The כִּי Clause in Exodus 19:5c and its Significance for an OT Mission Theology

Abstract

Many take Exodus 19:3-6 to set out the uniqueness of Israel’s relationship with God (v. 5ab) and the particular role and responsibility Israel has in relation to the rest of the world (v. 6). This raises an important question. Was choosing Israel God’s main priority, or was his intention, from the start, to redeem the whole world, with the choice of Israel part of that wider purpose? This article argues that the translation of the clause in verse 5c, introduced by the Hebrew particle כִּי (_ki_), is relevant to that discussion. In the context of the use of כִּי in the wider OT, it discusses the main interpretations of the כִּי clause in Exodus 19:5c – asseverative, causal, concessive, and explanatory. It concludes in favour of a causal understanding and points to the implications for an understanding of the mission theology of the OT.