{"id":1537,"date":"2018-03-03T14:21:56","date_gmt":"2018-03-03T13:21:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/?p=1537"},"modified":"2018-03-03T14:32:33","modified_gmt":"2018-03-03T13:32:33","slug":"exodus-jps-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/2018\/03\/03\/exodus-jps-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Exodus JPS"},"content":{"rendered":"
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chapter 3<\/a><\/p>\n

The Commissioning of Moses<\/em> (3:1\u20134:17<\/a>)<\/p>\n

God\u2019s \u201ctaking notice\u201d of Israel\u2019s sufferings (2:25<\/a>) foreshadows the action that is about to occur. The appointment of a leader to rally the demoralized <\/span>people and represent them before the Egyptian authorities is the first stage in the process of liberation.<\/p>\n

The account of the commissioning of Moses is divided into three main parts: (1) the theophany<\/span> at the burning bush (vv. 1\u20136<\/a>); (2) the divine call (vv. 7\u201310<\/a>); and (3) Moses\u2019 dialogue with God (3:11\u20134:17<\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>THE THEOPHANY AT THE BURNING BUSH (vv. 1\u20136<\/a>)<\/p>\n

1<\/a>. into the wilderness Hebrew \u02bea\u1e25ar<\/span> here means westward, in the direction of Egypt from Midian.1<\/a> The orientation to the rising sun gives \u201cfront\u201d (kedem<\/span>) <\/span>the connotation of \u201ceast\u201d and \u201cbehind\u201d the meaning of \u201cwest.\u201d The \u201cwilderness\u201d (Heb.<\/a> midbar<\/span>) is a region of uninhabited and unirrigated pastureland.2<\/a><\/p>\n

Horeb Many texts seem to identify this locatio<\/span>n with Sinai, but there are also indications that they may not be identical. Thus, while Mount Sinai appears frequently, Mount Horeb is rare,3<\/a> and there is no reference to the wilderness of Horeb as <\/span>there is to that of Sinai. Further, an impression of some distance between the two is gained from the story of the water crisis at Rephidim as told in Exodus 17:1\u20137<\/a>. The divine spirit is said to have<\/span> been manifest before Moses, close by \u201con a rock at Horeb\u201d; yet Rephidim was the last station of the Israelites before entering the wilderness of Sinai.4<\/a> We may be dealing with different strands of t<\/span>radition,5<\/a> or Horeb may have been the name of a wider region in which Mount Sinai, a specific peak, was located; perhaps that peak eventually lent its name to the entire area. Horeb means \u201cdesolate,<\/span> dry.\u201d Its location has not been identified.<\/p>\n

the mountain of God This description is traditionally taken as anticipating its later role as the site of the national covenant between God and Israel.6<\/a> <\/span>Even if it indicates a pre-Israelite history as a religious center for the seminomadic tribes of the wilderness,7<\/a> the present narrative makes clear that Moses is quite unaware of any prior sanctity <\/span>attaching to it.<\/p>\n

2<\/a>. an angel of the Lord The \u201cangel\u201d has no role in the entire theophany; it is the fire that attracts Moses\u2019 attention, and it is always God Himself who speaks. Most likely the angel<\/span> is mentioned only to avoid what would be the gross anthropomorphism of localizing God in a bush.8<\/a><\/p>\n

in a blazing fire Fire, because of its nonmaterial, formless, mysterious, and luminous characterist<\/span>ics, is frequently used in descriptions of the external manifestation of the Divine Presence.9<\/a><\/p>\n

a bush Hebrew seneh<\/span> occurs only here and in Deuteronomy 33:16<\/a>, where God is poetically named \u201cthe Prese<\/span>nce in the Bush.\u201d Seneh<\/span> is most likely word play on Sinai, an intimation of the Sinaitic revelation foreshadowed in verse 12<\/a>.10<\/a><\/p>\n

The bush in question has been variously identified as the thorny deser<\/span>t plant Rubus sanctus<\/span> that grows near wadis and in moist soil, and as the cassia senna<\/span> shrub known in Arabic as sene<\/span>.11<\/a><\/p>\n

not consumed The two elements of the spectacle suggest two levels of interpret<\/span>ation. The self-sustaining fire, requiring no substance for its existence or perpetuation, is a clear representation of the Divine Presence. The bush that remains intact in the face of the flames may be symbolic of the people of Israel surviving Egyptian oppression.<\/span>12<\/a><\/p>\n

3<\/a>. The startling suspension of nature\u2019s fixed laws arouses Moses\u2019 curiosity.<\/p>\n

4<\/a>. Moses! Moses! In the Bible, repetition of a name <\/span>often characterizes a direct divine call.13<\/a><\/p>\n

Here I am Hebrew hinneni<\/span> is the standard, spontaneous, unhesitating response to a call.14<\/a><\/p>\n

5<\/a>. The idea of explicitly sacred (Heb.<\/a> kadosh<\/span>) space is enco<\/span>untered here for the first time. No such concept exists in Genesis, which features only sacred time\u2014the Sabbath.15<\/a> The pagan mythological notion that certain areas are inherently holy does not exist <\/span>in the Bible. It is solely the theophany that temporarily imparts sanctity to the site, rendering it inaccessible to man.<\/p>\n

In the ancient Near East, removal of footwear, here probably sandals of papyr<\/span>us or leather, was a sign of respect and displayed an attitude of humility. Priests officiated barefoot in the sanctuary;16<\/a> and to this day they remove their footwear before pronouncing the priestly <\/span>benediction in the synagogue service.<\/p>\n

