Marilynne Robinson on God's "jealousy"

"For the Lord your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God." - Deuteronomy 4:24

Upon reading this yesterday, I was reminded about what Marilynne Robinson says about the word "jealousy" as ascribed to God. I was reading in Spanish, and the word "celoso" is a much broader term than jealous in English--in accordance with Robinson's comments (see below). "Celo" can mean both jealousy and zeal, but it can also refer to an animal that's in heat. So her suggestion of "impassioned" sounds like a better choice, especially considering that seven verses later God is described as "a merciful God, he will neither abandon you nor destroy you; he will not forget the covenant with your ancestors that he swore to them." (4:31).

Here is Robinson's commentary, from p. 109 and 110 of When I Was a Child I Read Books.
"'Impassioned' is usually used by the Jewish Publication Society to translate the word other English translations render as 'jealous.' The Hebrew stem apparently means 'to grow red.' 'Jealous' comes from the same Greek root as 'zealous,' and the Greek words that derive from it are usually translated in the New Testament as 'zeal' or 'zealous.' In its earliest English uses, for example in John Wycliffe's fourteenth-century translation of the Old Testament, 'jealous' often has that meaning, suggesting ardor and devotion. In modern translations the Hebrew word is usually translated as 'zeal' when the subject is a human being (as in 1 Kings 19:10), which must indicate an awareness of the wider meaning of the word. But 'jealousy' is virtually always imputed to God. Jealousy has evolved into a very simple and unattractive emotion, in our understanding of it, and God is much abused for the fact of his association with it. Since translations are forever being laundered to remove complexity and loveliness,and since tradition is not a legitimate plea in these matters, one cannot help wondering how this particular archaism manages to survive untouched."

(P.S. In preparing this post I came across the Marilynne Robinson Appreciation Society. Excited to follow their blog!)

When I Was a Child I Read Books by Marilynne Robinson

I lifted this book from my bibliophilic benefactress's house on Christmas Day. I planned on giving it back before leaving the United States, but then I fell deep enchantment by Robinson's writing, so it went with me on the plane. This has been known to happen; I was utterly taken up in the symphonic strains of her Gilead years ago.

But this is the not the stirring fiction of Gilead; this is biting, eclectic, plodding, genius essay-writing. Robinson manages to treat polemic subjects in innocuous, ironic, indirect yet wonderfuly pointed ways. This is such an important book for the USA right now.

This is essentially a book about the United States. Her essays are born out of her commitment to and study of American culture and history, and perhaps too her anguish at the current state of affairs. What makes this book so different from the sound bites and cynicism is that her tone is marked by critical commitment and hopeful realism (a phrase from Marva Dawn).

I should like to post more on this book's material in the weeks to come, but let it be known that this book is wonderful and important.

Awkward Non-Cognate

Today I was saying (in Spanish) how the fruitcake packaged by the large international companies would probably last longer than the supermarket ones, because they have more preservatives. Except I couldn't think of the right word, so I fished for a cognate and ended up saying they'd be good longer because they had more condoms.

I knew it was wrong even before I said it.

Here's an interesting list of more false cognates: http://spanish.about.com/cs/vocabulary/a/obviouswrong.htm

Running log

By: Madeleine Guenette 

My goal is to run a marathon before I turn thirty, so I'm preparing for a marathon on August 4th. I logged 19.5 miles over the last two weeks, and in the process I think I knocked off the 10 lbs I gained over Christmas. Today's was the longest run yet: 4 miles, which I did in 36 minutes (or so, it was about the time it took to get through Rich Mullins' Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth CD). It was a comfortable run, so I'm pretty happy with my progress.

(I'm on week 4 of Hal Higdon's Supreme Novice program.)

Music find: Progeny

I came across Vincent Anastasi & Progeny from a post at the Rabbit Room.

I like their music, but how not to be in love with a guy who plays in a band with his adolescent sons (or the idea, not the guy).

Check out this radio show where they're featured. Wonderful!

Hot in Paraguay

Yesterday, I went to bed right before midnight, and the simple indoor thermometer in our kitchen registered 96°F.  This is what weather.com has listed as yesterday's (Feb 1, 2013) temperatures from 5:00 on:

Nights like these always bring to my lips the song "Satin Summer Nights" from Paul Simon's musical The Capeman.

"In the light" by Charlie Peacock

After an enthusiastic post at the Rabbit Room, I downloaded a sampler of Charlie Peacock's music at Noisetrade.

"In the light" used to be one of my favorite songs, and this live version has a lot of vibe: