In Exodus 6:12, the Hebrew phrase “Poor Speaker” (NRSV), does not mean a physical speech disability in a literal sense, but rather it is used as a metaphor to describe Moses’ hesitation to speak to Pharaoh which was not only his own self-consciousness, but was also a product of Israelites disinclination towards him. A Plan of Defense I plan to start my defense by providing those arguments that claim that it was self-consciousness at Moses’ part rather than a disability. For instance, The Eerdmans' commentary states that “uncircumcised” in the passage has been used as a metaphor of being unfit or unready. Besides this, I will add The International Bible commentary, which has the similar kind of views. It describes that Moses was not equipped to talk. The Oxford Bible Commentary also provides the same reason and argues that Yahweh compelled him to go. In addition to it, I will add Gregory Glazov as well. He has done extensive work on the issue of Moses' speech. He does agree that Moses objected God’s call but according to him, to understand the passage, the subject passage needs to be seen in the context of the immediate passage where Yahweh responds to the objections of Moses and obliges him to go to Pharaoh. Then to dig more into the reasons for Moses’ hesitation, I will begin with Martin Nath’s commentary that claims that Moses to avoid his given charge by God comes up with a reason for his previous failure claiming that he is a poor speaker. Then I will bring Brevard Childs into the picture. He throws more light onto the issue and suggests that the reason for Moses’ previous failure was the suffering of the Israelites. He believes that they did not have any interest in Moses or God because of their situation. Ho... ... middle of paper ... ...Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament. Entry posted January 19, 2010. http://doctor.claudemariottini.com/2010/01/was-moses-left-handed.html (accessed October 4, 2011). Mays, James L. The HarperCollins Bible Commentary. Rev. ed. San Francisco: HarperOne, 2000. Noth, Martin. Exodus: A commentary. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1962. Schipper, Jeremy. “Disability in the Hebrew Bible.” Teaching the Bible, an e-letter for Public School Teachers by Society of Biblical Literature (Undated): http://www.sblsite.org/assets/pdfs/TBv2i8_SchipperDisability.pdf (accessed October 4, 2011). Tigay, Jeffry. “'Heavy of Mouth' and 'Heavy of Tongue' on Moses' Speech Difficulty.” Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research (Oct., 1978): 57-67 III, John R. Kohlenberger. Interlinear NIV Hebrew-English Old Testament, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979.
Moses is characterized as a hard-working man who is very kind and intimate with nature. He is the last worker out in the fields on many days and he is extremely comfortable outside in nature. In Edward P. Jones’ excerpt from The Known World, the character of Moses is developed through the imagery that is used, the third person point of view, and the details that Jones chooses to use.
When God first approaches Moses in the form of a burning bush, God says “I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers, so I know well what they are suffering. Therefore I have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land,” (Exodus 3:7). Moses however, questioned God’s judgement, saying, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11). Moses continues to question God throughout the rest of the chapter, but eventually begins his journey to rescue his
Moses was a major character in the fact that he was the reason his son, Adam, became the man that he had become. “If just once in all my born days you’d say a good thing to me” (Fast 3), Moses stated. Moses wanted Adam to be raised the way that Moses was raised and respect it. Adam did not like how strict his father was to him and did not want to be raised like he was. “Maybe it’s time I just went and did something without my father”
...nnel for the message to the Israelites. This serves God's ultimately purpose of setting his chosen people free. Although Moses does not seem like a worthy candidate for the task, God gives him the power to overcome his flaws. Moses was successful in communicating and obeying God's word throughout his journey, because he never sought to control or possess the land or the people, unlike Pharaoh. In the end, the journey of the spiritual hero can finish in either one of these two paths. It is up to the individual whether or not they will succumb to temptation and be led down into hell and remain there forever.
