{"id":1544,"date":"2018-03-03T14:29:17","date_gmt":"2018-03-03T13:29:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/?p=1544"},"modified":"2018-03-04T11:04:27","modified_gmt":"2018-03-04T10:04:27","slug":"exodus-jps-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/2018\/03\/03\/exodus-jps-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Exodus JPS"},"content":{"rendered":"
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chapter 5<\/a><\/p>\n

THE FIRST AUDIENCE WITH PHARAOH (5:1\u20136:1<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The narrative moves to a new phase in the tragic history of Israel in Egypt. The new Israelite leadership seizes the initiative with a diplomatic ap<\/span>proach. It ends in failure, and the plight of the people becomes an issue in Egyptian public policy. It is now that the struggle for freedom begins in earnest. This chapter serves as an introduction to the narrative of the plagues.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>The First Confrontation with the Court (vv. 1\u20135<\/a>)<\/p>\n

1<\/a>. Afterward Upon meeting with popular acceptance.<\/p>\n

Moses and Aaron Contrary to the instruction in 3:18<\/a>, the elders are not included. According to a mid<\/span>rash, they lost their nerve, and one by one they dropped off on the way to the palace.1<\/a><\/p>\n

Thus says the Lord See Comment to 4:22<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

the God of Israel This epithet more precisely defines the name YHVH.<\/p>\n

c<\/span>elebrate a festival Hebrew \u1e25ag<\/span> is basically a sacrificial feast associated with a pilgrimage to a sanctuary.2<\/a> Arabic haj<\/span>, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, derives from the same stem.<\/p>\n

2<\/a>. Who is the <\/span>Lord? A contemptuous retort that contrasts starkly with the humble response of Moses to the divine call: \u201cWho am I?\u201d3<\/a> The pharaoh was the incarnation of a god in Egyptian doctrine. This divine status<\/span> meant that his power was unlimited, that his will was incontestable law, and that his utterances possessed divine force. He regards himself as YHVH\u2019s superior.<\/p>\n

I do not know I do not acknowledge His<\/span> authority. On the key word y-d-\u02bf<\/span> in Exodus, see Comment to 1:8<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

3<\/a>. The reaction of Moses and Aaron is restrained. They seem to be surprised and cowed by the king\u2019s aggressive arrogance.<\/p>\n

The God of th<\/span>e Hebrews They use the very language prescribed in 3:18<\/a>, except that they omit \u201cthe Lord\u201d because the monarch has already denied all knowledge of Him. On the \u201cHebrews,\u201d see Excursus 1<\/a>.<\/p>\n

manifested Hims<\/span>elf See Comment to 3:18<\/span><\/a>.4<\/a><\/p>\n

lest He strike us For disregarding our obligation. The pharaoh should be concerned about this since he will lose our labor.5<\/a> The \u201cus\u201d may also be a sly intimation that the<\/span> Egyptians too will be stricken.6<\/a><\/p>\n

pestilence or sword These are conventional symbols of divine judgment.7<\/a><\/p>\n

4<\/a>. Pharaoh treats the request for time out to worship as a ploy to shirk work.<\/p>\n

5<\/a>. This st<\/span>atement can be variously understood. It may explain the economic reasons for refusing the request. The Israelites are so numerous that any interruption of their labors would entail an enormous loss of product<\/span>ivity.8<\/a> It might also take up the original theme of 1:7<\/a>, 9\u201310<\/a> that the huge population would constitute a power to be reckoned with were they to quit working. Either way, the second half of <\/span>the verse is exclamatory.<\/p>\n

The people of the land Meaning the common laborers, perhaps a derisive term.9<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>A Peremptory Refusal (vv. 6\u20139<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Moses and Aaron are silent. The disastrous audience with the king is abruptly terminated. The tyrant loses no time in issuing peremptory orders designed to drive home to<\/span> the Israelites the futility of entertaining any hope of gaining relief.<\/p>\n

