MOSHEH’ SOJOURN IN MIDIAN
Conclusion of the incident of the burning bush on Horeb
But was not this NAME, YAHWEH, already known before the dialogue on Sinai?
While they were still nomads, the Hebrews had two NAMES at their disposal wherewith to designate the ABBA WHO protected them. In a number of places in Genesis these NAMES occur: EI ‘Elohim and ‘EI Shaddai. 9
The Scriptural text is definite, at least as regards the second NAME, which seems to have been the special perquisite of the patriarchal clan. ‘I am YAHWEH’ said the Being who spoke with Mosheh on Sinai. ‘I am YAHWEH. To Abraham, Yitschaq (Isaac) and Yacob I appeared as ‘EI Shaddai. I did not make MYSELF known to them by MY NAME of YAHWEH’ (Shemoth (Exodus) 6:2-3).
That is clear. It comes from the Kohen tradition and it makes lucidly explicit what was implicit in the extract from the ‘Elohist’ tradition given above: ‘You are to say to the sons of Yisrael: YAHWEH, the ABBA of your fathers, the ABBA of Abraham, the ABBA of Yitschaq (Isaac), the ABBA of Yacob, has sent me to you. This is MY NAME for all time ...’ (Shemoth (Exodus) 3:15).
It is true that the name YAHWEH already occurs in Bereshith (Genesis) in the chapters ascribed by Scriptural scholars to the ‘Yahwist’ tradition, thought to be older than the Elohist. (The Kohen tradition was put in writing later.) In Bereshith (Genesis) 2:18-23, for instance, we read: YAHWEH-ABBA fashioned all the wild beasts. ..and then man from woman.
This being the situation, how are the two statements to be reconciled? On the one hand, the Elohist and Kohen compilers say that the NAME YAHWEH was first revealed on Sinai; on the other, the Yahwist tradition (whose basic elements probably go back to the pastoral period of the patriarchs) suggests that it had been in use more than five hundred years before the time of Mosheh.
We must accept the evidence and agree that the NAME YAHWEH had been used previously, not indeed among all Abraham’s descendants, but at least in some restricted circles.
Besides, if it had been entirely unknown to the sons of Yisrael, it would have been very difficult for Mosheh to have offered himself to the Hebrews in Egypt as one sent by a ABBA whom none of them had ever worshipped. It would also be difficult to explain the NAME (containing the NAME of YAHWEH) of Mosheh’ mother jochebed, which some Hebrew scholars translate: ‘Yo (YAHWEH) is my splendor’. The word, therefore, was not coined originally on Sinai. But it was after Sinai that appreciation of its rich theological connotation began. This is what was in the mind of the author of the ‘Kohen code’. In spite of its limitations, it intrinsically contains an element of transcendent mystery, and its lofty spirituality sets it above the somewhat too material title of mountain YAHWEH.
9 Elohim the plural (‘of power’) of EI, that is ABBA (probable root: to be strong). It seems that originally the name EI denoted, in the Semitic communities, a vague and formidable body of occult forces; we meet the word in this sense in Assyrian (ilu) Hebrew (‘el), and Arabic (ilah) writings. Later, it took on a plural form, and came to designate a local god; in principle, this was the predominating god of a clan, a tribe, a city or a region. This plural (Elohim) is also used -in the singular -to emphasize the power of a particular supra-terrestrial being. As regards ‘EI-Shaddai (ABBA of the mountain; a mountain ABBA -from sadu a mountain), it seems to have been a specifically Hebrew title, an ancient set apart name adopted in the period of the patriarchs These latter also now and then made use of the old Semitic term widespread in the Middle East -‘EI or ‘Elohim, which at that time itself had the meaning of a personalized ABBA.
Conclusion of the incident of the burning bush on Horeb; Mosheh made an effort to decline his mission
The leaping, burning flame continued to spring up from the lonely bush (probably one of those clumps of acacia that are scattered over the steppe of Horeb). The Voice had begun by telling Mosheh about the mission awaiting him: to bring the sons of Yisrael out of Egypt. Then it uttered the special NAME by which YAHWEH wished to be invoked in future.
YAHWEH went on to explain to his envoy the plan he was to follow. Mosheh was to go back to Goshen and tell the Hebrews that the ABBA of their fathers had appeared to him. They were to get ready to leave the Delta permanently and return to Canaan, the home of the patriarchs, where milk and honey flow. Then, together with the elders of the tribe, Mosheh was to visit Pharaoh, and ask that the Hebrews might be allowed to go and sacrifice to YAHWEH in the desert, three days’ journey from the frontier. The king of Egypt would harshly refuse; but in the end, when Egypt had been hard hit by Yisrael’s ABBA, HE would decide to authorize the Hebrews’ departure.
There followed an intimate conversation between YAHWEH and Mosheh, which proves most revealing of the characteristics of Mosheh’ personality: its strength and also its humility and even surprising timidity. He was a prophet and was soon to become an authoritative lawgiver and an incomparable leader of men, and yet not the least trace of ambition can be observed in him. There is no craving for honours, no lust for power. What we see is genuine modesty shown in an almost panic fear in face of the work to be begun and brought to conclusion.
