MOSES
MOSES.
—
1.
Name.
—
The
Hebrew
narrator
regards
Mdsheh
as
a
participle
from
the
vb.
mashah.,
'
to
draw
'
Ex
(21").
Jos.
and
Philo
derive
it
from
the
Copt,
mo
'water,'
and
ushe
'saved';
this
is
implied
in
their
spelling
Mouses,
also
found
in
LXX
and
NT.
It
is
more
plausible
to
connect
the
name
with
the
Egyptian
mes,
mesu,
'
son.'
Perhaps
it
was
originally
coupled
with
the
name
of
an
Egyp.
deity
—
ct.
Ba-mesu,
Thoth-mes,
and
others
—
which
was
omitted
under
the
influence
of
Israelite
monotheism.
2.
History.
—
(i.)
The
narrative
of
J.
—
Moses
killed
an
Egyptian,
and
rebuked
one
of
two
Israelites
who
were
striving
together,
and
then
he
fled
to
Midian.
There
he
helped
seven
daughters
of
the
priest
of
Midian
to
water
their
flocks,
dwelt
with
him,
married
his
daughter
Zipporah,
and
had
one
son
by
her,
named
Gershom
(Ex
2"-22).
The
king
of
Egypt
died
(2«»«),
and
at
J"'s
bidding
Moses
returned.
On
the
way,
J"
smote
him
because
he
had
not
been
circumcised
before
marriage;
but
Zipporah
saved
him
by
circumcising
the
child,
and
thus
circumcising
Moses
by
proxy
(4"'
^-^.
These
verses
must
be
put
back
to
this
point).
J"
appeared
in
the
burning
bush
and
spoke
to
Moses.
Moses
was
to
gather
the
elders,
give
them
J"'s
message,
and
demand
permission
from
Pharaoh
to
sacrifice
in
the
wilderness.
Moses
was
given
two
signs
to
persuade
the
Israelites,
and
yet
a
third
if
the
two
were
insufficient
(32j>.
i.
7.
8r>.
18-18
41-9).
J"
^yas
angTy
at
his
continued
diffidence.
Moses
spoke
to
the
elders
and
they
believed
;
and
then
they
made
their
demand
to
Pharaoh,
which
led
to
his
increased
severity
(4i»-i2-
"-"
6'-
'■
»
6i).
Plagues
were
sent,
the
death
of
the
fish
in
the
river
(714.
IB.
17».
18.
21».
Mf.),
frogs
(gl-^-
S-lta),
fljes
(20-32),
murrain
(9'-'),
hail
('=•
"'•
»!>.
24b.
26b-3i)_
locusts
(lOm.
3-u.
13b.
14b.
i6«.
c.
16-19),
See
Plagues
op
Egypt.
Pharaoh
bade
Israel
go
with
their
families,
but
refused
to
allow
them
animals
for
sacrifice;
so
Moses
announced
the
death
of
the
firstborn
(10^-^-
'"■
ll*-s).
At
a
later
time
Israelite
thought
connected
with
the
Exodus
certain
existing
institutions.
The
ordinances
relating
to
them
were
preserved
by
J,
but
their
present
position
is
due
to
redaction,
and
the
result
is
a
tangled
combination
in
chs.
12.
13
of
ordi-nance
and
narrative:
the
ritual
of
the
Passover
(122'-23-"t),
the
death
of
the
firstborn
and
the
hurried
flight
of
the
Israelites
(29-34.
37-39)_
commands
concerning
the
Feast
of
Unleavened
Cakes
(13'»-
<•
"■
"),
and
the
offering
of
firstlings
(13"-'').
J"
went
before
the
people
in
a
pillar
of
cloud
and
fire
(IS^"),
the
water
was
crossed
(14^'-
^l'-
'Oa.
11-U.
19b.
21b.
24.
SSb.
27b.
28b.
30),
and
Moses
sang
praise
(15').
Moses
made
the
water
at
Marah
fresh
(15'^-'''''),
and
thence
they
moved
to
Elira
(").
Fragments
of
J's
story
of
Massah
are
pre-served
(17'-
2"='
'"■
■=),
and
parts
of
the
account
of
the
visit
of
Moses'
father-in-law,
which
it
is
difficult
to
separate
from
E
(18'-").
The
narratives
attached
to
the
delivery
of
the
laws
of
Sinai
are
in
an
extraordinarily
confused
state,
but
with
a
few
exceptions
the
parts
which
are
due
to
J
can
be
recognized
with
some
con-fidence.
The
theophany
occurred
(19'*),
and
Moses
was
bidden
to
ascend
the
mountain,
where
J'
gave
him
directions
respecting
precautions
to
be
taken
(1920-22,
24.
iib-13.
26)
(v.23
ig
a
rcdactional
addition
of
a
remarkable
character;
due
to
"i"-"
having
been
misplaced).
Moses
stayed
forty
days
and
nights
on
the
mountain
(3428«);
J"
descended,
and
Moses
'invoked
the
name
of
J"'
(»).
The
laws
given
to
him
are
frag-mentarily
preserved
(}'-«).
J"
commanded
him
to
write
them
down
("),
and
he
obeyed
(2si>).
The
reason
for
the
insertion
of
the
laws
so
late
in
the
book
was
tha.t
the
compiler
of
JE,
finding
laws
in
both
J
and
E,
and
noticing
the
strong
similarity
between
them,
considered
the
J
laws
to
be
the
renewal
of
tne
covenant
broken
by
the
people's
apostasy.
Hence
the
editorial
additions
in
34'
(from
'like
unto
the
first')
and
in
v.*
('like
unto
the
first').
A
solemn
ceremony
sealed
the
covenant
(24"-
»-").
