We have thus found five decalogues in this group. Bertheau completes the number seven by transposing, as we have seen, chap, xvii, and placing it immediately before ch. xx. He also transfers ver. 27 of ch. xx to what he considers its proper place, viz., after ver. 6. It must be confessed that the enactment in ver. 27 stands very awkwardly at the end of the chapter, completely isolated as it is from all other enactments ; for ver. 22- 20 are the natural conclusion to this whole section. But, admitting this, another dilWculty remains, that, accord- ing to him, the seventh decalogue begins at ver. 10, and another transjiosition is necessan,-, so that ver. 7, 8 may stand after verse 9, and so conclude the preceding series of ten enactments. It is better, perhaps, to abandon the search for complete symmetry than to adopt a meth- od so violent in order to obtain it.
It should be observed that ch. xviii, 6-23, and ch. xx, 10-21, stand in such a relation to one another that the latter declares the penalties attached to the transgres- sion of many of the commandments given in the former. But, though we may not be able to trace in chap, xvii -XX seven decalogues, in accordance with the theory of which we have been speaking, there can be no doubt that they form a distinct section of themselves, of which XX, 22-26 is the proper conclusion.
Like the other sections, it has some characteristic expressions: («) •' Ye shall keep my judgments and my statutes" (■'^pn, ■'MSp^) occurs xviii, 4, 5, 26; xix, 37 ; XX, 8, 22, but is not met with either in the preced- ing or the following chapters, (i) The constantly re- curring phrases, " I am .Jehovah," " I am .Jehovah your God,' '• Be ye holy, for I am holy," " I am Jehovah which hallow you,"' In the earlier sections this phrase- ology is only found in Lev, xi, 44, 45. and Exod. xxxi, 13. In the section which follows (chap, xxi-xxv) it is mucVi more common, this section being in a great meas- ! are a continuation of the preceding.
(Y.) We come now to the last group of decalogues — that contained in ch. xxi-xxvi, 2. The subjects com- prised in these enactments are — 1. The personal purity of the priests. They may not defile themselves for the dead; their wives and daughters must be pure, and they themselves must be free from all personal blemish (ch. xxi). 2. The eating of the holy things is permit- ted only to priests who are free from all uncleamiess: they and their household only may eat them (ch. xxii, 1- 16). 3. The offerings of Israel are to he pure and with- out iilemish (ch. xxii. 17-33 ). 4. The last series provides for the due celebration of the great festivals when priests and peo|)le were to be gathered together before Jehovah in holy convocation (ch. xxiii, xxv), with an episode (ch. xxiv).
L'p to this point we trace system and purpose in the order of the legislation. Thus, for instance, ch. xi~xvi i treats of external juirity: ch. xvii-xx of moral iiurity; chap, xxi-xxiii of the holiness of the priestsj and their duties with regard to holy things ; the whole concluding •with provisions for the solemn feasts on which all Israel | appeared before Jehovah. We will again brietiy indi- |
cate Bertheau's groups, and then append some general observations on this whole section.
u. Chapter xxi, ten laws, as follows: (1) ver. 1-3; (2) ver. 4 ; (3) ver. 5, 6 ; (4) ver. 7, 8 ; (5) ver. 9 ; (6) ver. 10, 11 ; (7) ver. 12 ; (8) ver. 13, 14 ; (9) ver. 17-21 : (10) ver. 22, 23. The first five laws concern all the priests ; the sixth to the eighth, the high-priest ; the ninth and tenth, the effects of bodily blemish in particular cases.
b. Chap, xxii, 1-16. (1) ver. 2 ; (2) ver. 3 ; (3) ver. 4 ; (4) ver. 4-7 ; (5) ver. 8, 9; (0) ver. 10 ; (7) ver. 11 ; (8) ver. 12; (9) ver. 13; (10) ver. 14-16.
c. Chap, xxii, 17-33. (1) ver. 18-20 ; (2) ver. 21 ; (3) ver. 22 ; (4) ver. 23 ; (5) ver. 24 ; (6) ver. 25 ; (7) ver. 27; (8) ver. 28; (9) ver. 29; (10) ver. 30; and a general conclusion in verse 31-33.
(/. Chap, xxiii. (1) ver. 3 ; (2) ver. 5-7 ; (3) ver. 8 ; (4) ver. 9-14; (5) ver. 15-21; (6) ver. 22; (7) ver. 24, 25 ; (8) ver. 27-32 ; (9) ver. 34, 35 ; (10) ver. 36 ; verses 37, 38 contain the conclusion, or general summing up of the Decalogue. On the remainder of the chapter, as well as chapter xxiv, see below.
e. Chap, xxv, 1-22. (1) ver. 2 ; (2) ver. 3, 4 ; (3) ver. 5 ; (4) ver. 6 ; (5) ver. 8-10 ; (6) ver. 11, 12 ; (7) ver. 13 ; (8) ver. 14 ; (9) ver. 15 ; (10) ver. 16 ; with a concluding formula in verse 18-22.
j: Chap, xxv, 23-38. (1) ver. 23, 24 ; (2) ver. 25 ; (3) ver. 26, 27 ; (4) ver. 28 ; (5) ver. 29 ; (6) ver. 30 ; (7) ver. 31 ; (8) ver. 32, 33 ; (9) ver. 34 ; (10) ver. 35-37 ; the conclusion to the whole in verse 38.