Moses

1
Moses Theophany (E J Versions) Exodus
31-15 Moses was keeping the flock of his
father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian he
led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to
Horeb, the mountain of Elohim. There the angel of
YHWH appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a
bush he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it
was not consumed. Then Moses said, I must turn
aside and look at this great sight, and see why
the bush is not burned up. When YHWH saw that he
had turned aside to see, Elohim called to him out
of the bush, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here I
am. Then he said, Come no closer! Remove the
sandals from your feet, for the place on which
you are standing is holy ground. He said
further, I am the Elohim of your father, the
Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the
Elohim of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he
was afraid to look at Elohim. Then YHWH said, I
have observed the misery of my people who are in
Egypt I have heard their cry on account of their
taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and
I have come down to deliver them from the
Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land
to a good and broad land, a land flowing with
milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites,
the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the
Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the
Israelites has now come to me I have also seen
how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will
send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the
Israelites, out of Egypt. continued
2
Moses Theophany (continued) But Moses said to
Elohim, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh,
and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? He said,
I will be with you and this shall be the sign
for you that it is I who sent you when you have
brought the people out of Egypt, you shall
worship Elohim on this mountain. But Moses said
to Elohim, If I come to the Israelites and say
to them, The Elohim of your ancestors has sent
me to you, and they ask me, What is his name?
what shall I say to them? Elohim said to Moses,
I AM WHO I AM. He said further, Thus you shall
say to the Israelites, I AM has sent me to
you. Elohim also said to Moses, Thus you shall
say to the Israelites, YHWH, the Elohim of your
ancestors, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of
Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob, has sent me to
you This is my name forever, and this my title
for all generations. Friedman This is where
YHWH first reveals the divine name in E.
Hereafter, the presence of the divine name will
not be an indicator that the passage need be from
J. But Elohim still indicates a passage is
not from J.
3
The Priestly Version of Moses Theophany Exodus
17, 13b-14 223-25 62-8 The Israelites were
fruitful and prolific they multiplied and grew
exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled
with them. The Egyptians became ruthless in
imposing tasks on the Israelites, and made their
lives bitter with hard service in mortar and
brick and in every kind of field labor. They were
ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on
them. After a long time the king of Egypt died.
The Israelites groaned under their slavery, and
cried out. Out of the slavery their cry for help
rose up to Elohim. Elohim heard their groaning,
and Elohim remembered his covenant with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. Elohim looked upon the
Israelites, and Elohim took notice of them. And
Elohim spoke to Moses and said to him I am
YHWH. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as
El-Shaddai, but by my name YHWH I did not make
myself known to them. I also established my
covenant with them, to give them the land of
Canaan, the land in which they resided as aliens.
I have also heard the groaning of the Israelites
whom the Egyptians are holding as slaves, and I
have remembered my covenant. Say therefore to the
Israelites, I am YHWH, and I will free you from
the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from
slavery to them. I will redeem you with an
outstretched arm and with mighty acts of
judgment. I will take you as my people, and I
will be your Elohim. You shall know that I am
YHWH your Elohim, who has freed you from the
burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into
the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob I will give it to you for a
possession. I am YHWH. In J, Elohim IS made
known as YHWH long before this point. See Genesis
426 1814 243 2720,27 2816.
4
The Killing of Egypts Firstborn Exodus
1229-32 At midnight the YHWH struck down all
the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the
firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the
firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon,
and all the firstborn of the livestock. Pharaoh
arose in the night, he and all his officials and
all the Egyptians and there was a loud cry in
Egypt, for there was not a house without someone
dead. Then he summoned Moses and Aaron in the
night, and said, Rise up, go away from my
people, both you and the Israelites! Go, worship
the Lord, as you said. Take your flocks and your
herds, as you said, and be gone. And bring a
blessing on me too! An Early Church
Interpretation How would a concept worthy of
God be preserved in the description of what
happened if one looked only to the history? The
Egyptian acts unjustly, and in his place is
punished his newborn child If such a one now
pays the penalty of his fathers wickedness,
where is justice? Where is piety? Where is
holiness? Where is Ezekiel, who cries The man
who has sinned is the man who must die and a
son is not to suffer for the sins of his father?
Ezekiel 1820 How can the history so contradict
reason? Therefore, as we look for the true
spiritual meaning, seeking to determine whether
the events took place typologically, we should be
prepared to believe that the lawgiver has taught
through the things said. The teaching is this
When through virtue one comes to grips with any
evil, he must completely destroy the first
beginnings of evil. Gregory of Nyssa (c.
332-395), The Life of Moses, 2.91-92.
5
Crossing the Sea J Version (from Exodus 14) The
king of Egypt was told that the people had fled.