6<\/a>. taskmasters and foremen In the Egyptian corv\u00e9e system the workers were organized into manageable gangs, each headed by a for<\/span>eman from among their own. He, in turn, was directly responsible to his superior, the \u201ctaskmaster.\u201d10<\/a> As verses 14<\/a> and 20\u201321<\/a> show, the foremen were Israelites, the taskmasters, Egyptian. The foremen<\/span> kept careful logs of their wards and the activities of each. Several such logs are extant, some from the time of Ramses II.11<\/a> Hebrew shoter<\/span>, \u201cforeman,\u201d in fact derives from a stem meaning \u201cto write<\/span>,\u201d a denotation reflected in the Septuagint rendering grammateus<\/span>, \u201cscribe, keeper of records.\u201d12<\/a><\/p>\n

7\u20138<\/a>. The new directive did not demand \u201cbricks without straw,\u201d as the English saying goes. Rather, it <\/span>ordered the brickmakers to collect their own straw; until then it had been supplied by the state. Chopped straw or stubble was a crucial ingredient in the manufacture of bricks. It was added to the mud from the Nile, then shaped in a mold and left to dry in the sun. The straw acted as a binder, a<\/span>nd the acid released by the decay of the vegetable matter greatly enhanced the plastic and cohesive properties of the brick, thus preventing shrinking, cracking, and loss of shape.<\/span>13<\/a><\/p>\n

8<\/a>. to our God Pharaoh does not recognize the Lord and therefore refrains from using the divine name.<\/p>\n

9<\/a>. heavier work H<\/span>ebrew tikhbad ha-\u02bfavodah<\/span> is artfully allusive. The first word derives from the same Hebrew stem k-v-d<\/span> that is soon to be used of Pharaoh\u2019s \u201chardening of the heart,\u201d14<\/a> and foreshadows that development<\/span>. The noun can mean both \u201cwork, labor\u201d and \u201cworship.\u201d15<\/a> The former meaning is Pharaoh\u2019s response to God\u2019s demand that Israel worship Him in the wilderness. See Comments to verse 18<\/span><\/a> below and to 3:1<\/span>2<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

deceitful promises This refers back to 4:29\u201331<\/a>. Egyptian intelligence must have reported back about the promises of redemption.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>The Oppression Intensifies (vv. 10\u201314<\/a>)<\/p>\n

10<\/a>. Thus says Pharaoh As opposed to \u201cThus says the Lord\u201d (4:22<\/a>; 5:1<\/a>). Pharaoh is now set on a collision course with the God of Israel.<\/p>\n

13\u201314<\/a>. According to the ch<\/span>ain of command, it would have been the Israelite foremen who were pressured. However, the inherent ambiguity in \u201cthem\u201d allows a midrash to conclude that the Israelite foremen took pity on their toiling brethren and as a <\/span>consequence were beaten.16<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>The Foremen Protest (vv. 15\u201318<\/a>)<\/p>\n

16<\/a>. the fault is with your own people We are being treated unfairly.17<\/a><\/p>\n

18<\/a>. Be off now to your work! Hebrew lekhu \u02bfivdu<\/span> is tinged with irony because later on Pharaoh w<\/span>ill be constrained to use the identical phrase in the sense of \u201cbe off now to your worship!\u201d18<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Demoralization (5:19\u20136:1<\/a>)<\/p>\n

21<\/a>. for making us loathsome Literally, \u201cfor causing our breath to be malodorous in the eyes of \u2026\u201d The mixed metaphor means \u201cbrought us into contempt.\u201d<\/p>\n

putting a sword Imperiling our lives.<\/p>\n

22\u201323<\/a>. Moses\u2019 deep disappointment at his initial failure shows he had unrealistic expectations of early success. The bitterness of his outburst traces back to his original reluctance to accept the divine commission.<\/p>\n

22<\/a>. returned to the Lord He retreated into seclusion to commune with God.<\/p>\n

chapter 6<\/a><\/p>\n

1<\/a>.<\/strong>1<\/a> a greater might See Comment to 3:19<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

drive them from See Comment to 2:22<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Divine Reaffirmation<\/em> (6:2\u20137:13<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Va-\u02beEra\u02be<\/em><\/p>\n

