Rosenberg suggests that we consider the editor an artist in his own right in Back to
the Sources
). On the surface, two stories may seem to contradict one another, but
if the reader pays attention, one discovers that these stories have different points
of view that complement each other. For instance, in chapter 1 of Genesis, God
appears from the heavens to create the creatures of the world, including the
human. In chapters 2 and 3 (considered to be written by a different author), God
appears to have a much closer relationship with the human being, even sharing
the Garden of Eden with the first woman and man. Thus we can appreciate God
both as a transcendent being and as a figure who is quite close to the human. Later
in the Bible, David is introduced to us in 1 Samuel 16 as a simple shepherd boy,
chosen by God, and in the very next story David wins popular praise, thanks to his
daring and skill with a slingshot. These stories also complement each other. David
is chosen by God, who loves him, but at the same time he earns a reputation due
to his exceptional gifts. (See Robert Alter,
The David Story, for a translation and
commentary on the relevant chapters.)
Sometimes dif
ferent stories disagree. In Genesis 1, all that God creates is good.
But in Genesis 2, God cr
eates a tree of knowledge of good and bad. Is God the
source only of good or of both good and bad? (See Israel Knohl,
The Divine
Symphony
, for a fuller discussion of the differ
ences between these stories.) In the
book of Numbers, memory is seen as both positive and pr
oblematic. Chapter 10
repor
ts that the priests designed specially hammered trumpets to be used first in
the wilder
ness and later in the Temple. If blown in the Land, the trumpets will
remind the people of that long-ago journey through the wilderness when God
accompanied the people until they successfully arrived in the Promised Land.
That memor
y unifies the people and reinforces their loyalty to God and to the
priests. Yet in chapter 11, memory proves to be very destructive. The people are
overcome with memories of Egyptian delicacies and want to abandon God and
their leaders and immediately return to Egypt. In consequence, an entire
generation will not enter the Land.
In each example, the editor has placed two stories next to one another to
challenge us to think about such important matters as the nature of God, the
origins of evil, the complex personality of King David, and the unreliability of
memory. These stories represent different viewpoints, written by different
authors in different times, and then placed together by yet another figure, the
editor. The Bible does nothing less than preserve the collective wisdom and
religious experiences not just of one writer but of generations of writers.
Moses and the Story of Israel
I conclude this chapter by looking at one story in some detail—the early life of
Moses, found in Exodus 1:3. It is an example that illustrates many of the points
made earlier. Though about an individual, Moses, the narrative anticipates and
introduces the story about the community Israel. We can also glimpse the
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