* Often referred to a later stratum of E than Ex 18. The paragraph is probably an expansion of an older narrative con- taining only the prophesying of Eldad and Medad, Joshua's protest, and Moses’ answer.
t Moses’ ‘Cushite wife,’ v.1as>, is never again referred to, either in this chapter or elsewhere ; and it is clear from the rest of the chapter that the controversy between Moses on the one hand, and Miriam and Aaron on the other, had nothing to do with any such matter; v.19gb can hardly have been inserted by either RD or RP, but by ἘΜῈ from some older source; it is »robably a fragment of an ancient narrative, the rest of which
Waa omitted because it was not considered edifying.
WV EE
§ On in v.1 is probably due to textual corruption. Bacon thinks the name occurred in a J version; this view is adopted in Numpers ; cf. ii. (y). || The immediate sequel is omitted.
MOSES
MOSES 443
attacked and routed, Dt 119-95 (probabl E), Nu 13)88¢. 20. 38. 24. 25b, 27b, 29. 83 ] 41b. 8. 4. ὅδ. i
(cc) Moses sought permission for Israel to pass peaceably through Edom, but without success, Nu 20-21, (dd) In the course of the journey from Kadesh, Aaron died, Dt 105 & buried,
(ee) For murmuring at the hardships of their renewed march through the desert, the people were plagued with fiery serpents. Moses prayed for them, and was told to make a brazen serpent, and by looking at this the sufferers were healed, Nu 915: (ff) Israel marched along the borders of Edom to Moab, Nu 21" ; (gg) id conquered the territory of Sihon, Nu 212!--7-8,+ (hh) Balaam, sent for by Balak of Moab to curse the Israelites, blessed them, parts of Nu 22-24. (ii) Israel wor- shipped Baal-peor, and Moses bade the judges slay the offenders, Dt 9515. 3-5,
(kk) J” announced to Moses that he was about to die, and Moses appointed Joshua his successor, Nu 3] 5. 3.
(11) Moses delivered final laws and exhortations to the people. Ex 211-238, displaced by R to make room for ἢ. Dt 1᾽.-440 15 probably an R° expansion of E’s farewell speech of Moses, parallel to that of Joshua in Jos 924. Dt 2718. 17-19,
(nn) Moses died in the land of Moab; his tomb was unknown. ‘There hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom J” knew face to face,’ Dt 34° %- 10,
iv. The Narrative in P.—(a) Aaron is Moses’ brother, and Aaron and Moses are constantly coupled together. Miriam is ignored.t (Ὁ) Moses and Aaron were the children of Amram and Jochebed; Amram was the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, Ex 61”, Nu 26%>-6;§ cf. 1 Ch 613, Moses’ wife and children are ignored.||
(e) (f) When Moses was 80 and Aaron 83 years old (Ex 7’), God spoke to Moses in Egypt,{i and revealed His new name—J’—thus: ‘I am J”: and I rea unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob as ΕἸ Shaddai, but by my name J” I was not known to them’—and declared that He had heard the poenne of the Israelites under the oppression of the Egyptians; and that He would now fulfil His covenant with the patriarchs, by giving Canaan to their descendants. Moses told this to the Israelites, but they would not listen because their spirit was broken by their grasa (Ex 67), (g) When J” bade him demand from Pharaoh the release of the Israelites, he replied that he had not the gift of speech, and that, as the Israelites had not listened to him, it was not likely that he would make any impression upon Pharaoh. J” replied : ‘T have made thee a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet . .. Twill harden Pharaoh’s heart . . . Pharaoh will not listen to you... so I will bring forth my people by great
udgments,’ Ex 64-12 7!-5, (i) At the command of “, conveyed through Moses, Aaron inflicted six pci on the A papier Rod changed into a eptile ;** all the Water in the land turned into Blood; Frogs; Gnats; Boils; the Death of the Firstborn (for which see next paragraph).
The first four wonders were wrought by means of Aaron’s rod; but, in the case of the fifth, the Boils were caused by Moses appearing before
based on 39-45 ὦ
“Νὰ 14414 is sometimes given to J, and probably contains R-additiona.
t Vv.33-35 (0% are referred to R.
$ Miriam in Nu 90] is E, and 2659 is Re,
§ These es are often referred to late strata of P or to Rr; even in that case they would probably be based on P; which throughout implies that Aaron and, therefore, Moses belong to the tribe of Levi.
1 This gap is supplied by 1 Oh 241417, Aaron's uncles and cousins are mentioned Ly 102,
q Οἱ. Ex 63, Rr.
** A wonder rather than a plague, but reckoned by P in the same series as the rest.
Pharaoh and throwing soot into the air. In each case Pharaoh’s magicians competed with Moses and Aaron; the magicians succeeded in turning Rods into Reptiles, Water into Blood, and in producing Frogs, so that Pharaoh was encouraged in hardening his heart against the request of Moses and Aaron; but the magicians failed to roduce Gnats, and said, ‘The finger of God is ere’; but Pharaoh still hardened his heart. In the case of the Boils, the magicians themselves were smitten and fled from Moses; but J” har- dened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, Ex 78-13. 19. 20a. 210. 22 85:1. 16:9.