Autor: Voegelin, Eric

Buch: Israel and Revelation

Titel: Israel and Revelation

Stichwort: Moses, Propheten: prophetische Revolte; conflict between the Yahweh of Moses and the cosmic-divine civilization of Egypt

Kurzinhalt: why we hear so little about Moses in the period from the Deborah Song to the end of the Davidic Empire; Moses could provide the background of legitimacy for prophetic action

Textausschnitt: 7/12 () It would then become intelligible why we hear so little about Moses in the period from the Deborah Song to the end of the Davidic Empire. If Israel experienced itself as a people under the order of Yahweh, the mediatory function of Moses in bringing the people into existence under its God could indeed have only secondary importance for the symbolization of Israelite order. While traditions of Moses and his work were preserved, they entered the foreground of symbolism only through the prophetic revolt in the crisis of the ninth century. When the Yahwist order was endangered, visibly to everybody, by the Omride policy of alliances, and when the spiritual responsibility passed from the organs of government to the prophets, the appeal to Moses could provide the background of legitimacy for prophetic action. An effective imitatio Mosis, however, required a paradigmatic prophet and lawgiver who could be imitated. That is the situation, as we have suggested in the preceding chapter, from which ultimately grew the Deuteronomic original prophet, giver of the Torah, and historian of the history which he had made. (384; Fs) (notabene)
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8/12 If we regard the Deuteronomic myth as the end of an evolution that begins in the ninth century with the prophetic imitatio Mosis, the body of traditions in which Moses appears with the characteristics of a nabi will become suspect as legendary formation of the prophetic period. A further stratum of form will have to be removed before we can find the historical substance. A few examples will illuminate the problems that arise from the prophetic legend. (384; Fs)
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9/12 ... The story of the audiences makes good sense, however, if we ascribe it to the prophetic legend. For in the Moses facing the Pharaoh and calling on him to obey the will of Yahweh, we can recognize the paradigm of the prophet facing the king of Israel.
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10/12
(2) In the story of the negotiations between Moses and the Pharaoh there are embedded numerous sub-legends which equally betray their prophetic origin. Moses and Aaron appear, for instance, as magicians; and in Exodus 7:8-13 they try to impress the Pharaoh with portents.
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10/12
(2) In the story of the negotiations between Moses and the Pharaoh there are embedded numerous sub-legends which equally betray their prophetic origin. Moses and Aaron appear, for instance, as magicians; and in Exodus 7:8-13 they try to impress the Pharaoh with portents.
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12/12 The darkness over Egypt is the darkness of its gods, while the light over Israel is the light of Yahweh. And the slaying of the first-born, while it inflicts misery on man and beast, is - in a manner yet to be clarified - a judgment of God on the gods. Through the various layers of form we always penetrate to the same historical substance, that is, to the conflict between the Yahweh of Moses and the cosmic-divine civilization of Egypt. (386f; Fs) (notabene)