Malʾak Yahweh

The Malʾak Yahweh, the Angel or Messenger of Yahweh, is the emissary through whom the deity appears and speaks in the narrative tradition. He finds Hagar at the spring, stays Abraham's hand on Moriah, calls to Moses from the burning bush, goes before Israel in the wilderness with the divine Name within him, commissions Gideon, announces Samson's birth to Manoah, and in a single night strikes down the Assyrian host. A distinctive feature of these accounts is that the messenger repeatedly speaks and is addressed as Yahweh himself, so that those who meet him fear they will die for having seen God. Sources differ on whether he is a separate heavenly being or a mode of Yahweh's own self-manifestation.

Domains

• messengering
• theophany

Powers

• delivers Yahweh's word and summons in the first person
• guards the people and strikes their enemies

Relations

• companion: YahwehSources differ on whether the Angel of Yahweh is a distinct heavenly emissary or a visible manifestation of Yahweh himself, in whom the divine Name dwells.Hebrew Bible, Exodus 23:20-23; Genesis 22:11-18 (primary)

Sources

• The Angel of Yahweh appears in theophany narratives as both emissary and manifestation of Yahweh, in whom the divine Name is said to dwell.: Hebrew Bible, Genesis 16; 22; Exodus 3; 23:20-23; Judges 6; 13; 2 Kings 19:35 (primary); Patrick D. Miller, The Religion of Ancient Israel (2000) (secondary)