Tag: Exodus 3

Israel’s Plunder

Posted on by jovial_cynic

וְאִתָּ֖נוּ תֵּשֵׁ֑בוּ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם שְׁבוּ֙ וּסְחָר֔וּהָ וְהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּ בָּֽהּ׃
You will dwell among us, and the land will be open before you; settle, move about, and acquire holdings in it.”
Genesis 34:10 (Revised JPS, 2023)

I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. Thus you will plunder the Egyptians.”
Exodus 3:21-22 (NASB 1995)

There’s a fascinating and seemingly prophetic statement that Hamor says to Jacob and his sons after Dinah is violated. Jacob already knows that God has promised the land to him. But here, Hamor says “the land will be open before you to settle and move about and acquire possession.” This sounds like a plunder.

Jump to Exodus, after Egypt has violated Israel, and God tells Moses directly: you will plunder the Egyptians.

It’s an interesting parallel.

From the Fire

Posted on by jovial_cynic

Then [God] said to him, “I am יהוה who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to assign this land to you as a possession.”
Genesis 15:7 (The Contemporary Torah, JPS 2006)

The Midrash contains a fascinating story about Abram, suggesting that Nimrod (king of Babylon) threw Abram into a blazing furnace for not worshipping his idol. “Ur” means “flame.”

He was in the fire, but not consumed by it.

The rabbis say that Genesis 15:7 is the first time God tells Abram His name.

Later, when God meets Moses, He presents His name and another fire, this time on a bush that is not consumed.

Perhaps this is how Moses remembers the covenant God made with Abram: these are intentionally linked stories. God preserves us, even through the fire that should consume us.