6<\/a>. I am \u2026 This solemn, self-identifying mode of address frequently introduces royal proclamations and inscriptions in the ancient Near East.17<\/a> It lends special <\/span>weight to the ensuing announcement, which thereby becomes authoritative and unchallengeable. Since this formula is often used in divine communications with the patriarchs,18<\/a> it is particularly meani<\/span>ngful in the present context.19<\/a><\/p>\n

the God of your father This epithet, frequently used in the Book of Genesis, all but vanishes in Israel20<\/a> during the period of the Exodus, to be replaced by \u201cthe Go<\/span>d of the fathers,\u201d the plural form referring to the three patriarchs. In the present instance, the epithet identifies the God who is addressing Moses with the One who made promises of peoplehood and national territory to each of the patriarchs.<\/span>21<\/a> It gives voice to the unbroken continuity of the generations and puts the present plight of the Israelites and the imminent call to Moses into historic<\/span>al and theological perspective. On the \u201cGod of the Father,\u201d see Excursus 3<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Moses hid his face His initial encounter with God is a terrifying experience, a reaction shared by other biblical character<\/span>s.22<\/a> Later in the course of his career, by dint of his intimacy with God, Moses is so emboldened as to request a glimpse of the Divine Presence.23<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>THE DIVINE CALL (vv. 7\u201310<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The intimation of deliverance from bondage advanced in 2:24\u201325<\/a> is now elaborated in all its fullness as a clear message of hope and redemption.<\/p>\n

7<\/a>. outcry The Hebrew stem ts-<\/span><\/span>\u02bf-k<\/span> is one of the most powerful words in the language. Pervaded by moral outrage and soul-stirring passion, it denotes the anguished cry of the oppressed, the agonized plea of the helpless victim.24<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

8<\/a>. I have come down A common anthropomorphic figure of speech used to express God\u2019s decisive involvement in human affairs.25<\/a><\/p>\n

a good and spacious land This depiction of the Land of Israel is drawn f<\/span>rom the mental image of an oppressed seminomadic people confined to the limited area of Goshen. Deuteronomy\u2019s description (8:7<\/a>) does not include the sense of spaciousness found in Nehemiah\u2019s nostalgic<\/span> review of past glories (Neh. 9:35<\/a>).<\/p>\n

flowing with milk and honey A recurrent symbol of the land\u2019s fertility. The combination of the two products is also popular in classical literature. The phrase is <\/span>never included in the divine promises made to the patriarchs,26<\/a> for whom famine was frequently a grim reality. Besides, their faith did not need to be reinforced by stressing the attractiveness of th<\/span>e land. For the demoralized, enslaved masses of Israel, however, such an enticement would carry weight. As a matter of fact, ancient Egyptian sources testify to the richness of the land.27<\/a><\/p>\n

Milk in <\/span>the Bible is generally from the goat, \u201cthe little man\u2019s cow.\u201d A plentiful supply presupposes an abundance of goats, which in turn points to ample pasturage and the prospect of much meat, hide, and wool.<\/span><\/p>\n

Honey in the Bible (Heb.<\/a> devash<\/span>) is predominantly the thick, sweet syrup produced from dates and known to the Arabs as dibs<\/span>. Apiculture seems to have been unknown in Palestine; the few explicit r<\/span>eferences in the Bible to bees\u2019 honey pertain to the wild variety.28<\/a> While the date itself is never mentioned, the inclusion of honey among the seven characteristic products of the land listed in De<\/span>uteronomy 8:8<\/a> indicates that, like all the others, it too derives from the soil.29<\/a><\/p>\n

The combination of milk and honey provides a highly nutritious diet. Milk, widely regarded in the ancient world as <\/span>a source of vitality, is rich in protein; the dried date is rich in carbohydrates. Ben Sira (39:26<\/a>) declared milk and honey to be among the chief necessities of human life. Some Arab tribes are known <\/span>to subsist for months at a time solely on milk and honey.<\/p>\n

the region of the Canaanites \u2026 The most comprehensive of the numerous biblical lists of the pre-Israelite inhabitants of the land is that of G<\/span>enesis 15:19\u201321<\/a>, which features ten peoples. Other lists register seven, six, five, or even three ethnic groups.30<\/a> The origin of these rosters is obscure, as is the reason for the variations in numbe<\/span>r, order, and content. The fact that the Jebusites invariably appear in the final position may be an intimation of David\u2019s capture of Jebusite Jerusalem, which was the culmination of his conquests.3<\/span>1<\/a><\/p>\n

The lists carry significance apart from their immediate context. The extraordinarily complex ethnic situation that they reflect is paralleled by the thirty-one city-states that Joshua encountered i<\/span>n this tiny country, as related in Joshua 12<\/a>. The explanation lies in the centrifugal forces produced by the accidents of topography and climate. Within the narrow belt between the sea and the desert,<\/span> about too miles (ca. 161 km.) in width and 160 miles (ca. 258 km.) in length from Dan to Beersheba, are to be found no fewer than four parallel longitudinal zones, each of which undergoes considerable internal modification. The coastal plain gives way to the central mountain region, which in turn yields abruptly to the Jordan Valley, only to be succeede<\/span>d by the plateau of Transjordan. The extremes of altitude are astonishing. The mountains of Lebanon rise to a height of 8,800 feet (2,531.5 m.) above sea level, and the deepest point of the Dead Sea lies about 2,500 feet (762.5 m.) below the surface of the Mediterranean. The intensity and direction of the winds and air movements, the seasonal rainfalls, the deposits of dew, and the daily variations in temperature are all subject to wideranging regional fluctuations. In addition, the major overland routes of the ancient world passed through the land s<\/span>o that the internal disunity promoted by nature was further intensified by the powerful and diverse external cultural influences and strategic and political forces.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In light of all this, it is not surprising that in the long history of the country it was usually ruled by foreign powers, <\/span>and its fate was never tied to the fortunes of any one people within it\u2014with the sole and remarkable exception of the people of Israel during the biblical period, the Second Jewish Commonwealth, and today.<\/span><\/p>\n