The preceding verses cite evidence of pervasive demoralization. In order to combat this despondent mood, God now amplifies His response to the complaint of 5:23<\/a>. Moses lamented the deterioration in Israel\u2019s situation that followed his petition to Pharaoh in God\u2019s name. The divine Name and its significance in relation to the promises made to the patriarchs are now the topic of God\u2019s renewed theophany to Moses. Seven verbs, each in the first person with God as the subject, are employed emphatically to reaffirm the certainty of redemption (vv. 6\u20138<\/a>). Significantly, the theophany is framed by the authoritative royal formula of self-identification. For the origin of this formula, see Comment to 3:6<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

2\u20133<\/a>. Were this statement to mean that a previously unknown divine Name\u2014YHVH\u2014is now to be revealed for the first time, the effect of the \u201cI am\u201d formula would be vitiated. the credibility of a promise is undermined, not enhanced, if it is issued by one whose name is unfamiliar.2<\/a> Furthermore, the phrase \u201cI am YHVH\u201d appears scores of times in the Bible and is widespread in corresponding form in Northwest Semitic royal inscriptions, such as \u201cI am Mesha,\u201d \u201cI am Shalmaneser,\u201d \u201cI am Esarhaddon.\u201d It cannot, therefore, reflect the introduction of a new name. On the contrary, precisely because the bearer of the name is well known, and its mention evokes such emotions as awe, reverence, honor, and fear, its use as the source and sanction of a law or edict reinforces its authority and encourages compliance. In the present context the invocation of a hitherto unknown divine name would hardly serve to counteract the widespread demoralization\u2014which is, after all, the very function of God\u2019s declaration.<\/p>\n

In light of these considerations, the meaning of this verse needs to be reexamined. In the ancient Near Eastern world names in general, and the name of a god in particular, possessed a dynamic quality and were expressive of character, or attributes, and potency. The names of gods were immediately identified with their nature, status, and function, so that to say, \u201cI did not make myself known to them by3<\/a> My name YHVH,\u201d is to state that the patriarchs did not experience the essential power associated with the name YHVH. The promises made to them belonged to the distant future. The present reiteration of those promises exclusively in the name of YHVH means that their fulfillment is imminent. This, indeed, is how Rashi, Rashbam, Bekhor Shor, and others construed verses 2\u20133<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Support for the understanding that \u201cknowing the name of YHVH\u201d means witnessing or being made to experience the display of divine might is found in several biblical passages.4<\/a> The two most illuminating are Isaiah 52:6<\/a> and Jeremiah 16:21<\/a>. The first reads: \u201cAssuredly, My people shall learn [Heb.<\/a>yeda\u02bf<\/span>] My name,\/Assuredly [they shall learn] on that day\/That I, the One who promised,\/Am now at hand.\u201d The second passage states: \u201cAssuredly, I will teach them [Heb.<\/a>mo<\/span>di\u02bfam<\/span>],\/Once and for all I will teach them [Heb.<\/a>\u02beodi\u02bfem<\/span>]\/My power and My might.\/And they shall learn [Heb.<\/a>ve-yade\u02bfu<\/span>] that My name is Lord [YHVH].\u201d<\/p>\n

El Shaddai The reference is to Genesis 17:1\u20138<\/a> and 35:11\u201312<\/a>.5<\/a> Although this divine Name is usually translated \u201cGod Almighty,\u201d there are no convincing traditions as to its meaning and little etymological justification for that particular rendering. With the advent of Moses, El Shaddai became obsolete; it is preserved only in poetic texts. See Excursus 4<\/a>.<\/p>\n

4<\/a>. I also The emphatic Hebrew ve-gam<\/span> underscores the unalterability of the divine commitment.6<\/a><\/p>\n

to give them The patriarchs received ownership of the land; their descendants would receive possession of it.<\/p>\n

5<\/a>. I have now As before, Hebrew ve-gam<\/span> is emphatic, with the sense of \u201cindeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

I have remembered See Comment to 2:24<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

My covenant With the patriarchs.<\/p>\n

6<\/a>. therefore Hebrew lakhen<\/span> at the beginning of a verse frequently introduces a solemn declaration that has the force of an oath.7<\/a><\/p>\n

