Gary Knoppers on Exodus 32:4, 8 and 1 Kings 12:28

 

On the use of elohim coupled with verbs in the plural (that is, plural gods are in view) in Exo 32;4, 8 and 1 Kgs 12:28 vis-à-vis the Golden Calf/Calves, Gary Knoppers wrote:

 

J.A. Montgomery and H.S. Gehman (A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Kings [ICC; Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1951], 258) would emend to the singular העלך on the grounds that Jeroboam most likely did not conceive of his actions as being polytheistic. (Cf. the formulations of this Yahwistic confession in Neh 9:18 [singular] and Exod 32:4 [plural]). The versions, like the MT, have the plural. אלהים אחרים is technically a plural formation and occasionally takes a plural attributive adjective (Deut 5:23; Josh 24:19; 1 Sam 17:26, 36; Jer 10:10; 23:36; GKC, §132h) or a plural verb (Gen 20:10 [in conversation with a non-Israelite]; 31:53; 35:7; 2 Sam 7:23). Two considerations suggest, however, that a plural translation is warranted. First, as H. Donner (“Hier sind deiner Götter Israel!” Wort und Geschichte: Festchrift Karl Elliger [ed. H. Gese and H.P. Rüger; Neukirchen-Vluyn:Neukirchener Verlag, 1973], 47) points out, the Yahwistic confession always employs the singular verb: עלה (e.g. Judg 6:13; 1 Sam 12:6; 2 Kgs 17:36; Jer 16:14; 23:7) or יצא (e.g., Exod 16:6; Deut 1:27; 6:12, 23; 7:8, 19; 1 Kgs 9:9; 2 Chr 7:22). Exod 32:4, 8 and 1 Kgs 12:28 are therefore exceptional. Second, the Deuteronomistic castigation of Jeroboam in 1 Kgs 14:9 states: “and you made for yourself other gods” (יתעשׂה-לך אלהים אחרים). The Deuteronomistic employment of אלהים אחרים clearly has a plural designation (Josh 23:16; 24:2; Judg 2:12, 17, 19; 1 Kgs 11:4, 10, etc.). Hence, whatever sources the Deuteronomist may have had at his disposal, he understands אלהים as plural. (Gary N. Knoppers, “Aaron’s Calf and Jeroboam’s Calves,” in Astrid B, Beck, Andrew H. Bartelt, Paul R. Raabe, and Chris A. Franke, eds., Fortunate the Eyes that See: Essays in Honor of David Noel Freedman in Celebration of His Seventieth Birthday [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1995], 92-104, here, pp. 100-1 n. 22)

 

On Gen 20:13 using elohim coupled with a verb in the plural, therefore, designating plural gods, see:

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