In conclusion, the angel of the Lord represents Yahweh as his agent. We have examined the identity of the angel of the LORD in the book of Judges as a model for understanding the identity of this being elsewhere in Scripture. The Sitz im Leben out of which the envoy concept arose must comprise the hermeneutical grid through which we recognize the identity of מלאך־יהוה. Consistent with conventions of proper grammar, linguistic distinction, ANE customs, Jewish theology, and the Hebrew Scriptures, the