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Divine Anger, Divine Holiness and the Exclusion of Moses in Numbers and Deuteronomy Kin Foon MAN Doctor of Philosophy The University of Edinburgh 2017 2 Abstract This dissertation investigates the exclusion of Moses from the Promised Land in Numbers and Deuteronomy. Why are there different reasons given for his exclusion in the two books? Can they be explained by the complex redactions of Deuteronomy? There are four different answers to the question of Moses’ exclusion. According to Deut 1-3, divine anger is directed at Moses because he is the leader of the first exodus generation on whom the wrath of God is visited. Moses is excluded because he should bear the same punishment as the first generation of Israelites who left Egypt. Another reason is given in Deut 4, a mixture of late layers in the Deuteronomistic History. Accordingly, Moses’ exclusion is compared to the destruction and scattering of the future generations of the Israelites who provoked God to anger. The “anger-punishment pattern” of Moses’ exclusion, which is a theme of divine anger in the Deuteronomistic History, is used to confess the sin of the Israelites. Thirdly, in the post-Priestly passages in Numbers and Deuteronomy, Moses is ordered to die because of the sin of failing to sanctify YHWH. The exclusion of Moses is a natural consequence of his death outside the Promised Land. Finally, Deut 31 and 34 imply that Moses has reached the limit of life span which was set by YHWH. 3 Lay Summary This dissertation investigates the question of why Moses was not allowed to enter the Land of cis-Jordan in Numbers and Deuteronomy. Why are there different reasons given for his exclusion in these two books? Can they be explained by the different editions of Deuteronomy? There are four different answers to the question of Moses’ exclusion from the Land of Canaan. According to the first three chapters of Deuteronomy, divine anger is directed at Moses because he is the leader of the Israelites on whom the wrath of God is visited. Moses is excluded because he should bear the same punishment as the people who left Egypt. Another reason is given in Deut 4. Accordingly, the death and exclusion of Moses is compared to the destruction and diaspora of the future generations of the Israelites who provoked God to anger. The “anger-punishment pattern” of Moses’ exclusion, which is a theme of divine anger in Deuteronomy-Kings, is used to confess the sin of the Israelites. Thirdly, according to Num 20, 27 and Deut 32, Moses is ordered to die because of the sin of failing to regard God as holy. He should be punished by the death penalty. The exclusion of Moses is a natural consequence of his death outside the Land of Palestine. Finally, the end of Deuteronomy implies that Moses has reached the limit of life span which was set by God. 4 Declaration I, Kin Foon MAN, declare that this thesis has been composed by me and that it has not been submitted for any other degree or professional qualification. _____________ Kin Foon MAN Word count: 94, 865 words. 5 6 Contents Abbreviations 9 Chapter One. The Two Versions of the Exclusion of Moses 13 Chapter Two. The Diachronic Order of the Texts 51 Chapter Three. Review of Scholarship 123 Chapter Four. Divine Anger on Moses in Deut 1-3 175 Chapter Five. The “Anger-Punishment Pattern” in Deut 4 237 Chapter Six. The Sin of Moses in Num 20 and Num 27 263 Chapter Seven. Moses’ Failure to Sanctify God in Deut 32 299 Chapter Eight. The Death of Moses in Deut 31 and Deut 34 319 Chapter Nine. Conclusion 331 Bibliography 339 7 8 Abbreviations AB Anchor Bible ABD Anchor Bible Dictionary. Edited by D. N. Freedman. 6 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1992 ABOTC Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries AOTC Apollos Old Testament Commentary AJT Asia Journal of Theology AOAT Alter Orient und Altes Testament AOTC Apollos Old Testament Commentary AnBib Analecta Biblica ATD Das Alte Testament Deutsch AThANT Abhandlungen zur Theologie des Alten und Neuen Testaments ATM Altes Testament und Moderne AYBRL The Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library BCE Before Common Era BEATAJ Beiträge zur Erforschung des Alten Testaments und des Antiken Judentums BETL Bibliotheca Ephermeridum Theolgicarum Lovaniensium BHQ Biblia Hebraica Quinta BHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia Bib Biblica BIS Biblical Interpretation Series BJRL Bulletion of the John Rylands University Library of Manchester BJS Brown Judaic Studies BKAT Biblischer Kommentar Altes Testament BN Biblische Notizen BR Bible Review BTS Biblisch-Theologische Studien BWAT Beiträge zur Wissenschaft vom Alten Testament BZAR Beihefte der Zeitschrift für altorientalische und biblische Rechtgeschichte CAT Commentaire de L’Ancien Testament CB The Century Bible CBC The Cambridge Bible Commentary CBQ The Catholic Biblical Quarterly CBQMS The Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series CBSC The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges CE Common Era D Deuteronomic source DBH Dictionary of the Bible. Edited by J. Hastings. 