THE DIVISION OF THE BOOK OF EXODUS 1–18
examples of different English and other language editions of the Bible

Below there are presented manners of dividing the Book of Exodus in different foreign–language editions. This specification shows how different editorial staffs, translating the Book of Exodus, understood its literary structure.

THE DIVISION OF THE BOOK OF EXODUS 1–18
examples of different Polish editions of the Bible

Below there are presented manners of dividing the Book of Exodus in different Polish editions. This specification shows how different editorial staffs, translating the Book of Exodus, understood its literary structure.

TRUTHFULLY SCIENTIFIC
METHODOLOGICAL RULES
OF THE BIBLE RESEARCH

WHETHER THE INVESTIGATION
OF THE ELEPHANT
THROUGH THE LOUPE
IS A GOOD METHOD?

Let us notice:

• If I always look through the loupe on the skin of the elephant, then:
  • I will never see the elephant en bloc,
  • I will never know that elephants exist.

The Formgeschichte method presupposes that the text of the Bible must be broken into smaller units of the definite class of literature, but does not assume that the each book in its canonical form (i.e. the form given for each book by its last hagiographer–editor, inspired by God), has the literary structure being superior over these units and ordering the manner of the interpretation of these units.

THE HISTORICAL TRUTH OF EXO 1–18:
a fundamental methodological criterion

Let us name the two following types of literary genres as “historical genres”:

• The historical report,
• The historical novel (i.e., either a fiction/tale imitating historical relation or an intentionally written mendacious history).

Let us note:

• If somebody writes mendacious history, he does not use any characteristic, specific literary genre, the genre being used exclusively for mendacious histories. Quite the opposite – anyone interested in lying to his readers makes everything so that his “work” could be considered a true story. To achieve the deception goal, such a “creator” applies the same literary genre as the authors of the true histories do.
• After considering the features of the author of the text, one ought to pass to consider the features of the text itself. It should be ascertained: the text of mendacious history does not differ structurally by the literary form (literary genre) from the true history.
• After considering the author’s features and text features, one ought to think over the reader’s possibilities and impossibilities. It should be noted:
  • The reader or explorer using the linguistic criterion itself will never be able to distinguish the historical relation (i.e., true history) from the historical novel (i.e., imaginary story) because the same grammatical/terminological dress appears in these both historical genres of literature.
  • Therefore, in researching the Bible, one cannot presuppose that the text written in compliance with a convention of the historical literature genre is not a historical relation but only a novel (historical fiction). Many representatives of scientific circles succumb to this methodological error (including Biblicist that use the Redaktionsgeschichte method, although they appreciate the text in its final form).

It is worth recalling what Pope Benedict XV wrote in 1920, in the Encyclical Spiritus Paraclitus  [1]: “history (…) must square with the facts, since history is the written account of events as they actually occurred” (No. 22).

Then the Pope notes that the Bible does not contain “pseudo-historical narratives” or “such kinds of literature [which] cannot be reconciled with the entire and perfect truth of God’s word” (No. 26)

THE HISTORICAL TRUTH OF EXO 1–18:
in the light of the rule of obedience to the Magisterium of the Church

If it is found as a result of research that Exo 1–18 meets the requirements being placed on the historical classes of literature then:

• Nobody can state in advance that it is only the hagiographer’s literary form of expressing the intervention of God in the interest of Israel
  (as it is usually understood by the Biblical scholars working under the assumptions of the Formgeschichte method)
• One ought to understand – in the obedience to the Magisterium of the Church – the Book of Exodus 1–18 is a historic document, the true one, not being thought-out by the writer for some aims important for him.
  This should be done and it is worth to be done: knowing the truth about God’s revelation and of the meaning of God’s speech addressed to the man will be an excellent result of this attitude, since Jesus Christ said to the Apostles and their successors (Luk 10,16):
  
  NAB “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me”.

