Divine Council

Divine Council is "the assembly of gods over which the high god presides. In the Bible Yahweh is described as the head of the divine council, and prophets claim to have witnessed or participated in its meetings."^[1]

Historical Setting

"The concept of a divine assembly (or council) is attested in Egypt, Mesopotamia, Canaan, Phoenicia, and Israel. Ancient Egyptian literature reveals the existence of a 'synod of the gods'... Some of our most complete descriptions of the activities of the divine assembly are found in the literature from Mesopotamia. Their 'assembly of the gods,'headed by the high god Anu, would meet to address various concerns."^[2] The term used by a Mesopotamian to describe this concept was puhru.^[3]

Historical Setting in the Old Testament

"The Old Testament description of the 'divine assembly' all suggest that this metaphor for the organization of the divine world was consistent with that of Mesopotamia and Canaan. One difference, however, should be noted. In the Old Testament, the identities of the members of the assembly are far more obscure than those found in other descriptions of these groups, as in their polytheistic environment Israelite writers sought to express both the uniqueness and the superiority of their God Yahweh."^[2]

"The role of the divine assembly as a conceptual part of the background of hebrew prophecy is clearly displayed in two descriptions of prophetic involvement in the heavenly council. In 1 Kings 22:19-23... Micaiah ben Imiah is allowed to see the Council in action in the heavenly decision regarding the fate of Ahab. Isaiah 6 depicts a situation in which the prophet himself takes on the role of the messenger of the assembly and message of the prophet is thus commissioned by Yahweh. The mythological depiction here illustrates this important aspect of the conceptual background of prophetic authority."^[4]

References

1. ^ Coogan, Michael D., "A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament", (Oxford University Press, New York, 2009), pg 425
2. ^ ^{a b} Sakenfeld, Katharine ed., "The New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible" Volume 2, pg 145, Abingdon Press, Nashville.
3. ^ Freedman, David N. ed., "The Anchor Bible Dictionary" Volume 2 pg 120, Doubleday, New York
4. ^ Freedman, David N. ed., "The Anchor Bible Dictionary" Volume 2 pg 123, Doubleday, New York

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