I am the Lord See Comment to verse 2<\/span><\/a>. According to several rabbinic sources,8<\/a> it is on account of the following four verbs of redemption\u2014\u201cI will free \u2026 deliver \u2026 redeem \u2026 take you\u201d\u2014that there arose the obligation to drink four cups of wine at the Passover Seder.<\/p>\n

free you Literally, \u201cbring you out.\u201d The Hebrew verb y-ts-\u02be<\/span> is often used in the context of emancipation and liberation.9<\/a><\/p>\n

redeem you The Hebrew stem g-\u02be-l<\/span> in its verbal and nominal form is a socio-legal term that belongs to the realm of kinship rights and obligations. The go\u02beel<\/span> was the near kin who had primary responsibility for protecting or regaining persons and property for the extended family.10<\/a> The term came to be used figuratively, as here, with God as the subject.11<\/a> In time, the abstract noun ge\u02beulah<\/span> acquired messianic associations referring to God\u2019s ultimate redemption of Israel from exile.<\/p>\n

outstretched arm \u2026 These phrases introduce the plague narrative that begins in the next chapter. The arm is the symbol of strength and power and thus is used metaphorically of God\u2019s mighty deeds, overwhelmingly in connection with the Exodus.12<\/a><\/p>\n

7<\/a>. This declaration prefigures the covenant that is to be established at Sinai. The phraseology suggests the institution of marriage, a familiar biblical metaphor for the relationship between God and Israel.13<\/a> The first two verbs, l-k-\u1e25<\/span>, \u201cto take,\u201d14<\/a> and h-y-h le-<\/span>, \u201cto be (someone\u2019s),\u201d15<\/a> are both used in connection with matrimony; the second is also characteristic covenant language.16<\/a> Similarly, the Hebrew term for a covenant, berit<\/span>, is also used for the bond of marriage.17<\/a><\/p>\n

you shall know On the verb y-d-\u02bf<\/span>, \u201cto know,\u201d as a key word in the Exodus narratives, see Comment to 1:8<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

8<\/a>. I swore Literally, \u201cI raised my hand,\u201d the phrase deriving from a symbolic gesture accompanying oath-taking,18<\/a> a practice still in vogue. The Bible stresses innumerable times that the Land of Israel was pledged on oath to the patriarchs and their descendants.19<\/a><\/p>\n

I the Lord See Comment to verse 2<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>A RENEWED CALL TO ACTION (vv. 10\u201313<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Failure to energize the people must not deter Moses from persevering in his mission.<\/p>\n

11<\/a>. Go The place is not specified, but the palace is understood.20<\/a><\/p>\n

12<\/a>. Moses<\/span> employs a reasoned argument to justify resistance to the divine command. It is the type of logical inference known in later Hebrew as kal va-\u1e25omer<\/span>.21<\/a> The lack of response on the part of the Israeli<\/span>tes (5:21<\/a>; 6:9<\/a>) will itself impair the effectiveness of Moses\u2019 petition to Pharaoh, and the unfortunate situation will be aggravated by Moses\u2019 own oratorical handicap.<\/p>\n

impeded speech Literally, \u201cunci<\/span>rcumcised of lips,\u201d a synonym of \u201cslow of speech and slow of tongue\u201d (4:10<\/a>). \u201cUncircumcised\u201d is also used metaphorically of the heart and ear,22<\/a> the idea being that the organ involved is, so to speak<\/span>, obstructed by a \u201cforeskin\u201d that blocks its proper functioning.<\/p>\n

13<\/a>. Ignoring Moses\u2019 objections, God orders him and his brother to resume their mission to both Israel and Pharaoh. Aaron is introduced<\/span> here for two reasons. First, he is to act as spokesman and thereby offset Moses\u2019 impairment; second, he is the focus of the following genealogy. His name thus serves to smooth the transition to the next section.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A GENEALOGY (vv. 14\u201325<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The narrative breaks off at this low point in the wretched fortunes of Israel with the insertion of a genealogy. This interruption is not an interpolation but a literary device that definitively marks off the first stage in the process of liberation\u2014the unavailing human efforts\u2014from the coercive intervention of God that will ensue\u2014the ten plagues. At the same time, it links the time of the Exodus with the patriarchal period. Because a genealogy inherently symbolizes vigor and continuity, its presence here also injects a reassuring note into the otherwise despondent mood.23<\/a><\/p>\n

A detailed analysis of the content of the genealogy discloses careful design and purpose. The line of the Levites is framed by a separate introduction and conclusion (vv. 16<\/a>, 26<\/a>); the lifespans of individuals are registered only in the list of Levites (vv. 16<\/a>, 18<\/a>, 20<\/a>); and the descendants of Levi are traced to five generations in contrast to the single generation given for the Reubenites and Simeonites. Still more peculiarities appear in the Levitical listing: Aaron\u2019s name precedes that of Moses (v. 20<\/a>); Moses\u2019 wife is not mentioned but Aaron\u2019s is (v. 23<\/a>); only the fathers-in-law of Aaron and his son Eleazar are named (vv. 23\u201325<\/a>); only Aaron\u2019s brother-in-law is recorded; only Aaron\u2019s descendants and not those of Moses are listed, and to three generations. To put it all another way, the Levites are here singled out from among the other tribes of Israel; the Aaronides are distinguished from among the other Levitical families; and there is a further differentiation within the Aaronide families themselves.<\/p>\n

These special features undoubtedly anticipate later developments: the special status to be granted to the tribe of Levi, the appointment of the Aaronides to serve as priests, and the investment of Aaron as High Priest, with one specific line of his descendants exclusively designated to succeed him.24<\/a> The exaltation of Aaron is enhanced even further by the note about his marriage in verse 23<\/a>; his brother-in-law, Nahshon, and also presumably his father-in-law, Amminadab, was a chieftain of the tribe of Judah and an ancestor of King David.25<\/a><\/p>\n

14\u201315<\/a>. The lists duplicate those of Genesis 46:8\u201310<\/a>. Ramban suggests that the genealogy begins with the Reubenites and Simeonites, even though the primary focus is on Levi, in order to emphasize that the last named was not Jacob\u2019s first-born and that the Levites were elevated because of their own merit.26<\/a><\/p>\n

14<\/a>. their The antecedent is probably \u201cMoses and Aaron.\u201d<\/p>\n

15<\/a>. Zohar In Numbers 26:13<\/a> and 1 Chronicles 4:24<\/a> this name is replaced by Zerah. Both names mean \u201cshining, brightness.\u201d<\/p>\n

a Caananite woman This exceptional notice most likely reflects the disfavor with which intermarriage with the Canaanites was viewed.27<\/a><\/p>\n

16<\/a>. These three are the heads of Levitical clans that later performed menial duties in connection with the wilderness Tabernacle. The names of the members of their families and the services assigned to them are listed in detail in Numbers 3:17\u201339<\/a>.<\/p>\n

18<\/a>. Of the four sons of Kohath, only Hebron\u2019s descendants are not listed, although Numbers 26:58<\/a> and 1 Chronicles 15:9<\/a> attest to his having had offspring. Rashbam suggests that the omission is because the Hebronites, unlike the others mentioned, play no role in the Torah narratives. According to \u1e24izkuni<\/span>, the same also governs the omission of the descendants of Moses and of Ithamar son of Aaron (v. 23<\/a>).<\/p>\n

20<\/a>. his father\u2019s sister Marriage to a paternal aunt is prohibited in the legislation of Leviticus 18:12<\/a> and 20:19<\/a>. Therefore, the present notice must preserve a very ancient tradition.28<\/a><\/p>\n

Jochebed She is the anonymous \u201cLevite woman\u201d of Exodus 2:1<\/a>, the first biblical personage to bear a name composed of yo-<\/span>, the shortened form of the divine Name YHVH.29<\/a> Her name seems to mean \u201cYHVH is Glory.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aaron and Moses The Septuagint, Syriac, and Samaritan texts add, \u201cand their sister Miriam,\u201d just as in Numbers 26:59<\/a>.30<\/a><\/p>\n

21<\/a>. Ibn Ezra suggests that the sons of Izhar are recorded on account of Korah, who contended with Moses, as told in Numbers 16<\/a>.<\/p>\n

22<\/a>. According to Ibn Ezra, these are listed because Mishael and Elzaphan are later mentioned in connection with the death of Aaron\u2019s two sons, as told in Leviticus 10:4<\/a>.<\/p>\n

