The word ‘angel’ in this phrase is literally ‘messenger’. The juxtaposition of the common noun “messenger” with a following divine name in a genitive construction signifying a relationship of subordination is attested elsewhere in the ancient Near East (e.g. mlak ym, KTU 1.2; mār šipri šaDN, cf. CAD M/1 265). However, most of the appearances in the Bible of the phrase malʾak YHWH are not easily explicable by recourse to Near Eastern paradigms, for the malʾak YHWH in the Bible presents a…
Cite this page
S. A. Meier,
“Angel of Yahweh מלאך יהוה”, in:
Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible Online, Edited by: Karel van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter W. van der Horst.
Consulted online on 15 January 2019 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2589-7802_DDDO_DDDO_Angelofyahweh>
