The Book of Exodus

PART 1: Exodus Narrative1-15:21: a paradigmatic story of

Tyranny and Delivery• Account of the departure of the slave

community from the oppression of Pharaoh.

• Is the center of Israel’s defining memory of faith:

- Several ‘re-tellings’ of the account: Exod 12:26-27; 13:8-10, 14-15; Deut 6:20-24; 26:5-9.

- Use of the story in the Seder meal of Passover in contemporary Judaism.

• Has become the defining account of faith whereby Israel is understood as the beloved, chosen community of YHWH and the object of YHWH’s decisive intervention in public events.

• Is also a crucial component in the articulation of YHWH, the God of Israel, as the God with power to override the empire.

• Before: thought to be historically located in 13th BCE. The Pharaoh was thought to be Rameses II, Sethos, or Merneptah.

• Recently: scholars doubt the historicity of the event, and certainly any claims to locate the event historically. It is not possible to deny or affirm whatever may have been ‘historically’ the case, but we must allow that some events gave rise to the biblical narrative.

• The story shows some literary complexity. Traditionally it has been explained that the plague of gnats (8:16-19) and of boils (9:8-12) belong to the P tradition, which means that the final form of these text are from the exile period in the 6th century. Therefore it is possible that the ‘pharaoh’ during at least those plagues, can be understood as the feared Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar who conquered Jerusalem.

• The theme of ‘YHWH versus Pharaoh’ functions not as historical reportage, but as ‘paradigmatic’ history. The story makes a claim of particularity, but a particularity that invites and permits re-reading in a variety of circumstances and contexts. Here thus the paradigmatic history is about confrontation with overwhelming, abusive power, and subsequent rescue: ‘tyranny and deliverance’.

• The ‘imaginative remembering’ of this event is not focused upon some past event that is largely lost in its concreteness, but upon a contemporary occurance of ‘tyranny and deliverance’ that still has pertinence to the retelling community.

• The vitality and authority of the exodus narrative, lies in the fact that the retelling community in many circumstances and generations, time after time, found this narrative plot as powerfully disclosing about YHWH and Israel.

• This narrative is for example paradigmatic reused in the following places:

- Joshua 4:22-24. The crossing of the Jordan is understood as a replication of the exodus, and attests to the sovereignty of YHWH.

- 1 Samuel 4:1-7:1, the ark narrative. - Isaiah 40-55: return from Babylon as replication

of exodus event.

Each of these texts reiterates in new circumstances the central narrative claims made primally in the exodus account.

• The central material of the exodus narrative is found in the sequence of the ‘plagues’, which are acts of disruptive, transformative power on the part of YHWH that serve to overwhelm the power and authority of Pharaoh, and so rescue the slaves (7-11). These ‘plagues’ are occasions of power that are taken as ‘signs’ of YHWH’s sovereignty.

• The plagues are in order that ‘the Egyptians may know that I am YHWH’. The slow sequence of plagues shows that Pharaoh, little by little began to acknowledge, in grudging ways, the rule of YHWH, so that eventually he must confess his sin and ask forgiveness (10:16-17). In the end Pharaoh even acknowledges that the power to bless resides among the Israelites (12:32).

• But the show of power is also that Israel ‘may know that I am YHWH’, thus recognize YHWH’s real sovereignty over Pharaoh’s, and so receive the gift of freedom given by YHWH (10:1-2).

• Thus YHWH’s governance is revealed to both opressor and oppressed, to the benefit of the slaves.

• This central account of power struggle that YHWH wins is preceded by:

- Ch. 1: a characterization of Israel’s circumstance of oppression

- Ch. 2: an introduction of the person of Moses

- Chs. 3-4: the powerful intrusion of YHWH into the life of Moses by way of a call narrative and confrontation. From the theophany in 3:1-6 on (the burning bush), YHWH is the key player in this contest with Pharaoh to determine who will control the destiny of the Israelites

• YHWH has not been actively engaged in the narrative until the end of ch. 2. What evokes YHWH into action is the public outcry of the slave community about their suffering and distress. So, the initial push for the exodus was not from YHWH but from the slaves (2:23). It is Israel’s cry that evokes YHWH (2:24-25). This is characteristic of Israel’s tradition of ‘lament’: a cry that is able to evoke to power of God.

