As for the question regarding the historical presuppositions of
Mosaism, there generally underlies it a misunderstanding arising
out of theological intellectualism-an attribute found with
special frequency among nontheologians. Moses gave no new idea
of God to his people. The question whence he could have derived
it therefore need not be raised. It could not possibly be worse
answered, however, than by a reference to his relations witb the
priestly caste of Egypt and their wisdom. It is not to be
believed that an Egyptian deity could inspire the Hebrews of
Goshen with courage for the struggle against the Egyptians, or
that an abstraction of esoteric speculation could become the
national deity of Israel. It is not inconceivable indeed,
although at the same time quite incapable of proof, that Moses
was indebted to the Egyptian priests for certain advantages of
personal culture, or that he borrowed from them on all hands in
external details of organisation or in matters of ritual. But
the origin of the germ which developed into Israel is not to be
sought for in Egypt, and Jehovah has nothing in common with the
colourless divinity of Penta-ur or with the God-forsaken dreariness
of certain modern Egyptologists.
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