Moses went how many days without food and water?

[ByTheSpirit]

So the normal answer here is 40, and it's not wrong, but does this passage in Deuteronomy 9 actually suggest that Moses went 80 days without food or water?

When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I ate no bread and drank no water.
Then the LORD gave me the two stone tablets, inscribed by the finger of God with the exact words that the LORD spoke to you out of the fire on the mountain on the day of the assembly. And at the end of forty days and forty nights, the LORD gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant. And the LORD said to me, “Get up and go down from here at once, for your people, whom you brought out of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. How quickly they have turned aside from the way that I commanded them! They have made for themselves a molten image.” Deuteronomy 9:9-12 (BSB)

Then as Moses comes down from the mountain and smashes the tablets this is recorded...

So I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands, shattering them before your eyes.
Then I fell down before the LORD for forty days and forty nights, as I had done the first time. I did not eat bread or drink water because of all the sin you had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD and provoking Him to anger. Deuteronomy 9:17-18 (BSB)


There is no indication there at all that Moses grabbed a bite to eat or even took a sip of water. So did Moses actually go 80 days without food or water?

No obviously, this is not a segue for me to say I think we need to go 80 days without food or water. Moses was able to do so because of the literal presence of God, divine intervention so to say.

I just find it interesting that scripture likely records Moses as going nearly 3 months without food or dink.

 

[tonychanyt]

I just find it interesting that scripture likely records Moses as going nearly 3 months without food or dink.

I put some weight on your comment.

After Moses came down the mountain, there is no mention that Moses ate anything; there is no mention that he fasted either. I'd assume that he did eat and drink in between the two 40-day fasts.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

I put some weight on your comment.

After Moses came down the mountain, there is no mention that Moses ate anything; there is no mention that he fasted either. I'd assume that he did eat and drink in between the two 40-day fasts.

I would assume as much too, but if we look at the text what do we see?

He goes up the mountain for 40 days to get the 10 commandments. He doesn't eat or drink during this time.

The LORD tells him to go down for the people have prostituted themselves to an idol. So Moses comes down. It says he sees the idol and rebukes the people, then smashes the tablets.

Then he heads right back up the mountain to intercede for the people another 40 days which he doesn't eat or drink again.

It's not a smart idea to go several days without food then suddenly gorge yourself. I'm just not sure where Moses would have time there to eat much of anything.

I mean ultimately it doesn't really matter of course if he did or didn't. But it's interesting to see

 

[Aussie Pete]

So the normal answer here is 40, and it's not wrong, but does this passage in Deuteronomy 9 actually suggest that Moses went 80 days without food or water?

When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I ate no bread and drank no water.
Then the LORD gave me the two stone tablets, inscribed by the finger of God with the exact words that the LORD spoke to you out of the fire on the mountain on the day of the assembly. And at the end of forty days and forty nights, the LORD gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant. And the LORD said to me, “Get up and go down from here at once, for your people, whom you brought out of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. How quickly they have turned aside from the way that I commanded them! They have made for themselves a molten image.” Deuteronomy 9:9-12 (BSB)

Then as Moses comes down from the mountain and smashes the tablets this is recorded...

So I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands, shattering them before your eyes.
Then I fell down before the LORD for forty days and forty nights, as I had done the first time. I did not eat bread or drink water because of all the sin you had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD and provoking Him to anger. Deuteronomy 9:17-18 (BSB)


There is no indication there at all that Moses grabbed a bite to eat or even took a sip of water. So did Moses actually go 80 days without food or water?

No obviously, this is not a segue for me to say I think we need to go 80 days without food or water. Moses was able to do so because of the literal presence of God, divine intervention so to say.

I just find it interesting that scripture likely records Moses as going nearly 3 months without food or dink.

I don't know. I don't believe that you can argue from silence. One thing is for sure, 40 days without food is likely to kill the one fasting. If Moses went 80 days, it was a miracle. Going without water for more than a few days will be fatal.