'äh^eyäh '^ašär 'äh^eyäh について

抄録

'äh^eyäh '^ašär 'äh^eyäh in Ex 3;14_a, which many scholars have explained and most of them connected with origin and meaning of YHWH, remains unsolved. We reexamine Elohist's intention in this passage.
Against the traditional translations or analysis of the syntax, such as “Ich bin, der ich bin” (most German versions) and “I am that I am” (AV and RV), E. Schild, translating “I am the One who is” in 1954, and Joh. Lindblom, “Ich bin derjenige, der ist” in 1964, maintained that the first 'ah^e yäh denoted “identification” and the second did “existence”. Their attractive explanations are, however, questionalbe in a few points. The comparative material which is the basis of their analysis of syntax of the disputed clause is a nominal clause, whereas 'äh^e yäh '^ašär 'äh^eyäh is a verbal one. Considering moreover that forms of god's self-introduction in the Hebrew Bible are nominal clause, we cannot equate them to Ex 3;14_a.
According to Th. C. Vriezen, 'äh^eyäh '^ašär 'äh^eyäh, which stresses the meaning of 'äh^eyäh, is a paronomastic relative sentence. In addition '^ašär is not a relative pronoun but a relative which leads up to indicating the basis of the preceding clause, the reaffirmation, the purpose, the reason and the result.
Jahwist and Elohist identified the deity of Moses with that of patriarchs, Priester code setting up a clear distinction between the former and the latter. According to K. Sacon, we can discriminate god's self-introduction and his self-demonstration in self-revelation of the patriarchs' deity materials (Gen 15;7, 26;24, 28;13, 46;3, and Ex 3;6). In this self-demonstration the god reveals his relations with the patriarchs or Moses. Thereupon we may conclude that Ex 3;11-14 indicates the extended god's self demonstration in Elohist, 'äh^eyäh in question expressing not “existence”, but “relation”. And we translate Ex 3;14a into “I'm present, that is, I'm present (with you)”. In this sence W. F. Albright's causative interpretation of this passage appears to deviate from the context in Ex 3;11-14, at the least, from Elohist's intention in this part.