10<\/a>. Come This charge is the pivotal point of the theophany. Moses is elected to be the conscious agent of divine will, the human instrument by which the redemption of Israel is to be effectuated<\/span>. The biblical institution of the messenger prophet is now initiated.<\/p>\n

you shall free In contrast to verse 8<\/a>, entry into the land is omitted, perhaps because Moses is not destined to experience it.32<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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MOSES\u2019 DIALOGUE WITH GOD (3:11\u20134:17<\/a>)<\/p>\n

A lengthy dialogue between Moses and God now takes place. Moses instinctively shrinks from the task assigned him, raising three objections. His reluctance to accep<\/span>t the prophetic call would be characteristic of many later prophets.33<\/a><\/p>\n

11<\/a>. Who am I \u2026 The initial reaction is one of personal unworthiness.34<\/a> This innate humility, mentioned in Numbers 12:3<\/a>, must <\/span>have been intensified by his understandable fear for his life and by the recollection of his previous experience with the two quarreling Hebrews.<\/p>\n

12<\/a>. This difficult verse has occasioned much exegesis.<\/span> The first clause is clear enough. God\u2019s \u201cbeing with\u201d someone is an assurance of protection. This is usually given at critical moments of human fear and indecision.35<\/a> In the present instance, Hebrew <\/span>\u02beehyeh<\/span>, \u201cI shall be,\u201d also artfully connects with the next section of the dialogue (v. 14<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The next clause is unclear. Hebrew \u02beot<\/span>, \u201ca sign,\u201d is largely something that functions to corroborate either<\/span> a promise or an appointment to office.36<\/a> But to what does the Hebrew demonstrative zeh<\/span>, \u201cthis, that,\u201d refer?37<\/a> Is it the spectacle at the bush? This would mean that the phenomenon is the sign that<\/span> affirms the divinely appointed nature of Moses\u2019 mission. Or is it his unique ability to negotiate freely and safely with the all-powerful pharaoh that will authenticate his calling? Either interpretation makes an independent statement of the last sentence of the verse, which begins wi<\/span>th \u201cwhen.\u201d More difficult and less likely is the possibility that zeh<\/span> refers to the following clause, yielding th<\/span>e understanding that the worship of God in freedom at Sinai will retroactively legitimate Moses\u2019 role.<\/p>\n

you shall worship Whether it be a prediction or a prescription, this phrase is a subtle hint to M<\/span>oses on how to handle the negotiations with the Egyptian authorities. The motif of the worship of God as one of the objectives of the Exodus is reiterated time and again before Pharaoh.38<\/a> Since the H<\/span>ebraic stem \u02bf-v-d<\/span> means both \u201cto be in servitude\u201d and \u201cto worship,\u201d the phrase insinuates the idea that worship of God is incompatible with servitude to the pharaoh.<\/p>\n

13<\/a>. Moses\u2019 second objection is re<\/span>lated to the inability to represent Israel without a mandate from the people and without even knowing the name of the God for whom he is now asked to speak. The title \u201cGod of your father\u201d was a widely used Near Eastern epithet, al<\/span>so applicable to any of the pagan gods, as noted in Excursus 3<\/a>. By asking for God\u2019s name, Moses implicitly denies knowledge of it, as Rashbam notes.<\/p>\n

Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh Thi<\/span>s phrase has variously been translated, \u201cI Am That I Am,\u201d \u201cI Am Who I Am,\u201d and \u201cI Will Be What I Will Be.\u201d It clearly evokes YHVH, the specific proper name of Israel\u2019s God, known in English as the Tetragr<\/span>ammaton, that is, \u201cthe four consonants.\u201d The phrase also indicates that the earliest recorded understanding of the divine name was as a verb derived from the stem h-v-h<\/span>, taken as an earlier form o<\/span>f h-y-h<\/span>, \u201cto be.\u201d Either it expresses the quality of absolute Being, the eternal, unchanging, dynamic presence, or it means, \u201cHe causes to be.\u201d YHVH<\/em> is the third person masculine singular; ehyeh<\/span> is th<\/span>e corresponding first person singular. This latter is used here because name-giving in the ancient world implied the wielding of power over the one named; hence, the divine name can only proceed from God Hi<\/span>mself.39<\/a><\/p>\n

In the course of the Second Temple period the Tetragrammaton came to be regarded as charged with metaphysical potency and therefore ceased to be pronounced. It was replaced in speech <\/span>by \u02beadonai<\/span>, \u201cLord,\u201d rendered into Greek Kyrios<\/span>. Often the vowels of \u02beadonai<\/span> would later accompany YHVH<\/em> in written texts. This gave rise to the mistaken form Jehovah<\/span>. The original pronunciation was eve<\/span>ntually lost; modern attempts at recovery are conjectural.<\/p>\n

God\u2019s response to Moses\u2019 query cannot be the disclosure of a hitherto unknown name, for that would be unintelligible to the people and would <\/span>not resolve Moses\u2019 dilemma. However, taken together with the statement in 6:3<\/a>, the implication is that the name YHVH only came into prominence as the characteristic personal name of the God of Israel <\/span>in the time of Moses. This tradition accords with the facts that the various divine names found in Genesis are no longer used, except occasionally in poetic texts; that of all the personal names listed hitherto, none is constructed of the prefixed <\/span>yeho-\/yo-<\/span> or the suffixed -yahu\/-yah<\/span> contractions of YHVH; that the first name of this type is yokheved<\/span> (Jochebed), that of Moses\u2019 mother.40<\/a> Ibn Ezra p<\/span>oints out that Moses, in his direct speech. invariably uses the name YHVH, not \u02beelohim<\/span>, \u201cGod.\u201d Without doubt, the revelation of the divine name YHVH to Moses registers a new stage in the history of I<\/span>sraelite monotheism.<\/p>\n

