The Characters God, Moses and Israel in the Rhetoric of the Book of Exodus
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The Appeal of Exodus The Characters God, Moses and Israel in the Rhetoric of the Book of Exodus FRANCISCLOSE HALL LEARNINGCENTRE UNIVERSITYOF GLOUCESTERSHIRE Swi. OnR'. 4 CiehenhamGL50 4AZ [Tel: 01242714600 Stefan Kürte A thesis submitted to The University of Gloucestershire in accordance with the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Theology & Religious Studies August 2005 The Appeal of Exodus Abstract The present thesis offers a reading of the book of Exodus as a literary artifact. This is accomplished through the investigation of its main literary characters Yhwh, Moses and Israel. The text is understood to be part of a communicative situation between author and reader. This hermeneutical claim and the nature of Exodus itself entail certain con- sequenceswith regard to the method of enquiry. The method applied is a modified form of rhetorical criticism, which is understood to provide an interpretive perspective on the text. The particular focus is on the functional aspects of the text which direct the reading pro- cess and thus guide the reader. Given the difficulties in determining the circumstances of the origin of Exodus and the paucity of secured knowledge about early Israelite history, the `implied reader' is introduced as a key-term. It is assumed that this implied reader informed inventto dispositio book. Because book's the and of the of the central themes - identity and relationship -a careful investigation of the characters is a worthy avenue to pursue. Three characters have been chosen on account of their continuous involvement in the plot. The introduction of each character into the plot receives special attention. The devel- oping portrayal of each character is closely linked to its paradigmatic qualities and to its in- fluence on the reader. First, the portrait of God is discussed, especially in relation to the contributions of the narrative, poetic and legal parts of Exodus. The very important but often neglected legal characterisation of Yhwh in Exodus is a topic of special interest. Al- though the legal collections say much about their recipients, they also reveal deep insights into the law-giver's nature and concerns. Yhwh is identified as the king who justly claims obedience and service. A further focus is the possibility of the relationship between Israel and their king, Yhwh. Second, with regard to Moses there is a significant difference be- tween his first appearance in Exod 2-5 and his later development. This remarkable tension in the Mosaic portrayal reveals interesting insights into the implied reader's preconceptions. Here we trace closely the argumentative strategy of the author in his attempts to convince this reader. Furthermore, it is necessary to discuss the paradigmatic qualities of the charac- ter Moses. Third, reader-identification is at the heart of the construction of Israel. Here the historical gulf between the Israel of the narrative and the one of the implied reader is bridged. The complexity of Israel is a central aspect of Exodus' rhetoric, urging its readers to comply with the ideal which the author sought to communicate in his book. The results of this study provide insights into the specific poetics of Exodus and its managementof the reading process.Because of the proposed unity of form and content, it is possible to specify the messageof the entire book by taking into account its intriguing mixture of different genres. An abstraction from modern reading-conventions in the encounter of ancient Hebrew texts is shown, and the possibility of reading the text on its own terms is explored. The Appeal of Exodus Declaration I declare that the work in this thesis was carried out in accordance with the regulations of the University of Gloucestershire and is original except where indicated by specific refe- rence in the text. No part of this thesis has been submitted as part of any other academic award. The thesis has not been presented to any other educational institution in the United Kingdom or overseas. Any views expressed in the thesis are those of the author and in no way represent those of the university. Stefan Kürle The Appeal of Exodus My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I am Yhwh who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore. (Ezek 37,27-28) to Birgit The Appeal of Exodus Preface The work on this thesis would have been impossible without the support and encourage- ment of numerous people. Many of those must remain unmentioned which is not to depreciate their contribution in this work. Firstly, I wish to express my gratitude to Prof. Gordon J. Wenham my supervisor. His generous help and support, together with his great competence and experience guided me through many difficult decisions and helped to retain the focus on the way. My thanks also to Prof. John J. Bimson, who acted as second supervisor. I also wish to thank Prof. R.W. L Moberly who commented on the early stages of my thesis. The University of Gloucester- shire must receive my gratitude for providing an opportunity to pursue my interest in Exodus and for having provided some of the funding. Another institution must be men- tioned, the Theologische Seminar Tabor in Marburg, Germany, which supported me with a wonderful and stimulating academic environment and helped to cut down my teaching requirements wherever possible so I could continue with my research. Great thanks also to Julie C. Möller who took the pains of reading my manuscript and used much red ink to make this thesis readable. Other friends must find mention who all contributed in some way or the other: Rev. Dr. Richard Cleaves, Mark Evans, Simon Bramwell, Jean and Roger Gregory, Tillmann and Ute Kruger, Torsten Uhlig, Prof. Dr. Herbert Klement, Dr. Chris- toph Rösel, and Dr. Detlef Häußer. Thanks also to my extended family who played an important role in giving me the freedom and enabling the quietness necessary for theologi- cal research. Above all, however, I would like to thank my wife Birgit to whom this thesis is dedi- cated. Without her love and support the entire adventure would not have been possible. Her patience has been overwhelming and her motivation has been vital. She and our daughter Marit have faithfully reminded me that there is more to this world than the book of Exodus. Marburg,July 2005 s.k. The Appeal of Exodus Table of Contents Abstract i ................................................................................................................................................. Declaration ii ......................................................................................................................................... Preface iv ............................................................................................................................................... Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1 Introduction Hermeneutical Reflections & Method 1 - ................. 1.1 Defining `Reading' 7 ...................................................................................................... 1.2 Some Reflections the Boundaries Exodus 17 on of .................................................. 1.2.1 The Opening Exodus 17 of .............................................................................. 1.2.2 The End Exodus of ......................................................................................20 1.3 The Outline Study of the ..........................................................................................23 Chapter 2 Yhwh `National Hero' `King' - and .................................................25 2.1 The Rhetorical Function Yhwh the Interpretive Debate 25 of - ............................ 2.2 Narrative Characterisation 30 ........................................................................................ 2.2.1 Direct Characterisation ................................................................................31 2.2.1.1 The Divine Name `Yhwh' and Its Function in Exod 3-4............ 31 2.2.1.2 The Epithets in Exod 34,6f ...............................................................37 2.2.1.3 The Epithets in Exod 20,5f ...............................................................42 2.2.2 The Introduction Yhwh into the Plot Exodus 44 of of .......................... 2.2.3 Yhwh's Conflict Pharaoh with the .............................................................52 2.2.4 Yhwh's Conflicts Israel (Exod 15-17 32-34) 60 with and .......................... 2.2.5 Conclusion .....................................................................................................65 2.3 Poetic Characterisation .............................................................................................67 2.4 Legal Characterisation ...............................................................................................70 2.4.1 The Laws Direct Yhwh-Speech as .............................................................74 2.4.2 The Law Collections Divine Perspective Israel 81 -a on ........................... 2.4.2.1 Yhwh's Presence 81 ................................................................................. 2.4.2.2 Loyalty to Yhwh 86 .................................................................................. 2.4.2.3 Restitution or the Concern for Others 89 ...........................................