655
Izvirni	znanstveni	članek/Article	(1.01)
Bogoslovni vestnik/Theological Quarterly	81	(2021)	3,	655—668
Besedilo	prejeto/Received:05/2021;	sprejeto/Accepted:11/2021
UDK/UDC:	27-242.6:726
DOI:	10.34291/BV2021/03/Debevec
©	2021	Debevec,	CC	BY	4.0
Leon Debevec
Spatial Images In Biblical Texts: Exodus
Prostorske podobe v bibličnih besedilih: eksodus
Abstract: The	paper	discusses	the	spatial	images	of	Moses’	ritual	practices	in	a	
block	of	biblical	texts	describing	his	work	between	God’s	invitation	and	the	Si-
nai	Covenant.	Three	aspects	guided	the	analysis	of	the	texts:	Moses’	relation-
ship	with	Transcendence,	the	ritual	and	dramaturgical	characteristics	of	this	
relationship,	and	the	physiognomy	of	the	spatial	consequences	of	their	inte-
raction.	Comparison	of	the	findings	with	the	archetypal	architectural	matrix	of	
the	sacral	shows	the	continuity	of	the	tradition	of	the	Old	Testament	patriarchs	
in	the	spatial	arrangements	of	human	communication	with	God.	The	latter	re-
ceives	the	first	complex	reinterpretation	in	the	Sinai	Covenant	in	terms	of	spa-
tial	as	well	as	ritual	characteristics.	Due	to	its	archetypal	richness	and	roun-
dness,	it	has	all	the	characteristics	of	a	prototype	of	an	Old	Testament	Jewish	
sanctuary.
Key words:	architecture,	sacral	complex,	Jewish	sanctuary,	archetype,	Moses,	Exo-
dus
Povzetek:	Prispevek	obravnava	prostorske	podobe	obrednih	Mojzesovih	praks	v	
bloku	svetopisemskih	besedilih,	ki	opisujejo	njegovo	delovanje	med	božjim	po-
vabilom	in	sinajsko	zavezo.	Obravnavo	besedil	so	usmerjali	trije	vidiki:	Mojzesov	
odnos	s	transcendenco,	obredne	in	dramaturške	karakteristike	tega	odnosa	in	
fiziognomija	prostorskih	konsekvenc	njune	interakcije.	Soočenje	ugotovitev	z	
arhitekturno	arhetipsko	matrico	sakralnega	pokaže	kontinuiteto	tradicije	oča-
kov	v	prostorskih	ureditvah	človekove	komunikacije	z	Bogom.	Ta	komunikacija	
dobi v sinajski zavezi prvo, tako po prostorskih kakor tudi po obrednih karakte-
ristikah,	kompleksno	reinterpretacijo.	Zaradi	njenega	arhetipskega	bogastva	in	
zaokroženosti	ima	vse	značilnosti	prototipa	starozaveznega	judovskega	svetišč-
nega kompleksa.
Ključne besede:	arhitektura,	sakralni	kompleks,	judovsko	svetišče,	arhetip,	Mojzes,	
eksodus
656 Bogoslovni vestnik 81 (2021) • 3
1. Introduction
There	are	few	places	in	biblical	texts	with	such	a	richness	and	density	of	spatial	
images	as	are	revealed	in	the	story	of	Moses.	From	the	point	of	view	of	dealing	
with	the	architectural	characteristics	of	spaces	of	human	communication	with	
Transcendence,	two	asymmetrical	motifs	occur	in	it	in	terms	of	scope	and	com-
plexity.	The	first	appears	as	a	dramaturgical	loop,	the	beginning	and	end	of	which	
are	determined	by	a	locality	hitherto	unknown	in	biblical	texts	-	Mount	Sinai	(Exod	
3:1–18:27).	It	enters	biblical	texts	as	the	site	of	Yahweh’s	revelation	and	‚recruit-
ment‘	of	Moses	for	the	demanding	project	of	freeing	the	Israelites	from	Egyptian	
bondage	and,	after	their	successful	escape,	Mount	Sinai	is	the	spatial	framework	
of	the	most	solemn	event	in	Israel’s	history-making	the	Covenant	with	Yahweh.	
The	backbone	of	the	second	motif	is	the	journey	of	the	Israelites	to	the	Promised	
Land	(25:1-5;34:12).	A	time	of	shaping	their	relationship	with	Yahweh	that	was	
anything	but	predictable	and	non-conflictual,	during	which	the	final	framework	
of	an	otherwise	rich	set	of	ritual	practices,	whose	unique	spatial	core	becomes	
a	portable	sanctuary,	a	tabernacle,	becomes	more	apparent.	The	thematic	fra-
mework	of	the	article	is	the	first	dramaturgical	unit,	with	the	aim	of	highlighting	
the	characteristics	of	the	spatial	images	of	ritual	practices	and	finding	possible	
architectural archetypal elements of the sacral in them. Study of the elements 
that	determine	the	characteristics	of	the	spatial	images	of	human	coexistence	
with	transcendent	reality	shows	at	least	three	interacting	layers,	each	of	which	
deserves	separate	treatment.	The	first	layer	determines	Moses’	relationship	with	
Transcendence,	the	second	the	ritual	and	dramaturgical	characteristics	of	this	re-
lationship,	and	the	third	the	physiognomy	of	the	spatial	consequences	of	their	
interaction.	The	three-dimensionality,	presented	as	a	methodological	framework	
for	the	treatment	of	selected	texts,	shows	with	the	help	of	the	descriptive	method	
and	literary	analysis,	particularly	architectural	analysis,	the	first	spatial	features	
of the future sanctuary complex. Due to the richness of archetypal architectural 
elements	of	the	sacral,	this	can	be	defined	as	a	prototype	of	the	Jewish	sanctuary.
2. Moses’ Relationship with Transcendence
Already	in	the	first	book	of	the	Pentateuch,	we	are	confronted	with	a	dynamically	
changing	relationship	between	man	and	Transcendence.	Paradisal	coexistence	is	
followed,	with	expulsion,	by	man’s	isolation	(Debevec	2019,	195–212).	In	it,	he	
begins	to	fumble	for	the	restoration	of	communication,	which,	in	the	simple	of-
ferings,	by	Cain	of	his	crops	and	Abel	the	firstlings	of	his	flock	(Gen	4:4),	the	first	
tangible	expression	appears,	as	well	as	selective	value,	because	God	is	pleased	
only	with	Abel’s	offering.	In	the	tiny	but	undoubtedly	significant	glimpses	of	his	
presence,	the	Old	Testament	Patriarchs	Abraham,	Isaac	and	Jacob	recognised	God	
as a mighty authority. He is revealed to them through promises, demanding in-
structions	and	expectations,	as	well	as	through	otherwise	rare	theophanies	that	
preserve	and	strengthen	the	premonition	of	the	special	mission	and	choice	of	
657Leon Debevec - Spatial Images In Biblical Texts
the	people	of	Israel	(Debevec	2020,	233–253).	The	relationship	between	man	
and	Transcendence	in	biblical	texts	reaches	a	new	level	of	quality	with	Moses.	
The	relationship	with	Yahweh	becomes	appreciably	more	real.	Those	features	in	
the	described	relationship	that	are	reminiscent	of	the	former	coexistence	of	man	
in	Eden	with	his	Creator	are	interesting	for	our	discussion.	The	first	encounter	of	
Yahweh	with	Moses	is	already	a	notable	step	towards	this.	Its	specificity	is	deter-
mined	by	at	least	three	characteristics.	The	first	concerns	Yahweh’s	idea	of	libe-
rating	Moses’	compatriots.	Instead	of	abstract	predictions	of	possession	of	the	
Promised	Land,	Yahweh	informs	Moses	that	he	has	been	chosen	as	the	deliverer	
of	the	people	of	Israel,	who	will	lead	them	out	of	slavery	»unto	a	good	land	and	
a	large,	unto	a	land	flowing	with	milk	and	honey«	(Exod	3:8).	The	second	shows	
Moses’	surprising	(almost	presumptuous)	restraint	towards	God’s	idea,	which	
establishes	an	unexpected	balance	in	the	dialogue	between	the	two.	In	it,	one	ca-
nnot	overlook	the	patience	with	which	Yahweh	urges	Moses	to	participate	in	the	
project	of	deliverance.	Since	the	fall	of	man	in	the	Garden	of	Eden,	man	has	not	
enjoyed	a	better,	a	more	excellent	status	in	relation	to	God,	judging	by	Yahweh’s	
words	encouraging	Moses	not	to	be	afraid	to	take	on	the	role	of	,deliverer‘:	»and	
Aaron	thy	brother	shall	be	thy	prophet«	(7:1).	The	intimacy	of	Yahweh’s	affection	
for	Moses	is	finally	shown	by	the	revelation	of	his	name	(3:14).	Despite	Moses’	
hesitation,	which	even	makes	Yahweh	angry	(4:14),	Yahweh	does	not	relent	until	
he	obtains	Moses’	consent.	Finally,	the	meeting	in	question	is	characterised	by	
the	effectiveness	of	Yahweh’s	utterances.	With	the	authority	of	the	lord	of	history,	
he	presents	to	Moses	the	whole	scenario	of	liberation	(3:16-20),	which	also	takes	
into	account	the	problematic	arrogance	of	Pharaoh.
The	confidentiality	of	the	relationship	between	Yahweh	and	Moses	soon	be-
comes	apparent	to	both	the	Egyptians	and	the	oppressed	people	of	Israel	since,	
in	the	role	of	Yahweh’s	messenger,	Moses	invocation	of	afflictions	on	the	Egyptians	
(7:14-10,29;12:29-34)	and,	on	his	way	to	Mount	Sinai,	with	the	miracle	of	the	
crossing	of	the	sea	(14:15-31),	the	supply	of	food	(16:1-17)	and	water	(17:1-17),	
and	the	obvious	help	in	the	conflict	with	the	Amalekites	(17:1-17),	all	point	to	
God’s	omnipotence.	The	,public‘	proclamation	of	the	excellence	of	this	relation-
ship	is	an	introduction	to	the	events	of	Sinai,	when	Yahweh	said	to	Moses,	»Lo,	I	
come	unto	thee	in	a	thick	cloud,	that	the	people	may	hear	when	I	speak	with	thee,	
and	believe	thee	for	ever«	(19:9).
3. Dramaturgical Characteristics of Moses’ Ritual Acts
In	parallel	with	the	presented	process	of	man’s	coming	closer	to	God	again,	Mo-
ses’	,story‘	shows	an	even	more	important	process	for	the	present	discussion:	the	
transition	from	the	individualised	ritual	practices	of	former	leaders	of	the	Israeli	
community,	initially	followed	by	Moses,	to	a	unified	rite	at	a	single	shrine.
Ritual	acts	before	Moses	are	marked	by	man’s	own	initiative	and	the	associ-
ated	predictable	variety	of	ritualisations	of	communication	with	God.	Cain	and	
658 Bogoslovni vestnik 81 (2021) • 3
Abel	brought	offerings	on	their	own	initiative	(Gen	4:3-4).	We	know	nothing	about	
the	nature	of	their	ritual.	Noah	acted	similarly,	pointing	to	his	selection	of	,clean‘	
animals	for	sacrifice,	to	the	first	beginnings	of	structuring	the	rite	(8:20).	Abraham,	
Isaac	and	Jacob	most	often	»called	on	the	name	of	the	Lord«	in	places	where	they	
recognised	God’s	proximity.	Jacob	expanded	the	previous	set	of	ritual	acts	by	
anointing	a	pillar	erected	at	the	site	of	the	experience	of	God’s	proximity	(28:18)	
and	the	ritual	cleansing	of	the	people	(35:2)	for	whom	he	was	responsible.	In	
terms	of	self-initiative,	exceptions	are	God’s	command	to	Abraham	to	give	him	
his	firstborn	Isaac	(22:1-19)	and	the	command	to	Jacob	to	set	up	an	altar	to	him	
in	Bethel	(35:1).	Moses’	encounters	with	God	bring	noticeable	changes	to	the	
ritual.	At	the	first	meeting,	Yahweh	warned	Moses,	»Draw	not	nigh	hither:	put	off	
thy	shoes	from	off	thy	feet,	for	the	place	whereon	thou	standest	is	holy	ground«	
(Exod	3:4-5).	The	significance	of	the	warning	from	the	point	of	view	of	this	discus-
sion	is	that	Yahweh,	in	contrast	to	the	hitherto	predominant	human	self-initiative,	
himself	determines	the	,standard‘	of	the	ritual	conduct	of	a	person	who	enters	
into	dialogue	with	him.	Yahweh’s	initiative	in	shaping	ritual	acts	is	a	clear	step	to-
ward	creating	a	ritual	that	will	become	an	important	core	of	the	identity	of	the	
future	nation	of	Israel.	Moses	is	no	longer	merely	a	God-fearing	individual	trapped	
in	his	own	ideas	in	seeking	God’s	proximity	but,	although	not	yet	fully	committed,	
is	Yahweh’s	partner	in	the	project	of	liberating	the	people	of	Israel.	The	privilege	
of	the	worldly	mediator,	by	which	God’s	omnipotence	will	be	revealed,	is	mani-
fested	in	Moses	in	the	supernatural	abilities	bestowed	by	Yahweh	(4:2-17).	The	
outward	expression	of	this	becomes	Moses’	staff.	With	an	outstretched	hand	and	
staff	-	a	simple	ritual	gesture	-	by	God’s	command	Moses	summoned	a	disaster	of	
apocalyptic	proportions	over	the	land	of	Egypt	(7:19).	He	divided	the	sea	in	the	
flight	from	the	Egyptians	with	the	same	ritual	gesture	(14:16)	and	later	drowned	
the	Egyptian	army	with	it	(14:26).	On	the	way	to	Mount	Sinai,	he	drew	water	from	
a	rock	with	the	blow	of	a	stick,	thus	quenching	the	thirst	of	the	parched	Israelites	
(17:5-6).	Finally,	the	power	of	the	ritual	act	in	question	was	revealed	in	the	battle	
of	the	Israelites	with	the	Amalekites,	which	accompanied	Moses	from	the	moun-
tain.	He	held	the	,rod	of	God‘	in	his	raised	hand	and	thus	ensured	the	supremacy	
of	the	Israelites	(17:11).