IT IS WORTH TO KNOW RULES OF HEBREW RHETORIC
(semitic techniques of literary composition):

• Precursors are: R. Lowth and J. Bengl (XVII century)
• Relationships between elements of the structure:
  • parallelisms: Cf. Catholic Encyclopedia; See also: J. R. Lundbom
    • synonymous
    • antithetical
    • synthetic
  • concentric structures      A B C B’ A’
  • chiasmus structures        A B C C’ B’ A’        –   Cf. Wikipedia
  • inclusions                       A …………….. A
• These relations can connect:
  • not only verses,
  • but also greater fragments of the text.
• The literary medium of the meaning are (A. Schökel, 1981):
  • not only words or sentences,
  • but also relations between elements of the work structure.
• The study of the literary structure is like a radiography of the text (S. Hałas, 1998).

Examples of the Hebrew Rhetoric:

• Parallelisms:
  • Gen 27:29: the series of three successive parallelisms: two first are synonymous, and the third is antithetical:
    1. Let peoples serve you, And nations bow to you;
    2. master over your brothers, And let your mother’s sons bow to you.
    3. Cursed be they who curse you, Blessed they who bless you.
  • Sir 24:20–22: the series of three successive parallelisms: the first is synonymous, two next are synthetic:
    1. 20 For the memory of me is sweeter than honey, and the possession of me sweeter than the honeycomb.
    2. 21 Those who eat of me will hunger for more, and those who drink of me will thirst for more.
    3. 22 Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame, and those who work with me will not sin.
  • Isa 51,9–10: → please click to read the discussion of this parallelism in my doctoral dissertation (You should select pages 209–217 there)!
• Inclusion:
  • Inclusion consisting of two identical phrases “with Pharaoh king of Egypt” is in verses Exo 6,13 and Exo 6,27
  • Inclusion consisting of two pericopes: Exo 1,1–6,1 and Exo 15,22–18,27
• chiasmus: Chiasmus: chiasmus consisting of six pericopes

THE HEBREW BIBLE
AS THE SOURCE OF THE DIVINE REVELATION

The presented below example text of the Book of Exodus 4,18–23 from the Hebrew Bible shows the manner of recording of the God’s Revelation, the manner used by the inspired writers about six centures before the birth of Christ. In the text there are also visible Arabic numerals and Latin letters, introduced by contemporary publisher.

It is worth noting that this Hebrew text is a basic source for exegetical studies, whose aim is the most faithful reading of the divine revelation. The importance of this task cannot be overestimated because translator–exegete has to transmit the words of God himself!

THE HEBREW BIBLE
AS THE SOURCE FOR THE RESPONSIBLE INTERPRETATION
OF THE DIVINE REVELATION

Is it necessary today to read a Hebrew text since we have good, widely accepted translations of the Bible in the native languages? The answer is given by the Pope Pius XII in the Encyclical Divino afflante Spiritu  [1]:

“15. (…) For it is the duty of the exegete to lay hold, so to speak, with the greatest care and reverence of the very least expressions which, under the inspiration of the Divine Spirit, have flowed from the pen of the sacred writer, so as to arrive at a deeper and fuller knowledge of his meaning. 16. Wherefore let him diligently apply himself so as to acquire daily a greater facility in biblical as well as in other oriental languages and to support his interpretation by the aids which all branches of philology supply.”.

And next about the Bible texts:

“the original text (…) having been written by the inspired author himself, has more authority and greater weight than any even the very best translation, whether ancient or modern”.

THE ALLEGED DISCONTINUITIES IN THE TEXT
OF THE BOOK OF EXODUS 1–18
Introduction

Reading the book of Exodus is not an easy task – it is the word of God himself. It is therefore necessary to prepare for this serious contact with the Creator and Savior of mankind. A basic condition, unfortunately not being fulfilled by many modern Biblicists, is the obedience to teaching of the Magisterium of the Church.

The church, however, has warned many times in serious documents [1] that it is not allowed to shift fragments of Bible – the original Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek text is inspired, that is, written according to the intention of the Holy Spirit.

When reading the Book of Exodus, many biblical scholars perceives discrepancies between particular fragments – some next elements of this presentation will be devoted to their discussion.

