On Eagles’ Wings

Yahweh brought Israel out of Egypt “on eagles’ wings” (Exodus 19:4). John A. Davies argues (A Royal Priesthood) that this is no trite metaphor:

“Representations of [eagles and vultures] are found in close association with royalty in both Egypt and Mesopotamia. A series of temple scenes in Egypt depicts such a bird on the central axis of the temple ceiling in successive stages of escorting Pharaoh as he makes his way through to the god in the adytum. The Assyrian king is depicted in battle with the god Assur taking the form of a vulture or eagle over his head, or wearing the wings of such a bird himself” (39). Large birds were “symbols of transcendence” and were usually applied to kings to show that they were “invited to participate in a dominion normally beyond the level of human capacity.”

In Exodus, of course, it’s not Pharaoh but Israel who ascends, and they ascend from Pharaoh, going all the way to Yahweh Himself. They are brought out on eagles’ wings so they can soar to Yahweh’s heavenly dwelling. They have “the divinely granted ability to ‘fly’ or be transported in flight to the heights where god dwells” (40), all the way, as the text goes on to say, to “Myself.”