The	rite,	as	a	moment	of	identification	of	the	entire	people	of	Israel,	comes	
fully	to	life	for	the	first	time	in	preparation	for	the	flight	from	Egypt.	Yahweh	gives	
Moses	detailed	instructions	for	a	special	rite	to	be	performed	by	each	family	of	
Israel	on	the	night	before	departure	(12:3-14).	It	consists	of	three	ritual	acts:	
slaughtering	a	lamb,	anointing	the	door	frames	of	the	entrance	door	with	lamb’s	
blood,	and	eating	a	roasted	lamb	with	unleavened	bread	and	bitter	herbs.	As	can	
be	concluded	from	the	quoted	text,	the	meaning	of	the	ritual	is	at	least	twofold.	
On	the	one	hand,	it	provides	protection	for	the	Israelites	from	God’s	last	punish-
ment	against	the	Egyptians	-	the	death	of	firstborns	and,	on	the	other,	these	ac-
tions	already	show	the	outlines	of	the	people	of	Israel	as	a	recognisable	entity	
(Huston	2001,	75).	As	a	new	element	of	the	emerging	collective	consciousness,	
the	Lord	Himself	proclaims	them	again	with	the	words:	»And	this	day	shall	be	unto	
659Leon Debevec - Spatial Images In Biblical Texts
you	for	a	memorial;	and	ye	shall	keep	it	a	feast	to	the	Lord	throughout	your	gen-
erations;	ye	shall	keep	it	a	feast	by	an	ordinance	for	ever!«	(Exod	12:14)	The	fur-
ther	structuring	of	the	ritual	acts	in	which	the	people	of	Israel	as	a	whole	were	
involved	is	reflected	in	the	events	under	Mount	Sinai.	In	the	preparations	of	the	
people	for	the	Covenant	with	Yahweh,	the	latter	determines	three	ritual	acts:	a	
two-day	,consecration‘	of	the	people	(19:10),	purification	(19:10-11)	and	sexual	
abstinence	(19:15).
The	conclusion	of	the	Covenant	between	Yahweh	and	the	liberated	people	of	
Israel	is	an	event	at	which	the	complexity	of	the	rite	is	revealed	in	biblical	texts	
for	the	first	time	(Exod	24:5-8).	Unlike	the	preparations	for	the	conclusion	of	the	
Covenant,	the	structure	of	the	rite	of	its	conclusion	is	not	determined	by	Yahweh.	
The procession of the people of Israel from the camp to the foot of Mount Sinai 
under	the	command	of	Moses	is	introduced	into	the	ritual	(19:17).	An	offering	
follows.	It	is	performed	by	,young	men‘.	In	the	presence	of	the	whole	people,	burnt	
offerings	are	first	offered,	followed	by	peace	offerings	(24:5).	Moses	is	then	in-
cluded	in	the	rite,	and	he	distributes	the	blood	of	the	sacrificed	animals.	He	keeps	
half	in	containers	and	burns	the	rest	on	the	altar.	After	that,	Moses	solemnly	reads	
the	Book	of	the	Covenant.	The	dramaturgical	peak	of	the	rite	is	the	solemn	com-
mitment	of	the	whole	people	to	be	obedient	to	the	commands	of	Yahweh	(24:7).	
Then	Moses	sprinkles	the	people	with	the	blood	of	the	sacrificed	animals	and	thus	
symbolically	connects	the	people	of	Israel	with	Yahweh	(Sveto	pismo	2014,	175).	
The	final	ritual	act	is	Moses’	ascent	of	the	mountain,	together	with	the	represen-
tatives	of	the	now	,holy	nation‘	(Exod	19:6),	where	they	perform	a	ritual	meal	ac-
cording	to	the	instructions	of	Yahweh’s	theophany	(24:9-11).
4. Spatial Characteristics of  
the Flight from Egyptian Slavery
According	to	students	of	Jewish	history,	the	biblical	account	of	the	liberation	of	the	
people	of	Israel	from	Egypt,	which	took	place	in	the	thirteenth	century	BC	(Sveto	
pismo	1996,	1931),	contains	four	spatial	motifs	worthy	of	more	detailed	obser-
vation.	The	first	such	motif	is	the	land	of	Egypt,	the	place	of	exile	of	the	people	
of	Israel.	If	it	can	be	concluded	from	the	frequent	nervousness	of	the	Israelites	
on	their	way	through	the	desert,	after	leaving	Egypt,	the	people	of	Israel	seem	
to	experience	the	land	of	Egypt,	the	land	of	slavery,	as	a	place	of	the	,bearable‘.	
The	arrival	of	Moses	and	Aaron	interrupts	this	resignation,	submission	to	destiny	
and	revives	the	almost	forgotten	longing	for	a	free	life	in	their	own	homeland.	In	
the	biblical	description	of	the	deliverance	of	the	Israelites,	Yahweh	deliberately	
intensifies	Pharaoh’s	intransigence	to	reveal	his	power	to	the	people	of	Israel.	He	
behaves	as	the	master	of	creation	and,	through	his	messengers,	Moses	and	Aa-
ron;	he	invokes	the	curse	of	affliction	over	the	land	of	Egypt.