THE ALLEGED DISCONTINUITIES IN THE TEXT
OF THE BOOK OF EXODUS 1–18
cont

• THE CALL OF MOSES: Exo 3–4 and Exo 6,2–8
  • two descriptions of the only one event?
  • two consecutive events?
• DID THE GOD WANT TO KILL MOSES? – Exo 4,24–26.
  24 On the journey, at a place where they spent the night, the Lord came upon Moses and would have killed him. 25 But Zipporah took a piece of flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and, touching his person, she said, “You are a spouse of blood to me.” 26 Then God let Moses go. At that time she said, “A spouse of blood,” in regard to the circumcision.

Biblicists and editors in whose judgement there are two descriptions of the only one event:

J. Frankowski, S. Łach (in both editions of his translation of The Book of Exodus [1]), Biblia Poznańska [2], Die Heilige Schrift des Alten Bundes [3], The Jerusalem Bible [4], J. F. Craghan [5], R.J. Clifford [6], A. Spreafico [7], J. Plastaras [8], J. L. McKenzie [9], Cz. Jakubiec [10].

Biblicists and editors in whose judgement there are two consecutive events:

S. Styś [11] (6,2–7,13: Powtórne posłannictwo Mojżesza – The second mission of Moses), Das Alte Testament  [12] (5,20–6,13: Klage des Mose und Verheißung Gottes – The Moses’ complaint and the God’s promise), The New American Bible  [13] (5,22–6,13: Renewal of God’s Promise), La Bible (6,2–13: Dieu promet à Moïse de délivrer Israël – God promises Moses to liberate Israel), J. Blenkinsopp [14].

THE ALLEGED DISCONTINUITIES IN THE TEXT
OF THE BOOK OF EXODUS 1–18
cont

• THE PLAGUES / MIRACULOUS SIGNS:     where are the boundaries of the description?
  • is the beginning of the description in:
    • the miracle of the transformation of the rod into a snake: 7,8?
    • or the miracle of the transformation of water into blood: 7,14?
  • is the end of the description in:
    • or 11,10? (the next verse – 12,1 – is already the beginning of the description of the Passover)
    • or 13,16? (then the killing of the firstborn sons is involved here)

The detailed analysis of this literary problem and his various solutions among Biblicists was undertook by B. Lemmelijn [1]. Already first of all she marks that the reader of the description of plagues almost at once perceives, that initial and final point of the narration is “fluent” – heavy–definable. For that reason divergences of opinions among scholars cannot surprise.

The author evidences two main opinions concerning the beginning of the narration: Exo 7,8  [2] (then Exod 7,8–13 is understood as an integral introduction for the subsequent part of the description of plagues) or Exod 7,14  [3]; she also points on the other opinions, having less advocates: Exod 6,28; Exod 7,1, or else on the far less clearly defined point within the framework of the text Exod 7–11 or 5–11  [4].

THE ALLEGED DISCONTINUITIES IN THE TEXT
OF THE BOOK OF EXODUS 1–18
cont

• THE MARCH OUT OF EGYPT:   where is the beginning of the description?

  • Exo 12,29?   – that is so according to J. L. McKenzie [1]

  • Exo 12,31?   – that is so according to J. Frankowski [2]

  • Exo 12,33?   – that is so according to K. G. O’Connell [3]

  • Exo 12,37?   – that is so according to: S. Styś [4], S. Łach [5], the editor’s headings in Biblia Poznańska [6], Die Heilige Schrift des Alten Bundes [7] (12,37–42 Aufbruch Israels and 13,17–22: Aufbruch der Israeliten), in The New American Bible [8], The Jerusalem Bible [9] (12,37–42: Israel’s departure; 13,17–22: The departure of the Israelites). In this understanding 12,37 describes already the moment of the exit, while 13,17 begins the description of the way after the Israelites’ exit [10].

  • Exo 13,17?  –  that is so according to the footnote to Exo 13,17 in Biblia Poznańska and according to Das Alte Testament, [11] La Bible, [12] R. J. Clifford [13], J. F. Craghan [14], A. Spreafico [15].