15<\/a>. My name \u2026 My appellation41<\/a> How I am addressed and referred to.<\/p>\n

forever \u2026 for all eternity God\u2019s unvarying dependability provides assurance that His promises will be fulfille<\/span>d.<\/p>\n

16<\/a>. the elders Moses\u2019 first concern in his new role must be to win the confidence and support of the acknowledged leaders of the people. These are the elders (Heb.<\/a> zekenim<\/span>) who are frequently men<\/span>tioned in the Exodus narratives, although little information about them is offered.42<\/a> The institution of elders is rooted in the tribal-patriarchal system that shaped the character of Israelite socie<\/span>ty in early times. The rich Mari archives dealing with Northwest Semitic tribes show that the council of elders was entrusted with considerable authority, judicial and political. Its members acted as the spokesmen and the delegates of the tribes in dealings with the urban administration.<\/span>43<\/a><\/p>\n

I have taken note This statement echoes the dying words of Joseph as recorded in Genesis 50:24<\/a>: \u201cGod will <\/span>surely take notice of you and bring you up from this land to the land that He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.\u201d This promise was handed down from generation to generation.<\/p>\n

18<\/a>. The <\/span>Lord, the God of the Hebrews This divine epithet appears exclusively in the Exodus stories,44<\/a> invariably in connection with addressing the pharaoh and always coupled with a demand for permission to w<\/span>orship in the wilderness. Although this king does not know YHVH, he never claims to be ignorant of \u201cthe God of the Hebrews.\u201d This suggests that this epithet, like \u201cthe God of the father,\u201d belongs to a pre-Mosaic stage in the history of Israelite religion and was perhaps widely used among the pastoral noma<\/span>ds of the region.45<\/a> For that reason, it is carefully identified with YHVH each time it is us<\/span>ed by Moses.<\/p>\n

manifested Himself Hebrew nikrah<\/span>, as opposed to the usual nir\u02beah<\/span>, \u201cappeared,\u201d emphasizes the sudden and unexpected nature of the encounter with the divine;46<\/a> and it explains to the phar<\/span>aoh why no such demand had been made before.<\/p>\n

three days In the biblical consciousness, this conventionally constitutes a significant segment of time, particularly in connection with travel.47<\/a> In the<\/span> present context, it may well indicate that the intended sacrifice, which would be anathema to the Egyptians,48<\/a> as stated in Exodus 8:22<\/a>, would take place well beyond the recognized range of Egypti<\/span>an cultic holiness.49<\/a><\/p>\n

to sacrifice In terms of the corv\u00e9e system, the state-organized forced labor gangs, this limited request was not exceptional, as is proved by entries in extant logs of their Eg<\/span>yptian supervisors.50<\/a> There is also archaeological evidence for the custom among pastoral nomads of making periodic pilgrimages to sacred shrines in the wilderness.51<\/a> On both scores, therefore, the<\/span> denial of these reasonable and basic demands of the Israelites exposes the true character of the pharaoh and the brutal nature of his tyrannical rule.<\/p>\n

19<\/a>. a greater might Hebrew yad \u1e25azakah<\/span>, litera<\/span>lly \u201ca strong hand,\u201d meaning the \u201chand\u201d of God, mentioned again in verse 20<\/a>, as opposed to the oppressive \u201chand of Egypt\u201d of verse 8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

20<\/a>. wonders Hebrew nifla\u02beot<\/span> is almost always used of God\u2019s timely,<\/span> direct intervention in human affairs, which does not necessarily express itself through the suspension of the laws of nature.52<\/a><\/p>\n

stretch out \u2026 let you go There is a kind of word play here, for the f<\/span>irst and last verbs in the sentence are formed from the same stem sh-l-\u1e25<\/span>. The one will effect the other.<\/p>\n

21\u201322<\/a>. Such a dignified departure from Egypt was foretold in the original covenant with Abraha<\/span>m: \u201cI will execute judgment on the nation they shall serve, and in the end they shall go free with great wealth.\u201d53<\/a> This promise was fulfilled at the time of the Exodus.54<\/a> Early Jewish exegesis as <\/span>reflected in Jubilees 48:18<\/a> and Philo of Alexandria,55<\/a> as well as in the Talmud,56<\/a> looked upon these spoils as well-deserved compensation to the Israelites for their long years of unpaid forced la<\/span>bor. It is also possible to interpret the development as being in accordance with the law of Deuteronomy 15:13<\/a> that requires the master to provision his slave liberally at the time of emancipation: \u201c<\/span>When you set him free, do not let him go empty-handed.\u201d57<\/a><\/p>\n

22<\/a>. shall borrow Rather, \u201cshall request,\u201d which is the usual meaning of the stem sh-\u02be-l<\/span>.58<\/a><\/p>\n

stripping The same Hebrew term is used literall<\/span>y in 2 Chronicles 20:25<\/a>, but here it should be taken as hyperbole.59<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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chapter 4<\/a><\/p>\n

1<\/a>.<\/strong> Moses presents his third objection: the possibility of being rejected by the Israelite masses. God, after all, had m<\/span>entioned only the elders, not the people, in 3:18<\/a>. Knowledge of the divine name does not of itself validate a claim to be divinely commissioned. Since the days of Jacob no Israelite had professed to r<\/span>eceiving a theophany.<\/p>\n