So he had his chariot made ready, and took his
army with him The Egyptians pursued them. The
Israelites looked back, and there were the
Egyptians advancing on them, and they were very
afraid. But Moses said to the people, Do not be
afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that
YHWH will accomplish for you today for the
Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see
again. YHWH will fight for you, and you have only
to keep still. And the pillar of cloud moved
from in front of them and took its place behind
them. And so the cloud was there with the
darkness, and it lit up the night one did not
come near the other all night. YHWH drove the sea
back by a strong east wind all night, and turned
the sea into dry land. At the morning watch YHWH
in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon
the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army
into panic. The Egyptians said, Let us flee from
the Israelites, for YHWH is fighting for them
against Egypt. And at dawn the sea returned to
its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before
it, YHWH tossed the Egyptians into the sea. Thus
YHWH saved Israel that day from the Egyptians
and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the
seashore. Israel saw the great work that YHWH did
against the Egyptians. So the people feared YHWH
and believed in YHWH and in his servant Moses.
6
Crossing the Sea E Version (from Exodus 14) The
minds of Pharaoh and his officials were changed
toward the people, and they said, What have we
done, letting Israel leave our service? he took
six hundred picked chariots and all the other
chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.
The children of Israel said to Moses, Was it
because there were no graves in Egypt that you
have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What
have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? Is
this not the very thing we told you in Egypt,
Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians?
For it would have been better for us to serve the
Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. The
angel of Elohim who was going before the
Israelite army moved and went behind them and
came between the army of Egypt and the army of
Israel. Elohim clogged their chariot wheels so
that they turned with difficulty.
7
Crossing the Sea P Version (from Exodus 14) YHWH
hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and
he pursued the Israelites, who were going out
boldly. All Pharaohs horses and chariots, his
chariot drivers and his army they overtook them
camped by the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of
Baal-zephon. As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites
cried out to YHWH. Then YHWH said to Moses, Why
do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go
forward. But you lift up your staff, and stretch
out your hand over the sea and divide it, that
the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground.
Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so
that they will go in after them and so I will
gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his
army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. And
the Egyptians shall know that I am YHWH, when I
have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his
chariots, and his chariot drivers. Then Moses
stretched out his hand over the sea and the
waters were divided. The Israelites went into the
sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for
them on their right and on their left. The
Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after
them, all of Pharaohs horses, chariots, and
chariot drivers. Then YHWH said to Moses,
Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the
water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon
their chariots and chariot drivers. So Moses
stretched out his hand over the sea, and the
waters returned and covered the chariots and the
chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that
had followed them into the sea not one of them
remained. But the Israelites walked on dry ground
through the sea, the waters forming a wall for
them on their right and on their left.
8
Song of Moses (possibly the oldest composition in
the Hebrew Bible) I will sing to YHWH, for he
has triumphed gloriously horse and rider he has
thrown into the sea. YHWH is my strength and my
might, and he has become my salvation this is my
Elohim, and I will praise him, my fathers
Elohim, and I will exalt him. YHWH is a warrior
YHWH is his name. Pharaohs chariots and his army
he cast into the sea his picked officers were
sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them
they went down into the depths like a stone. Your
right hand, O Lord, glorious in power your right
hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy. In the
greatness of your majesty you overthrew your
adversaries you sent out your fury, it consumed
them like stubble. At the blast of your nostrils
the waters piled up, the floods stood up in a
heap the deeps congealed in the heart of the
sea. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will
overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire
shall have its fill of them. I will draw my
sword, my hand shall destroy them. You blew with
your wind, the sea covered them they sank like
lead in the mighty waters. Who is like you, O
YHWH, among the Elohim? Who is like you, majestic
in holiness, awesome in splendor, doing wonders?
You stretched out your right hand, the earth
swallowed them. In your steadfast love you led
the people whom you redeemed you guided them by
your strength to your holy abode. The peoples
heard, they trembled pangs seized the
inhabitants of Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom
were dismayed trembling seized the leaders of
Moab all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away.
Terror and dread fell upon them by the might of
your arm, they became still as a stone until your
people, O Lord, passed by, until the people whom
you acquired passed by. You brought them in and
planted them on the mountain of your own
possession, the place, O Lord, that you made your
abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands
have established. YHWH will reign forever and
ever. Exodus 151b-18
9
Exodus 191-6 On the third new moon after the
Israelites had gone out of the land of Egypt, on
that very day, they came into the wilderness of
Sinai. They had journeyed from Rephidim, entered
the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the
wilderness Israel camped there in front of the
mountain. Then Moses went up to Elohim YHWH
called to him from the mountain, saying, Thus
you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the
Israelites You have seen what I did to the
Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles wings
and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you
obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be
my treasured possession out of all the peoples.
Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be
for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.
These are the words that you shall speak to the
Israelites.
10
Exodus 1916-25 On the morning of the third day
there was thunder and lightning, as well as a
thick cloud on the mountain, and a blast of a
trumpet so loud that all the people who were in
the camp trembled. Moses brought the people out
of the camp to meet Elohim. They took their stand
at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was
wrapped in smoke, because YHWH had descended upon
it in fire the smoke went up like the smoke of a
kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently.
