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24 | Johanna Stiebert www.jrfm.eu 2016, 2/1, 23â33
the case of the first term, âimageâ (tselem) â a physical form, not least because in the
Hebrew Bible tselem most often pertains to concrete hewn images, including idols.
This association is very clear at 1 Samuel 6:11, where the people are instructed to make
(from âĆh, a verb pertaining to crafting and shaping) models of mice and tumours2,
as well as at Numbers 33:52, with its reference to molten images (cf. 2 Kings 11:18; 2
Chron. 23:17), and also in the Aramaic account of Daniel 3:1, where a cognate (tselÄm)
refers to Nebuchadnezzarâs golden idol. In two occurrences at least, however, the
physicality of tselem is undermined: in Psalms 39:73 and 73:204 the noun pertains to
elusiveness, possibly to a semblance or phantom. If tselem refers more widely to ei-
ther a seeming form (i.e. a phantom) or to a more inclusive, not-only-physical form
or image, this could indeed complicate matters for interpreting Genesis 1:26â27. At
Genesis 5:3 âlikenessâ (demĂ»t) and âimageâ (tselem) again occur together: here Adam
fathers a son, Seth, in his likeness (bidmûtÎ) and according to his image (ketsalmÎ).
The most straightforward interpretation again pertains to resemblance,5 including
(though perhaps not exclusively) physical resemblance.
Ambivalence is also in evidence elsewhere. In Exodus 33:11 God speaks to Moses
âface to faceâ (pÄnĂźm âel-pÄnĂźm), as would a man with his associate or friend. Descend-
ing like a pillar of cloud (33:9), God also agrees to reveal to Moses â[my] goodnessâ
(tĂ»bĂź; 33:19), concealing Godâs face, which no human can see and live (33:20), while
permitting â[my] gloryâ (kebĆdĂź) to pass by Moses, while covering him with âthe palm
of his [lit. my] handâ (kappĂź; 22:22), to reveal âhis [lit. my] backâ (âachĆrÄy; 33:23). So,
here God is described in terms of power, in abstract terms (Godâs goodness, Godâs
glory), and in non-anthropomorphic terms (as a pillar of cloud), but also in terms of
having body parts, namely a face, a hand, and a back, the last of which is visually ap-
prehended by Moses.6
In the light of this singling out of Moses for special treatment and divine protec-
tion, lest he see more than is humanly manageable, rather astonishing is the state-
ment some chapters earlier, in succinct and direct terms, that Moses and Aaron, Na-
2 The verb âĆh occurs elsewhere, too, with tselem: Ezek. 7:20 (of making abominable images), Ezek. 16:17
(of making male images) and Amos 5:26 (of making images of astral deities). In all cases the images
appear to be concrete and three-dimensional. It is not clear whether all are anthropomorphic.
3 In English bibles the reference is Ps. 39:6. The expression here is âak-betselem yithallek ââßƥ, which might
be translated along the lines of âsurely a man goes about in apparent formâ (NRSV translates betse-
lem âlike a shadowâ â âin shadowâ would be closer). The idea that tselem refers here to something
shadowy and non-solid is strengthened by its being in parallel with the abstract noun hebel (ânothing-
nessâ).
4 The Hebrew is kachalĂŽm mÄhÄqĂźts âadĆnÄy bÄâĂźr tsalmÄm tibzeh, âlike a dream on awaking, O Lord, in
the city their phantoms you despise.â The Hebrew is not straightforward but the clear reference to
a dream indicates that tselem probably refers here to something illusory (cf. NRSV, âThey are like a
dream when one awakes; on awaking you despise their phantomsâ).
5 At Ezek. 23:14 the whoring Oholibah is described as looking upon men carved into a wall, which is quali-
fied with âdepictions of Chaldeansâ (tsalmĂȘ kaĆdĂźm). Again, tselem refers here to something concrete
and visible.
6 A comprehensive investigation of Godâs body and body parts is to be found in a recent monograph by
Andreas Wagner (2010).
JRFM
Journal Religion Film Media, Band 02/01
- Titel
- JRFM
- Untertitel
- Journal Religion Film Media
- Band
- 02/01
- Autoren
- Christian Wessely
- Daria Pezzoli-Olgiati
- Herausgeber
- Uni-Graz
- Verlag
- SchĂŒren Verlag GmbH
- Ort
- Graz
- Datum
- 2016
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- CC BY-NC 4.0
- Abmessungen
- 14.8 x 21.0 cm
- Seiten
- 132
- Kategorien
- Zeitschriften JRFM