Moses and God: Where Characterization Meets Theology

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Abstract: The present essay elucidates the characterization of God, Moses, and their relationship through the literary category of "character zones." A "character zone" can be thought of as a character's sphere of influence or voice which may overlap and infiltrate other characters' zones and which may contain varying degrees of the narrator's zone. This concept is particularly useful for exploring the relationship between Moses and God. The dynamic of an overlapping character zone is explicitly highlighted when God tells Moses that Aaron "shall serve as a mouth for you, and you shall serve as God for him" (Exod 4:16). The co-mingling of God's and Moses's character zones is explicit. As an exploration of this dynamic, the present essay will explore Moses's characterization in Exod 2:11–14 and highlight ways in which Moses's character zone overlaps with God's and contrasts with God. In the process, this essay will highlight the way that characterization can meet theology in biblical narrative.