Literary Devices – Shemot 3
Type Scenes
Robert Alter has identified a convention of Biblical narrative in which a basic narrative sequence appears multiple times in Tanakh, each time with modifications that serve the needs of the specific unit. Paying attention to the deviations from the expected template often reveals the hidden messages of the individual story.
Initiation Prophecies
One of the prominent type-scenes in Tanakh is the נבואת הקדשה (a prophet’s first prophecy). It is fruitful to compare and contrast Moshe’s initial prophecy with that of others, such as Gidon (Shofetim Chapter 6), Shemuel (Shemuel I Chapter 3), Yeshayahu (Yeshayahu Chapter 6), Yirmeyahu (Yirmeyahu Chapter 1), and Yechezkel (Yechezkel Chapter 1).
Articles
- See Shemuel’s Consecration Prophecy by R. Amnon Bazak for comparison of Moshe’s and Shemuel’s consecration prophecies. The parallels between both the prophecies and other aspects of the two leaders' lives1 convey that Shemuel represents a new "Moshe", and a new beginning for the Jewish people after the failure of Eli’s leadership.
- See Before I Formed You in the Belly I Knew You: Yirmiyahu’s Prophecy of Consecration, by R. David Sabato, for analysis of the essential components of prophecies of consecration, with a focus on Yirmeyahu. While Yirmeyahu’s first prophecy has much in common with Moshe’s, Yirmeyahu’s task is to prophesy about destruction and exile whereas Moshe’s is to lead the people to redemption. Throughout his life, Yirmeyahu must contend with false prophets, maintaining fidelity to the word of God as he follows in Moshe’s footsteps as a true prophet of Hashem.
Symbolism
Water
Water is an important symbol in the narrative of Moshe.
- He begins his life by taking refuge near water twice (Shemot 2:3 and 2:15).
- The Nile features prominently in the story of the plagues, and the Splitting of the Sea is the climax of the Exodus narrative.
- Moshe leads the Israelites out of a nation known for its fecundity due to its plentiful water source into an arid desert and ultimately to a land flowing with milk and honey but not with water.
- Moshe’s need to provide water for the people features in several pivotal stories. In this context, it is significant that Moshe’s first encounter with Hashem takes place deep in the desert (“אחר המדבר”) and with a symbol of fire.
- The significance of the symbol of water and lack of water perhaps lies in Moshe’s message that water -- essential to life, and representing the power, wealth, and self-sufficiency of Egypt -- is not as important as fealty to God.