Elliott Kanbar

The Tragedy of Moses Elliott Kanbar

Leader. Prophet. Liberator. Moses was the only human permitted to know God face to face-- and yet what do we know of him? With humor and deep empathy, this book (mostly in verse) examines some of the questions about Moses that have perplexed Biblical scholars for generations: * Why did God wait 400 years before deciding to rescue the Israelites? * Why were the Israelites subjected to forty years of wandering in the Sinai Desert when it was possible to cross in just a few weeks? * Why wasn't Aaron punished for being the ringleader in the construction of the Golden Calf? Or for his attempt to overthrow Moses? * Why did God kill the innocent together with the guilty? * And, finally, the tragedy of Moses: Why did God so ruthlessly punish Moses for a minor infraction by not allowing him to enter The Promised Land? With insights that make this ancient story relevant to our contemporary lives, 'The Tragedy of Moses' illuminates a complex, humble man who grapples to understand and obey a volatile, mercurial God.