Talmud zu Jehoschua 22:22

They came back and asked him: What is that which is written (Jos. 22:22): “God, ĕlōhīm, Eternal, God, ĕlōhīm, Eternal³¹Three names for the Divinity, twice repeated., He knows.” He answered them, it is not written: “they know”, but “He knows.” His students told him: Teacher, these you pushed away with a stick, what can you answer us? He said to them: All three are one name, as if a man would say “King³²Greek βασιλεύς., Caesar, Augustus.”

“Even if the king greets one, he should not respond.⁴⁴Quote from the Mishnah, title of the following discussion. The statement of R. Aḥa is quoted in the Babli (32b) in the name of the slightly earlier Rav Joseph.” Rebbi Aḥa said, that is, if the greeter is a king of Israel. But one returns greeting from a Gentile king. It was stated⁴⁵Slightly different versions appear in Tosephta Berakhot3:22,Massekhet Soferim 5:6.: If one is writing a Divine name, then even if the king greets him, he should not respond. If he is writing two or three Names, e. g. (Jos. 22:22) “Powerful, God, Eternal”, he finishes one of them⁴⁶The one he is currently writing. and then responds to the greeting.

Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: In the Torah, in Prophets, and in Hagiographs we find that a person had to be innocent in the eyes of people just as he has to be innocent in the eyes of the Omnipresent. In the Torah from where? As it is written,³⁵Num. 32:22. you have to be blameless before the Eternal and before Israel. In Prophets from where? As it is written⁵²Jos. 22:22., The Power, God, Eternal, the Power, God, Eternal, He knows, and Israel has to know. In Hagiographs from where? As it is written³⁶Prov. 3:4., find grace and understanding in the eyes of God and man. Gamaliel the twin asked Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun, which one is the clearest^52aB: The most stringent. of all of these? He answered him, you have to be blameless before the Eternal and before Israel.