Divorce of the Temple

Peter J. Leithart, October 09, 2004

In a few earlier posts, I've hinted at the idea that the temple should be conceived of as feminine, a bride-house in which Yahweh the husband dwells. A curious turn of phrase in 1 Kings 9 fits with that idea. After the dedication of Solomon's temple, Yahweh appears to him in a dream, warning Solomon of dire consequences for Israel and the temple if he turns away from Yahweh toward idols. 9:7, part of the warning, is arranged in a somewhat chiastic fashion:

A. I will cut off
B. Israel
C. from the land which I gave them
B'. And the house
C'. which I consecrated for My name
A'. I will send out from before My face.

The connection between B and B' is not unexpected; the house represents Israel. What is unexpected is the verb used with "house": not "destroy" or "demolish" (though that is implied in v 8), but "send out." The verb SHALACH that is used here is used in Gen 3:23 to describe Yahweh driving Adam and Eve from the garden, and also of a husband divorcing his wife (Deut 22:19, 29; Is 50:1). By expelling the "house" from before His face, Yahweh is threatening Israel with divorce, threatening to drive the bride-house from the garden land where He had placed her.