WHEN READING THE BIBLE
ONE OUGHT TO PRESUPPOSE
THE FOLLOWING RULE OF TRANSLATING THE SIMILAR TEXTS:

IN TEXTS THERE MUST BE DISCOVERED:

• the lexical–grammatical differences between them, ppp them… ppp
• the contextual differences between them (connected with their place in the Bible).

SUCH DIFFERENCES ARE SUPPOSED
TO BE IMPORTANT FOR THE NEXT STAGE OF RESEARCH:

• if they indicate a course of events being different than it would get out of treating both texts as equivalent in content,
• if they are probably a literary signal of the beginning or end of the important literary unit.

THIS PRINCIPLE HAS A KEY IMPORTANCE
FOR THE READING
OF THE WORDS OF GOD AND DESCRIPTIONS OF DEEDS OF GOD,
IN VIEW OF THE FACT
WHO IS HE WHO TALKS WITH US…

THE RENEWED LOOK AT THE PROBLEM
OF THE MAIN CHARACTER AND OF THE LITERARY STRUCTURE
OF THE BOOK OF EXODUS 1–18

It is proper after passing to the present item of the presentation to look once again on the presented already earlier fragment of the Book of Exodus from the International edition of the Bible [1], which includes:

• translations of the sentences of the Hebrew text,
• headings rendered in a bold font and being of a greater size or in italic,
• indents of text,
  where headlines and text indents divide the text into smaller literary units. As it has been noted already earlier, they are not in the Hebrew text, but were added by the international contemporary editors.

These headings and indents are to help the reader to quickly know the main problems of the text contained between them. One ought to notice that they simultaneously:

• give the literary structure for the text, i.e. divide it thematically into “main parts”, “sections”, “subsections”;
• indicate who is the main character of each part.

Because during the elaboration of these auxiliary texts no method of the theocentric reading was used, in the light of headings the main character of the Book of Exodus is Moses and Israel, but not the God…

On this page there are visible headings („Exodus”, „The Israelites Oppressed”, „The Birth of Moses”) and indents of text (at the beginning of verses: in the first chapter: 6, 8, 11, 15, 19, 20, 22; in the second chapter: 5).

Having observed particular headings from the international edition of the Bible one can notice that – according to the contemporary international editorial staff – it is Israel and her leader, Moses, who are together the main character of the Book of Exodus.

Does the answer for the question of the main character, being read from headings, correspond to the intention of the Hebrew hagiographer–editor of the final version of the inspired text? – it is the key–question for the analysis which will be conducted here, already closely in the next stages of this presentation.

Equally important is the second question: Is the literary structure of the Book of Exodus, this one read from headings and indents, a structure given to the Book by this inspired hagiographer–editor?

THE THEOCENTRIC METHOD
IN READING THE BOOK OF EXODUS 1–18:
THE DISCOVERY OF THE LITERARY STRUCTURE
OF TWO EXTERNAL PERICOPES
EXO 1,1–6,1 AND EXO 15,22–18,27

To understand the sacred text, and in it its composition given for it by the hagiographer–editor, one ought to read it theocentrically, with particular attention being paid to this places in the text where God is the subject of acts or where He says and reveals something (and, of course, what He says).

As a result of the theocentric persistent reading of the sacred Hebrew text of the Book of Exodus 1–18, both pericopes reveal the following literary structure:

Both pericopes have a concentric structure: they consist of three parts, from which external ones express the analogous thought, mainly concerning mutual relation between God and People (God protects His own People in the situation of threat and their cry for help; God patiently educates his own People being too inclined to complaining); the central part in both pericopes shows a special divine revelation connected with the person of Moses equipped with the attribute of the authority and the sign of the God’s care – with the rod of God.

This concentric structure of both pericopes shows the unquestionable central place of God in history, the meaning of His Person and His salvation plan for the exit of Israel from the bondage, the necessity of the obedience and trust to God and to His servant Moses, even in the situation of an ostensive absence of God or an ostensive destruction of His plans by the enemy.

The identical structure of both external pericopes also points out on the necessity of understanding them as parallel elements, as a clamp containing the other four elements of the literary structure of Exodus 1–18 – what is discussed in the next item of this presentation.

