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Moses: The Revelation and the Covenant
“To the best of my knowledge,” writes Martin Buber of this book, “what has been essayed here is the first comprehensive attempt of its kinds.”
Buber—steeped as he is in the literature of the Old Testament—here seeks to disengage history from saga and to convey the meaning of Sinai to the 20th century.
“In this book a fascinating attempt is made to depict the historical Moses. The work is rich in brilliant comment. He has profound things to say on the flight of Moses to Midian, where he met with a life resembling that of his ancestors; on the Burning Bush, where he saw fire, but no form; and Moses before Pharaoh, as the first historical instance of prophet versus king; on the contrast between Moses summoned by God, and Balaam, made use of by Him. The style is invariably clear, precise and dignified. This is a book to be read, re-read and treasured.”—David Daube, Regius Professor, Oxford University
Buber—steeped as he is in the literature of the Old Testament—here seeks to disengage history from saga and to convey the meaning of Sinai to the 20th century.
“In this book a fascinating attempt is made to depict the historical Moses. The work is rich in brilliant comment. He has profound things to say on the flight of Moses to Midian, where he met with a life resembling that of his ancestors; on the Burning Bush, where he saw fire, but no form; and Moses before Pharaoh, as the first historical instance of prophet versus king; on the contrast between Moses summoned by God, and Balaam, made use of by Him. The style is invariably clear, precise and dignified. This is a book to be read, re-read and treasured.”—David Daube, Regius Professor, Oxford University
- GenresPhilosophyReligion
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1945
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85 people want to read
About the author
Martin Buber
413 books473 followersMartin Buber was an Austrian-born Jewish philosopher best known for his philosophy of dialogue, a religious existentialism centered on the distinction between the I-Thou relationship and the I-It relationship.
Buber came from a family of observant Jews, but broke with Jewish custom to pursue secular studies in philosophy. In 1902, Buber became the editor of the weekly Die Welt, the central organ of the Zionist movement, although he later withdrew from organizational work in Zionism. In 1923 Buber wrote his famous essay on existence, Ich und Du (later translated into English as I and Thou), and in 1925 he began translating the Hebrew Bible into the German language.
In 1930 Buber became an honorary professor at the University of Frankfurt am Main, and resigned in protest from his professorship immediately after Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933. He then founded the Central Office for Jewish Adult Education, which became an increasingly important body as the German government forbade Jews to attend public education. In 1938, Buber left Germany and settled in Jerusalem, in the British Mandate of Palestine, receiving a professorship at Hebrew University and lecturing in anthropology and introductory sociology.
Buber came from a family of observant Jews, but broke with Jewish custom to pursue secular studies in philosophy. In 1902, Buber became the editor of the weekly Die Welt, the central organ of the Zionist movement, although he later withdrew from organizational work in Zionism. In 1923 Buber wrote his famous essay on existence, Ich und Du (later translated into English as I and Thou), and in 1925 he began translating the Hebrew Bible into the German language.
In 1930 Buber became an honorary professor at the University of Frankfurt am Main, and resigned in protest from his professorship immediately after Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933. He then founded the Central Office for Jewish Adult Education, which became an increasingly important body as the German government forbade Jews to attend public education. In 1938, Buber left Germany and settled in Jerusalem, in the British Mandate of Palestine, receiving a professorship at Hebrew University and lecturing in anthropology and introductory sociology.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 6, 2019
I originally posted an Amazon review of this book in June, 2003, after re-reading my tattered Harper paperback, and edited it in February 2005, with reference to the book. That was quite a while ago, and I no longer have a copy to check, so I've restricted myself to amplifying the latter version (https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re... ), which can now be found on Amazon under the Humanity Books edition of 1988, re-issued with an introduction by the distinguished Biblical scholar Michael Fishbane (which I haven't seen). I've expanded some of the background, and added links, and two additional titles, to the other books by Buber I mention.
"Moses," usually, as in the edition here reviewed, published as "Moses: The Revelation and the Covenant," is probably the most readable of Martin Buber's longer Biblical studies (which I note below). It is a distinctly, but eccentrically, Jewish treatment of the topic, looking forward to Jewish history, not to a Christian Redemption. It was written while Buber, originally in collaboration with the Jewish philosopher Franz Rosenzweig, was engaged in a complete new German translation of the Hebrew Bible, and in places reflects his very close study of the text.
For those familiar with traditional Jewish biblical interpretation, its influence on Buber's thought, and his willingness to work out implications by suggesting supplemental interpretations to the biblical narrative, will be apparent. This combination of traditional approaches (not substance) and earlier twentieth-century scholarship makes "Moses" interesting to read, but difficult to classify. (Amazon software is clueless: it catalogues it under "Bible Study and Reference," which is fine, but as a sub-set of "Christian Books & Bibles," which it certainly isn't.)
It combines a sense of narrative movement with ingenious interpretations (often backed by formidable, if now obsolete, scholarship, almost always tucked away in endnotes), rhapsodies on freedom and the desert, reflections on the experiences described as miracles, and some hard political thought. Buber wrote too early to make much use of the Ugaritic texts of the late Bronze Age, revealing a culture closely related to that of contemporary Canaan. The close parallels between some ancient Near Eastern treaties (Hittite to Neo-Assyrian) and Biblical covenants had not yet come under the scrutiny they would receive in later decades.
The book may also be a surprise to those who know Buber only from the philosophy of I and Thou or the story-telling of Tales of the Hasidim, Vols 1-2.