Notwithstanding	disagreements	among	interpreters	of	biblical	texts	as	to	
whether	or	not	the	afflictions	have	a	historical	core	or	not,	in	their	consequences:	
660 Bogoslovni vestnik 81 (2021) • 3
the	destruction	of	precious	drinking	water	and	the	destruction	of	life	on	the	Nile	
(Exod	7:20-21),	the	stench	of	the	land	with	dead	frogs	(8:2,9-10),	the	death	of	
Egyptian	cattle	from	the	plague	(9:6),	destruction	of	crops	and	trees	by	hail	(9:25)	
and	locusts	(10:15),	paralysis	of	life	by	temporary	cessation	of	light	(10:22-23)	and	
the	death	of	all	firstborns	(12:29),	they	transformed	the	land	of	Egypt	into	a	place	
of	curse.	The	disasters	fatally	affected	the	space	of	slavery	at	its	constitutive	lev-
els;	on	the	level	of	religion,	as	Yahweh	showed	his	superiority	over	the	Egyptian	
gods,	on	a	political	level	with	the	death	of	Pharaoh’s	successor	and,	with	a	cata-
clysm	(plague,	hail…),	also	on	an	economic	level.	The	epilogue	of	the	curse	is	de-
termined	by	another	spatial	motif	-	the	crossing	of	the	sea.
The sea is the topos	of	the	destruction	of	the	Egyptian	army	as	the	last	consti-
tutive	pillar	of	the	land	of	slavery	(Exod	14:28)	and,	at	the	same	time,	a	space	for	
the	final	liberation	of	the	people	of	Israel.	The	purifying	power	of	the	water,	with	
which	the	Israelites	finally	get	rid	of	their	conquerors,	connects	the	spatial	motif	
of	crossing	the	sea	with	the	motif	of	the	universal	flood	(Gen	7:7-8,19).	Noah,	
together	with	the	firstborn	of	all	life	on	earth,	was	protected	from	destruction	by	
a	vessel	built	according	to	the	Creator’s	instructions,	and	here	Moses,	with	Yah-
weh’s	help,	established	a	,space‘	in	the	sea	-	a	dry	,corridor‘	(14:21-22),	which	is	
salvation	for	the	Israelites	and	a	disastrous	trap	for	the	pursuers.
The	spatial	framework	and	the	third	spatial	motif	of	the	first	steps	of	the	liber-
ated	Israeli	people	is	the	contrasting	opposites	of	the	crossed	sea	-	desert.	The	
position	of	the	Israelites	in	the	wilderness	at	the	beginning	of	their	journey	to	the	
Promised	Land	is	undoubtedly	significant.	The	desert	as	a	space	establishes	soli-
tude,	isolation	and	exposure	to	raw	natural	forces.	This	helplessness	shows	all	the	
benefits	of	Yahweh’s	closeness	and	the	persuasiveness	of	his	omnipotence,	in	
which	he	gives	the	people	food	(quail	and	manna),	water	for	survival,	and	defends	
them	from	invaders.	The	desert	thus	seems	to	be	a	thoughtfully	chosen	place	in	
which	the	people	of	Israel,	in	the	face	of	the	challenges	of	survival,	gradually	ac-
quired	the	characteristics	of	a	homogeneous	national	entity.
From	the	point	of	view	of	the	topic	under	discussion,	in	terms	of	far-reaching	
meaning	and	spatial	complexity,	the	last	spatial	motif,	the	hitherto	unknown	
mountain	Horeb	or	Sinai,	indisputably	dominates	in	the	discussed	texts	(Sveto	
pismo	2014,	136).	Early	Christian	tradition	had	placed	it	in	the	south	of	the	Sinai	
Peninsula	since	the	early	fourth	century.	Despite	the	various	locations	substanti-
ated	by	exegetes,	this	remains	the	most	likely	(Davies	1972,	152–163).	Mount	Zion	
enters	the	biblical	texts	as	the	site	of	Moses	»first	encounter	with	Yahweh«.	Sig-
nificantly,	it	is	not	Moses	who	recognises	the	mountain	as	a	place	of	God’s	prox-
imity.	Attention	to	its	significance	is	drawn	by	the	mysterious	theophany	of	a	
burning	bush	that	does	not	burn	(Exod	3:2).	The	Lord	Himself	calls	it	holy	when	
He	asks	Moses	to	take	off	his	sandals	because	of	its	sanctity	(3:4-5).	The	signifi-
cance	of	Mount	Sinai	as	a	holy	place	is	not	yet	exhausted,	since	Yahweh	deter-
mines	it	or	announces	it	as	a	spatial	framework	-	a	meeting	place	with	the	already	
liberated	people	of	Israel:	»…	this	shall	be	a	token	unto	thee,	that	I	have	sent	thee:	
When	thou	hast	brought	forth	the	people	out	of	Egypt,	ye	shall	serve	God	upon	
661Leon Debevec - Spatial Images In Biblical Texts
this	mountain.«	(3:12)	The	motif	of	the	mountain	as	a	place	of	God’s	proximity	is	
already	encountered	in	the	story	of	the	Patriarch	Abraham.	God	commanded	him	
»to	sacrifice	his	firstborn	Isaac	to	him	as	an	offering	on	one	of	the	mountains	in	
the	province	of	Moriah,	which	he	would	show	him«	(22:2).	The	mountain	(hill)	
also appears in the story of the march of the liberated people of Israel to Mount 
Sinai,	during	which	there	was	a	conflict	with	the	Amalekites.	Moses’	decision	to	
climb	to	the	top	of	the	hill	is	not	an	act	of	fleeing	from	the	enemy	but	a	deliber-
ate	strategy	that	counts	on	God’s	intervention.	The	day	before,	Moses	command-
ed	Joshua,	»Choose	us	men,	and	go	to	fight	against	the	Amalek.	Tomorrow	I	will	
stand	on	the	top	of	the	hill	with	God’s	rod	in	my	hand«	(17:9).	After	the	battle,	
Moses	marks	the	top	of	the	hill	-	the	place	of	God’s	obvious	help	-	,architectur-
ally‘	with	the	erection	of	an	altar	(17:15).