What if \u20261<\/a><\/p>\n

2\u20139<\/a>. This time Moses\u2019 argument is not refuted. Instead, he is instructed how to dissipate popular skepticism should it materialize. Deuteronomy 13:2\u20136<\/a> discusses the <\/span>role of the sign in the legitimation of a prophet in Israel. Here, the signs, which will be executed in Egypt, possess a distinctly Egyptian coloration. This is not surprising, for magic was a pervasive ingredient o<\/span>f everyday life in Egypt, deeply embedded in the culture. The signs taught to Moses are intended, first and foremost, to validate his claim to be the divinely chosen instrument for the redemption of Israel. On a secondary level, they also function to establish the superiority of Moses over the Egyptian magicians and, by extension, to affirm the superior might of Israel\u2019s God over those whom the Egyptians worship<\/span>ed as gods.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moses, however, is not a magician. He possesses no superhuman powers and no esoteric knowledge; he is unable to initiate or perform anything except by precise<\/span> instructions from God; he pronounces no spells, observes no rituals, and employs no occult techniques, and often he does not know in advance the consequences of the actions he is told to perform.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>The First Sign (vv. 2\u20135<\/a>)<\/p>\n

2<\/a>. What is that in your band? The query serves to certify that the object is an ordinary shepherd\u2019s crook and is not invested with magical powers.2<\/a><\/p>\n

3<\/a>. That Moses recoils bef<\/span>ore the transformed rod expresses his astonishment at the marvel; his act intimates that God, not he, is in command of the situation.<\/p>\n

a snake This creature probably serves a dual purpose here, practic<\/span>al and symbolic. As we learn from 7:8\u201311<\/a>, the trick is later duplicated by the court magicians, which then enables Moses to demonstrate the superiority of Israel\u2019s God. The rod in ancient Egypt was a <\/span>symbol of royal authority and power,3<\/a> while the snake, the uraeus, represented the patron cobra-goddess of Lower Egypt. Worn over the forehead on the headdress of the pharaohs, it was emblematic of d<\/span>ivinely protected sovereignty, and it served as a menacing symbol of death dealt to the enemies of the crown. See Comment to 7:8\u201312<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

A midrash interprets the scene allegorically as a rebuke to Moses.<\/span> He had misstated Israel\u2019s faithfulness, just as the serpent had misrepresented God\u2019s word to Eve.4<\/a><\/p>\n

4<\/a>. by the tail Normally a foolhardy act, it here manifests Moses\u2019 implicit faith in God.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>The Second Sign (vv. 6\u20137<\/a>)<\/p>\n

6<\/a>. encrusted Hebrew tsara\u02bfat<\/span>,5<\/a> usually mistranslated \u201cleprosy,\u201d has none of the major symptoms of that malady, and the descriptions of tsara\u02bfat<\/span> given in Leviticus 13\u201314<\/a> are<\/span> incompatible with Hansen\u2019s disease. The comparison to snow is not in respect of its whiteness but of its flakiness. Apart from the startling phenomenon of the sudden appearance and disappearance of the e<\/span>ncrustation, this particular sign has an ominous aspect to it in that it is seen in the Bible as a divine punishment for human misbehavior.6<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Third Sign (vv. 8\u20139<\/a>)<\/p>\n

8<\/a>. pay heed to Literally, \u201clisten to the voice of.\u201d The sign, as it were, \u201cspeaks\u201d; it testifies to the divine commissioning.<\/p>\n

9<\/a>. The third sign. This can be performed only inside Egypt. It later becomes the first of the ten plagues.7<\/a><\/p>\n

The Nile\u2014the life-blood of Egypt\u2014was deified; thus, this sign, like the first, signifies God\u2019s sovereign rule over nature and the subordination of Egypt and its so-called gods to YHVH.<\/p>\n

10<\/a>. Moses puts forth his final objection: his claim of inadequacy to the task of being God\u2019s spokesman before the Egyptian court. The precise nature of the deficiency is unclear as is the variant term \u201cimpeded speech\u201d (literally \u201cuncircumcised lips\u201d) used in 6:12<\/a>, 30<\/a>. Most traditional commentators understood it as a speech defect, but some construed the phraseology as connoting a lack of eloquence or a loss of fluency in the Egyptian language. Whatever the circumstances, it is certain that the underlying idea is that prophetic eloquence is not a native talent but a divine endowment granted for a special purpose, the message originating with God and not with the prophet.8<\/a><\/p>\n

13<\/a>. Having exhausted his arguments, Moses makes one last desperate appeal.<\/p>\n

14<\/a>. Aaron Mentioned now for the first time, he is three years older than Moses.9<\/a><\/p>\n

the Levite A strange designation, since Moses too was from the tribe of Levi. There may be an allusion to skill and accomplishment, for the Levites may have constituted an educated elite.10<\/a> Alternatively, the Hebrew can be translated as \u201cyour brother Levite.\u201d11<\/a><\/p>\n

setting out to meet you There must be some lost tradition behind this statement.<\/p>\n

16<\/a>. your spokesman Hebrew peh<\/span>, literally \u201cmouth,\u201d that is, mouthpiece. The parallel text in 7:1<\/a> has \u201cyour prophet,\u201d indicating the biblical understanding of the prophet as the spokesman for God.<\/p>\n

17<\/a>. The theophany comes to an end. Moses has nothing more to utter; he succumbs to his fate. Jeremiah (20:7<\/a>, 9<\/a>) expresses his own, similar experience as follows: \u201cYou enticed me, O Lord, and I was enticed;\/You overpowered me and You prevailed.\u2026 \/I thought, \u2018I will not mention Him,\/No more will I speak in His name\u2019\u2014\/But [His word] was like a raging fire in my heart,\/Shut up in my bones;\/I could not hold it in, I was helpless.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

