A Virtual File Cabinet for Our Studies of Christian Origins & Hebraic Faith
From BAS here. OP – Adonai Tzevaoth by Avery Barron on 5/29/2026. I’m very curious about the recurring tendency to render this phrase as “Lord of Hosts” in the overwhelming majority of English translations. Robert Alter’s translation opts for “Lord of Armies,” which, despite the apparent academic consensus that this is the actual way to […]
Continue ReadingHovav the Midianite: Why Was the End of the Story Cut? The Midianite Origin of YHWH and Aniconism The extract below is from the great article by Prof. Israel Knohl at TheTorah.com. YHWH from the South A number of biblical traditions describe YHWH’s emergence from the south, either the southern Transjordan, the Sinai wilderness, or both. […]
Continue ReadingFrom Claude.ai on 8/27/2025 [Scroll down to read ChatGPT’s response.] Hebrew Divine Titles in English Bible Translations Overview of the Five Major Hebrew Divine Titles Hebrew Title Transliteration Meaning/Significance Frequency in Hebrew Bible יהוה YHWH/Yahweh The personal covenant name of God ~6,800 times אלהים Elohim God/gods (plural form, often singular meaning) ~2,600 times אל El […]
Continue ReadingIn addition to the list below by Bernard Lang, see What Is God’s Name? Pronouncing the Tetragrammaton by John Drummond, published at BAS on January 13, 2026. Extract of 2003 the article “Why God Has So Many Names,” by Bernard Lang in Bible Review 19.4 (2003): pp. 48–50. Lang is a Professor Emeritus in Religion at the University […]
Continue ReadingHow To Pronounce Qos The Edomite god Qōs (also spelled Qaus or Qos) is typically pronounced like the English word “coast” without the “t”. So, put together: Qōs = “Kōs” (One syllable, long “o”, hard “k”) In scholarly transliteration, the “Q” preserves the Semitic root consonant (qoph), but there’s no need to emphasize it unless […]
Continue ReadingFor a concise history and background, see the Britannica article here. All information below is from ChatGPT on May 11, 2025. Additional responses below the first prompt are: 1st prompt – When the Jewish Study Bible uses LORD in all caps what was the name used in the original Hebrew? ChatGPT said: When the Jewish […]
Continue ReadingThis page contains significant comments to a post in the Bible Nerds section titled Were Yahweh and El, the Chief god of the Canaanite Pantheon, Good Buddies? at Biblical Studies Academy stemming from the OP by Ron Gamache dated 12/29/2024. Following is a paragraph with the question from the Original Post; Can the biblical scholars […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT, 12/14/2021. The tradition of translating certain names of God as LORD in most English Bibles, especially in the Old Testament, stems from a combination of Jewish reverence for the divine name and translation practices that developed over centuries. Here’s a summary of the key reasons: 1. The Divine Name: YHWH (Tetragrammaton) 2. Septuagint […]
Continue ReadingFrom ChatGPT The translation of the names of God in the Old Testament (OT) and New Testament (NT) varies across the NRSV, ASV, and KJV due to different translation philosophies and textual traditions. Below are the standards or protocols typically followed by each version: 1. King James Version (KJV) The KJV adheres to a formal […]
Continue ReadingNote there is a follow-up prompt following the one immediately below. That response names scholars and their reasons why they believe YHWH was initially worshipped as a regional deity within the broader worship of El. From OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com Prompt – Provide an outline of the issues and context of blending […]
Continue Reading