The	idea	that	the	gods	dwell	on	a	high	mountain	was	very	widespread	in	the	
cultures	of	the	time.	Ancient	cultures	of	Greece,	India,	China,	Japan,	Africa,	and	
even	America,	recognised	a	mountain	as	a	point	of	manifestation	of	Transcen-
dence	(Eliade	1996,	41–44).	Even	the	deities	of	the	Canaanite	culture	from	which	
the	people	of	Israel	arose,	El	and	Baal,	dwell	and	appear	on	a	mountain	(Clifford	
1972,	34–97).	The	image	of	the	mountain	as	an	attribute	of	deity	is	made	mean-
ingful	by	the	simple	fact	that	the	tops	of	the	mountains	are	closest	to	the	sky	-	the	
sphere	of	transcendent	reality.	A	mountain	always	fascinates	people	with	its	ex-
posure	and,	at	the	same	time,	with	the	generally	difficult	accessibility	of	its	top.	
Sinai	was	not	Yahweh’s	,abode‘,	as	mountain	tops	were	the	home	of	the	gods	in	
ancient	religions,	but	the	place	of	his	encounters	with	Moses,	the	place	where	
Moses	receives	the	mighty	theophany	at	the	conclusion	of	the	Covenant	with	the	
people	of	Israel,	the	place	where	Moses	receives	a	stone	tablets	with	the	Com-
mandments	and,	finally,	the	place	where	Yahweh	conveys	to	Moses	a	plan	for	a	
tabernacle	—	an	architectural	space	for	their	future	encounters	and	an	expression	
of	God’s	closeness	to	the	chosen	people.	By	its	very	exposure,	a	mountain	itself	
establishes	a	hierarchical	quality	between	its	foothills	and	peak.	Thus,	on	the	way	
from	Egypt,	the	people	of	Israel	encamped	in	the	wilderness	»opposite	the	moun-
tain«	(Exod	19:2).	The	special	nature	of	Mount	Sinai	is	established	by	Moses	at	
the	command	of	Yahweh:	»And	thou	shalt	set	bounds	unto	the	people	round-
about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch 
the	border	of	it.«	(19:12)	We	learn	from	Moses’	answer	that	the	border	was	in-
tended	to	establish	the	holiness	of	the	mountain.	At	Yahweh’s	warning	that	the	
people	should	not	go	up	on	the	mountain:	»for	thou	chargedst	us,	saying,	Set	
bounds	about	the	mount,	and	sanctify	it.«	(19:23-24).	The	exception	is	Moses.	
Yahweh	calls	him	to	the	top	of	the	mountain	(19:20)	and	thus	shows	to	the	whole	
people	his	closeness	and	affection	for	their	leader.	The	erection	of	a	border	around	
Mount	Sinai	is	not	the	only	architectural	intervention	that	transforms	the	hith-
erto usually profane natural space of the Sinai Desert into a sacral complex. The 
uniqueness	of	the	rite	of	making	the	Covenant	described	above	is	also	established	
at	the	spatial	(architectural)	level.	As	can	be	read	in	the	biblical	description	of	this	
solemn	event,	on	the	day	of	the	Covenant,	Moses	»set	up	an	altar	and	twelve	
662 Bogoslovni vestnik 81 (2021) • 3
stones	under	the	mountain	for	the	twelve	tribes	of	Israel«	(24:4-5).	The	camp	of	
the	people	of	Israel,	set	opposite	Mount	Sinai,	the	altar	bordered	by	twelve	stones,	
the boundary at the foot of Mount Sinai and the mountain itself, come to life in 
the	rite	of	the	Covenant	as	a	homogeneous	spatial	whole	-	a	sacral	complex.	As	
can	be	deduced	from	the	description	of	the	rite	of	making	the	Covenant.	Its	ar-
chitectural	core	was	the	altar.	The	altar	under	Mount	Sinai	is	the	second	in	a	row	
erected	by	Moses.	The	function	of	the	first,	on	the	hill	at	Rephidim,	is	not	entire-
ly	clear.	The	biblical	description	shows	that	it	was	erected	as	a	sign	of	Yahweh’s	
(miraculous)	intervention	in	the	battle	with	the	Amalekites,	i.e.,	as	a	symbol	of	
God’s	presence,	as	Moses	said	»the	Lord	is	my	standard«	(17:15).	However,	we	
know	nothing	about	whether	the	altar	also	served	any	ritual.
The	significance	or	primacy	of	the	altar	is	strengthened	by	Yahweh’s	interven-
tion	on	its	,architectural‘	image.	As	can	be	seen	from	the	biblical	record,	it	is	di-
rectly	related	to	Yahweh’s	revelation	of	the	Ten	Commandments	to	Moses,	which	
gives	it	a	special	normative	weight.	At	the	same	time,	the	very	first	intervention	
of	Transcendence	connected	with	the	spatial	arrangement	of	the	place	of	its	in-
teraction	with	man	appears	in	biblical	texts.	The	prohibition	on	making	images	of	
other	gods	is	followed	by	God’s	instruction:	»Make	me	an	altar	out	of	the	earth,	
and	on	it	offer	your	burnt	offerings	and	your	peace	offerings,	your	sheep	and	
cattle.	In	every	place	where	I	will	remind	you	of	my	name,	I	will	come	to	you	and	
bless	you.	But	if	you	make	me	an	altar	of	stone,	do	not	build	it	of	hewn	stone!	For	
if	you	set	a	chisel	on	them,	you	will	defile	them.«	(Exod	20:24-25).	In	relation	to	
the	topic	under	consideration,	at	least	two	important	architectural	consequences	
can	be	identified	in	this	condensed	text.	The	first	relates	to	the	spatial	placement	
of	altars.	The	latter	is	not	left	to	man,	much	less	to	chance,	but	is	determined	by	
God’s	free	will	to	,remind	man	of	his	name‘	(Moses)	or	the	people	of	Israel	as	a	
whole	in	a	certain	place.	The	setting	of	the	Covenant	thus	still	allows	for	a	plural-
ity	of	places	of	worship.	Worship	is	permitted	wherever	the	Lord	has	confirmed	
His	presence,	where	He	has	revealed	Himself	and	has	accepted	that	place	into	His	
possession	(Sveto	pismo	2014,	169).	The	second	consequence	concerns	the	de-
sign	or	constructional	aspect	of	an	altar.	Yahweh	determines	two	original	,sub-
stances‘	for	the	design	of	altars.	Earth,	which	symbolically	highlights	the	impor-
tance	of	fertility	and,	at	the	same	time,	design	flexibility,	and	a	stone,	in	which	the	
symbolism	of	permanence,	timelessness,	cannot	be	ignored.	Yahweh’s	require-
ment	that	a	stone	altar	be	built	(stacked)	of	unhewn	stones	is	significant.	Human	
creativity	and	craftsmanship	before	the	Sinai	Covenant	clearly	do	not	yet	have	the	
status	of	the	potential	for	,sanctity‘	(Debevec	2011,	96).
