The Battle for YHVH | 209- PF 174–5. Buber interprets pele, “wonder,” as an adjective applied to the name (“His
wonder-name will be”), thus avoiding the common Christian series “Wonderful, Counsellor,
Mighty God” as epithets for a human king. - Ibid., 174 (original italics).
- Ibid., 177.
- Ibid., 178–179 (my italics).
- The word used by the verse is chasidav, which is often rendered ‘His holy ones.’ Buber
retains chasidim at first before offering the translation “his faithful tenants,” both intending
anachronism and not intending it. - PF 180.
- Ibid., 184.
- Ibid., 187–188.
- Ibid., 162–163.
- Ibid., 172.
- Ibid., 163.
- Ibid., 175.
- Ibid., 183. The enigmatic exegesis suggests further parallels with Buber’s contempo-
rary situation, writing in the midst of destruction and unable to communicate his message,
surrounded by political opponents who take instruction primarily from (their idea of ) the
memory and spirits of the dead. Following the reasoning of Buber’s political opponents in the
Zionist movement: we must honor our dead, we do it by living, to live we must do whatever is
required, that is, military supremacy and demographic domination, this is the lesson the dead
teach us. - Isaiah 8:19 ends with the words הלוא-עם אל-אלהיו ידרש בעד החיים אל-המתים. This can be
read as a single continuous monologue attributed to the people (“Shall not a people seek unto
its God, unto the dead on behalf of the living?”) Buber reads it as a dialogue: the people ask,
“Shall not a people seek unto its god,” meaning the deceased ancestors, and the prophet’s dis-
ciples respond “What? On behalf of the living, the dead?” - See notes 14 and 15 earlier in this chapter.
- PF 194.
- Ibid., 198. Buber offers a detailed account of the contents of the Hezekianic core of Deu-
teronomy, but engages no scholarship on the question. This core is said to include Deuter-
onomy 4:37; 6:5; 7:6–8, 10, 12, 15; 10:12–13, 15, 18, 20–21; 11:1, 13, 22; 13:4–5; 14:2; 19:9; 26:16, 18. - Ibid., 201.
- Ibid., 197 (original italics).
- Ibid., 209.
- The Bible does not emphasize a special social reform connected with Josiah. Buber re-
lies on Jeremiah 22:15–16, in which the prophet upbraids Josiah’s son, Jehoiakim: “Did not thy
father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He judged
the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is this not to know me? says YHVH.” Ibid.,
197, 201. - Ibid., 212.
- Ibid., 214.
- Ibid., 216.
- Ibid., 223.
- Ibid., 217.
- Ibid., 227.
- Ibid., 218.
- Ibid., 230.