A Forgotten Reference to Divine Procreation? Psalm 2:6 in Light of Egyptian Royal Ideology

Author: Granerød, Gard

Source: Vetus Testamentum, Volume 60, Number 3, 2010 , pp. 323-336(14)

Publisher: BRILL

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Abstract:

The author discusses whether or not MT Ps 2:6 (in particular the verb ) reflects Egyptian royal ideology as the one evident in “Ptah's Decree to Ramesses”. He tentatively concludes that the verse historically reflects a concept where the god procreates the human king. Semantically, the verb might originally have denoted the emission of semen, either after the model of or at least in a way comparable to “Ptah's Decree to Ramesses” (c. 13th-11th centuries BCE). The common translation by means of a legal term “to install” etc. reflects the LXX. LXX Ps 2:6 might represent a theological correction of what the translators considered to be a case of an intolerable anthropomorphism in the Hebrew text.

Keywords: royal ideology; “Ptah's Decree to Ramesses”; “son of God”; Psalm 2:6

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853310X498980

Affiliations: 1: MF Norwegian School of Theology Oslo

Publication date: 2010-01-01