Due Feb 11
Biblical Epic 2
Reading: Exodus 1-20, 32-34—a Nation Founded (HebrewScripture3.pdf)
Writing: Respond to ONE of the following prompts. Keep your response short, posting as a reply under the appropriate heading in the comments section:
- Oddities: quote a line or cite a plot event that strikes you as strange and offer a comment or insight about it.
- How does Moses compare with the patriarch/heroes we encountered last class? Focus on trait grounded in specific events or actions by these characters.
- The first 15 books of Exodus tell the tale of Israel’s struggle with a far greater power, Egypt. Focusing on a moment that specifically references Israel or its leader Moses, how does this national origin story present the Israelites, as a people?
- The remainder of Exodus tells the tale of Israel’s forty-year journey through the wilderness. Focusing on a moment that specifically references Israel or its leader Moses, how does portion of the narrative present the Israelites, as a people?
Oddities
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“Now on the way, at a place where they
stopped for the night,19 the Lord met Moses
and sought to kill him” (Exodus 4:24). But Zipporah took
a flint knife, cut off the foreskin of her son and
touched it to Moses’ feet,21″. This quote strikes me differently since god tried to make Moses the leader of Isarel, yet asked to kill him without a any explanations or warnings. This makes the reader wonder and be shocked about God’s intention the the obedience toward God. This happened because of Moses’ failed attempt of circumsising his son, this is a core promise that is given by God. Further, Moses’ wife Zipporah touches their son and claims “bridgegloom of blood”, and at that time the threat suddenly stop. This suggests how even power and leadership don’t override obedience, and even someone like Moses have to account for the law. In Exodus, God seems to be displayed as a holy presence, a dangerous character. Being close to God requires extreme obedience and faithfulness.
I also found that particular scene very unsettling. It showed that God cares more about obedience than he does status even if that person was chosen specifically by him. The incompletion or the inadequate completion of a task given by God is punished very severly which is something I’ve noticed a few times now. God is someone to be feared instead of an all-loving being, he values obedience above everything. Human beings must be careful with their actions.
Moses contrasted with the Patriarchs
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Moses is a hero because of his kindness and empathy. He constantly stood up for what he believed was right, starting with him killing the Egyptian who was hitting a Hebrew worker, to him confronting the Pharaoh to release the Israelites. He never yearned to be honored as a savior, and instead solely cared about helping his people. This is also the trait that caused God to choose Moses to be the one to liberate the Israelites: his determination and selflessness. This contrasts greatly with other heroes like Gilgamesh, whose greatness and power came from their physical strength. At the beginning of the story, Gilgamesh was a selfish character who harmed his people, contrasting with Moses. Also, all of his heroic deeds originated from his desire be remembered by others and reach the level of the Gods. Gilgamesh’s actions didn’t result from the thought of other people, but rather came from what he could gain from it. Moses and Gilgamesh are two very different examples of heroes: one whose greatness comes from their internal power and one whose greatness comes from their external power.
Yes, I totally agree, Moses and Gilgamesh both represent completely different ideas of heroism, reflecting the ideals that their societies deemed admirable. Moses acts out of a sort of selfless responsibility to do the right thing, which is exemplified when he refuses to let God destroy Israel to create a great nation for Moses, as he wanted to protect the people. He could have accepted and gotten great personal gain, but he acted out of morality. While Gilgamesh also commits heroic acts, but does so for personal gain, never for the good of the people. Gilgamesh never acted on behalf of the people of Uruk, in fact many citizens were used and abused by him. His heroic defeat of Humbaba was out of a selfish want for glory and fame. Furthermore, oftentimes heroes are pushed to their limits, testing how much perseverance they have, their true heroic capabilities. Moses was denied entrance into the Promised Land, but he was able to accept it and persevere. While Gilgamesh’s immediate reaction to the loss of Enkidu was to seek a way to escape the same fate through personal gain.
I agree with both of you. I would however also like to add on that, Gilgamesh is portrayed early on as a very tyrannical king. He often uses his power selfishly to oppress the people of Uruk (He later on changes but mostly only after the loss of Enkidu). I see Gilgamesh’s power as pre-determined, assumed and abused not earned. This contrasts heavily with Moses who didn’t even want to be king as seen when he says “Please, my Lord, no man of words am I, not at any time in the past nor now since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am heavy-mouthed and heavy-tongued.” to god. This shows how leadership is almost forced upon him (showing how he is truly meant for it and god deems him as the only right person). In a way you can even Moses is just much more humble compare to Gilgamesh even though they are seen as both heroes and are king.
I consider Moses to be a much more active hero than Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. His holy mission from God requires him to take a very active role and complete many tasks from God in service of this mission, though like those other patriarchs, his role still requires obedience to God and his instructions. Though, unlike the other patriarchs, he seems to question God and his will more, to the point of provoking God’s wrath. “And the wrath of the Lord flared up against Moses, and He said, “Is there not Aaron the Levite, your brother? I know that he can indeed speak, and, what’s more, look, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, his heart will rejoice. And you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I Myself will be with your mouth and with his mouth and I will instruct you both what you should do, and he will speak for you to the people, and so he, he will be a mouth for you, and you, you will be for him like a god” (Exodus 4:14-16). God does not appear to show his wrath in this way to Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. But neither does he ask of any of them the amount that he asks of Moses.
Israel’s Struggle with Egypt
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40 Years in the Wilderness
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