4. nny ‘édwoth or ‘édéth, ‘testimonies’; in the Pent. only Dt 4° 6; a theological term, denot- ing generally moral and religious ordinances, regarded as an attestation, or solemn declaration, of the Divine will. In P the sing. testimony is used frequently of the Decalogue, as a statement κατ᾽ ἐξοχήν of God’s will for man, esp. in the ex- pressions ‘Ark, tables, or tabernacle, of the testi- mony,’ Ex 25! 2-42 9731 3118 34°) Nu 15-53) and elsewhere.
5. ops pikkiudim, ‘ precepts’: only in the Psalms ‘198 103!8 1117, and 21 times in Ps 119).
ν. Hebrew law falls into distinet Codes, those
* Of. Wellh. Hist. 848 ; and Dillm. ad loc,
t Of. Ex #9. 31, Dt 2127, Jer 327-8, Ezk 1688 2349,
1 See further Baentsch, Das Bundeshuch (1892), 29-84.
§ Both these words are also used sometimes of awa of nature: as Jer 31°86, Job 2825, Ps 1489 (pn); Jer 5% 3135 3325, Job 388
(39m)
viz. of JE, Dt, H, and P, and the characteristica of these must next be examined.*
A. In JE we have (1) the DECALOGUE (wh. see), Ex 207”, a concise but comprehensive summary of the fundamental duties of the Israelite towards God and man. We have (2) the ‘Book of the Covenant’ (Ex 20-23%; in explanation of the name see 247), the laws contained in which com- prise two elements (24°), the ‘ words’ (or commands) and the ‘judgments’: the ‘judgments,’ expressed all hypothetically, and relating to the civil and criminal law, being comprised in 21}-- 9917. 2-27, and the ‘words,’ consisting mostly of positive injune- tions of the moral or ceremonial law, and introduced by thou shalt or thou shalt not, being comprised in 2073-26 9918-24. 28-31 231-19. With the form of the laws, and the parenetic additions which they sometimes exhibit (as 22-74), we are not here concerned: the laws themselves are designed to regulate the life of a community living under simple conditions of society, and chiefly engaged in agriculture. They may be grouped as follows t:—
i. Enactments relating to civil and criminal law:
1. The rights of Hebrew slaves (male and female), 211-11,
2. Law of murder and manslaughter vv.1214, of violence to a parent v.15, of man-stealing v.16, of cursing a parent y.17,
8. Bodily injury caused by men vy.18-27 (bodily injury in- flicted in a quarrel v.18f; beating a slave to death y.20f. ; injury done in a quarrel to a pregnant woman v.22, or other bystander vy.23-25 ; striking out the eye or tooth of a slave ν. 351.).
4. Bodily injury due to animals, or neglect of reasonable precautions vy.23-36 (injury done by an ox toafree man or woman vv.2341, or to a slave v.82; injury caused by neglect in leaving an open pit v.36; injury done by an ox to one belonging to another person v.85£: in the first and last of these cases, the penalty, where the neglect is culpable, is materially increased).
δ. Theft 2214 (theft of ox or ase y.1; burglary vv.24).
6. Compensation for damage v.5!- (damage done by stray- ing cattle v.5; damage done by fire spreading tc another man’s field v5.
7. Compensation for loss or injury in various cases of deposit or loan vy.7-15 (cases of deposit vv.7-9. 10-13 ; case of injury to a borrowed animal y,14£),
8. Compensation for seduction v.16",
ii. Moral, religious, and ceremonial enactments:
1. Law relating to altars 2024-26 (altars to be of earth or of unhewn stone, and not to be approached by steps).
2. Sorcery and bestiality to be punished with death 2218f,
8. Reece to ‘other gods’ to be punished with the ‘ban’
4. Humanitarian laws 2221-27 (the gér, or resident for- eigner, the widow and the orphan, not to be oppressed 2241-24; interest not be taken from the poor 22”; a garment taken in pledge to be returned before night- fall 2228f.).
δ. God not to be reviled, nor a ruler cursed 2228,
6 Firstfruits and firstborn males to be given to J” 22291. (cf. 1312, where it is added that the firstling of an ass is to be either redeemed with a lamb or killed, and the firstborn of a man is to be redeemed); and flesh torn of beasts not to be eaten 2251,
7. Veracity and impartiality in giving evidence in a court of law 231-3,
8. An enemy’s beast to be preserved from harm 234".
9. Justice to be administered impartially 2369 (bribes not to be taken : the poor and the gér not to be oppressed).
10. The seventh year to be a fallow year, and the seventh day a day of rest 2310-12 (the motive in each case is a philanthropic one).
11. God's commands to be honoured, and ‘ other goda’ not to be invoked 2313,
12. The three annual pilgrimages (of Unleavened Cakes, Harvest, and Weeks) to be observed 2314-17 (al) males to appear before J” at each).
13. Three closing regulations 2318-19 (sacrifice not to be offered with leavened bread, nor its fat to remain un-
* The literary characteristics of the Codes do not fall within the scope of the present article; but it may be remarked in passing that each possesses distinctive literary features of its own, and that even the form of the laws sometimes differs in the different codes: thus, while in E 1-28 a law commonly begins in the form w°N 73° 3) (212-2 36 ete.), in P the form ΟἽΝ or 2 &5) is frequent (Ly 13 2! 42 ete.), and in H the form WR WR wR (Ly 178. 8-10.13 etc.).