The field of Biblical Hebrew presents itself as an intricate maze of language and meaning, a fertile territory of reflection and questioning that has fascinated and challenged scholars for centuries.
The discipline of translation requires strict attention to accuracy, avoiding as much as possible any kind of word interpretation and attempting to limit itself to highlighting only the literal etymological meaning of each part of the word.
One of the major points of interest concerns the critical moment of the reconstruction of Hebrew, which occurred in the latter part of the first millennium A.D. with masoretic Hebrew. That period marks a crucial crossroads in the transmission of the sacred text, for what we have inherited is not only the language of the biblical authors, but a linguistic and cultural reinterpretation of their words.
Linguistic and interpretive challenges also manifest themselves in modern translations of the Bible, which often differ in the way they render certain key passages. This highlights the inherent complexity of translation and the importance of considering the historical, linguistic, cultural and theological context in which the biblical text was conceived.
Together with Paul Wallis, a researcher, theologian and scholar of ancient mythologies, we have shown that the root meanings of a number of key words in the Bible reveal an earlier layer of information very different from the story of God commonly associated with the Bible.
The word “Elohim”- אלהים
The earliest word in the Bible, in most translations rendered as “God,” is the Hebrew word “Elohim”, but it is what this word means and what are the implications of the translation choices surrounding this mysterious word that we have been examining.
Working on the ancient texts has led me to understand, based on the conclusions reached by Prof. Garbini of La Sapienza University in Rome, that ancient Hebrew was a southern Canaanite Phoenician dialect and that Hebrew is one of many dialects within the Canaanite languages. The early Hebrew language was expressed through consonants and without vowels, which means we will never know how the Bible was originally read.
The linguistic and grammatical rules we associate with the Hebrew language were developed later, after one of the interpretations of the biblical text was produced, that of the Tiberias school, which produced Masoretic Hebrew. This is important to consider when reading the Bible, since we are not reading a text that followed grammatical rules, but a text that followed an ideological path.
The word “Elohim,” which has traditionally been translated as “God,” has multiple meanings and is also translated as “mighty ones,” “judges,” “lawmakers,” “rulers,” or “luminaries from above.” These terms indicate the functions that the Elohim performed, but they do not tell us who they really were.
Therefore, when we read the Bible keeping the original terms such as “Elohim,” “El,” or “Eloah,” instead of translating them as “God,” we realize that we are dealing with a different Bible than the one we are told. It is a more fascinating, concrete and logical Bible than we have been presented with so far.
Our research has led to a profound reexamination of the stories of Elohim found in the Bible. When we read these stories with the word “Elohim” still in place or using a root meaning “the Mighty Ones,” they acquire a new meaning that aligns with their ancient sources.
The elasticity of the word “Elohim” suggests that it represents a plurality of powerful entities, rather than a single transcendent entity. This plurality is reflected in the biblical stories, in which the Elohim compete with each other and preside over different human colonies.
Mistakenly translating Elohim stories as stories of a single God has had far-reaching consequences, justifying wars, violence and abuses through the centuries. However, today we have the opportunity to return to the ancient texts and ask how they might be translated differently.
A New Path of Research
In conclusion, the exploration of biblical Hebrew invites us to a humble and respectful approach, with an awareness of the depth and complexity of the sacred text.
My work, along with that of Paul Wallis and other scholars, continues to reveal new perspectives on the Bible and its origins. Through diligent research and an open mind, we can enrich our understanding of the Hebrew Bible and fully grasp its significance and relevance to the religious and cultural tradition it represents.