The Challenge of Leadership: Initial Failure<\/em> (4:18\u20136:1<\/a>)<\/p>\n

This section covers the events between the two great theophanies of 3:1\u20134:17<\/a> and 6:2\u20138<\/a>. It subdivides into four sections: (1) leave-taking and departure (4:18\u201323<\/a>); (2) the night encounter and circumcision (4:24\u201326<\/a>); (3) the acceptance of Moses\u2019 leadership (4:27\u201331<\/a>); and (4) the first audience with Pharaoh (5:1\u20136:1<\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

LEAVE-TAKING AND DEPARTURE (vv. 18\u201323<\/a>)<\/p>\n

18<\/a>.<\/strong> Moses returns to Midian with the sheep. He needs to obtain his father-in-law\u2019s formal permission to leave his household.12<\/a> He does not disclose the true reason for returning to Egypt, probably because Jethro might think the mission to be impossible and therefore withhold his consent.<\/p>\n

my kinsmen The phrase links the return with the original flight, which was a consequence of his having gone out \u201cto his kinsmen\u201d (2:11<\/a>).<\/p>\n

how they are faring Literally, \u201cwhether they are still alive.\u201d The Hebrew idiom covers general welfare in a wider sense.13<\/a><\/p>\n

19<\/a>. Apparently still fearing for his personal safety, Moses tarries; hence the divine directive and reassurance.<\/p>\n

are dead See Comment to 2:23<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

20<\/a>. went back This seems to contradict verse 21<\/a>. Rashi observes that the biblical texts do not always follow strict chronological sequence. Perhaps the Hebrew verb expresses the process rather than its completion.<\/p>\n

his wife and sons According to 18:2\u20135<\/a>, Jethro brought Zipporah and the two sons from Midian to Sinai after the Exodus. This shows that they were not in Egypt all the while. Possibly, a fuller version of the story behind the incident of verses 24\u201326<\/a> explained why the family returned to Midian. A midrash has Aaron convincing Moses not to subject his family to the rigors of life in Egypt.14<\/a><\/p>\n

sons Only Gershom has so far been mentioned (2:22<\/a>). The ancient versions have a singular here.<\/p>\n

the rod of God15<\/a> The shepherd\u2019s crook mentioned in verses 2\u20134<\/a>. The designation has been variously explained: as stemming from its use in performing the divinely ordained miracles,16<\/a> as being the subject of a divine command,17<\/a> and as meaning \u201cthe rod now invested with divine potency.\u201d18<\/a> The Septuagint rendering, \u201cthe rod that he had from God,\u201d recalls a widespread ancient Near Eastern artistic and literary convention, according to which gods carried rods as the symbol of authority and as emblems of supernatural power. Biblical poetic texts occasionally assign such a rod to God as a figure of speech.19<\/a> This fanciful notion is elaborated in postbiblical midrashim, which take as one and the same Moses\u2019 rod, Aaron\u2019s rod (mentioned later), and God\u2019s rod.20<\/a>Mishnah Avot 5:6<\/a>(9<\/a>) included the rod among ten apparently ordinary objects that play an extraordinary role in God\u2019s intervention in human affairs in the Bible. All were created at twilight on the eve of the original Sabbath. This is the rabbinic way of stating that what appears to be a miraculous suspension of the laws of nature was providentially integrated into the cosmic order at Creation.21<\/a><\/p>\n

21<\/a>. The verse harks back to 3:19\u201320<\/a>. The \u201cmarvels\u201d are the forthcoming plagues. Moses is again warned of the obstacles that lie ahead on the road to liberation.<\/p>\n

will stiffen his heart The motif of the stiffening, or hardening, of Pharaoh\u2019s heart runs through the entire Exodus story; it appears exactly twenty times. Half of the references are to an essential attribute of the man\u2019s character,22<\/a> half are attributed to divine causality.23<\/a> In the biblical conception, the psychological faculties are considered to be concentrated in the heart. Regarded as the seat of the intellectual, moral, and spiritual life of the individual, this organ is the determinant of behavior. The \u201chardening of the heart\u201d thus expresses a state of arrogant moral degeneracy, unresponsive to reason and incapable of compassion. Pharaoh\u2019s personal culpability is beyond question.<\/p>\n

It is to be noted that in the first five plagues Pharaoh\u2019s obduracy is self-willed. It is only thereafter that it is attributed to divine causality. This is the biblical way of asserting that the king\u2019s intransigence has by then become habitual and irreversible; his character has become his destiny. He is deprived of the possibility of relenting and is irresistibly impelled to his self-wrought doom.24<\/a><\/p>\n

22<\/a>. Thus says the Lord Hebrew koh \u02beamar YHVH<\/span>. This is the first use of the regular formula introducing a prophetic address. Believed to be an adaptation of the conventional opening words of royal heralds,25<\/a> it serves to secure audience attention while emphasizing the unimpeachable authority behind the ensuing proclamation. Moses is to approach the Egyptian king as the emissary of the sovereign Lord of the universe.26<\/a><\/p>\n

My first-born son The relationship of Israel to God is expressed poetically, in filial terms.27<\/a> All peoples are recognized as being under the universal fatherhood of God, but Israel has the singular status of being the first to acknowledge YHVH and to enter into a special relationship with Him. As such, Israel enjoys God\u2019s devoted care and protection.28<\/a>Jeremiah 2:3<\/a> expresses the same thought: \u201cIsrael was holy to the Lord,\/The first fruits of His harvest.\/All who ate of it were held guilty;\/Disaster befell them.\u201d The first-born son in Israel was regarded as being naturally dedicated to God29<\/a> and in early times had certain cultic prerogatives and obligations. It is this that informs the concomitant demand of verse 23<\/a> that Israel be allowed to worship in the wilderness. Denial of this right on the part of Pharaoh will incur appropriate punishment.<\/p>\n

23<\/a>. your first-born son Pharaoh here stands for all Egyptians, in parallel with the collective \u201cIsrael.\u201d The threat alludes to the tenth plague, the one that finally breaks the tyrant\u2019s obstinacy.30<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

THE NIGHT ENCOUNTER AND CIRCUMCISION31<\/a> (vv. 24\u201326<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The account of Moses\u2019 return to Egypt is interrupted by a brief but thoroughly perplexing story. At first glance, the obscure, three-verse narrative seems to lack integration into the larger context of the chapter. Moses is not mentioned. If he is the afflicted person, one could well ask how God could want to kill him, the chosen instrument for the liberation of Israel, as he sets out in fulfillment of the divine command. To complicate matters further, the application of some of the verbs, personal pronouns, and pronominal suffixes is unclear. Finally, there is also uncertainty about the meaning of some of the language and about the person to whom it is directed.<\/p>\n

These various obscurities arise primarily because the account here is only a truncated version of a larger, popular story that circulated orally in Israel. Its details were well known and were expected to be supplied by the audience. There are several such fragmentary narratives in the Book of Genesis: the marriage of Cain (4:17<\/a>), the Song of Lamech (4:23\u201324<\/a>), the celestial beings and terrestrial girls (6:13<\/a>), the depravity of Canaan (9:18\u201329<\/a>), the nocturnal assailant of Jacob (32:23\u201333<\/a>), and Reuben\u2019s affair with his father\u2019s concubine (35:22<\/a>).<\/p>\n

In point of fact, the sketchy tale of the night incident in verses 24\u201326<\/a> is not as unconnected with the larger context as is often claimed. The introductory phrase, \u201cIt happened on the way,\u201d immediately establishes the chronological linkage with verse 20<\/a>. Then there are several verbal tie-ins with both the foregoing and the following texts. Thus, the phrase \u201csought to kill\u201d in verse 24<\/a> echoes \u201cwho sought to kill you\u201d in verse 19<\/a>; \u201cher son\u201d in verse 25<\/a> recalls \u201chis sons,\u201d \u201cMy son,\u201d \u201cyour son\u201d in verses 20<\/a>, 22<\/a>, 23<\/a>, and the Hebrew for \u201cencountered him\u201d (va-yifgeshehu<\/span>) in verse 24<\/a> is identical with that for \u201cmet him\u201d in verse 27<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Aside from these shared expressions, there are other indications of careful design. The featuring of the circumcision episode following the reference to the first-born provides an artfully wrought literary framework for the entire narrative, one that encompasses the struggle for liberation from Pharaoh\u2019s oppression. That struggle begins with Moses\u2019 setting out to return to Egypt (v. 20<\/a>), and its successful conclusion is signaled by the death of the Egyptian first-born (12:29\u201336<\/a>). This latter is followed immediately by the law requiring circumcision as the precondition for participation in the paschal sacrifice (12:43\u201349<\/a>), which in turn is followed by the law of the first-born (13:1<\/a>, 11\u201315<\/a>). The effect is a thematically arranged chiasm:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

In addition to the literary structure, there is also a functional correspondence between the blood of circumcision and the visible sign of the blood on the paschal sacrifice. In both instances, evil is averted on account of it (4:26<\/a>; 12:7<\/a>, 13<\/a>, 22\u201323<\/a>). This inextricable tie between circumcision and the Passover, as plainly set forth in 12:43\u201349<\/a>, is also unmistakably operative in chapter 5<\/a> of the Book of Joshua. It is related there that after crossing the Jordan into the promised land a mass circumcision ceremony was performed as a prelude to the first celebration of the Passover feast inside the country (vv. 2\u201311<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Rabbinic exegesis gave midrashic expression to this association in interpreting Ezekiel 16:6<\/a>: \u201cWhen I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you: \u2018Live in spite of your blood.\u2019 Yea, I said to you: \u2018Live in spite of your blood.\u2019\u00a0\u201d The Hebrew phrase be-damayikh \u1e25ayi<\/span>, emphatically reiterated, was interpreted by the rabbis to mean \u201csurvive through your blood [plural]\u201d; that is, the survival and redemption of Israel was assured because of the two mitzvot\u2014that of circumcision and that of paschal sacrifice.32<\/a>Genesis 17:9\u201314<\/a>, it should be noted, made circumcision the indispensable precondition for admittance to the community of Israel.<\/p>\n

In sum, the brief narrative in verses 24\u201326<\/a> underscores the paramount importance of the institution of circumcision and the surpassing seriousness of its neglect.33<\/a><\/p>\n

24<\/a>. a night encampment Hebrew malon<\/span> may be word play on the stem m-w-l<\/span>, \u201cto circumcise,\u201d used in verse 26<\/a>.<\/p>\n

encountered him Whereas polytheistic literature would attribute the experience to a demonic being, Israelite monotheism admits of no independent forces other than the one God. Hence, the action is directly ascribed to Him. In order to soften the anthropomorphism, rabbinic sources, as reflected in the Targums and medieval commentaries, introduce an angel as the instrument of affliction.<\/p>\n

sought to Rather, \u201cwas on the verge of killing him.\u201d This is the force of the Hebrew phrase.34<\/a> The victim was suddenly smitten with a deadly ailment.<\/p>\n

kill him It would be wholly inconsistent with the drift of the preceding narrative to assume that Moses was the one stricken. The sequence of verses strongly suggests that it was Moses\u2019 first-born, Gershom, whose life was imperiled.35<\/a><\/p>\n