Together with a much more difficult book by Buber, Kingship of God, it presents early Israelite religion as including a revolutionary social movement, egalitarian and anti-state, yet demanding accountability and public order. Similar ideas, usually less attractively expressed, and often less carefully nuanced, began to appear in the late 1960s or early 1970s, and in some cases remain influential. Buber's priority is not always acknowledged. Of course it is easy to believe that the ferment of their time was as influential on these interpreters as the first part of the twentieth century was on Buber, and that they came to their conclusions independently.
Buber's The Prophetic Faith deals with the Genesis narratives, some of the Prophets, and Job, and for much of its length is less obviously political; in some ways, his study of modern socialist movements, Paths in Utopia is at least as closely related to "Moses." For Buber's less extensive treatments of other Biblical topics, see his On the Bible: Eighteen Studies also published as just "On the Bible," and (apparently -- I've only seen this on Amazon) as "Biblical Humanism: Eighteen Studies by Martin Buber." Other short studies, of Some Psalms and Genesis (in comparison to Old Persian myths), are included in Good and Evil: Two Interpretations, "Right and Wrong: An Interpretation of Some Psalms" and "Images of Good and Evil"
Some readers, looking for traditional religious edification, will probably find Buber's presentation too rationalistic and secular. I am sure that there are those who will be upset by Buber's interpretation of Moses asking God for His true name, and the unhelpful answer, as showing the influence of Egyptian name magic.
Others, encouraged at first by the footnotes and the assumption that the biblical text cannot be taken literally, will find him, well, too religious.
If you approach "Moses: The Revelation and the Covenant" as the work of a religious philosopher with a strong interest in social issues, and a willingness to take the ancient text very seriously, but not literally, you will find much of interest.
"Moses," usually, as in the edition here reviewed, published as "Moses: The Revelation and the Covenant," is probably the most readable of Martin Buber's longer Biblical studies (which I note below). It is a distinctly, but eccentrically, Jewish treatment of the topic, looking forward to Jewish history, not to a Christian Redemption. It was written while Buber, originally in collaboration with the Jewish philosopher Franz Rosenzweig, was engaged in a complete new German translation of the Hebrew Bible, and in places reflects his very close study of the text.
For those familiar with traditional Jewish biblical interpretation, its influence on Buber's thought, and his willingness to work out implications by suggesting supplemental interpretations to the biblical narrative, will be apparent. This combination of traditional approaches (not substance) and earlier twentieth-century scholarship makes "Moses" interesting to read, but difficult to classify. (Amazon software is clueless: it catalogues it under "Bible Study and Reference," which is fine, but as a sub-set of "Christian Books & Bibles," which it certainly isn't.)
It combines a sense of narrative movement with ingenious interpretations (often backed by formidable, if now obsolete, scholarship, almost always tucked away in endnotes), rhapsodies on freedom and the desert, reflections on the experiences described as miracles, and some hard political thought. Buber wrote too early to make much use of the Ugaritic texts of the late Bronze Age, revealing a culture closely related to that of contemporary Canaan. The close parallels between some ancient Near Eastern treaties (Hittite to Neo-Assyrian) and Biblical covenants had not yet come under the scrutiny they would receive in later decades.
The book may also be a surprise to those who know Buber only from the philosophy of I and Thou or the story-telling of Tales of the Hasidim, Vols 1-2.
Together with a much more difficult book by Buber, Kingship of God, it presents early Israelite religion as including a revolutionary social movement, egalitarian and anti-state, yet demanding accountability and public order. Similar ideas, usually less attractively expressed, and often less carefully nuanced, began to appear in the late 1960s or early 1970s, and in some cases remain influential. Buber's priority is not always acknowledged. Of course it is easy to believe that the ferment of their time was as influential on these interpreters as the first part of the twentieth century was on Buber, and that they came to their conclusions independently.
Buber's The Prophetic Faith deals with the Genesis narratives, some of the Prophets, and Job, and for much of its length is less obviously political; in some ways, his study of modern socialist movements, Paths in Utopia is at least as closely related to "Moses." For Buber's less extensive treatments of other Biblical topics, see his On the Bible: Eighteen Studies also published as just "On the Bible," and (apparently -- I've only seen this on Amazon) as "Biblical Humanism: Eighteen Studies by Martin Buber." Other short studies, of Some Psalms and Genesis (in comparison to Old Persian myths), are included in Good and Evil: Two Interpretations, "Right and Wrong: An Interpretation of Some Psalms" and "Images of Good and Evil"
Some readers, looking for traditional religious edification, will probably find Buber's presentation too rationalistic and secular. I am sure that there are those who will be upset by Buber's interpretation of Moses asking God for His true name, and the unhelpful answer, as showing the influence of Egyptian name magic.
Others, encouraged at first by the footnotes and the assumption that the biblical text cannot be taken literally, will find him, well, too religious.
If you approach "Moses: The Revelation and the Covenant" as the work of a religious philosopher with a strong interest in social issues, and a willingness to take the ancient text very seriously, but not literally, you will find much of interest.
November 4, 2020
Later editions being given the subtitle, "The Revelation & the Covenant," this is a scholarly contribution to the debate about the historicity of the figure of Moses.
June 2, 2024
Interesting book attempting to reconstruct a historical kernel of Moses and his life contra the prevailing academic accounts of biblical composition. Challenged me on the Kenite hypothesis to my surprise and great impressment, though idk how well the research holds up today.
April 10, 2020
Buber walks the line between full textual criticism and desiring to follow the biblical text as it was written. While I enjoy the attempted synthesis, now it just looks like a hermeneutic where you can cherry pick from both sides of the aisle to support your theories instead of just one.
Regardless of that, it was pretty good and there are some great insights into the nature of Moses as seen by Buber and the creation/role of Israelite culture in its early days.
Regardless of that, it was pretty good and there are some great insights into the nature of Moses as seen by Buber and the creation/role of Israelite culture in its early days.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews