Texts in Conversation
Deuteronomy retells the narrative of Moses’ intercession from Numbers, where Moses warns God that the nations would interpret Israel’s destruction as proof he was unable to keep his promise which would damage the divine reputation.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Numbers 14:15
Hebrew Bible
14 then they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, Lord, are among this people, that you, Lord, are seen face to face, that your cloud stands over them, and that you go before them by day in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 If you kill this entire people at once, then the nations that have heard of your fame will say, 16 ‘Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to them, he killed them in the wilderness.’ 17 So now, let the power of my Lord be great, just as you have said,
Deuteronomy 9:28
Hebrew Bible
27 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; ignore the stubbornness, wickedness, and sin of these people. 28 Otherwise the people of the land from which you brought us will say, “The Lord was unable to bring them to the land he promised them, and because of his hatred for them he has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.” 29 They are your people, your valued property, whom you brought out with great strength and power.
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Notes and References
“... 3. Moses offers to YHWH a motivation in addition to the ancient promise (verse 28). He appeals to YHWH’s concern for YHWH’s own reputation, an appeal that makes powerful sense in a ‘shame society.’ YHWH does not want to be shamed in the eyes of the watching nations (on which see also Ezekiel 36:22–33). In the earlier text of Exodus 32:12, the presumed Egyptian construal of YHWH’s proposed judgment against Israel is that YHWH had an evil intent in the first place, that is, YHWH is not faithful. This petition, however, offers a different verdict by the watching nations, more in line with Numbers 14:16, ‘not able,’ that is, YHWH is not powerful. Either verdict, not faithful or not powerful, would be an unbearable scandal of YHWH. Here the appeal concerns the power of YHWH. ...”
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