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1. Investigating Structure 49
the correspondence of 'Abraham, Isaac and Jacob' where the actual
names are repeated, and claim correspondence where different
terminology is chosen.
Auffret comments that 'the inclusion of the whole by the phrase "I
am Yahweh" (vv. 2, 8) is obvious' and that 'since the same phrase can
also be seen in direct speech in v. 6, we can suppose that there is a
correspondence of v. 2 with v. 6.. .as of v. 6 with v. 8'. 1 But why
is it permissible to ignore the fact that 'I am Yahweh your God'
occurs in v. 7? This must surely cause confusion to a reader who is
meant to see a strong connection between vv. 2, 6 and 8 by means of
the phrase in question. In addition the actual similarity to which
Auffret draws attention in vv. 2 and 6 is not a striking one: 'And he
said to him'—'Say to the Israelites'. The verb is one of the most
common in the Old Testament, it occurs first as part of a stereotyped
formula which occurs frequently to introduce a prophetic message,
and the preposition is not even the same (*?«/*?).
Auffret proceeds from here to construct an intricate pattern which
may, I think, be represented as follows:
Y (v. 2)
Y O C+E O Y (vv. 3-6a)
Y (v. 6a: does double duty)
E Y E ( v . 6b-7)
C O C (v. 8aba)
Y (v. 8bB)
Those who are convinced that Auffret's characterization of these
verses is correct may persevere with the rest of his analysis. It seems
to me that his theological conclusions are basically right, 2 but that his
literary analysis is artificial and precarious.
Magonet's criticism of Auffret is very brief and restrained, 3 concentrating
on his 'forced translation' (a description I should endorse):
'and if it was not by my name YHWH that I made myself known, I
nevertheless swore by the oath I took with them...', and the loss of
1. 'Literary Structure', p. 49.
2. Thus, if Yahweh, moved by Israel's distress in Egypt, decides to reveal
himself by freeing it, it is by faithfulness to his oath which he remembers. Then we
see that the two stages, oath to the Fathers and revelation of the Name to Israel are
joined together'.
3. 'A Response', pp. 73-74.