The Psalmists’ Use of the Exodus Motif A Close Reading and Intertextual Analysis of Selected Exodus Psalms Thesis Submitted for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by David Emanuel Submitted to the Senate of the Hebrew University December 2007 This work was written under the supervision of Professor Yair Zakovitch CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................................................................. VIII INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 RESEARCH IN RELATED FIELDS ................................................................................................................................. 3 General Psalms Research ................................................................................................................................... 3 Inner-Biblical Interpretation and Allusion ......................................................................................................... 6 Juxtapositional Interpretation ............................................................................................................................ 8 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................................................................... 10 SCOPE AND STRUCTURE ......................................................................................................................................... 17 Scope ................................................................................................................................................................. 17 Structure ........................................................................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER 1: PSALM 78 ........................................................................................................................................ 21 STRUCTURE ............................................................................................................................................................ 21 CLOSE READING ..................................................................................................................................................... 24 MEANING ............................................................................................................................................................... 94 DATE ...................................................................................................................................................................... 96 SOURCES ................................................................................................................................................................ 98 Process of Selection ........................................................................................................................................ 100 ALLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................................................... 101 Desert Provision ............................................................................................................................................. 101 The Song of the Sea ......................................................................................................................................... 105 The Plagues .................................................................................................................................................... 107 JUXTAPOSITION .................................................................................................................................................... 110 Psalm 77—78 .................................................................................................................................................. 110 Psalm 78—79 .................................................................................................................................................. 112 Psalm 77—79 .................................................................................................................................................. 113 CHAPTER 2: PSALM 105 .................................................................................................................................... 115 STRUCTURE .......................................................................................................................................................... 115 CLOSE READING ................................................................................................................................................... 118 MEANING ............................................................................................................................................................. 156 DATE .................................................................................................................................................................... 157 SOURCES .............................................................................................................................................................. 159 Process of Selection ........................................................................................................................................ 161 ALLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................................................... 162 Israel in Egypt ................................................................................................................................................. 162 The Plagues .................................................................................................................................................... 163 The Wilderness Wandering ............................................................................................................................. 167 JUXTAPOSITION .................................................................................................................................................... 170 Psalm 104–105 ............................................................................................................................................... 170 CHAPTER 3: PSALM 106 .................................................................................................................................... 173 STRUCTURE .......................................................................................................................................................... 173 CLOSE READING ................................................................................................................................................... 177 MEANING ............................................................................................................................................................. 220 DATE .................................................................................................................................................................... 221 SOURCES .............................................................................................................................................................. 223 Process of Selection ........................................................................................................................................ 225 ALLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................................................... 226 Deliverance from Egypt .................................................................................................................................. 226 Cravings in the Desert .................................................................................................................................... 227 Dathan’s Rebellion ......................................................................................................................................... 229 Refusal of Land ............................................................................................................................................... 230 Golden Calf ..................................................................................................................................................... 232 Baal Peor ........................................................................................................................................................ 234 Waters of Meribah .......................................................................................................................................... 236 Reordering ...................................................................................................................................................... 237 JUXTAPOSITION .................................................................................................................................................... 240 Psalms 105—106 ............................................................................................................................................ 240 Psalms 106—107 ...........................................................................................................................................