was in a sense a striking out against God. Moses had damaged severely the intimate personal relationship he had with God. His actions were detrimental to the maintaining of a reverence for God and his mercy in Israel. The trusted servant had fallen into the same trap as the many rebellious people he had complained about to God. Harrison calls Moses’ actions “an unpardonable act of insubordination.”362 Milgrom has examined Moses’ actions against the backdrop of Egyptian and Mesopotamian magicians