. . . the
interpretation that Moses expresses his willingness to die in place of or even
on behalf of the people of Israel is incorrect. To be sure, Moses tells the
people that he will try to effect forgiveness of their sins before the Lord,
but the means to this end is his prayer of intercession, not a willingness on
his part to offer himself on their behalf. The alternatives expressed by v. 32
are not: forgive their sins (without any sacrificial act) or accept my
life as an expiatory offering for their sin. Rather, the alternative is:
forgive these people and let us live or if you will not forgive these
people, destroy me with them. By his request to be blotted out of the book of
life if the people are not forgiven, Moses expresses his desire to stand with
them and to share their fate. The only other interpretation that seems possible
is that in v. 32 Moses, the intercessor for his people, is bargaining with God,
almost daring Him to destroy His servant (cf. Num. 11:15). In a sense Moses
confronts Yahweh in a showdown and forces the divine hand--almost. God's
response is: the sinners, not you, will I destroy; but not right now (cf. vv.
33-34): In any case, v. 33 is sufficient rebuttal to the notion that the
concept of vicarious expiatory suffering is held by the author(s) of Exodus. (Sam
K. Williams, Jesus’ Death as Saving Event: The Background and Origin of a
Concept [Harvard Dissertations in Religion 2; Missoula, Mont.: Scholars Press,
1975], 103, emphasis in original)