23<\/a>. As noted by Leka\u1e25 Tov<\/span>, this marriage betokens the interrelationship of the priesthood and royalty, for Nahshon was the ancestor of King David. The two institutions respectively provided the ecclesiastical and secular leadership of later Israel.<\/p>\n

Nadab and Abihu Exodus 24:1<\/a> introduces the sons of Aaron without any description, presupposing a knowledge of Aaronide genealogy.<\/p>\n

24<\/a>. The Korahites, observes Ibn Ezra, are mentioned on account of the statement in Numbers 26:11<\/a> that \u201cthe sons of Korah \u2026 did not die\u201d in their father\u2019s rebellion against Moses and Aaron. The Korahite clan later became a guild of Temple singers to whom several psalms are attributed. They are also listed as having been \u201cguards of the threshold of the Tabernacle\u201d and as performing other tasks, such as baking and gatekeeping.31<\/a> A bowl inscribed with \u201cthe sons of Korah\u201d (bny kr\u1e25<\/span>) has been uncovered in an Israelite shrine at Arad deriving from the eighth century b.c.e.32<\/a><\/p>\n

25<\/a>. Putiel\u2019s The text assumes that he was well known although he is not otherwise mentioned. The name itself is a hybrid of Egyptian33<\/a> and Hebrew, meaning \u201cthe one whom God has given.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phinehas This name is also Egyptian and means \u201cthe Nubian\/dark-skinned one.\u201d34<\/a> It was fairly common in Egypt in the thirteenth century b.c.e. By virtue of his zeal for the high moral standards of the religion of Israel, Phinehas was granted \u201ca pact of priesthood for all time,\u201d as told in Numbers 25:1\u201318<\/a>.35<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A RECAPITULATION (vv. 26\u201330<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Following the digression this brief concluding summary acts as a resumptive repetition of verses 9\u201312<\/a>.36<\/a> It also encloses the genealogy in a literary frame and reconnects<\/span> it with the account of the Exodus.<\/p>\n

26<\/a>. It is the same That is, the same as those mentioned in the genealogy.<\/p>\n

Aaron and Moses The order reflects the focus of the lists, as explained above. It also ma<\/span>kes for a chiastic arrangement with verse 13<\/a> and verse 27<\/a>, as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Moses<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Aaron (v. 13<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Aaron<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Moses (v. 26<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Moses<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Aaron (v. 27<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

troop by troop The narratives employ military terminology for the or<\/span>ganization of the Israelites during the Exodus and the wilderness wanderings. Thus, in Numbers 1:52<\/a> it is prescribed that \u201cthe Israelites shall encamp troop by troop, each man with his division and ea<\/span>ch under his standard.\u201d37<\/a><\/p>\n

28<\/a>. In some Hebrew texts the letter samekh<\/span> follows this verse and signifies the closing of a section (Heb.<\/a> parashah setumah<\/span>). However, as Rashi and Ibn Ezra note, this di<\/span>vision contradicts the syntax, which requires that the clause be attached to the next sentence. There is as yet no satisfactory solution to this anomaly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>chapter 7<\/a>*<\/a><\/p>\n

REAFFIRMATION AND RENEWAL OF MOSES\u2019 MISSION (vv. 1\u20137<\/a>)<\/p>\n

1<\/a>.<\/strong> This passage is more than simply a repetition or variant form of 4:16<\/a>. The earlier verse concerned the functions of Moses and Aaro<\/span>n in their dealings with the people of Israel; here Moses is to fill the role of God in negotiations with Pharaoh, who claimed divinity for himself. Moses\u2019 divinely endowed power and authority will expose the hollowness of that claim.<\/span><\/p>\n

your prophet Your spokesman. Hebrew navi\u02be<\/span>, is derived from a stem meaning \u201cto call, proclaim,\u201d that is, the divine word.<\/p>\n

2<\/a>. Moses and Aaron speak not on their own in<\/span>itiative but as agents of God\u2019s will.<\/p>\n

