Old Testament Introduction: A Survey of the Hebrew Bible

Lecture 3: Exodus - Numbers

Liberation

early Exodus outline
	1 setting
	2 moses: birth through midian exile
	   cf legend of sargon (ane 85-86)
	   egyptian name "son (of)"
	3 call of moses
	    diff name of father-in-law
	    at midianite center
	    name YHWH cf chap 6 - contrast gen 12:8
	4-6 moses with aaron before israel & pharaoh
   Purple Puzzle Tree 10
	7-11 plagues
	12-13 passover / unleavened bread

map of exodus

Exodus 14-15
	
event at the sea
	prose followed by songs
	the Lord as warrior
	way in the sea
		open for israel
		closed on egyptians
	parallels: Merneptah stele

Exodus 14

	1-9
		hardening of heart
		   [cf plagues Ex 7-13]
		entire chariotry

	10-14
		murmuring
		   [frequent desert theme see 16:1-17:7]
		only keep still

	15-18

	19-20
		angel, cloud, fire

	21-25
		21 strong east wind
		22 walls of water

	26-31
		walked on dry land
		[cf Jordan - Joshua 3]

notice several concluding passages in this chapter and next


Exodus 15

	Moses' song
	  prose end of description 14:30-31
	  prose intro 15:1a
	  verse song 1b - 18

	Miriam's song
	  prose end of description verse 19
	  prose intro verse 20
	  verse song  21

	why apparent duplication?
	  separate sources
	  different viewpoints

	intro 1b-3
	event at sea 4-10
	other event? 11-12 (Korah?)
	passing through nations 13-16
	holy mountain 17-18
		Sinai, Shechem, Jerusalem?

	song of praise which treats as past
		events yet to come

Exodus outline

	16 manna & quails
	17 water from rock &
		battle over amalek
	18 moses & father-in-law
	19 at sinai
	20 ten words ....

Law and Covenant

Kinds of Covenants
	parity
	suzerainty
	mediated
Kinds of Laws
	apodictic
		wisdom
		  instruction for king Meri-Ka-Re (DOTT 1st lines)
        	hittite treaties
	casuistic
		Exodus 21:2-14
		cf Hammurabi (ca 1700) (earlier & later codes)
			e.g. ANE [142-143 #26-32] 
				[DOTT #1-22,195-212]

examples of covenant
	   Exodus 24 (two accounts?)
	   Joshua 24
	   Exodus 18:1-12

Exodus 34 (:10-28)
	"ritual decalogue" (J source)
	hard to find exactly ten
	not what usually meant by "ten commandments"

"ethical decalogue"
location in plot:
	soon after event at sea (beginning chapter 19)
	continuing (off and on) through Deuteronomy
	read Deuteronomy 5:6-21
		class follow Exodus 20:2-17
	slight variations in text
		note reason for sabbath
	negatives ("thou shalt nots" - prohibitions)
		some think all original
	specific questions of interpretation
		numbering
		enforceability (covet)
		kill / murder / war
	apodictic
		not conditional

contents of commands/torah/law
	ethical
	cultic / ritual
	social / community

Structures
	judges (and Jethro)
	   Exodus 18:13-27
	artisans / craftsmen
	   Exodus 31:1-11
	priests
	   Exodus 28:1-5 (Lev 8-9)
		vestments for aaronic
	   Exodus 32:5-29
		levites for zeal
	census (and apportionment)
	   Numbers 1-2
	vow of nazirite
	   Numbers 6:1-8
	elders and prophets
	   Numbers 11:16-30

Wilderness

Rebellion
	early 
	   Exodus 14:10-14
	manna (and quail)
	   Exodus 16
	water from the rock
	   Exodus 17:1-7
	golden calf
	   Exodus 32
	      (cf Jeroboam - i Kgs 12:26-33)
	quail
	   Numbers 11:1-15, 31-35
	Miriam (Cushite marriage)
	   Numbers 12
	reconnaissance in canaan
	   Numbers 13-14  13:1 - 14:25
	Korah (etc)
	   Numbers 16 (-17)
	waters of Meribah
	   Numbers 20:1-13
	bronze serpent
	   Numbers 21:4-9
	   cf 2 kgs 18:4; jn 3:14-15
	baal of peor (at shittim)
	   Numbers 25:1-18

Balaam son of Peor