Israel and Humanity - Some other examples of plural alleged against Mosaism
§ 4.
SOME OTHER EXAMPLES OF ALLEGED PLURALS
AGAINST MOSAISM.
We will look again about the word Elohim , some other texts with a remarkable approximation of plural and singular.
We read in Deuteronomy [1], the book most clearly monotheistic Pentateuch by the admission of criticism, the sentence already cited above as an example of the curious mixture of the two numbers: "What man is, in fact, ever as we heard the voice of the Gods (Elohim ) live speaking (singular) of the fire and who lived? "Should we see is an expression polytheistic? Not since the first text could be translated as: "What man is, indeed, that ever as we heard the voice of God Life," the word life in Hebrew ([2]) are always plural and similar to the present participle of the verb. The text would mean that God and [3] is the life of the world, in the words of the Psalmist, "the source of life is with you" Deuteronomy, V, 26. </Ref> But assuming that the exact translation is: Elohim alive , we must remember we are talking in this passage from the pagans, and perhaps consequently of their gods, and the meaning would be that none of them has been able to prove its existence by his people what God has done for Israel.
The verse cited above from the book of Joshua, provides another example of the agreement of the adjective: "You do not have the strength to serve the Lord, for he is holy gods (Elohim Kedoschim ) and is a jealous God "Psalm [4]-Is it not strange that these words and others that seem really likely to compromise monotheism are specifically pronounced in circumstances where the monotheistic faith can not be at all in doubt? Expressions, which could easily give meaning pagan, are employed in order to inculcate in the minds of the most rigorous monotheism! The head of Israel said to his people here that will hardly serve the Lord, for all types of holiness demanded by the various religions of the Gentiles, the Lord calls them to himself, and the word " i> Kedoschim </i> (saints), which is the strength of the objection is precisely that which demonstrates the exclusive worship of Avaya and the absolute impossibility of any involve another.
The same goes for the verse from Jeremiah: "But the Lord is the true God (Elohim literally truth) it is Elohim alive and the king of the world" [5]. The whole passage, from context, is the most formal denial of polytheism: the gods of the Gentiles like a massive column, do not speak and can not walk: they are incapable of good or evil (verse 5) . "No one is like unto thee, O Lord! You are great, and your name is great in power. Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? To you that fear is due (verses 6-7). It is therefore completely unacceptable that the prophet could introduce a similar expression polytheistic and text can be said that the words "Gods (Elohim ) living" are put there precisely opposed to the gods paganism, which in reality do not exist to [6] eyes of the faithful of Israel, The LORD is his only true living God.
Another text, also mentioned as an example of singular mixture of the two numbers, deserves that we stopped there a few moments. This is the second book of Samuel: "Is there on earth a nation which is like your people, like Israel that Elohim came , redeem to himself for a people? "[7]. There is an obvious reminiscence of a passage from Deuteronomy: "Was there ever Elohim tried to go take him a nation from the midst of another nation by trials, pro digestion, the Miracles? "[8]. But in the text of the fifth book of Moses is not the plural, unless the word Elohim , albeit by the gods of paganism, is followed by the verb in the singular, because it's as if the author asked if someone the gods of the Gentiles has ever tried to accomplish such a prodigy. In verse from the book of Samuel the contrary pronouns are singular, but the verb is plural, because it contains, we believe, an allusion to the gods of paganism, we are told, were unable to make the wonders God has wrought for Israel.
Those who persist in claiming that this passage and others like it can be a serious objection against the Mosaic monotheism would do well to read in the book of Samuel, the verse immediately preceding: "That you're so great, Avaya Elohim ! because there is none like You, and there is no other God (Elohim) as You! "[9]. The phrase is so explicitly monotheistic that we could not find no clearer in the Bible and after such statements are strictly logical to believe that the plural in the following words must necessarily be attributed to a cause other than any polytheistic tendency.