Something
then
occurred
which
roused
the
wrath
of
MOSES
J";
it
is
doubtful
if
the
original
narrative
has
been
preserved;
but
J
has
inserted
a
narrative
which
apparently
explains
the
reason
for
the
choice
of
Levites
for
Divine
service
(322»-2»).
Moses
interceded
for
the
people
(the
vv.
to
be
read
in
the
following
order,
33'-"'-17.
i2f.
18-23
34S-9
3314-16).
j»
having
been
propitiated,
Israel
left
the
mountain,
and
Moses
asked
Hobab
to
accompany
them
(Nu
lO^s-s").
Being
weary
of
manna,
they
were
given
quails,
which
caused
a
plague
(II*-''-18-24S.
si-36).
Dathan
and
Abiram
rebelled
(ascribed
by
different
comm.
to
J
and
to
E,
16">-
2«-
i2-i>.
2S'-27b-32».
33f.).
Fragments
of
the
Meribah
narrative
at
Kadesh
appear
to
belong
to
J
(202''-
»■
">).
Moses
sent
spies
through
the
S.
of
Palestine
as
far
as
Hebron.
Caleb
alone
encouraged
the
people,
and
he
alone
was
allowed
to
enter
Canaan
(IS'"--
'sb.
19.
22.
27».
28.
30.
31
141b.
8.
9.
11-21.
SI).
Moses
promised
that
Hebron
should
be
Caleb's
possession
(Jos
14"-'*).
The
Canaanites
were
defeated
at
Hormah
(perh.
a
later
stratum
of
J,
Nu
21'-2).
Israel
marched
by
Edom
to
Moab,
and
conquered
Heshbon
and
other
cities
(21'8-2o.
24b.
2s.
31.
32).
The
story
of
Balaam
(parts
of
22-24).
Israel
sinned
with
the
Moabite
women,
and
Moses
hanged
the
chiefs
(251b.
2,
sb.
4).
Moses
viewed
the
land
from
the
top
of
Pisgah,
and
was
buried
in
Moab
(parts
of
Dt
34'-").
(ii.)
The
narrative
of
E.
—
The
raidwives
rescued
Israelite
infants
(Ex
l'5-2o«.
2i)_
jioses'
birth;
his
discovery
and
adoption
by
Pharaoh's
daughter
(2'-'o).
Moses
was
feeding
Jethro's
sheep
in
Midian,
when
God
called
to
him
from
a
bush
at
Horeb,
and
told
him
to
deliver
Israel.
He
revealed
His
name
'Ehyeh,'
and
promised
that
Israel
should
triumphantly
leave.
Egypt
(3'-
*!>•
'■
9-12,
i3f.
2if.).
Moses
returned
to
Egypt,
meeting
Aaron
on
the
way;
they
made
their
demand
to
Pharaoh,
and
were
refused
(4'7f.
20b.
271.
511.
4).
Moses,
by
means
of
his
Divinely
given
staff,
brought
plagues
—
the
turn-ing
of
the
river
to
blood
(7'5-
"b.
20b.
23),
the
hail
(922.
23».
24a.
26».
36),
the
lOCUStS
(10'^-
"•■
'«'•
"!>•
20),
the
darkness
(21-23.
27).
Moses
was
bidden
to
advise
the
Israelites
to
obtain
gold,
etc.,
from
the
Egyptians
(ll'-a),
which
they
did
(1236').
They
departed,
taking
with
them
Joseph's
mummy
(13"-").
They
crossed
the
water
(fragments
are
preserved
from
E's
account,
137«.
c.
lob.
i6«.
i6a.
19a.
25«),
and
Miriam
sang
praise
(1520.
21).
On
emerging
into
the
desert,
they
were
given
manna;
it
is
possible
that
E
originally
connected
this
event
with
the
name
?«assoft,'proving'(lS2"'.
16*-
")
Then
follows
E's
Meribah
narrative,
combined
with
J's
Massah
narrative
(17">-
2»-
*-«•
">).
Israel
fought
with
Amalek
under
Joshua's
leadership,
while
Aaron
and
Hur
held
up
Moses'
hands
with
the
sacred
staff
(17"-").
Jethro
visited
the
Israelites
with
Moses'
wife
and
two
sons;
he
arranged
sacrifices,
and
a
sacrificial
feast,
in
which
the
elders
of
Israel
took
part
(18'"-
"•
").
Seeing
Moses
overburdened
with
the
duty
of
giving
decisions,
he
advised
him
to
delegate
smaller
matters
to
inferior
officers;
and
Moses
followed
his
advice.
Jethro
departed
to
his
own
home
(18'^-").
Preparations
were
made
for
the
theophany
(ig'"'-
*»•
»"•
'«•
"»■
'"■),
which
then
took
place
('"•
"
20"-^').
Laws
preserved
by
E
and
later
members
of
his
school
of
thought
are
grouped
together
in
chs.
20-23
(see
Exodus,
Law).
In
the
narratives
in
which
the
laws
are
set,
two
strata,
E
and
E2,
are
perceptible,
the
latter
supplying
the
narrative
portions
connected
with
the
Ten
Words
of
20'-".
E
relates
the
ceremony
which
sealed
the
covenant
(24'-s)
;
the
usual
practice
of
Moses
with
regard
to
the
'Tent
of
Tryst,'
where
God
used
to
meet
with
any
one
who
wished
to
inquire
of
Him
(33'-");
and
the
people's
act
of
repentance
for
some
sin
which
E
has
not
preserved
(33»).
E2
relates
as
follows:
Moses
told
the
people
the
Ten
Words,
and
they
promised
obedience
(19"-;
this
must
follow
20'-").
Moses
ascended
the
mountain
to
receive
the
written
Words,
leaving
the
people
in
the
charge
of
Aaron
and
Hur
(24'3-'5»
31's'>).
During
his
absence
Aaron
made
the
