God tried to kill Moses?

[PraiseReborn]

Ok, I was doing my bible readings and I'm thoroughly confused.

Exodus 4:24-(extreme teen bible)

As Moses was on his way to Egypt he stopped at a resting place for the night. The Lord met him there and tried to kill him.

It didn't seem right so I checked with my other bibles (NIV, ESV) and it says the same, but without explaination. I've gone over the chapter about 6 or 7 times in each version and I'm getting nowhere.

Help?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Ok, I was doing my bible readings and I'm thoroughly confused.

Exodus 4:24-(extreme teen bible)

As Moses was on his way to Egypt he stopped at a resting place for the night. The Lord met him there and tried to kill him.

It didn't seem right so I checked with my other bibles (NIV, ESV) and it says the same, but without explaination. I've gone over the chapter about 6 or 7 times in each version and I'm getting nowhere.

Help?

It is important to recognize that the bible is filled with 'role playing'. As the prophets are commonly accepted as metaphoric portrayals of God i.e. "You shall be a God to them", women are often metaphors of Eve. In this case Moses may have 'hearkened to the voice' of Zipporah regarding the circumcision of one of their sons, something God would have strictly required him to do. This would have been of the utmost importance to God as this is how the whole thing started in the first place (hearkening to Eve that is). The task ahead would require absolute obedience from Moses. Sadly that was his downfall later on, as he provoked God one time too many.

 

[PraiseReborn]

That's the only problem with this whole situation. There's no way my husband nor I can afford bible reference materials unless it goes on sale or is offered by our church. Even our library doesn't have it and $1.50 for interlibrary loans is too much when it's all added up.

So all I have for study are several bibles, free studies, tracts, garage sale cheapies and the like. The internet's perfect for study, except it seems that most of the "meat" sites are far too advanced for a beginner in the Word like I am, and the "milk" sites are too basic and juvenile.

That's why I so heavily post to forums (usually) so I can get several responses and opinions.

 

[davidoffinland]

From Finland.

All my Jewish commentaries mention that it was circumcision. Moses did not circumise his son but his wife circumcise the son and throw the foreskin at Moses´feet. One says that Zipporah saved Moses by touching the foreskin to Moses legs or gentials. Foreshadowing the protective role of blood in the future. The dilemma Moses faced was that the son was only 3 days old and perhaps circumising him would put him in danger.

Shalom, David.

 

[justified]

All my Jewish commentaries mention that it was circumcision. Moses did not circumise his son but his wife circumcise the son and throw the foreskin at Moses´feet. One says that Zipporah saved Moses by touching the foreskin to Moses legs or gentials. Foreshadowing the protective role of blood in the future. The dilemma Moses faced was that the son was only 3 days old and perhaps circumising him would put him in danger.

Ding ding ding!. Elsewhere "feet" is used as a euphemism for genitals as well.

 

[dcyates]

Exodus 1.1-6.13
a oppression by pharaoh 'who did not know Joseph' (1.1-22)
..Isrealites are subjected to 'heavy work' (siblôt), 'toil' (‘ăbōdâ), and making 'bricks' (lĕbēnîm)
..'intensification of persecution'; harsh 'commands' (siwwâ) of pharaoh
..'taskmasters set' (śîm) over the Israelites
..pharoah says, "Behold, the 'people' ('am) are too 'many' (rab)"
..b Moses comes to pharaoh's house as baby (2.1-10)
....daughter of pharaoh 'sends' (šlh) her maiden to take Moses from water
...c Moses departs from Egypt (2.11-25)
.....Moses 'sees' (rā'â) a 'kinsman' ('āh) being beaten by Egyptian
.....he 'kills' the Egyptian; pharaoh 'hears' of it and 'seeks' (biqqē&#353 to 'kill' (hārag) Moses
.....Moses rejected by fellow Israelites
.....flees to Midian 'from Egypt', marries 'Zipporah'; 'Gershom' born
......d TURNING POINT: call of Moses (3.1-4.17)
...c' Moses returns to Egypt (4.18-31)
.....Moses wants to return to 'see' (rā'â) how his 'kinsmen' ('āh) are doing under the Egyptians
.....'hears' that pharaoh who 'seeks' (biqqē&#353 to kill him is dead; God's message for pharaoh: "I will 'kill' (hārag) your firstborn"; God 'seeks' (biqqē&#353 to 'kill' (hārag)Moses on way
.....Moses accepted by fellow Israelite
.....returns 'to Egypt' from Midian with 'Zipporah and Gershom'
..b' Moses comes to pharoah's house as adult (5.1-4)
....demands that pharaoh 'send' (šlh) Israelites into wilderness; pharaoh refuses to 'send' (šlh) them
a' worse oppression by pharaoh 'who did not know Joseph' (5.5-6.13)
..Israelites are subjected to 'heavier work' (siblôt), 'toil' ('ăbōdâ), and making 'bricks' (lĕbēnîm)
..'intensification of persecution'; harsh 'commands' (siwwâ) of pharaoh
..'taskmasters set' (śîm) foremen over Israelites
..pharaoh says, "Behold, the 'people' ('am) are too 'many' (rab)"

 

[gbear]

Well, I'm sure God would have really killed him if He meant to... but it appears that God is confronting Moses in a most serious way about the circumcision of his sons... his wife Zipporah is obviously upset about it, but God is kind of saying "look, you're going into Egypt at my calling and you and your family must be set apart"
Look at www.blueletterbible.org David Guzik's commentary on this... that's basically his take on it.