25<\/a>. Zipporah Knowledge of her identity is taken for granted (2:21<\/a>). It is not to be wondered that she, a Midianite, was familiar with the rite of circumcision; the practice was widespread among the ancient Semites and was prevalent in Egypt.36<\/a> The reason for the mother\u2019s attribution of her son\u2019s illness to uncircumcision must have some background that now eludes us. Moses may well have neglected this rite because of the danger of exposing a newly circumcised boy to the rigors of the journey through the wilderness. This widely held explanation receives some support from Joshua 5:5<\/a>, 7<\/a>, which tells that the generation born in the course of the wilderness wanderings was not circumcised. Targum Jonathan reflects a tradition that Jethro had disallowed the operation.<\/p>\n

a flint Rather than a metal knife, even though the events occurred in the Late Bronze Age.37<\/a> A stone knife is still widely preferred in primitive societies that practice circumcision, a testimony to both the great antiquity of the rite and the inherent conservatism of religion.<\/p>\n

cut off \u2026 The unique use of the Hebrew k-r-t<\/span> for this action rather than the otherwise invariable m-w-l<\/span> may reflect Midianite terminology. But there may also be a double word play here, for k-r-t berit<\/span> is the Hebrew term for making a covenant, and in Genesis 17:9\u201314<\/a> circumcision is called \u201cthe sign of the covenant.\u201d Further, in that same text (v. 14<\/a>) it is stated that he who fails to fulfill the rite\u2014the first command in the Torah specifically enjoined upon Abraham and his descendants\u2014\u201cshall be cut off from his kin; he has broken My covenant.\u201d The Hebrew term for the prescribed penalty is karet<\/span>. An uncircumcised Israelite who thereby alienates himself from the community of Israel would be excluded from the Passover and from the redemption from Egypt. Joshua 5:5<\/a> explicitly records that all the males who came out of Egypt had undergone the rite. It would have been ironically paradoxical indeed had the son of the central figure in the story of the Exodus been an outsider.<\/p>\n

touches his legs Whose legs is unclear, as is the symbolism of the gesture. \u201cLegs\u201d may be a euphemism for the genital organs,38<\/a> here of the child. The act might signify: See, the foreskin has been cut off; the requirement of circumcision has been fulfilled! Or it may well be a reference to placing a bloodstain on the child because the Hebrew verb used here (rendered \u201ctouched\u201d) is the same as that used for the daubing of the blood of the paschal lamb on the lintel and doorposts in 12:22<\/a> (rendered \u201capply\u201d). In both cases, the purpose would be the same: The blood would act as a protective sign against plague; the Destroyer would not smite.<\/p>\n

a bridegroom of blood This is the traditional English rendering of the unique Hebrew phrase \u1e25atan damim<\/span>, for which, so far, no parallel has been found in ancient Near Eastern literature. If \u1e25atan<\/span> possesses its usual meaning of \u201cgroom,\u201d it would hardly be applicable to Moses, who by now has been married for some time. Conceivably, it might be a term of endearment addressed to the child, but the meager evidence for such a usage stems from rabbinic, not biblical, times.40<\/a>\u1e24atan damim<\/span> may be a linguistic fossil, pre-Israelite or Midianite, the meaning of which has been lost. However, it can hardly be coincidental that in Arabic the stem \u1e25-t-n<\/span> denotes \u201cto circumcise\u201d as well as \u201cto protect.\u201d This latter is also its meaning in Akkadian. Hence, the enigmatic phrase could convey, \u201cYou are now circumcised [and so] protected for me by means of the blood\u2014the blood of circumcision.\u201d Curiously, p-s-\u1e25<\/span>, the Hebrew stem behind Passover, can also mean \u201cto protect.\u201d See Comment to 12:11<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

26<\/a>. He let him alone The subject is God. The crisis has passed.<\/p>\n

she added Literally, \u201cthen she said,\u201d perhaps invoking or coining a proverb that may mean \u201ccircumcision has been performed, and he is no longer liable to karet<\/span>,\u201d the penalty of being \u201ccut off\u201d from one\u2019s kin.41<\/a><\/p>\n

because of the circumcision Hebrew la-mulot<\/span> is another unique form, apparently an abstract noun.<\/p>\n

MOSES\u2019 LEADERSHIP IS ACCEPTED (vv. 27\u201331<\/a>)<\/p>\n

27<\/a>. Aaron See verse 14<\/a>.<\/p>\n

the mountain of God See Comment to 3:1<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

he kissed him The standard biblical greeting between close relatives.42<\/a><\/p>\n

29<\/a>. The directive given in 3:16<\/a> is carried out.<\/p>\n

31<\/a>. As predicted (vv. 8\u20139<\/a>), the signs are accepted as testimony to the reliability of Moses and to the veracity of his message.43<\/p>\n

taken note See Comment to 3:16<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

bowed low \u2026 Here a gesture of thanksgiving.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Kap 5<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

chapter 3 The Commissioning of Moses (3:1\u20134:17) God\u2019s \u201ctaking notice\u201d of Israel\u2019s sufferings (2:25) foreshadows the action that is about to occur. The appointment of a leader to rally the demoralized people and represent them before the Egyptian authorities is the first stage in the process of liberation. The account of the commissioning of Moses … <\/p>\n

\u201eExodus JPS\u201c <\/span>weiterlesen<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1537","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allgemein"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1537"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1537\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1547,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1537\/revisions\/1547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}