said to the people, Fear not; for God is come to pro you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that yɩ may not sin. 18. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. according to some interpreters, this verse is divided into two commandments, we have observed in page 254; but we have tried to prove, that this separation of the parts, which necessarily belong together, is perfectly objectionable. The Samaritan codex has here considerable alterations, consisting especially in additions taken from the parallel narrative in Deuteronomy. 15, 16. After having finished the decalogue, the inspired writer continues the historical account. First, he describes the overwhelming impression which the divine appearance, "under thunder and flames, and the sound of trumpets, and the smoking mountain " produced upon the astounded people. Now only had they become perfectly conscious of the omnipotence of God; now only they felt their own littleness and sinfulness compared with God's grandeur and holiness; they tremble, recede, ask never to behold God's awfulness any more, and desire that Moses should henceforth be their mediator between themselves and God. Thus the divine revelation had worked that additional effect, that the authority of Moses was now unshaken, and that the people, at last, firmly believed in him (see xix. 9). 17. As the people, according to the common belief of antiquity (see on iii. 6), deemed the appearance of God fatal to the life of man, Moses calms and assures them by pointing out two motives by which God was actuated in His personal proclamation of the decalogue: 1st, To try the Israelites, that is, in order to give, by this solemn promulgation, additional strength to their belief, to banish every doubt from their minds, and thus to cause a more conscientious observance of the commandments, so that the punishment for their violation becomes now necessarily more severe; and this is a new trial; and, 2nd, that they might bear His fear the deeper in their hearts, and thus be the more effectually protected against sin and unlawful desires. So, then, this divine manifestation was not intended as a terror, but as a new act of love, calculated to promote the true virtue of the people. The Israelites have, with trembling, witnessed the majesty of God; they cannot bear it; fear overpowers them; but this fear was intended by the Almighty; it was designed as a preventive against disobedience, and its next result was the sincere and earnest promise to obey all commands of God, which might be conveyed to them through Moses-to fear God, is, here, identical with to love Him. This is the connection of these verses (compare note on xix. 3-6). The Samaritan codex has here, again, considerable additions, taken from Deuteronomy; it mentions, especially, the return of the Israelites to their tents (v. 27), which is, certainly, very probable, but needs not, necessarily, to be related in our text, as all accessory circumstances and events are not always minutely introduced in the holy books (see note on xvi. 22). 18. And the people stood afar off. The text returns to ver. 15, in which the immediate effect is described which the revelation had produced on the people; and the assurance and firmness of Moses is placed in conscious opposition to their trembling and fear. Moses seems, indeed, to have now conquered his diffidence and hesitation so completely, that he, not much later, ventured even the bold wish, that he might be allowed to see the whole glory of God (xxxiii 18). Where God was; Onkelos renders: "where the glory of God was." C THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT. CHAPTERS XX. 19 To XXIII. 33. SUMMARY.-After an introductory remark on the appearance of God (xx. 19), follows: 1. A repeated prohibition against making idols (xx. 20). 2. The command that the altars shall be of earth, wood, or unhewn stones, and without steps; with which precept God joins the promise that He would bless with His presence His pious servants in every place where they might mention His name (xx. 21—23).—Then follows: I. The right of PERSONS, of free men and of slaves, in all its relations, by intentional or accidental injury (xxi. 1—32); namely: 3. The laws about slaves (xxi. 1-11); viz.: a) about those who simply sell themselves to a master for the purpose of serving him, whether they be married or not (xxi. 1—6); and b) about such girls whom the fathers sell with the view, and in the hope, that the masters would either themselves take them to wives, or marry them to their sons (xxi. 7—11). 4. The laws about murder (xxi. 12—14); viz.: a) about premeditated murder (xxi. 12, 14); and b) about unintentional homicide (xxi. 13). 5. Violation of the reverence due to parents (xxi. 15, 17). 6. About plagium, or man-stealing (xxi. 16). 7. General personal injury done to a free man (xxi. 18, 19). 8. To a slave (xxi. 20, 21). 9. To a part of the person of a free man (xxi. 22—25). 10. Of a slave (xxi. 26, 27). 11. Injury caused by a beast (xxi. 28—32); viz.: a) if the injured person is a free man (xxi. 28-31). II. The right of PROPERTY (xxi. 33—xxii. 14); namely: 13. If one person's animal is injured by that of another (xxi. 35, 36). 14. Laws about theft (xxi. 37-xxii. 3). 15. About depasturing foreign fields or vineyards (xxii. 4). 16. About damages caused by fire on fields (xxii. 5). 