As the blast of the trumpet grew louder and
louder, Moses would speak and Elohim would answer
him in thunder. When YHWH descended upon Mount
Sinai, to the top of the mountain, YHWH summoned
Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went
up. Then YHWH said to Moses, Go down and warn
the people not to break through to YHWH to look
otherwise many of them will perish. Even the
priests who approach YHWH must consecrate
themselves or YHWH will break out against them.
Moses said to YHWH, The people are not permitted
to come up to Mount Sinai for you yourself
warned us, saying, Set limits around the
mountain and keep it holy. YHWH said to him,
Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you
but do not let either the priests or the people
break through to come up to YHWH otherwise he
will break out against them. So Moses went down
to the people and told them.
11
The Ten Commandments Exodus 20-21 Then Elohim
spoke all these words I am YHWH your Elohim, who
brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the
house of slavery you shall have no other Elohim
before me. You shall not make for yourself an
idol, whether in the form of anything that is in
heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or
that is in the water under the earth. You shall
not bow down to them or worship them for I YHWH
your Elohim am a jealous Elohim, punishing
children for the iniquity of parents, to the
third and the fourth generation of those who
reject me, but showing steadfast love to the
thousandth generation of those who love me and
keep my commandments. You shall not make wrongful
use of the name of YHWH your Elohim, for YHWH
will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six
days you shall labor and do all your work. But
the seventh day is a sabbath to YHWH your Elohim
you shall not do any workyou, your son or your
daughter, your male or female slave, your
livestock, or the alien resident in your towns.
For in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, the
sea, and all that is in them, but rested the
seventh day therefore YHWH blessed the sabbath
day and consecrated it. Honor your father and
your mother, so that your days may be long in the
land that YHWH your Elohim is giving you. You
shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal. You shall not bear false
witness against your neighbor. You shall not
covet your neighbors house you shall not covet
your neighbors wife, or male or female slave, or
ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your
neighbor. Deuteronomy 515 gives a different
reason for the Sabbath.
12
Exodus 327-14 YHWH said to Moses, Go down at
once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the
land of Egypt, have acted perversely they have
been quick to turn aside from the way that I
commanded them they have cast for themselves an
image of a calf, and have worshiped it and
sacrificed to it, and said, These are your
Elohim, O Israel, who brought you up out of the
land of Egypt! YHWH said to Moses, I have seen
this people, how stiff-necked they are. Now let
me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against
them and I may consume them and of you I will
make a great nation. But Moses implored YHWH his
Elohim, and said, O YHWH, why does your wrath
burn hot against your people, whom you brought
out of the land of Egypt with great power and
with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say,
It was with evil intent that he brought them out
to kill them in the mountains, and to consume
them from the face of the earth? Turn from your
fierce wrath change your mind and do not bring
disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac,
and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them
by your own self, saying to them, I will
multiply your descendants like the stars of
heaven, and all this land that I have promised I
will give to your descendants, and they shall
inherit it forever. And YHWH changed his mind
about the disaster that he planned to bring on
his people.
13
Exodus 3225-35 When Moses saw that the people
were running wild (for Aaron had let them run
wild, to the derision of their enemies), then
Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said,
Who is on YHWHs side? Come to me! And all the
sons of Levi gathered around him. He said to
them, Thus says YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, Put
your sword on your side, each of you! Go back and
forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and
each of you kill your brother, your friend, and
your neighbor. The sons of Levi did as Moses
commanded, and about three thousand of the people
fell on that day. Moses said, Today you have
ordained yourselves for the service of YHWH, each
one at the cost of a son or a brother, and so
have brought a blessing on yourselves this day.
On the next day Moses said to the people, You
have sinned a great sin. But now I will go up to
YHWH perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.
So Moses returned to YHWH and said, Alas, this
people has sinned a great sin they have made for
themselves Elohim of gold. But now, if you will
only forgive their sinbut if not, blot me out of
the book that you have written. But YHWH said to
Moses, Whoever has sinned against me I will blot
out of my book. But now go, lead the people to
the place about which I have spoken to you see,
my angel shall go in front of you. Nevertheless,
when the day comes for punishment, I will punish
them for their sin. Then YHWH sent a plague on
the people, because they made the calfthe one
that Aaron made.
14
Exodus 3318-23, 345-8 Moses said, Show me your
glory, I pray. And he said, I will make all my
goodness pass before you, and will proclaim
before you the name, YHWH and I will be
gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will
show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But, he
said, you cannot see my face for no one shall
see me and live. And YHWH continued, See, there
is a place by me where you shall stand on the
rock and while my glory passes by I will put you
in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with
my hand until I have passed by then I will take
away my hand, and you shall see my back but my
face shall not be seen. YHWH descended in the
cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed
the name, YHWH. YHWH passed before him, and
proclaimed, YHWH, YHWH, Elohim merciful and
gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in
steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping
steadfast love for the thousandth generation,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet
by no means clearing the guilty, but visiting the
iniquity of the parents upon the children and the
childrens children, to the third and the fourth
And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the
earth, and worshiped.