4.1 ,Spatial‘ Characteristics of the Theophany
In	biblical	texts	describing	Moses’	forebears,	the	Patriarchs	Abraham,	Isaac	and	
Jacob,	theophanies	are	relatively	rare,	brief	in	,temporal‘	terms,	like	some	sort	of	
flashbacks,	and	predominantly	intimate,	intended	for	a	chosen	individual.	Obvi-
ously,	the	significance	of	the	events	connected	with	the	liberation	of	the	people	
of	Israel	in	which	Moses	is	involved	also	changes	the	duration	and	characteristics	
663Leon Debevec - Spatial Images In Biblical Texts
of	theophanies.	Looking	at	the	texts	in	question,	it	seems	as	if	Yahweh,	with	the	
frequency,	duration	and	power	of	his	revelation,	sought	finally	to	convince	the	
people of Israel of safety under his auspices and his care for the people Moses led. 
Theophanies	in	the	texts	under	consideration	show	the	common	background	of	
a	natural	phenomenon	-	storms.	This	very	powerful	and	important	phenomenon	
was	well	known	to	the	people	of	Israel	as	a	Canaanite	agricultural	community.	
Strong	winds,	lightning	and	thunder,	mighty	manifestations	of	the	power	of	na-
ture,	were	a	fairly	regular	occurrence	in	the	life	of	an	Israelite.	Their	awesome-
ness	mitigated	the	benefits	of	rainfall,	which	ensured	growth	and	thus	survival	
(Hiebert	1992,	505–511).
A	cloud	stands	out	among	the	motifs	of	Yahweh’s	theophanies	with	distinct	
spatial	characteristics.	This	does	not,	of	course,	mean	that	Yahweh	adopts	the	vis-
ible	image	of	the	cloud	but	as	can	be	seen	from	the	texts	under	consideration,	a	
cloud	is	shown	as	a	covering	that	obscures	the	majesty	of	God.	This	duality	ap-
pears	in	several	places	in	the	texts	under	consideration.	When	the	Egyptians	fol-
low	the	Israelites,	»the	angel	of	God,	which	went	before	the	camp	of	Israel,	re-
moved	and	went	behind	them«	(Exod	14:19-20).	Yahweh	reappears	in	a	cloud	in	
front	of	the	entire	community	of	Israel	as	it	murmurs	over	the	famine	in	the	wil-
derness	(16:10).	On	Moses’	ascent	of	Mount	Sinai,	its	top	is	covered	by	a	cloud	
so	that	»the	Majesty	of	the	Lord	may	descend«	(24:15-17).	Even	on	the	day	of	the	
conclusion	of	the	Sinai	Covenant,	all	Mount	Sinai	was	»altogether	in	a	smoke,	be-
cause	the	Lord	descended	upon	it	in	fire:	and	the	smoke	thereof	ascended	as	the	
smoke	of	a	furnace,	and	the	whole	mount	quaked	greatly.«	(Exod	19:16-18)	In	all	
the	cases	cited,	the	cloud	obscures	the	mystery	of	God’s	majesty.	It	is	very	effec-
tive	as	a	spatial	phenomenon	in	this	role,	since	at	the	level	of	visual	perception	it	
acts	as	a	compact	mass,	almost	impenetrable	to	the	eyes	but,	at	the	same	time,	
it	is	intangible	despite	its	materiality.	The	ever-changing	appearance	of	a	cloud	in	
the	experiencer	creates	a	convincing	impression	of	the	turbulent	dynamism	with-
in	him,	his	own	transcendence.	No	wonder	the	most	common	companion	of	the	
cloud	as	God’s	theophany	is	the	image	of	fire	or	flame.	In	the	latter,	the	dynamism	
and, simultaneously, intangibility and uncontrollability are escalated to the full. 
Fire	as	an	element	of	purification	and	distinction	of	transcendent	reality	from	
otherworldly	profanity	is	already	known	from	the	,times‘	of	Eden.	After	man’s	ex-
pulsion	from	paradise,	cherubims	guard	the	path	to	the	tree	of	life	»and	a	flaming	
sword,	which	turned	every	way«	(Gen	3:24).	Moses’	first	encounter	with	Yahweh	
is	also	accompanied	by	fire,	since	it	appears	to	him	as	»an	angel	of	the	Lord	in	a	
flame	of	fire	from	the	midst	of	a	bush«	(Exod	3:2).	When	the	people	of	Israel	left	
Egypt,	the	Lord	»went	before	them	by	day	in	a	pillar	of	a	cloud,	to	lead	them	the	
way;	and	by	night	in	a	pillar	of	fire«	(13:21).
A	completely	new	spatial	characteristic	of	Yahweh’s	theophanies	is	given	by	the	
record	of	the	ascent	of	Moses	with	Aaron,	Nadab	and	Abihu	and	the	seventy	el-
ders	of	the	people	of	Israel	at	the	conclusion	of	the	solemn	Covenant	(Exod	24:9-
10).	The	God	of	Israel,	who	was	then	seen,	was	separated	from	the	otherworldly	
reality	by	a	surface,	»and	there	was	under	his	feet	as	it	were	a	paved	work	of	a	
664 Bogoslovni vestnik 81 (2021) • 3
sapphire	stone,	and	as	it	were	the	body	of	heaven	in	his	clearness«	(24:9-10).	
More	significant	than	its	precious	materiality,	which	researchers	attribute	to	au-
thorial	literary	,processing‘	of	the	semi-precious	stone	Lapis lazuli,	then	often	used	
in	decorating	shrines	(Huston	2001,	84),	is	its	presence	as	a	demarcation	surface	
between	this	world	and	the	otherworldly.	We	will	return	to	the	meaning	of	the	
latter	in	the	archetypal	analysis	of	the	considered	texts.	Finally,	the	importance	
of	demarcation	for	our	discussion	is	all	the	greater	because	it	is	established	by	an	
architectural element and not by any other element from nature.