THE RESULT OF ANALYSIS
OF THE BOOK OF EXODUS 1–18
WITH THE THEOCENTRIC METHOD
recapitulation

It is worth to take a look once again at the previously presented result of theocentric analyses. From among six pericopes discovered in Exo 1–18, external ones 1,1–6,1 i 15,22–18,27 have the same basic literary structure, and they together constitute the inclusion, the literary clamp for the entirety of the text of Exo 1,1–18,27. Therefore Exo 1–18 is – in the intention of the inspired its hagiographer–editor – a logical entirety:

THE RITE OF THE PASSOVER ACCORDING TO “HAGGADAH”
the main problem statement

Particular editions of “The Passover Haggadah”, as well as its discussion, can differ only in details which have the source in the historic development of the paschal liturgy over the centuries, among Jews living in geographically distant regions of the world. The basic rite of the Passover, given by so many sources, is preserved [1]. Larger differences occur only at the end of the Seder – among Sephardic Jews in the liturgy of Passover are far less different final songs than among Ashkenazi Jews [2].

“The Passover Haggadah” allows to preserve the order of the paschal meal (being characterized as a sequence of the liturgical words and actions attributed to successive fourteen parts of the rite) to accomplish the principal liturgical message of the four cups of wine being drunk successively in a determined order. “Haggada” however does not inform, where the liturgical acts of the first cup have their finish and simultaneously the acts of the second cup begin; where the acts of the second cup have their finish and the acts of the third cup begin; where the acts of the third cup have their finish and the acts of the fourth cup begin.

However, analysis conducted by the author of the present publication showed that unambiguous partition is possible – it is presented on the next screen.

THE RITE OF THE PASSOVER
ACCORDING TO “THE HAGGADAH” FROM 1927 YEAR [1],
divided into four coloured sections by the author of the presentation

Remark: the following changes are introduced to the original text of the edition of 1927 year to show the logic of this division:

• „3. The eating of the parsley” – to this was added: “having dipped in the salty water”,
  „8. The eating of the bitter herb” – to this was added: “having dipped it in the salty water”.
  It is evident that section I (red colour) and II (green colour) have the same layout – in each section there are parts: the blessing; the washing of hands; the eating of the herb after having dipped it in the salty water.
  Similarly in both sections the fourth part is connected with matzah, so
  “4. The breaking of the middle matzah” was changed to equivalent:
  “4. The breaking of the middle matzah to have afikoman”,
  what harmonizes with:
  “11. The eating of the afikoman”.
• “12. The thanksgiving prayers after the eating” was corrected to:
  “12. The thanksgiving for the food” (in this especially for the unleavened bread of Exodus from Egypt!); and it was added: “prayers for Elijah and Messiah” (for their arrival and renewal of the original Exodus; for all Israel to be introduced to the new reality, to the expected time of Messiah – Messiah is expected each year during the Passover).
• The white highlighted text is for double occurrence of the afikoman (in the point 4. and 11.). It is worth noting that afikoman is very important, since it divides the set of 14 parts of the rite of the Passover into 4 sections; each section consists of three parts:
  1+2+3  4  5+6+7 8+9+10  11  12+13+14.
• It should be noted, however, that the division in respect to the afikoman is not the most typical for the rite of the Passover. The fundamental division is visualised by four colours in the table rows, showing the belongingness of each of the fourteen parts to one of the four particular consecutive main sections of the rite, connected with the four consecutive cups of wine constituting the basic structure of the rite.
• The first section is concentrated on telling the Israel’s history beginning from the history of Patriarches; the special place occupies here the description of the Israel’s miserable situation in Egypt (hence the eating of the parsley after having dipped it in the salty water: participants have to existentially “enter” into the situation of bitter tears of slavery, of being the lowest social layer, close to the ground – as a parsley which is a miserable plant that grows close to the ground; presentation of the wonderful intervention of God in the interest of Israel in Egypt crowns this history, and a narrative of the leader turns into a prayerful enumeration of the fifteen from among many benefits which God has shown them during the exodus from Egypt; at the end the singing of the first part of Hallel (i.e. Psa 113-114) expresses the gratitude of Israel for the God’s intervention.
  However the singing is preceded still by an explanation of the liturgical signs which will take place right in the second section of the Passover rite: the leader explains the meaning of the eating of the unleavened bread, the bitter herbs and the paschal lamb (currently the lamb is not eaten because there is not the temple in Jerusalem – and only in the temple in Jerusalem one can sacrifice the lamb for the Passover).
  Therefore it should be emphasized that the first section of the Passover is devoted to the teaching, the telling, the demonstrating of the magnitude of God as a faithful partner of the covenant, and to the showing of His requirements – thence in the first section is still the explanation of what in the second section will be made as ordered by the Lord.
• The second section of the Passover rite in its official fragment is the most modest, what does not mean it is unimportant. Quite the reverse, the four consecutive parts (in the above table they have numbers: 6, 7, 8 and 9) are the fulfilment of the Passover law: every participant has to eat matzah, bitter herbs dipped in salty water, and matzah with bitter herbs, fulfilling in this way the God’s command concerning the Passover lamb: Exo 12,8 “And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; with bitter herbs they shall eat it”. Only after the fulfillment of this acts comes the time for an abundant holiday meal, for the supper not being governed by the Passover law.
• The third and the fourth section of the rite will be presented on the next screens. However it should already be noted that in all comments the eating of the afikoman is erroneously interpreted as the eating of the dessert after the supper being just finished; and the prayers associated with the eating of the afikoman are simply interpreted as the thanksgiving for the finished supper. Therefore in the third section in the above table, the very significant correction of the text issued in 1927 was made.

