Texts in Conversation
Deuteronomy describes Moses using language that elsewhere refers only to God, including references to signs, wonders, and displays of power. In Jeremiah, these same phrases are used to describe divine acts, but in Deuteronomy they are applied directly to Moses, perhaps to distinguish him from other prophets.
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Deuteronomy 34:11
Hebrew Bible
9 Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had placed his hands on him; and the Israelites listened to him and did just what the Lord had commanded Moses. 10 No prophet ever again arose in Israel like Moses, who knew the Lord face to face. 11 He did all the signs and wonders the Lord had sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, all his servants, and the whole land, 12 and he displayed great power and awesome might in view of all Israel.
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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Jeremiah 32:21
Hebrew Bible
20 You did miracles and amazing deeds in the land of Egypt that have had lasting effect. By this means you gained both in Israel and among humankind a renown that lasts to this day. 21 You used your mighty power and your great strength to perform miracles and amazing deeds and to bring great terror on the Egyptians. By this means you brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt. 22 You kept the promise that you swore on oath to their ancestors. You gave them a land flowing with milk and honey.
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Deuteronomy 34 has the impression of the Pentateuch redaction on the basis of verse 4, but also of verse 10: Moses is here categorically separate from the prophets and presented as arch-prophet, whom no later prophet can match. Deuteronomy 34:10 intends to separate Moses from the subsequent prophets. This separation between “Moses” and the “prophets” is a type of argument that can most simply be explained in terms of the formation of the canon. Moses must be set off from the “Prophets” if the Torah is to be qualitatively superior to the “Prophets” (that is, the prophetic books of Joshua–Malachi, namely the canon section of the “Prophets”). The content of this perspective is also inserted into the subsequent statement in verses 10–12 (see also Deuteronomy 4:34; 26:8; Jeremiah 32:21) ... Striking in this passage is the audacious manner in which the acts of God are transferred to Moses. The “signs and wonders,” and “the mighty deeds” and “terrifying displays of power” are attributed to Moses. The tradition usually attributes these to God, and only to God. Through Deuteronomy 34:11–12 Moses moves as close as possible to God—evidently in order to support his classification as the “arch-prophet” ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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