• Before the actual departure, the narrative pauses in 12:34-13:16 to provide detailed guidance for later Passover celebrations. This shows hat the editors understood from the beginning that this material is not historical reportage, but rather material intended for liturgic , remembrance, reiteration and reenactment in other times and places of the saving event. The text will thus be encouragement for generations of Israelites who will again face oppression.

• Chrs. 14-15 are about the actual departure. The ‘miracle’ here is not about water but about the fact that both Egyptians and Israelites come to see and believe in YHWH’s sovereignity. YHWH does gain glory of Pharaoh with liberation of Israel as result.

• The liturgical reenactment for which this narrative is the script serves to make present in Israel’s imagination and life the rule of YHWH.

Exercise: Exodus 14:1-31 and 15:1-12

• Study these 2 passages carefully in small groups.

• What do you notice? Are there different accounts of Israel’s escape story?

• Read aloud 14:1-4, 8-9, 15-18, 21a, 21c, 22-23, 26, 27a, and 28-29.

• Then read aloud 5-7, 10-14, 19-20, 21b, 24-25, 27b, and 30-31.

• What are the differences?

14:1-31

• In the first narrative God gives 3 commands and these commands are carried out. God instructs Moses to have the people camp ‘by the sea’ and then inspires the king of Egypt to pursue them. God then told Moses to divide the sea by lifting up his rod. When the sea was divided, Israel passed over between 2 walls of water. Finally Moses is commanded to stretch out his hand over the sea and bring back the waters over the Egyptians. This is the spectacular account of the exodus from Egypt brought to the movie screen in ‘The 10 Commandments.’

• According to the second story, the king of Egypt changes his mind about letting the Israelites go. Here the conversation is between Moses and the people, not between Moses and God. The crossing over is made possible by a strong East wind during the night that dries up the sea. The Egyptians are then destroyed by getting their chariots wheels clogged. The event is presented as proof that God has been with Moses all along and will continue to bless his leadership.

15:1-12

• This version contains a poem that celebrates God’s victory over the Egyptians. It’s language and poetic form mark it as one of the oldest compositions in the OT (12th or 11th BCE). The many parallelisms, the meter, the rich imagery, and the emotional tone indicate that this account is a song. It praises God as a warrior who has shown his might in defeating Israel’s enemies and delights in contrasting the real power of God with the foolish arrogance of the Egyptians.

• Thus the oldest account is more concerned with the superiority of YHWH than in giving a precise description of the event.

• 1 event, 3 accounts. None of these accounts was concerned much with the details of the event, but rather with the celebration of God’s power as a warrior (poem), the exodus as a sign of God’s presence to God’s people (second narrative), and God’s ability to fulfill what God commands (first narrative).

• It would be a pity if our modern preoccupation with ‘facts’ led us to ignore the religious insights that the biblical writers want to impart.

Part II: Israel on the way from slavery to covenant 15:22-18:27: Sojourn Tradition:

‘wilderness’, ‘deliverance and sustainance’:

• This is part of the ‘sojourn tradition’:

Exodus Tradition: Ex 1:1-15:21

Sojourn Tradition: Ex 15:22-18:27

Sinai Tradition: Ex 19:1- Numbers 10:10

Sojourn Tradition: Numbers 10:11-Deuter 34:12

● The material is organized around a series of encounters at different oases, as Israel moves ‘by stages’.

• Themes that dominate this traditions are:

- the rebellious quarrelsomeness of Israel

- the generosity of God as sustainer

- the anger of God at Israel’s rebellion

Function of the notion of ‘wilderness’ (chptrs 16-18 are wilderness accounts):

- geographical area crossed by Israel between slavery (Egypt) and secure well-being (promised land)

- an area without life-sustaining resources such as water, bread, or meat

The 6th century exile provides the historical connection of Israel to the ‘wilderness’. Because in exile Israel was without the supports for community life that were temple, city and monarchy.

• The exile experience of the 6th century (the time when pentateuch reached its final form) were read into and read through ancient remembering of the wilderness.

Part III: Sinai tradition: from 19:1, through Leviticus till Numbers 10:10: ‘covenant’,

‘commands’, ‘presence’:

• This new and complex tradition includes:

- the making of covenant between YHWH and Israel

- the issuance of the commands of YHWH that become the condition and substance of the covenant

The final text contains many layers of tradition and many voices of interpretation.

