Metaphor as a Gradient Judgment

YHWH in a Suit: Kəbôd YHWH as the Regalia of the Priestly God

“…Some scholars do not conceptualize kəḇôḏ YHWH as an abstract and impersonal phrase. For example, Weinfeld (1972: 202), Morgenstern (1911: 140, 190), Aaron (2001: 53–54), and Sommer (2009: 60–61, 68) regard kəḇôḏ YHWH as God’s body, whereas Greenberg (1983: 51), Mettinger (1982: 107), and Aster (2012: 261–264) contend that it refers to the person, or the self, of the deity. The scholars within the first group do not share the same understanding of the divine body.…”

“…He argues, along with others, that kāḇôḏ is the divine body and that body, though consisting of non-matter, still shares a human shape (Sommer, 2009: 68). As Aaron (2001: 53) suggests, those who argue for the body tend to converge on the point of physicality, no matter what it is made of and in whatever form it appears. The crux of this line of argumentation is that the concept of kāḇôḏ is not abstract or metaphysical (Aaron, 2001: 54): “In many of these contexts the word kavod functions in Hebrew as a euphemism—a figurative expression—for God’s body, and nothing more metaphysical than that.”…”

“…The rendering in NJPS, “Presence,” is no better in this respect. Aaron (2001: 52–54, esp. 53) argues “this term harbors highly charged theological connotations in later religious contexts.”…”

Jeremiah as the model city: ‘Iron pillar’ as temple language in Jeremiah 1.18

“…David Aaron (2001) rightly observes that metaphor, by its nature, involves some sort of logical incongruity. Thus, it is not necessary for Jeremiah’s description as an ‘iron pillar’ to present a coherent or direct parallel to an obvious idea to serve as an adequate description of the prophet’s role or mission.…”

“…Thus, it is not necessary for Jeremiah’s description as an ‘iron pillar’ to present a coherent or direct parallel to an obvious idea to serve as an adequate description of the prophet’s role or mission. Aaron (2001: 28) suggests that when evaluating metaphors in the HB, one should seek meaning that is different from the literal sense. Jeremiah as ‘iron pillar’ does not need to match with militaristic themes, although the other two metaphors may reflect such ideas.…”