The bible was a time period in which people didn’t even truly understand equality. They would treat people awfully just because of their race, religion, and gender. For example, women were not allowed have their own jobs or own property without a man. These people in this time needed someone or something to come save them, and this was Moses. The slaves in
Calvin, Jean, and Charles William Bingham. Commentaries on the four last books of Moses: arranged in
“I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you my name “THE LORD’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” (Ackerman/Warshaw page 136). What God is presenting is the he has the most power and that he will show no mercy is Moses forgets that. God shows power and he shows that he is a teacher “Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. But now go. lead> the people to the place of which I have spoken to you…” (Ackerman/Warshaw page 136). God also can feel jealous, but his power will come out with almost every word he says. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you ‘;all not bow down to them or serve them…” (Ackerman/Warshaw page 133 to 134) God is showing jealousy because he wants to be the only one known as God and the only one
This section of exodus focuses on Moses, an Israelite who was raised as an Egyptian, who has fled from Egypt after the Pharaoh tried to kill him for killing an Egyptian man. By Exodus 3:1 Moses is married to Zipporah daughter of Jethro who gives him a job working as a shepherd. While tending to his animals Moses arrives at Horeb also known as Mount Sinai or the Mountain of God. Here Moses has his first theophany with God in the form of a burning bush. During this passage God talks to Moses telling him what he needs to do: go to Egypt and convince the Pharaoh to let the Egyptians go by performing a series of miracles. What god is asking Moses to do is intimidating. At this time the Pharaoh was the ruler of Egypt who had a powerful army and the Israelite’s weren’t going to be easy to convince that God sent him. Despite the “signs” Moses is reluctant to take the role beca...
During the time when the Egyptians were taking over the Hebrews, there was a man by the name of Moses. His mother to save his life put Moses into a river. Moses was found by the pharaohs' daughter, his life was spared and she adopted him. He was named Moses because it means drawn from the water. Moses was chosen by god to save his people. He had things going on in his life that interfered with doing the mission God wanted him to do, but with God by his side he eventually found faith in God and became very successful. He knew that no matter what was ahead of him he would succeed. Moses and God spoke with eachother, and god gave him specific directions on what he wanted and how he wanted it done. Moses didn't want to lead the Jews out of Egypt, except he was chosen by God, and he can't disappoint him. And soon...
In one of the first conversations with God, Moses exposes his weak self-esteem and lack of confidence. After being given orders by God, Moses states, “Even the Israelites will not listen to me, so why should the king? I am such a poor speaker” (Exodus, 60). Being found in a river as a Hebrew child, the author of the text seems to integrate that Moses lack of knowledge for his parents seems to transmit over to not knowing his place in society. As the central character in the text he seems more fragile than strong since his Hebrew past calls for such. After killing an Egyptian, he flees and becomes a sheppard. This is a great example of having fear of Egyptian power and not having the initial ambition to be someone of great potential as God eventually suggests. Du...
In the Book of Exodus the relationship between god and man was similar to relation between a master and servant or in other words a king and a subject respectively. God says “you shall speak all that I command you”(Exodus,7:2), it is very clear through this vision that Moses had that God wanted to have dominion and control over peo...
As an infant Moses was tossed into the river with no chance to live. During this time taskmasters ordered patrons to kill their baby if they had a boy and keep it if it were a girl. I find this interesting regarding the ancient Chinese; they believe in a similar method, but vice-versa. They believed if you had a boy you kept it and if you had a girl you killed it. It’s interesting seeing the same similarities within ancient Chinese and the time of Moses. But Moses already had God on his side. The daughter of the Pharaoh luckily picked him up, where she took pity on Moses. After, the daughter of the Pharaoh handed Moses off to a woman who nursed him, and Moses grew into a man. After working with sheep he had an encounter with God, and God told him to go to the land of the Egypt. God wanted to redeem Moses for the hurt the Egyptians brought
Child’s reexamination of the evidence found within the Moses narrative of the sign (being the burning bush, rather than the promise of a future sign) is well-advised in consideration of the several signs given in the passage which follows, relating to the signs Moses will show to Pharaoh. It is evident from even a cursory read of the text that God is using the encounter to gain the attention of Moses, and set Moses to follow God’s instructions. Which leave the question of whether the encounter of God by Moses resulted in a “call” or “commission?” To invest in answering this question would diminish a more important question: “How did he one being called or commissioned
Moses is a great figure in both the Quran and the Bible. Both holy books have a similar account of most aspects of Moses, and view him as a great man who was protected by God even before his birth. In addition, God allowed Moses be raised in the palace and getting the best education to prepare him for greatness and leadership.
Joseph Telushkin, Biblical Literacy: The Most Important People, Events, and Ideas of the Hebrew Bible (New York 1997) 87