It was a lively dialogue in which Mosheh made an effort to decline his mission; some of his reasons for doing so border on disrespect. ‘What if they will not believe me?’ he asked, ‘or listen to my words and say to me: “YAHWEH has not appeared to you?’” At this point the account in Shemoth (Exodus) says that YAHWEH enabled Mosheh to work wonders of a sort that would convince the Hebrews unwilling to believe in the mission of a mere shepherd. YAHWEH told him to throw his staff on the ground. It immediately changed into a snake. YAHWEH then told him to pick it up by its tail, whereupon it became a staff again. Next, he was asked to put his hand into his bosom; when he withdrew it, leprosy had made it white. He was told to replace it, and when he took it out again it was completely restored. All this is typically Egyptian; the people were fascinated by the marvelous. Snake-charmers and every brand of wonder-worker were to be seen at all the street corners. Mosheh, however, was now equipped to surpass them; he was in a position, as YAHWEH’s instrument, to convince his fellow Hebrews both of the set apart power and of the authenticity of his own mission.
Even so, Mosheh did not agree at once; he maintained his refusal and it seemed to be final: ‘But my MASTER, never in my life have I been a man of eloquence, ...I am a slow speaker and not able to speak well.’ YAHWEH replied: ‘I shall help you to speak and tell you what to say.’ Mosheh, however, still persisted; he was unwilling to listen and vehemently rejected this offer of collaboration in a task that was beyond him. Not that he was a coward; it was simply the result of that humility and timidity that never left him. He said: ‘If it please you, my ABBA, send anyone YOU will.’ So Mosheh was given an assistant: ‘There is your brother Aaron the Levite, is there not? I know that he is a good speaker. ...You will speak to him and tell him what message to give….he will be your mouthpiece.’ So Mosheh’ final argument, his lack of eloquence, was demolished. The discussion was brought abruptly to an end: ‘Take this staff into your hand; with this you will perform the signs.’ We shall see it at work on several occasions.
Mosheh seriously ill and the symbolic circumcision on the return to Goshen
Despite the fast-moving nature of the narrative, there can be discerned those inner conflicts by which for some time Mosheh was disturbed. In the end he made up his mind to accept the mission. He could not, of course, just leave Jethro’s flocks to wander about on the slopes of Sinai. He was obliged to return to Midian with the animals and tents and take leave of the chieftain. He explained the position to his father-in-law, who gave his approval. ‘Go in peace,’ he said. We shall shortly encounter this wise old chieftain again.
So the former Egyptian scribe made his way back to the home of his people in that corner of the Delta where they were still subject to forced labour. He traveled along the road to Egypt; a donkey trotted by his side bearing his wife Zipporah and his sons Gershom and Eliezer, but family life seems to have played a very small part in the existence of Yisrael’s future leader.
On the road to Egypt there occurred a series of strange and rather obscure events. One of these happened when the party halted for a night’s rest. Possibly on account of the arduous nature of the forced march, combined with his overpowering anxiety concerning his coming interview with Pharaoh, Mosheh, physically and morally exhausted, fell seriously ill. YAHWEH came to meet him and tried to kill him, is the rather odd comment in the Scriptures. The phrase is acceptable if it is remembered that YAHWEH is the MASTER of life and death and the phrase that of the primitive story-teller. We should say nowadays that Mosheh was so worn out that he was at death’s door. At this point took place the circumcision of one of his sons, though we are not told which one it was.
At this part of the story it should be recalled that Mosheh himself was not circumcised, and indeed he never was, for at that time the Yisraelites did not attribute the same significance to this ritual mutilation as became customary after the exile in Babylon (586-538).
Zipporah may have thought that possibly Mosheh had fallen ill because one of her sons was uncircumcised, and that her husband himself had also not undergone the operation. She appears on this occasion to have acted energetically. She cut off her son’s foreskin and with it she touched the genitals (literally, the feet) of Mosheh. ‘Truly, you are a bridegroom of blood to me I’ she said. And YAHWEH let him live. We can only say that through the real circumcision of her son and the symbolic circumcision of her husband, as well as by the blood-offering, she believed that she had appeased the ABBA’s anger and, we may believe, saved Mosheh from death.
Mosheh recovered and took to the road again, this time, it seems alone. Although the Scriptures remains silent on the point, it seems reasonable to suppose that he sent Zipporah and the children back to Jethro’s camp. After the incident of the circumcision Mosheh’ wife no longer appears at his side. Possibly Mosheh needed to be free from family cares if he was to carry out the formidable task entrusted to him. It was only later, in fact, when he and his fellow Hebrews, having come out of Egypt, had set up their tents at the foot of Sinai, that Jethro appears again, bringing Zipporah and the children to him (Shemoth (Exodus) 18:2). This section of the narrative undoubtedly contains many obscure points.
On his way from Midian, Mosheh paused at the ‘mountain of ABBA’ (Horeb or Sinai) in the same neighbourhood where he had previously camped and heard the voice from the burning bush. Here he encountered his brother Aaron who, commanded by YAHWEH, had set out to meet him. The two embraced with a warmth that can be imagined. Mosheh then told Aaron all that YAHWEH had said. ..and all the signs HE had ordered him to perform (Shemoth (Exodus) 4:28). Afterwards they continued the exhausting journey towards Goshen in the Delta and at length could perceive the tents of the Yisraelites in the distance.
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