Three Midrashim and Their Exegetic Method

This article discusses three midrashim that include peshat and linguistic interpretations of verses in the Bible. At first glance, it seems that the verses are interpreted in a typical midrashic manner, namely, imaginatively and creatively, unlike the approach of modern scholars. An investigation of the literary and linguistic aspects of the verses reveals that these midrashim actually reflect valid peshat interpretations of the type that modern scholars may be willing to consider. Indeed, two of the interpretations discussed are found in medieval and modern exegesis, but scholars have not noticed that they are already found in the midrash. The reason for this is that a single, standard midrashic terminology is used for all kinds of interpretation; consequently, only a thorough investigation can detect the peshat interpretations in midrashic literature. One implication of this article is that scholars interested only in the plain meaning of biblical texts should not overlook the peshat traditions preserved in midrash.