El Shaddai versus YHWH

W. Randall Garr (“The Grammar and Interpretation of Exodus 6:3,” JBL 111 (1992): 385–408, esp. 397, 406–8) argues that the name El Shaddai represents a limited or partial aspect of God, known in his promises only, and that YHWH is a more complete representation of the same God, who is known fully in the fulfillment of the promises. Accordingly he interprets Exod 6:3 as follows (401): “I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (in limited form) as El Shaddai (who makes covenantal promises). But I was not the object of (full) covenantal knowledge to them as conveyed by my name YHWH who keeps covenantal promises.”—Suzanne Boorer, forthcoming from SBL Press