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Bible - OT - Isaiah: Bread Battle

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In the midst of a swirling, fiery description of Yahweh’s appearance as a flame-snorting Warrior, Isaiah refers a few times to Israel’s liturgical institutions (30:27-33). While Yahweh’s Name is taking care of Israel’s enemies, Israel will be singing in their homes as they do on Passover night or as they do in processions toward the temple (v. 29). Yahweh will make war with tabrets and harps (v. 32).

The last phrase of verse 32 might also point to another aspect of liturgical warfare. It can be translated as: ”and in battles of tenuphah he will fight with it.” Tenuphah is typically “wave offering” (eg, Ex 29:24, 26-27). Yahweh carries on His war against Assyria through “lifting up” of a wave offering, a Eucharistic sacrifice. Plus, the verb “fight” is lacham, so the last phrase is tenuphah nilcham, which might strike a Hebrew reader as being very close to tenuphah lechem, “wave offering of bread.”

More generally: Would ancient Hebrews have missed the pun on lacham and lechem, David’s hometown a “house of bread” and a “house of battle”?

posted by Peter J. Leithart on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 9:07 am

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Bible - OT - Isaiah: Bread Battle

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