Originally the above 14-part schema of the Passover seder has not been divided into the four sections corresponding to the four cups constituting this structure. Although it is not an easy task, but it is a feasible and necessary one to understand the primary rite of the Passover.

THE RITE OF THE PASSOVER
IN THE LIGHT OF THE HITTITE CEREMONIAL
OF MAKING THE COVENANT

The structure of the Book of Exodus 1–18 and accordingly the structure of the law pericope (Exo 12,1–13,16) are the skeleton for the Seder (the rite) of the Passover, celebrated by all Israel on the night of the 15th of Abib every year in honor of the Lord as the sovereign of Israel. The celebration of the Passover is the every–time actualisation (i.e. “making–present”) of the covenant being made by the Lord and Israel during the whole time of the departure out of Egypt, described in the Book of Exodus 1–18, especially in the four pericopes: 6,2–11,10; 12,1–13,16; 13,17–14,31; 15,1–21.

Just as the first essential step in the procedure of the covenant making is the presentation of its partners, especially the stronger of them, including his promises for a weaker partner, so in the first pericope (6,2–11,10) and in the first section of the Passover Seder the majesty of the Lord is shown, whose magnitude was revealed by ten miraculous signs, which were made by Him through Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, and which are announced by the leader of the Passover Seder in any place of the earth where the liturgy of this holy night is performed.

The covenant law, which in the treaties of the ancient covenants is the next element after the presentation of its partners, is represented by the law pericope (12,1–13,16) in the Book of Exodus, and by the eating of the Passover lamb (which is commanded by the paschal law) in the Passover seder. For the actual impossibility to sacrifice the lamb to the Lord in the Jerusalem temple, the seder contains liturgical substitutive acts, whereat the eating matzah with bitter herbs is the most significant sign, which makes it present what was commanded by the Lord in Egypt and what was fulfilled by the forefathers in Egypt: the consumption of the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (cf. Exo 12,8).
It should be noted that the description of the Israelites’ departure out of Egypt, contained in the law pericope (Exodus 12,34–39), serves to explain the aim of the Passover law.

The very act of the irrevocable making (cutting) of the covenant, described in the third pericope (13,17–14,31), is made present in the part 3. of the Passover seder: the eating of the unleavened afikoman, and the prayer for the redemptive exodus, the opening of the door, and the prayer for the outpouring of the God’s anger upon the enemies of the people starting the departure out of Egypt – they are the signs of the “made present” passage of the Lord and His People through the desert and between halves of the divided Rahab, i.e. between the divided waters of the Sea of Reeds. The very act of the covenant making is accomplished in the identical form as the covenant of the Lord with Abram (Gen 15,17f ← click please).

