Machiavelli and Moses Machiavelli Has Essay

When he first came in contact with God in Midian where he was tending sheep for his father-in-law Jethro, he saw a burning bush and prostrated before God. After the mission was explained, "Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11). He questioned God continuously during this exchange and showed himself to be a coward even when he was repeatedly told that God would be with him.

Another time, when the Israelites were marching across the desert, the people wanted Moses to find them a place to drink and water their animals. Moses applied to God, but Moses did not believe what God said. The account in Numbers 20:11,12 says "11 and Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle. 12 and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."

God does not consider disobedience a virtuous act. Therefore, He did not allow either Aaron or Moses to go into the promised land that He had prepared for His people.It is not that Moses had not done other things that were virtuous, but he had disobeyed God which was not.

However, since virtue is an inherent good, and according to the Bible God is good, it could be said that Moses was virtuous. God talked with him as with a friend. He was chosen out of millions of people to be the deliverer of the Jews from Egypt. His list of virtuous traits would probably outweigh his non-virtuous activities, so, in balance, it probably could be said that he was a virtuous man who had moments of forgetfulness.

Since the above discussion was with regard to what Machiavelli said about Moses, it is interesting to look at what Machiavelli thought of virtue. He does not touch upon this aspect of a leader more than a couple of times, but when he does, like in chapter 16, he says that it is better that a prince not show virtue because his people will think him weak (63). Thus, if Moses did show virtue, which he did many times, Machiavelli would view him as a failed leader….....