There are some interesting points to this meeting that many ignore.
The first is, how had Jethro heard of these events, especially since he lived many days ride away. Of course, maybe Moses sent one of the people with him ahead to tell Jethro, someone who never left Egypt , nor knew the lay of the land, nor even heard of Midian. And even if he did, it would still have taken several days.
So maybe the Hebrews and Moses were sitting around the mountain, waiting for YHVH to tell them to go up the mountain and worship him, which was what he had told Moses he wanted in Exodus 3:12.
And this is one of the reasons why there is a tradition that the giving of the Law of Moses took place earlier, and that this verse belongs much later because "There is no earlier or later [order] in the Torah".
Perhaps this chapter DOES belong later, and if so, it's not for the reason that the Rabbis are saying.
So let's talk for a moment about Moses' wife, Tzippora, who finally arrives with her father and children.
When we last saw her mentioned, she was in a pub with her husband and YHVH was going to kill him because one of her sons wasn't circumcised. (There are legends surrounding which one and why). So she took a piece of sharp flint and quickly snipped off the tip of the kid's foreskin.
As I I have noted in the past, many parts of the Torah are points of view from different authors that are stitched together, sometimes in odd sequences. When Moses meets YHVH and is given his orders, there are three versions:
Only in chapter 3, the first version is Zipporah mentioned as being with Moses. The other two don't mention her at all. And so, 15 chapters later, she is briefly mentioned again as part of a plot device for having Jethro meet Moses. But other than that, she serves no real purpose in moving the plot forward.
Even Miriam is only mentioned in passing as she is walking through the parting waters and leading the ladies into song.
But that's it for her too.
Unlike the "Prince of Egypt", these ladies played no major roles in the story.
To those Jewish women who want to put out a "cup of Miriam" on Passover night - go ahead - minor characters need all the help that they can get!
As I said, Jethro met Moses.
But where?
In the first version (chapter 3) of "Hi, I'm YHVH", God tells Moses that he wants the Jews to come to Him on His mountain, the very mountain that Moses met Him - "Mount Elohim" or "Elohim's Mountain", AKA "God's Mountain", depending on your translation of הר אלהים.
This mountain was right where Moses was being a shepherd for his Father in-law in Midian. So it couldn't have been more than a few hours away at most. It was likely in Midian or part of a nearby territory, which the Torah calls "Horeb". Also, in chapter 17, the people are whining about water, and God tells Moses to hit the rock at Horeb, and water would come out
So let's put it all together, shall we:
- Moses meets YHVH on "Elohim's Mountain" in Horeb while shepherding for his father in law in Midian.
- YHVH tells Moses that He wants the people to come to that mountain to pray to him (ironically, the people are forbidden from coming close to the mountain under penalty of death).
- After leaving Egypt, the people are in Horeb.
- And Jethro brings Moses his wife and sons who are at "Elohim's Mountain".
The issue is that nobody is really sure where Horeb is, and based on the ideological bent, it moves around. But if you take the story at it's face value, it must be in or around Midian.
Yet many consider that a problem, and so put it elsewhere.
Here is one example. The red circle shows the narrow passageway where the Jews might have left Egypt. It was likely a marsh ("Reed Sea"). The red square is Midian. The red triangle is where a lot of people put "Horeb" ("Mt. Sinai").
Here is the most likely scenario, that most people don't seem to like:
Moses and his motley crew traveled to Midian. Moses sent someone ahead to ask for Jethro and to tell what happened and to bring his wife and sons while he maintained order amidst this new nation.
Those who don't like that prefer that Moses had no intention of getting his wife and sons, who lived with an idolatrous priest, and was planning to head due north and skip Midian altogether when YHVH spoke to Jethro in a dream, and Jethro met Moses as Elohim's Mountain.
Either scenarios are not without their problems, so most people don't give them too much thought.
Finally, let me leave you with one of the most important things that Jethro tells Moses (other then how to delegate, of which there are 3 versions of THAT story!):
No comments:
Post a Comment