Exodus -...

Exodus!!

Lesson*#11*“Book*of*the*Covenant,*Part*1”*

(Exodus(21:(1(–(22:(5)((

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In(Lessons(#9(and(#10,((God(reaffirmed(with(the(Israelites(the(covenant(he(made(with(Abraham,(Isaac(and(Jacob.((And(we(learned(that(the(covenant(followed(a(6Jpart(standardized(form(common(to(many(sovereign/vassal(covenants(in(the(ancient(Near(East:((

1.   Preamble,(or(introducRon(of(the(speaker;(2.   Historical(prologue;(3.   SRpulaRons;(4.   The(document;(5.   The(gods(as(witnesses;(and(6.   Blessings(and(curses((

We(also(learned(that(the(Torah(as*a*whole*(Genesis(through(Deuteronomy)(is(the(fullest(expression(of(God’s(covenant(with(the(Israelites.(

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In(addiRon,(we(learned(that(the(covenant(God(makes(with(the(Israelites(is(markedly(different(from(previous(Near(Eastern(covenants:((

1.   *As*our*narra>ve*presents*it,*the(covenant(is(not(the(result(of(cultural(norms(in(a(preliterate(society(being(codified(over(Rme(into(a(wri`en(law;((rather,(in(Exodus(God(intrudes(dramaRcally(into(history,(descending(to(the(top(of(Mt.(Sinai(in(fire(and(smoke,(where(he(dictates(the(sRpulaRons(of(the(covenant(in(a(voice(of(thunder,(accompanied(by(a(terrifying(pyrotechnic(display(of(his(power(and(authority.(

2.   God’s(covenant(with(the(Israelites(does(not(reflect(the(minuRae(of(contractual,(domesRc,(military(and(judicial(law((as(does(the(Code(of(Hammurabi,(for(example);(rather,(in(lapidary(style(God(dictates(ten(terse(sRpulaRons(that(govern(the(covenant(community’s(relaRonship(with(God(and(with(one(another.(

3.   In(his(covenant(with(the(Israelites,(God(becomes(the(moral*and*ethical*arbiter(of(humanity,(the(central(focus(of(the(rest(of(Scripture.(

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In(Lesson(#11,(we(learn(that(the(ten(covenant(sRpulaRons(dictated(by(God(must(be(applied(in(specific(cases.((In(a(very(important(sense,(the(Ten(Commandments(are(to(their(applicaRons(what(the(U.S.(ConsRtuRon(is(to(municipal(case(law.((

In(Lesson(#11(we(explore(how(these(principles(are(applied.((

Such(applicaRons(open(the(door(to(a(vast(body(of(rabbinical(thinking(on(the(Law.((Indeed,(as(we(conRnue(our(study(through(the(Torah((Genesis(through(Deuteronomy)(we(will(find(613(specific(laws(to(implement(the(ten(principles!((The(Law(is(far(more(than(the(Ten(Commandments;(it(is(God’s(comprehensive*teaching(on(all(aspects(of(life.(

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The*Code*of*Hammurabi*(diorite(stele),(c.(1772(B.C.(Louvre(Museum,(Paris.(

[Shaped(like(a(giant(index(finger,(the(top(of(the(7’5”(stele(portrays(the(sun(god(Samas(instrucRng(Hammurabi(in(the(law.](

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The(“Book(of(the(Covenant”(

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The(Ten(Commandments(are(ten(principles*by(which(a(covenant(people(is(to(live(with(God(and(with(one(another.((Those(principles(must(then(be(applied*to(specific(cases.((

The(Book(of(the(Covenant(illustrates(how(to(do(so.(

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In(an(insighlul(arRcle,(David(P.(Wright,(professor(of(Bible(and(Ancient(Near(Eastern(Studies(at(Brandeis(University(argues(that(the(core(of(the(Book(of(the(Covenant((Exodus(20:(22(–(23:(19)(draws(extensively(on(the(Code(of(Hammurabi(as(both(a(source(and(a(“controlling(template”(for(the(Book(of(the(Covenant’s(composiRon.((

David(P.(Wright,(“The(Laws(of(Hammurabi(as(a(Source(for(the(Covenant(CollecRon((Exodus(20:(23(–(23:(19),(Maarav*10((2003):(11J87. ((

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The(Book(of(the(Covenant(spans(Exodus(20:(22(–(23:(33,(and(it(may(be(divided(into(four(parts:(

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1.   CulRc(ordinances((20:(22J26);(2.   Legal(prescripRons((21:(1(–(22:(16);(3.   Religious,(moral(and(culRc(instrucRons((22:(17(–(23:(19);(and(4.   Epilogue((23:(20J33)((