17. About property committed for safe-keeping (xxii. 6 -12). 18. About property borrowed from another (xxii. 13, 14). III. General MORAL LAWS, which, however, are deeply connected with the civil organization of the state (xxii. 15—xxiii. 19). 19. About unchastity (xxii. 15, 16). 20. Law against witchcraft (xxii. 17). 21. Against coition with beasts (xxii. 18). 22. Repetition of the law against polytheism (xxii. 19). 23. Laws concerning the poor, the strangers, widows, and orphans (xxii. 20-23, and xxiii. 9). 24. About loans and interests (xxii. 24). 25. About the right of pledges (xxii. 25, 26). 26. Against disrespect towards God and the authorities (xxii. 27). 27. About the offering of the first-fruits (xxii. 28, 29; xxiii. 19, first part). 28. About unlawful meat (xxii. 30). 29. About judicial justice (xxiii. 1—3, and 6—8). 30. About found property (xxiii. 4). 31. Humanity towards animals (xxiii. 5). 32. About the Sabbath and the Sabbath year (xxiii. 10—12). 33. Prohibition against mentioning the name of idols (xxiii. 13). 34. The three principal festivals (xxiii. 14—18). a) The Passover (xxiii. 15). b) The Feast of Weeks (xxiii. 16). c) The Feast of Tabernacles (xxiii. 16). 35. Supplementary law about the Paschal sacrifice (xxiii. 18). 36. The law about the "kid and the milk of its mother" (xxiii. 19, second part). After the conclusion of these laws follows the exhortation of God, to adhere to them strictly and faithfully, especially to avoid idolatry, and even to destroy the idols wherever they would find them; and, further, the injunction, not to enter into any association with heathen nations; then would God send His messenger before the Israelites; terror will seize the enemies; the promised land will, in due time, come into their possession; they will enjoy health, longevity, and fruitfulness, and extend their country to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, and to the Euphrates in the east (ver. 20-33, see note ibid.), PREFATORY REMARKS.-After the basis of every further legislation had been laid down in the decalogue, and strengthened by some supplementary laws, the holy text proceeds systematically to the other rights (see on xxi. 1), which, either applicable to the nomadic wanderings through the desert, or, especially, to the organized state of the Hebrews in the promised land, comprise social and individual, religious and political, criminal and civil, divine and human statutes. It is a beautiful scriptural metaphor which describes the union between God and Israel under the sacred image of a matrimonial alliance; God has chosen Israel as His eternal helpmate and friend; Israel has accepted the charge to assist God in spreading on the earth the empire of heaven, and the truth of His law; and the time between the exodus and the conclusion of the covenant on Mount Sinai, may be characterized as the period of the betrothal of God and Israel, their joyful love and faithfulness (compare ii. 2; Eze. xvi. 8; xx. 5; Hos. ix. 10; xi. 1; xiii. 5; Am. ii. 10, etc.; see note on xix. 6). The time has now arrived to strengthen this holy union by stipulations and laws, and to secure its original character by a mutual agreement. But, in order not to oppress the people, at the commencement, with a superabundance of laws and precepts, the wise legislator has, in the following four chapters (xxi-xxiv), premised a summary and compendious survey, and then, slowly and gradually, erected the edifice of the legislation on a steadily widening basis. In this small compass the nucleus of the civil order is included, and such brief outline alone, was, by its systematical limitation, fit to be submitted to the people for adoption and sanction. The "Book of the Covenant," therefore, which Moses read to the people, with solemn sacrifices, and the contents of which they unanimously promised to fulfil in its whole extent (xxiv. 4, 7), comprises only these sections of the Pentateuch, namely, the decalogue, and the laws contained in the following four chapters. They are the Law in a small epitome; and the following sections of the Pentateuch develop the brief sketch here drawn in its parts and details. The systematic and logical arrangement of these laws will constantly be pointed out in the following notes. 19. And the Lord said to Moses, thus thou shalt say to the children of Israel, You have seen that I have 1. AGAINST IDOLATRY. In the decalogue, only the fundamental laws were proclaimed; the specification was reserved to the future care of the legislator. But, in order still more to fortify the basis on which the decalogue VERS. 19, 20. rests, the second commandment, which naturally involves the first, is here once more impressively enjoined, namely, to have, or to worship, no other gods besides the God of Israel, nor to represent spoken to you from heaven. 20. You shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall you make to you gods of gold. 21. An altar of earth thou shalt make to me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy thank-offerings, thy sheep, and thy oxen: in all places where I 'shall let my name be mentioned, I will come to thee, and I will bless thee. 22. And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou Engl. Vers.