3\u20134<\/a>. These verses allude to the forthcoming plagues. At the same time, they constitute God\u2019s response to Moses\u2019 protestations in 6:30<\/a>, as though to say, \u201cOf cours<\/span>e Pharaoh will not be easily swayed, but not on account of your inadequacy. Rather, it is because I utilize his stubbornness in order to demonstrate My active Presence.\u201d Indirectly, Moses is once more warned against harboring unr<\/span>ealistic optimism in the discharge of his mission,1<\/a> for such may lead to demoralization.2<\/a> On the \u201chardening of the heart,\u201d3<\/a> see Comment to 4:21<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

4<\/a>. ranks See Comment<\/span> to 6:26<\/span><\/a>.4<\/a><\/p>\n

chastisements See Comment to 6:6<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

5<\/a>. the Egyptians shall know \u2026 The ultimate response to Pharaoh\u2019s contemptuous declaration, \u201cI do not know the Lord.\u201d5<\/a> See Comment to 5:2<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

6<\/a>. A retrospe<\/span>ctive summation; the details are given in the subsequent chapters.6<\/a><\/p>\n

7<\/a>. eighty years old Moses commences his career at an age that was taken in biblical times to be the completion of unusual longevit<\/span>y.7<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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SIGNS BEFORE PHARAOH (vv. 8\u201313<\/a>)<\/p>\n

In order to verify his authenticity as a divinely appointed emissary to Israel, Moses had earlier performed his corroborative signs before the people.8<\/a> Now he must do the same before Pharaoh.<\/p>\n

9<\/a>. say to Aaron Henceforth, Aaron performs the signs as long as the Egyptian magicians are present. This enables Moses to negotiate with the Egyptian king as an equal.<\/p>\n

your rod See Comments to 4:2\u20133<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

a serpent In 4:3<\/a> the Hebrew term is na\u1e25ash<\/span>; here it is tannin<\/span>, a more general term for a large reptile. Leka\u1e25 Tov<\/span> and Bekhor Shor plausibly suggest that tannin<\/span> has special relevance to Pharaoh, who is addressed as follows in Ezekiel 29:3<\/a>: \u201cThus says the Lord God:\/I am going to deal with you, O Pharaoh, king of Egypt,\/Mighty monster [Heb.<\/a>ha-tannin ha-gadol<\/span>].\u201d<\/p>\n

11<\/a>. for his part Hebrew gam<\/span> is used here as an emphasizing particle.9<\/a><\/p>\n

magicians Hebrew \u1e25artumim<\/span> derives from an Egyptian title meaning \u201cchief lector priest.\u201d10<\/a> Its bearer was a learned scribe whose skills included expertise in magic and dream interpretation. Several postbiblical sources11<\/a> identify Pharaoh\u2019s magicians as Jannes and Jambres,12<\/a> said to have been the two sons of Balaam.13<\/a><\/p>\n

with their spells The Hebrew stem l-w-t<\/span> means \u201cto enwrap,\u201d14<\/a> so that the noun would mean \u201cthings kept under wraps,\u201d or closely guarded secrets. The use of \u201cspells\u201d contrasts strongly with the simplicity of Aaron\u2019s act, which is unaccompanied by any incantation or praxis. The term itself suggests that the wonder belonged to the magicians\u2019 conventional repertoire of tricks. In fact, to this day Egyptian snake charmers practice the deception of turning a rod into a serpent.15<\/a> They are able to induce catatonic rigidity in the native cobra by exerting strong pressure on a nerve just below its head. In this state, the snake assumes a rodlike appearance and can even be handled by onlookers. The jolt it receives when thrown to the ground restores its mobility.<\/p>\n

12\u201313<\/a>. In the present case, Aaron does nothing further, but the rod\u2014a real one\u2014appears to act on its own and should establish the superiority of the power of Aaron\u2019s God over that of the magicians\u2019. Nevertheless, Pharaoh is unmoved.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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

chapter 5 THE FIRST AUDIENCE WITH PHARAOH (5:1\u20136:1) The narrative moves to a new phase in the tragic history of Israel in Egypt. The new Israelite leadership seizes the initiative with a diplomatic approach. It ends in failure, and the plight of the people becomes an issue in Egyptian public policy. It is now that … <\/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-1544","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\/1544","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=1544"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1544\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1553,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1544\/revisions\/1553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}