Just as after the making of the covenant, performed through the passage between the Sea of Reeds, Israel sang a hymn of praise in honor to the God–Saviour (15,1–21), so in the fourth part of the seder Israel raises powerful Hallel, praising with psalms 114–118 and 136 and with songs Him who is God above all gods, and whose grace for Israel is unfathomable.

This hymn simultaneously:

• it is a form (liturgical!) of the fulfilment of the covenant commitments of the both contracting parties,
• it records in the memory of Israel that: a/ the Lord has made with her the covenant (while passing together with her between the dimidiated waters of the Sea of Reeds), b/ the Lord has already fulfilled His promises which He had announced in the day of the covenant inauguration.
  The Lord’s most significant obligation (cf. Exo 6,6–8 ← click) was the Israel’s bestowal of freedom and the land of Canaan; the most important obligation of the People was to give glory and honor to the Lord, what had to be expressed by obedience to His law, especially to the Passover law (see Exo 12,27–28 ← click).The fulfillment of the commitments is already anticipated in verses of songs. Israel, full of joy, inspired by the Spirit of God, already participates in goods which God, the King loving her and the Bridegroom of her, will give her within the framework of the human history only in the future time!

THE PASSOVER RITUAL AS THE “MAKING PRESENT OF”
THE FOUR–PART COVENANT CEREMONY
PERFORMED IN THE FOUR STAGES
OF THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT

It should be emphasized that the paschal seder, having the power of “making present” of the historical ceremonial of making the Passover / exodus covenant, has a very important feature:

• it is not structured on the model of the drama wherein most small successive elements show the course of the successive [1] events of the salvation history accomplished by God for Israel in Egypt;
• it is structured on the model of the treaty wherein each of successive four basic elements has its own topic being different from topics of the other three basic elements.

These four basic elements of the Passover rite are the fulfillment of the four main elements of the ceremonial (rite) of the covenant making:

1. presentation of partners and especially of the stronger of them, of all his good deeds performed for the weaker of them, of his promises of the covenant,
2. presentation of the basic covenant law, to whose preservation the weaker partner obligates himself,
3. undertaking of the already irrevocable act of the covenant making (cutting),
4. the recording of the fact of the covenant making and of its stipulation.

Simultaneously these four basic elements of the Passover rite have the power of “making present” of the four main stages of the God's leading Israel out of the bondage in Egypt:

1. the time before the Passover meal: the Lord reveals himself to Moses many times, intervenes in Egypt in the interest of Israel through then miraculous signs,
2. the time of the Passover meal: the Lord kills the firstborn sons of Egypt, rescues the Israelites obedient to Him,
3. the time after the Passover meal: the Lord brings Israel out of Egypt, leads them to the Sea of Reeds and through its slotted waters to the opposite seaboard,
4. the time of the new life of Israel: the Lord through his Spirit arouses the song of glory in the hearts of His own People; the Lord feeds His own People in the way to His mount Horeb: sends manna and quails, gives water from the rock; He gives them victory over their enemies (Amalekites); the Lord bestows upon his own People the wisdom to organize the life of the People.

Thanks to this structure every paschal liturgy performs in a successive manner the task of “making something to be present”: in the four successive stages the paschal liturgy performs it in the relation to the four stages of the ceremonial of making the covenant of God with his own People; this liturgy makes the same in the relation to the four stages of the salvation history.

It is just so because the Lord had been leading Israel out of Egypt in such a way to simultaneously make the covenant with her, and to make it according to the four–element ceremony of the ancient people of the East.

The accomplishment of the each of the four basic elements of the Passover rite might run according to any manner (form), provided that the principal purpose of the each particular element is maintained. The Passover seder, however, states that:

• for the 1st. and 4th. element the principle form is the word (spoken or sung: 1. the paschal Haggadah; 4. the singing of hymns),
• for the 2nd. and 3rd. element the principle form is the eating of the food–symbols (2. the eating of the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs; 3. the eating of the afikoman, enriched with the thankful and suppliant prayers).