Bearing Yhwh's name at Sinai: A re-examination of the Name Command of the Decalogue.

摘要

The Name Command (NC) is usually interpreted as a prohibition of some kind of speech: false oaths, wrongful pronunciation of the divine name, irreverent worship, magical practices, cursing, false teaching, and the like. However, these interpretations ignore the natural sense of the Hebrew [special characters omitted], and appeal to supposed parallel ANE and biblical texts that do not stand up to closer scrutiny. In short, the NC lacks the contextual specification needed to support the command as speech-related. A re-examination is sorely needed.;Taking seriously the narrative context at Sinai and the closest lexical parallels, a different picture emerges --- one animated by concrete rituals and their associated metaphorical concepts. The unique phrase [special characters omitted] is one of several expressions arising from the conceptual metaphor, ELECTION AS BRANDING, which finds analogy in the high priestly regalia (Exod 28:38) as well as practices common to the ANE, such as inscribed monuments, the use of seals, and the branding of slaves. It also draws on the well-attested conceptual metaphor OBEDIENCE IS A JOURNEY, thereby illuminating the public implications of covenant faithfulness. The image of bearing YHWH's name offers a rich source for theological and ethical reflection that cannot be conveyed non-metaphorically without distortion or loss of meaning. The failure to recognize this conceptual world has predisposed generations of interpreters to look elsewhere for the meaning of the NC and thereby to miss its true significance.;While [special characters omitted] is a unique expression, its affiliation with other name-related idioms supports this reading: [special characters omitted] is applied both to the people of Israel and to the same entities on which the name is explicitly "placed" ([special characters omitted] ; the ark, the central sanctuary, and the city of Jerusalem), conveying a claim to ownership. The "placing" of YHWH's name on Israel through the declaration of the priestly blessing (Num 6:27) confirms her election as YHWH's covenant partner, a status that implies her vocation to represent him. The first two commands of the Decalogue thereby reinforce the two sides of the covenant declaration: "I will be your God you will be my people." The first expresses the demand for exclusive worship and the second (the NC) calls for proper representation. As a consequence, the NC invites a richer exploration of what it means to be a people in covenant with YHWH---a people who bear his name among the nations. It also points to what is at stake when Israel carries that name "in vain."