A Deep Dive into Scripture
These are the ordinances you shall lay before them. (Exodus 21:1) The law in its narrative context places the “Ten Commandments” as the core base of Israelite legislation. By nature, they are what scholars call “apodictic” law, that is, commands to be obeyed. We shy away from calling them “universal” for the very fact that God … Read more
… life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. Exodus 21:23ff. Israel was birthed in the context of cultures that had, from deep antiquity, a rich tradition of law. As for the laws themselves, such as we have … Read more
Moses listened to his father-in-law [Jethro] and did all that he had said. He picked out able men from all Israel and put them in charge of the people as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. They rendered decisions for the people in all routine cases. The more difficult cases they … Read more
Then Amalek came and waged war against Israel in Rephidim. Exodus 17:8 The Hebrews find themselves in the middle of terrifying landscapes, vast terrains bereft of anything hospitable, but filled with deadly circumstances such as poisonous water, no food, or no water at all. Now they faced an even more unforgiving foe, the Amalekites. Nature … Read more
From the wilderness of Sin the whole Israelite community journeyed by stages, as the LORD directed, and encamped at Rephidim. But there was no water for the people to drink, and so they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you … Read more
Now these are the Ordinances which you shall set before them. When you buy a Hebrew slave … When a man sells his daughter … Ex. 21: 1, 2, 7 The first set of laws of the Book of the Covenant, after the introductory altar laws, have to do with slavery. Why this prominence? We … Read more
An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings … Ex. 20:24 We leave the people standing far off and follow Moses up the mountain through the thick darkness, into the presence of God, to hear His will for His people. What follows is a … Read more
Now as all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the blast of the shofar and the mountain smoking, they became afraid and trembled. So they took up a position farther away and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we shall die.” … Read more
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Exodus 20:17 We are used to thinking of the 10 commandments in the category which scholars call “moral law.” By this is meant that they … Read more