5. Architectural Archetypal Elements of the Sacral in the 
Spatial Images under Discussion
From	the	point	of	view	of	the	presence	of	archetypal	architectural	elements	of	
the	sacral	in	the	considered	spatial	images,	the	spatial	arrangement	of	the	solemn	
conclusion	of	the	Sinai	Covenant	undoubtedly	stands	out	in	terms	of	richness	and	
complexity.	When	the	characteristics	of	its	arrangement	are	compared	with	the	
model	of	architectural	archetypes	of	the	sacral	(Debevec	2011,	202–273),	surpri-
singly,	almost	the	entire	register	of	architectural	archetypes	is	revealed.	From	the	
set	of	spatial	envelopes,	we	are	first	confronted	with	,location‘.	The	location	of	the	
Sinai	Covenant	is	determined	by	Yahweh.	Its	uniqueness	is	grounded	on	Mount	
Sinai	since	it	was	here	that	Yahweh	revealed	himself	to	Moses	and	it	was	already	
then	called	holy	(Exod	3:2).	The	next	archetype	that	can	be	understood	from	the	
arrangement	in	question	is	fanum.	It	corresponds	to	the	space	directly	below	Mo-
unt	Sinai	where	Moses	erected	the	altar,	at	which	the	people	of	Israel	are	present	
at	the	conclusion	of	the	Covenant.	It	is,	therefore,	a	place	with	a	ritual	character.	
As	has	already	been	shown,	Mount	Sinai	is	the	materialisation	of	the	,holy‘	arche-
type.	Its	sanctity	in	the	consciousness	of	the	Israelites	is	strengthened	by	Yahweh’s	
prohibition	of	climbing	the	mountain,	from	which	Moses	is	exempted	and,	after	
the	conclusion	of	the	Covenant,	the	elders	of	the	people	(Exod	19:23).	Thus	»the	
people	stood	afar	off,	and	Moses	drew	near	unto	the	thick	darkness	where	God	
was«	(20:21).	The	top	of	the	mountain,	in	appearance	and	meaning,	corresponds	
to	the	archetypal	,holy	of	holies‘.	Such	a	status	is	established	by	Yahweh	himself	
when	he	descends	upon	it	at	the	conclusion	of	the	Covenant	(19:20).
Most	of	the	archetypes	from	the	set	of	demarcations	can	also	be	extracted	
from	the	spatial	arrangement	of	the	Sinai	complex.	The	first	one	is	the	enclosure.	
It separates the fanum	from	the	rest	of	the	profane	space.	Its	,architectural‘	in-
terpretation	can	be	recognised	in	the	placement	of	the	»twelve	pillars,	according	
to	the	twelve	tribes	of	Israel«	(Exod	24:4),	establishing	a	ritual	area	centred	on	
the	sacrificial	altar.	The	demarcation	of	the	areas	of	the	sacred	and	the	fanum is 
determined	in	the	sacral	complexes	by	the	archetype	of	,architectural	shell‘.	It	is	
present	in	the	complex	in	question,	in	an	extremely	simple	‚architectural‘	inter-
pretation,	as	the	border	by	which	Moses,	by	God’s	command,	enclosed	Mount	
Sinai	(19:2).	Although	nothing	about	its	architectural	image	can	be	learned	from	
665Leon Debevec - Spatial Images In Biblical Texts
the	texts,	it	is	extremely	important,	as	Yahweh	points	out:	»Take	heed	to	yoursel-
ves,	that	ye	go	not	up	into	the	mount,	or	touch	the	border	of	it:	whosoever	tou-
cheth	the	mount	shall	be	surely	put	to	death.«	(19:12)	The	archetype	of	the	,sc-
reen‘	intended	to	distinguish	between	the	sacred	and	the	most	sacred	in	sacral	
complexes	also	has	a	convincing	appearance	in	the	spatial	arrangement	of	the	
Sinai	Covenant.	It	can	be	seen	in	the	cloud	in	which	Yahweh	is	present	during	the	
solemn	ceremony.	The	cloud	as	an	imaginative	interpretation	of	the	archetypal	
demarcation	of	transcendent	and	immanent	reality,	as	has	already	been	shown,	
is	present	even	before	the	Sinai	Covenant;	on	the	way	out	of	Egypt.	Such	a	role	is	
also	played	by	the	bush	in	which	God	first	appears	to	Moses	(19:16-18).	Moses’	
ceremonial	ascent	of	the	mountain	together	with	the	seventy	elders	of	the	people	
of	Israel,	as	the	final	act	of	sealing	the	Covenant,	reveals	the	archetype	of	the	,pe-
destal‘	at	God’s	revelation.	The	latter	is	shown	as	the	floor	of	sapphire	plates	un-
der	God’s	feet	(24:10).	as	an	architectural	plan	of	demarcation	between	transcen-
dent and immanent reality. The importance of the pedestal as an archetypal ele-
ment	of	the	sacral	complex	is	also	indicated	by	Yahweh’s	instruction	about	the	
altar,	otherwise	an	obvious	expression	of	later	editorial	interventions	in	the	texts	
in	question.	In	it,	the	Lord	warns:	»Neither	shalt	thou	go	up	by	steps	unto	mine	
altar,	that	thy	nakedness	be	not	discovered	thereon.«	(20:26)	The	quotation	po-
ints	to	a	later	architectural	tradition,	which	emphasised	the	sanctity	of	the	altar	
with	a	foot-shaped	pedestal.	Although	Moses	and	his	companions	see	the	God	of	
Israel, his face remains a mystery. For archetypal analysis, therefore, the record 
of	the	burning	flame	in	the	middle	of	the	bush,	where	Yahweh	first	revealed	him-
self	to	Moses,	is	important.	The	burning	flame	with	which	Transcendence	enters	
the	human	sensory	horizon	corresponds	exactly	to	the	,figure‘	as	the	final	arche-
type	from	the	group	of	demarcations.