Exodus(24:(1J18(then(raRfies(the(covenant(as(a(whole.((((((((((

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If(you(look(very*closely(you(will(also(find(that(the(Book(of(the(Covenant(begins((20:(22J26)(and(ends((23:(10J19)—immediately(preceding(the(epilogue—with(instrucRons(on(correct(ritual(procedure.((

We(will(see(this(“culRc(framing”(again(in(the(“Holiness(Code”(of(LeviRcus((17:(1J16;(26:(1J2)(and(in(the(laws(of(Deuteronomy((12:(1J31;(26:(19).((

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Drop(that(into(the(conversaRon(at(your(next(dinner(party(and(you(will(dazzle(your(guests(with(your(stunning(esoteric(knowledge(of(Scripture!(((

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“An*altar*of*earth*make*for*me*.*.*.”((Exodus(20:(24).(

Sea(of(Galilee(!(

Mt.(Ebal(!((Joshua(8:(30J35)(

Stone(Altar(at(Mt.(Ebal(

Photography*by*Ana*Maria*Vargas*

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“But*if*you*make*an*altar*of*stone*for*me,*do*not*build*it*of*cut*stone,*for*by*puJng*a*chisel*to*it*you*profane*it.”*

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Robert(Alter(correctly(observes(that(herev,(the(word(tradiRonally(translated(“chisel,”(is(emphaRcally(“sword.”((

The(great(medieval(rabbi(Rashi((A.D.(1040J1105),(who(wrote(an(indispensable(commentary(on(the(Torah,(catches(the(implicaRon,(like(Bill(Mazeroski(snagging(a(line(drive(at(2nd(base!((Rashi(writes:((

“The*altar*was*created*to*lengthen*a*man’s*days*and*iron*was*created*to*shorten*a*man’s*days;*it*is*not*fiJng*that*the*means*of*shortening*should*be*brandished*over*the*means*of*lengthening.”*

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“David(Dancing(before(the(Lord”((2(Samuel(6:(16,(20)(in(David’s*Rise*to*Power,(abridged(and(illustrated(by(Barbara(Griffiths.((www.barbaragriffiths.com.**

“You*shall*not*ascend*to*my*altar*by*steps,**lest*your*nakedness*be*exposed.”*

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Legal(prescripRons(regarding(slaves((21:(2J11)((

As(we(observed(at(the(start(of(our(Scripture(study,(the(world(of(the(Bible((Old(Testament(and(New)(is:((1)(patriarchal;(2)(monarchical;(3)(polytheisRc(and(4)(slaveholding.((Unlike(in(modern(Rmes,(however,(slaves(in(the(ancient(world(were(more(akin(to(indentured(servants(than(to(cha`el.((Nevertheless,(in(biblical(Rmes(it(would(be(inconceivable(to(envision(a(world(without(slavery.(((Like(any(work(of(art,(the(Bible(mirrors(the(Rme(and(culture(from(which(it(emerges.((Thus,(Scripture(accepts(slavery(as(a(fact(of(life,(nowhere(condemning(it;(Scripture(does,(however(regulate*it,(as(do(most(other(ancient(Near(Eastern(legal(codes.(((((((((

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Legal(prescripRons(regarding(slaves((21:(2J11)((

In(the(Code(of(Hammurabi,(for(example,(10(of(the(282(laws((14J20(and(117J119)(regulate(slavery.((Compare(Exodus(21:(2(with(the(Code(of(Hammurabi,(#117:(((((((((

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Scripture((

When*you*purchase*a*Hebrew*slave,*he*is*to*serve*you*for*six*years,*but*in*the*seventh*year*he*shall*leave*as*a*free*person*without*any*payment.*

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Code(of(Hammurabi((

If*anyone*fail*to*meet*a*claim*for*debt*and*sell*himself,*his*wife,*his*son*or*daughter*for*money,*or*give*them*away*to*forced*labor,*they*shall*work*for*three*years*in*the*house*of*the*man*who*bought*them*.*.*.*and*in*the*fourth*year*they*shall*be*set*free.*

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Legal(prescripRons(regarding(personal(injury((21:(12J32)((

In(the(“Sermon(on(the(Mount,”(Jesus(says:((((

“You*have*heard*that*it*was*said*to*your*ancestors,*‘You*shall*not*[murder];*and*whoever*[murders]*will*be*liable*to*judgment.’**But*I*say*to*you,*whoever*is*angry*with*his*brother*will*be*liable*to*judgment*.*.*..”((

( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ((Ma`hew(5:(21J22)(We(learned(that(the(Hebrew(word(retzach*in(the(6th(commandment(refers(specifically(to(“the(premeditated,(unlawful(taking(of(another(person’s(life.”((In(the(“Sermon(on(the(Mount”(Jesus(addresses(the(“inner(dynamics”(of(the(6th(commandment(when(he(recognizes(that(murder(is(the(final(step(in(a(sequence(of(acRons,(beginning(with(the(kind(of(anger(that(congeals(into(hatred,(that(leads(to(ploqng(revenge(and(that(ulRmately(results(in(premeditated(murder.((In(Jesus’(teaching(he(says(that(if(you(feel(that(kind(of(anger,(nip(it(in(the(bud(and(deal(with(it(before(it(metastasizes.((

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Legal(prescripRons(regarding(personal(injury((21:(12J32)((

In(a(similar(way(the(laws(regarding(personal(injury(emerge(from(the(6th(commandment,(“You(shall(not(murder.”((Clearly,(“Whoever(strikes(someone(a(mortal(blow(must(be(put(to(death”((Exodus(21:(12),(refers(specifically(to(the(premeditated(taking(of(another(person’s(life.((((

But(then(the(personal(injury(laws(go(on(to(address(degrees(of(culpability:((accidents((with(varying(degrees(of(negligence);(assault(and(ba`ery;(injury(to(innocent(bystanders;(and(so(on.((The(examples(address(how(to(apply(the(6th(commandment(to(a(wide(spectrum(of(homicides(and(associated(behaviors:((Premeditated( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (Accidents(Murder((

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“I*will*set*apart*for*you*a*place*to*which*that*one*may*flee.”*(( (( ( (( ( (( ( (((Exodus(21:(13).(

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“Now*these*are*the*ci>es*you*will*give*to*the*Levites:***the*six*ci>es*of*asylum*which*you*must*establish*for*the*homicide*to*run*to,*and*in*addi>on*forty[two*other*ci>es—a*total*of*forty[eight*ci>es*with*their*pasture*lands*which*you*will*assign*to*the*Levites.”*

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Shechem(!(

Hebron(!!!

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CiRes(of(refuge(are(not(places(to(escape*jusRce,((but(places(to(ensure*jusRce.(

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“The*Lord*spoke*to*Moses:**Speak*to*the*Israelites*and*say*to*them:**When*you*go*across*the*Jordan*into*the*land*of*Canaan,*select*for*yourselves*ci>es*to*serve*as*ci>es*of*asylum,*where*a*homicide*who*has*killed*someone*inadvertently*may*flee.**These*ci>es*will*serve*you*as*places*of*asylum*from*the*avenger*of*blood,*so*that*a*homicide*will*not*be*put*to*death*un>l*tried*before*the*community.”*

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“But*when*someone*kills*a*neighbor*a_er*maliciously*scheming*to*do*so,*you*must*take*him*even*from*my*altar*and*put*him*to*death.”*(

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“When*the*news*came*to*Joab,*since*he*had*sided*with*Adonijah,*though*not*with*Absalom,*he*fled*to*the*tent*of*the*Lord*and*clung*to*the*horns*of*the*altar.**King*Solomon*was*told,*‘Joab*has*fled*to*the*tent*of*the*Lord*and*is*by*the*altar.’**He*sent*Benaiah,*son*of*Jehoiada,*with*the*order,*‘Go,*strike*him*down.’”**

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Dr.*Creasy*being*dragged*from*the*horns*of*the*altar*at*Beersheva.*

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Photography*by*Ana*Maria*Vargas*

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Legal(prescripRons(regarding(property(damage((21:(33(–(22:(5)(((

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QuesRons(for(discussion(and(thought(**

1.   How(do(the(laws(in(the(Book(of(the(Covenant(differ(from(the(Ten(Commandments?(

2.   Are(the(laws(in(the(Book(of(the(Covenant(unique(to(Scripture?(3.   If(there(are(close(parallels(between(the(laws(in(the(Book(of(the(

Covenant(and(other(ancient(Near(Eastern(legal(codes,(what(does(that(say(about(Scripture?(

4.   Slavery(is(commonplace(throughout(the(Bible.((Why(does(Scripture(not(condemn(slavery(outright?(

5.   In(Exodus(21:(33J34(we(read:((“When*someone*uncovers*or*digs*a*cistern*and*does*not*cover*it*over*again,*should*an*ox*or*a*donkey*fall*into*it,*the*owner*of*the*cistern*must*make*good*.*.*..”*(How(might(this(law(apply(today(in(an(urban(residenRal(environment?(((

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Copyright(©(2014(by(William(C.(Creasy(( All( rights( reserved.( No( part( of( this( course—audio,( video,(photography,( maps,( Rmelines( or( other( media—may( be(reproduced(or(transmi`ed(in(any(form(by(any(means,(electronic(or( mechanical,( including( photocopying,( recording( or( by( any(informaRon( storage( or( retrieval( devices( without( permission( in(wriRng(or(a(licensing(agreement(from(the(copyright(holder.(

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