kautsch; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. GL Glaube und Lernen GRBS Greek Roman and Byzantine Studies HALOT The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. 5 vols. Edited by L. Koehler, W. Baumgartner, and J. J. Stamm; Translated and edited under supervision of M. E. J. Richardson; Leiden: Brill, 1994–2000. HR History of Religions HS Hebrew Studies HTR Harvard Theological Review HUCA Hebrew Union College Annual IBHS Bruce K. Waltke and M. O’Connor. An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax. Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1990. ICS Illinois Classical Studies IEJ Israel Exploration Journal JANER Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religion JANES Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Studies JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society JAR Journal of Archaeological Research JBL Journal of Biblical Literature JCogCul Journal of Cognition and Culture JEA Journal of Egyptian Archaeology JEPG Journal of Experimental Psychology: General JETS Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society JHS Journal for Hebrew Scriptures JJS Journal of Jewish Studies JLT Journal of Literature and Theology JNES Journal of Near Eastern Studies JNSL Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages JOT Journal of Translation JPrag Journal of Pragmatics JPSP Journal of Personality and Social Psychology JRAI Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament JSS Journal of Semitic Studies JSSEA Journal of the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities JT Journal of Translation KTU Die keilalphabetischen Texte aus Ugarit. Edited by M. Dietrich, O. Loretz, and J. Sanmartín; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1976–. KUSAT Kleine Untersuchungen zur Sprache des Alten Testaments und seiner Umwelt M&L Mind and Language MemCog Memory & Cognition MSA Metaphor and Symbolic Activity MTSR Method & Theory in the Study of Religion NEA Near Eastern Archaeology NedTheoT Nederlands Theologisch Tijdschift NT Novum Testamentum Or Orientalia PPSci Perspectives on Psychological Science PPsych Pastoral Psychology PSB Princeton Seminary Bulletin QS Quaderni di semantica RC Religion Compass RBL Review of Biblical Literature RHR Revue de I'histoire des religions RB Revue Biblique SCog Social Cognition TDOT Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament. 15 vols. Edited by G. J. Botterweck, H. Ringgren; Translated by J. T. Willis, G. W. Bromiley, and D. E. Green; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1974–. TGUOS Transactions of the Glasgow University Oriental Society THAT Theologisches Handwörterbuch zum Alten Testament. 2 Vols.; Edited by E. Jenni and C. Westermann; München: Chr. Kaiser Verlag, 1971. TLOT Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament. 3 vols. Edited by E. Jenni, with assistance from C. Westermann; Translated by M. E. Biddle; Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1997. TynBull Tyndale Bulletin UF Ugarit Forschungen (Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, 1969–). VT Vetus Testamentum ZAW Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft ZDP-V Zeitschrift des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins Abstract This thesis has two primary goals: (1) to analyze the countours and extent of the generic category of deity in the Hebrew Bible, and (2) propose a semantic base for the term. It begins with a description of the fields associated with cognitive theory, and particularly cognitive linguistics. Chapter 2 examines the cognitive origins of notions of deity and discusses how this heritage is reflected within the biblical texts. The third chapter examines the conceptualization of Israel’s prototypical deity, YHWH, beginning from the earliest divine profiles detectable within the text. In Chapter 4 the discussion returns to the generic notion of deity, highlighting references within the biblical text to deities other than YHWH. The conclusion synthesizes the different sections of the thesis, sketching the origins and development of the Hebrew Bible’s representation of both prototypical and non-prototypical notions of deity. Implications for further research are then briefly discussed. 1 Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Summary and Outline1 “God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like the gods, knowing good and evil.” Gen 3:52 This comment from the serpent that the man and the woman would be “like the gods” upon eating the forbidden fruit, combined with the expectation’s realization in v. 22, attests to a view held at least by the author that a generic category of deity existed, and that knowledge of good and evil constituted at least one of the features prototypical of members of that category. Similarly prototypical and even non-prototypical features may be teased out of texts found elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible. The goal of this thesis is to examine those features within a methodological framework constructed primarily upon the insights of cognitive linguistics in order to better understand the nature and development of the Hebrew Bible’s conceptualization of the generic notion of deity. It will seek to show that the category “deity” was not clearly delineated in the early history of the Bible, but was determined largely by the usage of the term within the broader Syro-Palestinian cultural matrix. This usage was not focused extrinsically on the boundaries of the category, but intrinsically on its prototypical members. As the power struggles of surrounding nations convulsed and fragmented the nation of Israel, and ethnic and cultural boundary maintenance became more central to the worldviews of the biblical authors, it became necessary to delineate and 1 A glossary of terms unique to the field of cognitive linguistics is provided in Appendix A.
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