Conclusions and projections

Chapter Summary

This is the conclusory chapter of the book, which provides an analysis of the motivations and causes behind God's actions, as they are stated or indicated in the text. First, it demonstrates that Ricoeur's narrative theory is productive in interpreting First Testament narratives and exploring their ethical possibilities. Furthermore, the work of Ricoeur shows the hermeneutical importance of a situated reader-interpreter in engaging and enlivening the text. Second, it is able to show that a difficult First Testament text such as Exod 4:18 26 can have some form of coherence, in a way that can speak to the pain and challenges of the contemporary world of dislocation and migration. Lastly, this work makes a contribution to non-Western, post-colonial biblical scholarship, and shows its capacity to speak anew to the realities of marginalization. In doing so, it also challenges Western values and preoccupations.

Keywords: Exod 4:18 26; First Testament narratives; post-colonial biblical scholarship; reader; Ricoeur