-Record my name. them in any way by gold or silver images, for the pure, spiritual monotheism, formed the corner-stone of the whole religious structure of Mosaism. It is not improbable, that the prohibition in the decalogue refers especially to painting and sculpture, whilst our precept is directed against the molten or cast images. This exclusive The majesty of God is appropriately founded upon the fact, that the Israelites had here witnessed His glory with their own senses, and, although they had heard a voice, they had not perceived a figure. In such invisible grandeur only can the true God of heaven appear; but all the mute idols are vanity. 2. ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE Altars. In order to remove every occasion and every temptation to relapse into the worship of images, a law was at the very beginning given, which can, in this connection, find its rational explanation only with reference to that idea. Hebrews were, like all ancient nations, accustomed to sacrifices from the patriarchal times; we find sacrifices of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; sacrifices were the pretext used by Moses to induce Pharaoh to permit the departure of the Hebrews; and Jethro had but just at his arrival offered sacrifices (xviii. 12). Now, the altars, which were erected for this purpose, were in the heathen rites generally very pompous, elaborated with all embellishments which sculptural art could command: 66 'They were adorned with sculpture, and some were covered with the works of the most celebrated artists of antiquity." As therefore such ostentatious altars might easily lead to a development of the plastic arts, likely to tempt to the manufacture of idols, it is here commanded to use altars of earth; and if later in the holy land and in settled abodes, altars of stone should be preferred, these stones shall VER. 21-23. not be hewn, and in general no iron lift up thy iron tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. 23. Neither shalt thou go up by steps to my altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thercon. and man; and therefore the use of iron cannot be allowed in making an altar. use. An "altar of earth" is one which is formed from green turfs, and is, as such, most adapted and most convenient for a wandering nation. Among the Romans also we find such altars frequently alluded to, and they were, even in later periods, used on festive occasions, and, according to Tertullian, this kind of altar was that in general From the preceding deduction it is clear, that the opinion of Clericus concerning the "altars of earth" is not probable: "As God wished that all the Israelites should assemble at one place to offer their sacrifices, He did not permit, that on any other place altars of a more durable material or of a more elegant workmanship should be erected, fearful lest they allure the mass, who are always attracted by external splendour." -To mention the name of God is identical with worshipping Him; for the latter is almost inseparable from the former. See 1 Chron. xvi. 4.-Only if these precepts concerning the nature and construction of the altars are executed, God promises to be near His faithful servants with His aid and His blessing, a sufficient proof what importance is attached to the natural simplicity and purity of divine service. 23. As the external nature of the altar is here described, the Lawgiver adds another precept with regard to the same subject, in order to secure its holinesss from another side also. As those, who performed the sacerdotal functions, before the introduction of the proper clerical robes (xxviii. 42), wore the usual loose Oriental garments (see on xii. 11) without trowsers, it was ordered, from considerations of decency, that no steps should lead to the altar. And even the breeches of the priests, which as we shall later show did not, like our trowsers, cover the feet entirely, made this command not superfluous. But it has been believed, that the height of the altar, which was generally three cubits (xxvii. 1), made a certain arrangement necessary to facilitate its ascent. The Biblical text makes no allusion to such device; and the tenor of our verse leads us rather to believe, that the officiating priest stood on the ground whilst performing the ceremonies. Everything depends on the length of the cubit, which we shall examine in the remarks on the twenty-fifth chapter. Different was the case with the altar of the Solomonic temple, which was ten cubits high (2 Chron. iv. 9). However, it appears from Talmudical explanations, that the real altar was indeed but three cubits high (compare also Ezek. xli. 22); but it rested on a base of six cubits, and its horns rose one cubit high. Now, in order to reach the altar itself, not steps were used, in accordance with the precepts of our verse, but a kind of sloping bridge.— Among the Romans also was a similar law, that the flamen dialis should not ascend more than three steps of the altar, unless they were Greek ones, which were enclosed from all sides. The Rabbins take this opportunity to deduce the following beautiful principle: "those stones, which have no consciousness to feel the contempt shown them, are by a command of God not to be insulted, since they are of some use; how much more must we take care not to offend any one of our fellowcreatures, who is sensible of a degrading treatment, and who bears the image of our Creator." |