The altar of a
single stone, the flames bursting out of it, the evergreen tree,
the very name of which, Ela, seems to indicate a natural
connection with El, /1/--all this was in the eyes of a later
***************************************
1. )LH, )LWN, in Aramaic simply tree, in Hebrew the evergreen,
and in general the holy tree (Isaiah i. 29 seq.) mostly without
distinguishing the species. Not only are oaks and terebinths
included, but also palms. For the )LWN DBWRH at Bethel is
elsewhere called TMR; Elim derives its names from the 70 palms,
and the same may be the case with Elath on the Red sea.
***************************************
generation far from correct, indeed it was Baal-work. A desire
that the piety of Gideon should be above suspicion gave rise to
the second story, in which he erects an altar of Jehovah in place
of the former altar of Baal. How far this desire attained its end
we may best judge from the kindred effort to remove another
ground of offence, which lies in the name Jerubbaal. In accordance
with the occasion out of which the name is said to have arisen it
is said to mean, "Let Baal contend.
Pages:
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540