And why Moses' sons?? I think its because God takes family very serious as well.

Circumcision signifies the cutting away of the flesh in the Christians life... Zipporah, understandably is upset about Moses wanting to do this and is protective of the children... Moses was probably just being non confrontive about the whole thing and went along with his wife... but God puts him near death... and it appears that Zipporah understands this and so performs the circumcision herself. Again www.blueletterbible.org Chuck Smith commentary in a nutshell.

 

[Nazaroo]

Exodus 1.1-6.13
a oppression by pharaoh 'who did not know Joseph' (1.1-22)
..Isrealites are subjected to 'heavy work' (siblôt), 'toil' (‘ăbōdâ), and making 'bricks' (lĕbēnîm)
..'intensification of persecution'; harsh 'commands' (siwwâ) of pharaoh
..'taskmasters set' (śîm) over the Israelites

..pharoah says, "Behold, the 'people' ('am) are too 'many' (rab)"

..b Moses comes to pharaoh's house as baby (2.1-10)

....daughter of pharaoh 'sends' (šlh) her maiden to take Moses from water
...c Moses departs from Egypt (2.11-25)
.....Moses 'sees' (rā'â) a 'kinsman' ('āh) being beaten by Egyptian
.....he 'kills' the Egyptian; pharaoh 'hears' of it and 'seeks' (biqqēš) to 'kill' (hārag) Moses
.....Moses rejected by fellow Israelites
.....flees to Midian 'from Egypt', marries 'Zipporah'; 'Gershom' born
......d TURNING POINT: call of Moses (3.1-4.17)
...c' Moses returns to Egypt (4.18-31)
.....Moses wants to return to 'see' (rā'â) how his 'kinsmen' ('āh) are doing under the Egyptians
.....'hears' that pharaoh who 'seeks' (biqqēš) to kill him is dead; God's message for pharaoh: "I will 'kill' (hārag) your firstborn"; God 'seeks' (biqqēš) to 'kill' (hārag)Moses on way
.....Moses accepted by fellow Israelite
.....returns 'to Egypt' from Midian with 'Zipporah and Gershom'
..b' Moses comes to pharoah's house as adult (5.1-4)
....demands that pharaoh 'send' (šlh) Israelites into wilderness; pharaoh refuses to 'send' (šlh) them
a' worse oppression by pharaoh 'who did not know Joseph' (5.5-6.13)
..Israelites are subjected to 'heavier work' (siblôt), 'toil' ('ăbōdâ), and making 'bricks' (lĕbēnîm)
..'intensification of persecution'; harsh 'commands' (siwwâ) of pharaoh
..'taskmasters set' (śîm) foremen over Israelites
..pharaoh says, "Behold, the 'people' ('am) are too 'many' (rab)"

My jaw has dropped.
Did you discover this dcyates?
It is pure genius.

Chiastic construction in Exodus nicely done.

Is there more?

 

[dcyates]

My jaw has dropped.
Did you discover this dcyates?
It is pure genius.

Chiastic construction in Exodus nicely done.

Is there more?

Oh yeah, tons more. In fact, I've found chiasms within larger chiasms. Indeed, when I was teaching an 'Intro to the OT' course a few years ago, I tried to see if the entire Pentateuch fit into one big chiastic structure. Try as I might, I just couldn't make it work. Then, by pure happenstance, when I was reading in preparation for the lecture on the book of Joshua, I noticed that near the end of it, in Joshua 24.2, in his address to all of Israel Joshua mentions their "forefathers" Terah, Abraham, and his brother Nahor. I checked, and other than way back in Genesis 11 this is the only other instance where we find mentioned the names of Abraham's father and brother in all of Scripture. This gave me the idea to include Joshua. Sure enough, Genesis 1 to Joshua 24 fits into a perfect chiasm. I was, to put it mildly, quite blown away.

 

[justified]

Oh yeah, tons more. In fact, I've found chiasms within larger chiasms. Indeed, when I was teaching an 'Intro to the OT' course a few years ago, I tried to see if the entire Pentateuch fit into one big chiastic structure. Try as I might, I just couldn't make it work. Then, by pure happenstance, when I was reading in preparation for the lecture on the book of Joshua, I noticed that near the end of it, in Joshua 24.2, in his address to all of Israel Joshua mentions their "forefathers" Terah, Abraham, and his brother Nahor. I checked, and other than way back in Genesis 11 this is the only other instance where we find mentioned the names of Abraham's father and brother in all of Scripture. This gave me the idea to include Joshua. Sure enough, Genesis 1 to Joshua 24 fits into a perfect chiasm. I was, to put it mildly, quite blown away.

[/COLOR]

I'd love to see you publish it. That would be fun.

 

[Nazaroo]

Regarding the interpretation of "at his feet" as "genitals", in the Revised English Bible (Oxford 1989),
you can see my thread here:

http://www.theologyonline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1037933#post1037933