• This tradition is at the core of Judaism that is constituted by obedience to YHWH’s Torah.

• Most important materials: in chptrs. 19-24: the Sinai-pericope: maybe the earliest in this tradition of commandment. It includes:

- prepartation for the meeting with YHWH

at the mountain (19:10-25)

- the proclamation of the Ten Command-

ments (20:1-17)

- the acceptance of Moses as the

normative mediator of the Torah (20:18-

21)

- a concluding narrative of covenant-making, whereby Israel takes an oath of allegiance to YHWH (24).

The proclamation of commands and the oath of allegiance are the defining elements of the covenant that bind Israel to YHWH in obedience.

The Decalogue is the most elemental of all Torah requirements. All the other commands are in a sense interpretations of these 10.

• Chptrs. 19-20 and 24 form a narrative envelope that encloses the legal corpus of 21:1-23:19. Probably this law collection is the earliest in Israel. Originally it had probably no connection to the Decalogue. But in its present place now, the collection is offered as the first interpretation of the Decalogue.

• In this collection of commands we find on one side a compassion for the powerless (limitation of debt-slavery; references to widows, orphans, aliens, the poor), but on the other side also an absolute commitment to social order. We find these 2 traditions side by side and in tension with each other.

• The Sinai pericope (19-24) ends with the ascent of Moses into the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights.

• In 25:1 a new genre begins:

- 25:1-31:18: instruction to Moses about construction of a shrine for YHWH in the midst of Israel. These series of commands are matched in 35:1-40:38.

- 40:34-38: verification of Moses’ obedience in a culminating report, attesting that YHWH’s glory did come to abide in the midst of Israel.

• This material belongs to the P tradition. This, being an exile tradition is a tradition of ‘presence’ in a context of deeply felt ‘absence’. Although drawing upon older materials, the present text is understood as an imaginative act whereby Presence would be assured in absence.

• The material of 25-31 consists in 7 speeches culminating with Sabbath. It is possible that this matches the 7 days of creation of Genesis 1 culminating with a Sabbath, which is also a P tradition. The making of the tabernacle thus replicates creation.

• The tabernacle as presented here is probably based on the memory of an old ‘tent’ where YHWH was known to be present (33:7-11).

• But this memory of the tent has been changed because of the nearer memory of the Jerusalem temple, so that the tabernacle is an imaginative construct continuing the functions of tent and temple. ‘Tabernacle’ means in Hebrew ‘sojourn, abide provisionally’. The tabernacle contains the ‘mercy seat’ (25:17-22): the locus of reconciliation and forgiveness.

• Between the command to construct a shrine and the implementation of it, is a very different kind of narrative in 32-34: in 24:18 Moses remained on the mountain for 40 days and nights. This delay evoked a crisis in chptr 32. In his absence Aaron made an alternative representation of God, the calf. The outcome of the rivalry between the obedient Moses and the disobedient Aaron is:

- the breaking of the covenant of Sinai (32:19)

- the legitimation of the Levites as the true advocates of the faith of Moses (32:25-29)

This text is probably not just a brotherly exchange, but competition and conflict between rival priestly groups with competing interpretive voices.

• In chptr 33, Moses’ role as intercessor:

- evokes YHWH’s self-announcement as God of mercy and judgment (34:6-7)

- yields a renewed covenant granted by YHWH (34:10) with a new declaration of Torah.

This narrative serves to underline the legitimate authority of Moses against other authorities.

• 32-34 is also characteristic for the life of Israel with YHWH. The covenant is recurringly broken due to Israel, and remade due to YHWH’s generosity and compassion.

Thus: after the exodus traditions, we still have 3 units and 3 motives:

• I. Deliverance: God delivers from oppression. Israel is characteristically a people delivered. The God who delivers is also the one who sustains the people delivered, in the sojourn material. (more or less Ch. 16-18)

• II. Covenant: YHWH becomes the God of Israel, and Israel submits in obedience to the commands of YHWH, in the Sinai material (more or less Ch. 19-24)

• The exodus deliverance was in order to establish the new obedience of Sinai.

• III. Presence: the demanding reality of YHWH’s holiness. (more or less Ch. 25 – 40)