Reading for July 28th

 Read Exodus: 3.13-22. Moses' second objection is a request for God's name. God reveals the new divine name as I am who I am ("ehyeh asher ehyeh") or I will be who I will be. His name is a wordplay on the divine name "yhwh," usually pronounced "Yahweh." The name "Yahweh" derives from the verb "to be" ("hayah") and may be translated "he causes to be" or "he creates." Ancient Jewish practice considered the divine name "Yahweh" so holy and special that it should never be pronounced. Wherever that name occurred, the reader used instead the Hebrew word for "the Lord" ("adonai"). This NRSV translation follows this ancient practice, substituting "the Lord" for every occurrence of "Yahweh" in the Hebrew text. The divine name I am who I am, reveals God's intention to be present with Israel. At the same time, the name hides some God's character until a later time of disclosure (33.19; 34.6-7). Moreover, the text underscores the identification of the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob from the book of Genesis with the same God whose new name is revealed as the Lord ("Yahweh"). In verse 18: Sacrifice involves the killing of an animal and offering part of it to the deity as an act of worship and devotion. In verse 22: God's pressure on the Egyptians to release the Israelites will eventually become so strong that the Egyptians will be anxious to send them away with gold, silver, and fine clothing. In this way, Israel will plunder the Egyptians and take their war booty as a sign that God has won a victory in the battle with Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The promise is fulfilled in 12.33-26. Comments or Questions...