Finally,	we	can	also	recognise	in	the	spatial	arrangement	of	the	Sinai	Covenant	
the	archetypes	that	determine	the	specificity	of	relations	between	the	spatial	en-
velopes	or	demarcations	discussed	so	far.	The	first	is	,selectivity	of	access‘.	In	the	
arrangement	under	discussion,	it	is	established	by	two	restrictions.	The	first	is	
formed	as	a	border	,around‘	Mount	Sinai,	which	prevented	the	Israelites	from	
stepping	on	its	slopes.	As	already	mentioned,	only	Moses	was	allowed	to	cross	it,	
and	after	the	conclusion	of	the	Covenant,	Aaron,	Nadab	and	Abihu	and	seventy	
elders	of	the	people	of	Israel.	The	cloud	determines	the	second	border.	From	Exod	
20:20,	we	learn	that	Moses	ascended	the	mountain	during	the	Covenant	cere-
mony,	but	only	approached	the	cloud	that	covered	the	majesty	of	God.	At	the	
conclusion	of	the	Covenant,	however,	Moses	and	his	companions	on	the	moun-
tain	,saw‘	the	God	of	Israel.	From	this	can	be	concluded	that	they	were	allowed	
to	cross	the	line	between	the	holy	and	the	Holy	of	Holies.	Undoubtedly,	however,	
Moses	crosses	this	line	at	God’s	invitation	to	the	mountain	to	give	him	»tablets	
of	stone,	and	a	law,	and	commandments«	(24:12).	We	read	in	the	text	that	Moses	
ascended	the	mountain	and	»went	into	the	midst	of	the	cloud«	(24:18).
The	next	archetype	from	the	group	of	relations	that	can	be	understood	in	the	
described	arrangement	is	‚hierarchy‘.	It	is	determined	by	different	height	levels.	
666 Bogoslovni vestnik 81 (2021) • 3
In	the	biblical	description,	at	least	three	can	be	distinguished:	the	area	below	Mo-
unt	Sinai,	its	slope,	and	its	peak.	The	hierarchy	follows	the	substantive	and	ritual	
logic	of	making	a	covenant.	To	Yahweh	belongs	the	top	of	the	spatial	composition,	
to the people of Israel the space under the mountain, and to Moses, as the me-
diator	between	the	divine	and	the	human,	is	attributed	the	slope	of	the	mounta-
in,	which	physically	connects	the	two	realities.
Finally,	we	can	understand	the	archetype	of	the	,liturgical	axis‘	in	the	spatial	ar-
rangement	of	the	Sinai	Covenant.	Its	extreme	end	is	the	top	of	the	mountain.	It	is	
ordained	by	Yahweh	when	he	descends	to	the	top	of	the	mountain	at	the	conclusi-
on	of	the	Covenant,	and	later	by	Moses,	who	performs	a	ritual	meal	here	with	his	
entourage.	Its	starting	point	is	the	camp	of	the	people	of	Israel,	set	opposite	the	
mountain.	From	here,	as	already	shown	in	the	analysis	of	the	rite,	Moses	led	the	
people	to	the	foot	of	the	mountain	(24:5-8).	We	can	certainly	add	to	the	elements	
that	define	the	liturgical	axis	of	the	altar	and	the	twelve	stone	stelae	beside	it.
The	analysis	of	the	architectural	archetypes	of	the	sacral	in	the	spatial	arran-
gement	of	the	Sinai	Covenant	shows	the	presence	of	almost	the	entire	set	of	ar-
chetypes	that	co-create	the	archetypal	matrix	of	sacral	complexes	as	unique	en-
tities	of	building	typology.	
Although	elementally	modest	in	architectural	interpretations,	they	already	show	
the	richness	of	semantics	and	roundedness,	because	of	which	it	can	be	concluded	
without	exaggeration	that	the	spatial	design	of	the	Sinai	complex	has	all	the	charac-
teristics	of	a	prototype	of	the	Old	Testament	Jewish	sanctuary	complex.	(Figure	1)
Figure 1: Sinai Covenant Spatial Planning Scheme.
667Leon Debevec - Spatial Images In Biblical Texts
6. Discussion
Examination	of	the	spatial	images	in	the	considered	dramaturgical	unit	of	Moses‘	
story	shows	two	emphases.	On	the	one	hand,	we	witness	a	continuation	of	the	
tradition	of	the	Patriarchs	in	articulating	the	relationship	with	Transcendence.	In	
the	post-Eden	reality,	sacrifice	remains	the	core	of	this	relationship.	On	the	other	
hand,	in	the	communication	between	God	and	man,	it	is	impossible	to	overlook	
the	important	qualitative	changes	that	determine	the	direction,	roughly	speaking,	
from	self-talk	and	awe-inspiring	fulfilment	of	God’s	will	to	a	balanced	dialogue.	
The	latter,	between	Yahweh	and	Moses,	first	takes	place	through	an	impenetra-
ble	,shroud‘	(burning	flame,	cloud	...),	which,	for	the	first	time,	dissipates	for	a	
moment	on	Moses’	ascent	of	the	mountain	together	with	his	entourage,	at	the	
conclusion	of	the	Sinai	Covenant	and	indicates	a	whole	new	quality.	Moses	expe-
rienced it at the top of Mount Sinai as he stepped into the middle of the cloud to 
receive	the	stone	tablets	of	the	law	from	Yahweh.	Changes	in	the	quality	of	the	
relationship	also	acquire	convincing	spatial	characteristics.	These,	in	the	other-
wise	very	simple	architectural	language	of	the	spatial	arrangement	of	the	Sinai	
Covenant,	appear	for	the	first	time	as	a	rounded	whole,	which	has	all	the	charac-
teristics	of	the	prototype	of	the	Jewish	sanctuary.	The	semantic,	and	especially	
symbolic,	the	value	of	the	considered	spatial	images	is	far	from	exhausted	by	
the	present	discussion.	Their	inter-relational	structure	will	be	revealed	by	similar	
analyses	of	other	Old	Testament	texts.	A	specific,	and	at	the	same	time,	the	inde-
pendent	problem	is	identifying	the	topographic	reality	of	the	considered	spatial	
images	or	research	into	their	natural	chronological	sequence.
Similarly, determining the degree of autochthony of the considered architec-
tural	interpretations	in	relation	to	the	contemporary	traditions	of	other	nations	
with	which	the	Israeli	people	came	into	contact	is	clearly	a	completely	indepen-
dent	research	challenge.	All	these	and	many	other	areas,	which	are	already	the	
subject	of	in-depth	research,	do	not	diminish	the	value	and	topicality	of	spatial	
images,	as	they	can	be	found	in	biblical	texts	and	how	they	are	arranged	in	them.	
They	indicate	an	awareness	of	the	timeless	effectiveness	of	spatial	arrangements,	
through	which	man	can	perceive	even	the	finest	nuances	of	the	mystery	of	his	
conditionality	with	the	Surplus.1
1 Author	gratefully	acknowledge	the	financial	support	received	from	the	Slovenian	Research	Agency	
(Research	core	funding	No.	P5-0068).
668 Bogoslovni vestnik 81 (2021) • 3
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