5 vols. New York: C. Scribner’s sons, 1898-1904 DBT Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Edited by Xavier Léon-Dufour. London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1973 DCH The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew. Edited by David Clines. 8 vols. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1993-2011 DtrH The Deuteronomistic History 9 E Elohist source EBR Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception. Edited by Has-Josef Klauck. Berlin: de Gruyter: 2009- ECT Encyclopedia of Christian Theology. Edited by Jean-Yves Lacoste. 3 vols. London: Routledge, 2005 EDSS Encyclopedia of Dead Sea Scroll. Edited by L. H. Schiffman and J. C. VanderKam. 2 vols. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000 EncBib Encyclopedia Biblica. Edited by T. K. Cheyne and J. S. Black. 4 vols. London: Adam and Charles Black, 1899-1903 EncBrit Encyclopedia Britannica EncChr The Encyclopedia of Christianity. Edited by E. Fahlbusch et al 5 vols. Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leiden: William B. Eerdmans; Brill, 1999-2005 ERE Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics. Edited by J. Hastings. 13 vols. New York: Scribner, 1908-26. ET English Translation ETL Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses FAT Forschungen zum Alten Testament FOTL Form of the Old Testament Literature H Holiness code HALOT The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Edited by L. Koehler et al. Study Edition. 2 vols. Leiden: Brill, 2001 HAT Handbuch zum Alten Testament HeBAI Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel HKAT Handkommentar zum Alten Testament HTKAT Herders Theologischer Kommentar zum Alten Testament HTR Harvard Theological Review IB The Interpreter’s Bible IBHS An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax. Bruce K. Waltke and M. O’Connor. Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1990 ICC The International Critical Commentary IDB The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible. Edited by G. A. Buttrick. 4 vols. Nashville: Abingdon, 1962 IDBSup The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible: Supplementary Volume. Edited by K. Crim. Nashville: Abingdon, 1976 Int Interpretation ITC International Theological Commentary J Yahwist source JBL Journal of Biblical Literature JHS Journal of Hebrew Scriptures JPS Jewish Publication Society JPSTC The Jewish Publication Society Torah Commentary JSOT Journal for the Study of Old Testament JSOTSup Journal for the Study of Old Testament Supplement Series KAT Kommentar zum Alten Testament KHCAT Kurzer Hand-Commentar zum Alten Testament LBC Layman’s Bible Commentaries LXX Septuagint Greek 10 MT Masoretic Text NCBC The New Century Bible Commentary NEB Neue Echter Bibel NIBC New International Biblical Commentary NICOT New International Commentary of the Old Testament NIDB New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible. Edited by Abingdon Press. 5 vols. Nashville: Abingdon, 2006-2009 NIDOTTE New Iinternational Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis. Edited by Willem A. VanGemeren. 5 vols. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1997 NIVAC New International Version Application Commentary NRTh Nouvelle Revue Théologique OBC Oxford Bible Commentary OBO Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis ÖBS Österreichische Biblische Studien OBT Overtures to Biblical Theology OEB The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Books of the Bible. Edited by Michael D. Coogan. 2 vols. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011 OEBT The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Theology. Edited by Samuel E. Balentine. 2 vols. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2015 OTL Old Testament Library OTS Old Testament Studies OtTS Oudtesatementische Studien P Priestly source/writing RB Revue Biblique RPP Religion Past and Present: Encyclopedia of Theology and Religion. Edited by Hans Dieter Betz. 14 vols. Leiden: Brill, 2007-2013 SB Sources Bibliques SBAB Stuttgarter Biblische Aufsatzbände SBLDS Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series SBLSymS Society of Biblical Literature Symposium Series SBTS Sources for Biblical and Theological Study SCS Septuagint and Cognate Studies SOTSMS Society for Old Testament Studies Monograph Series SP Samaritan Pentateuch Syr Syriac TDOT Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament. Edited by G. J. Botterweck and H. Ringgren. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1974- TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Edited by G. Kittel and G. Friedrich. 10 vols. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans,1964-76 Tg Targum TLOT Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament.