Invoking Hashem's Name Without Explicit Divine Sanction/2

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Speaking in the Name of Hashem Without Divine Sanction

Exegetical Approaches

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Acting Upon Hashem's Words

Even where Hashem's speech is not mentioned in the verses it can be assumed that whatever a prophet says or does in His name, did in fact stem from His command.  This position subdivides regarding whether or not Hashem must explicitly direct the prophet or whether the prophet may intuit Hashem's desire from hints and allusions.

Explicit Command

When a prophet speaks in the name of Hashem, he is acting on a direct command of Hashem.

Prophetic Autonomy
  • No autonomy – This position might assert that a prophet has no autonomy to act or speak on his own at all.  In all cases he must do only as explicitly commanded.  R. Adonim goes as far as to say that even the words used by the prophet are all chosen by Hashem.
  • Some autonomy – However, many of these commentators disagree and believe that, when necessary, a prophet can act/speak on his own initiative.1  Nonetheless, a prophet would never do so in the name of Hashem and only invokes Hashem's words if He had in fact spoken previously.2
"הַנָּבִיא אֲשֶׁר יָזִיד לְדַבֵּר דָּבָר בִּשְׁמִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר לֹא צִוִּיתִיו" – This approach might understand this verse literally to mean that a prophet is prohibited from speaking in the name of Hashem unless so commanded. Thus, all verses which assume that a prophet did so (and was not punished) must be reinterpreted.
"מֵקִים דְּבַר עַבְדּוֹ" – This position could suggest that this verse has nothing to do with the autonomous speech of a prophet and instead refers to Hashem keeping His own promises as expressed by his messengers.  Hashem is contrasting the speech of "imposters" ("בַּדִּים") and "diviners" ("קֹסְמִים") whose words are not trustworthy, with those of His prophets, who are reliable precisely because they speak the word of God.  Alternatively, the verse speaks of fulfilling the prayers and hopes of his prophets.
Biblical Cases – These sources explain away most of the Biblical cases by asserting that though Hashem's words do not appear in the text, they can be assumed:
  • Plague of Locusts
  • News of Plague of Firstborns – According to these sources Hashem's words in 10:1-3, "עוֹד נֶגַע אֶחָד" are simply an abridgement and really included all the details said by Moshe in the subsequent verses. Most of these commentators assume that the command is found in its chronological place and that Moshe received a prophecy in Paroh's palace as he was speaking to him.3  R. Avraham b. HaRambam and R. D"Z Hoffmann, in contrast, suggest that the verses are achronological and Hashem appeared to Moshe before his conversation with Paroh.4
Why isn't Hashem's command stated? These commentators assert that it is the way of the text to be brief in one place and lengthy in another.  Instead of tediously repeating both the command and its fulfillment, sometimes the Torah bring one, sometimes the other, and sometimes it nonetheless includes both.5
Acting on own without invoking Hashem
Moshe versus other prophets

Implicit Command

Acting on Own