Bible Study Where is Azal?

[Cyberseeker]

Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the LORD my God will come, And all the saints with You.
Zechariah 14:5

What, where, who is Azal? Does it exist on a map anywhere? :-? If its not a 'place' what is the actual meaning of the name? Maybe the word meaning will provide a clue. Any ideas?

 

[th1bill]

AZEL
Holman Bible Dictionary





(ay' zehl) Personal and place name meaning, “noble.†1. Descendant of Saul in tribe of Benjamin and father of six sons (1 Chronicles 8:37-38). 2. Unclear word in Hebrew text of Zechariah 14:5 which may be a place name, perhaps near Jerusalem, or a preposition meaning “near to,†“beside,†or a noun meaning, “the side.†Translations vary: “Azal†(KJV, NRSV), “the other side†(TEV), “Azel†(NAS, NIV), “he side of it†(RSV).

I'm sorry but this is the best I could come up with.

 

[Vic C.]

Looks like it is near Baku. They even named an airlines after it.

http://www.airlineroutemaps.com/West_As ... ines.shtml

... or it could be in Morocco:

http://www.fallingrain.com/world/MO/19/Azal.html

Aah, could it have something to do with the Mount of Olices?

http://www.teachinghearts.org/dre00maps ... wjerusalem

...or this:

19. Uzal: Arab historians render the name of Uzal as Azal (Josephus gives Aizel), and it is the ancient, pre-Islamic name for the city of San'a, the modern capital of Yemen (see 15.) Uzal's descendants are still doubtless thriving in the area. They knew the tribe of Uzal as the Azalla (see Map 2.) (Refs: 1DB 4:741. NBD 1307. JA 1.vi.4. P 1:28)

http://www.creationism.org/books/Cooper ... AFap01.htm

Map 2 http://www.creationism.org/books/Cooper ... perAF_maps

This last one is the one, I believe. :-D

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

What, where, who is Azal? Does it exist on a map anywhere? :-? If its not a 'place' what is the actual meaning of the name? Maybe the word meaning will provide a clue. Any ideas?

Azal is the valley on the south side of the Mount (Hill) of Evil Council, which separates Azal from the Hinnom Valley. The Jerusalm Peace Forest is on its western slope; Abu Tor is on its northern slope; the ridge that the UN headquarters sits on forms its southern slope. The GPS coordinates of the approximate point where the stream of Azal intersects the Brook of Kidron are 31.763786015317773, 35.238046646118164. This valley is called Nahal Etzel in Hebrew and Wady Yasul in Arabic. You can read more about it at Deciphering Zechariah 14:5 (http://zechariahfourteenfive.wordpress.com).

 

[stovebolts]

http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16218/showrashi/true

And you shall flee to the valley of the mountains: Jonathan renders. And the valley of the mountains shall be stopped up. Since Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains, and there is a valley between the mountains in the north and the Mount of Olives, and [this is also] so in the south, when half of the Mount of Olives draws toward the mountain in the north, the valley between them will be stopped up. [This will also be] so in the south.

shall reach: The height of the valley that will be between the mountains.

to Azal: To the height of the mountaintops that are from either side. So did Menahem classify this (Machbereth p. 32), with (Isa. 41:9) “and from its nobles I called you.” Its meaning is an expression of height.

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I want to think that on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) they drew lots for two goats. One was for the temple and the other a scapegoat for Azal, He was taken to Azal and thrown off.

Of course, I could be wrong on this... I'll have to see if I can find that reference. It might be in Leviticus 23? Something to look into anyway.

 

[stovebolts]

Found it

Lev 16:8 And Aaron shall place lots upon the two he goats: one lot "For the Lord," and the other lot, "For Azazel."

Azazel: This is a strong and hard mountain, [with] a high cliff, as the Scripture says [in describing Azazel] (verse 22 below),“a precipitous land (אֶרֶץ גְּזֵרָה),†meaning a cut-off land [i.e., a sheer drop]. — [Torath Kohanim 16:28; Yoma 67b]
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Here is what an online Etymology dictionary says. This is only a snipit.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=scapegoat
Azazel is an active participle or participial noun, derived ultimately from azal

I'll have to look at my Leviticus Ramban commentary now... Ohh boy.

 

[jasoncran]

:toofunny

goat saying to aaron:
hey what with the long walk, i thought grazing was over here?

aaron pushes him of the azel

goat: BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH...

lol. sorry the image of how muslim can snatch a goat up and slay them with little fight comes to mind.

 

[stovebolts]

Your crazy Jason :toofunny

 

[jasoncran]

Your crazy Jason :toofunny

sorry, i cant help it. i take that picture literally as well that is how its described. i have been chuckling over that for days. i told and showed monica about that.

 

[Sinthesis]

It's not a literal place. Suppose I said, "I'll clear a path for you which you'll follow to destruction". Would you ask me where "destruction" is?

Whom do you believe the "you" who is fleeing to Azal in Zechariah 14:5 is?
Why are they fleeing?
Why can't they flee via the Mount of Olives?

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

It's not a literal place.

Yes it is. It's Wady Yasul due south of old Jerusalem.

Whom do you believe the "you" who is fleeing to Azal in Zechariah 14:5 is? Why are they fleeing?

Nobody will be fleeing. That fable is based on a mistranslation of Zechariah 14:5.

Why can't they flee via the Mount of Olives?

That's a very good question. Nobody seems to really pay attention that there is a road running between the central and southern summits of the Mount of Olives. Seems like it would be easier to flee along a paved road than through a newly formed valley strewn with rocks. But let me repeat - No one will be fleeing. It's a lie.

 

[Sinthesis]

Yes it is. It's Wady Yasul due south of old Jerusalem. Nobody will be fleeing. That fable is based on a mistranslation of Zechariah 14:5. That's a very good question. Nobody seems to really pay attention that there is a road running between the central and southern summits of the Mount of Olives. Seems like it would be easier to flee along a paved road than through a newly formed valley strewn with rocks. But let me repeat - No one will be fleeing. It's a lie.

What do you believe is the correct translation?

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

What do you believe is the correct translation?

This is my best effort, which I'm sure isn't perfect. I am open to ideas:

… The Mount of Olives will tear apart from its eastward half, a vehemently great chaos westward; and the north- and south-facing halves of the mountain summit will fall down. And the valley of my mountains will be closed up and filled in as far as Azal, as it was closed up during the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah. …
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It is very similar to the New Jerusalem Bible version (and similar to LXX versions) except for the part about the Mount of Olives splitting in half:

... the Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, forming a huge valley; half the Mount will recede northwards, the other half southwards. The valley between the hills will be filled in, yes, it will be blocked as far as Jasol [Yasŏl], it will be filled in as it was by the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. … ​

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

btw, I do believe (opinion only) that the New Jerusalem Bible version is based on Didymus the Blind's Commentary on Zechariah (circa 387 AD). I could be wrong, but I think his version is older than any of the existent LXX manuscripts.

A valley of my mountains will be filled in, and a valley of the mountains will be joined together as far as Azal in the way it was filled in at the time of the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. …
Zechariah 14:5, LXX, Alexandrian version circa 387 AD used by Didymus the Blind in Commentary on Zechariah; translated by Robert C. Hill in The Fathers of the Church, A New Translation, Volume 111, Didymus the Blind: Commentary on Zechariah, pg. 325, (2006)
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