x. 35, 36; II. SAM. vi. 2; Ps. cxxxii. 7, 8). On account of the holiness of that Law, Aaron was not allowed to enter within the' veil, except with sacrifices and incense (LEV. xvi. 2-14, and subsequent verses). Owing to the presence of the Lord's power in the Law, which was within the ark, the waters of Jordan were divided; and while the ark rested in the midst of the river, the people crossed on dry land (JOSH. iii. 1–17; iv. 5-18). At the carrying around them of the ark, the walls of Jericho fell (Josн. vi. 1-20). Dagon, the god of the Philistines fell to the earth before the ark, and afterwards lay upon the threshold, with his head broken off and the palms of his hands severed (I. SAM. v.). The Bethshemites on account of the ark were smitten to the number of several thousand (I. SAM. vi. 19). Uzzah died because he touched the ark (II. SAM. vi. 7). The ark was introduced by David into the city of Zion, with sacrifices and jubilee (II. SAM. vi. 1–19). . . .

Because by that Law there is a conjunction of the Lord with man, and of man with the Lord, it is called a covenant and a testimony - a covenant because it effects conjunction, and a testimony because it confirms the articles of the covenant; for a covenant in the Word signifies conjunction, and a testimony signifies the confirmation and witnessing of its articles. For this reason there were two tables, one for God

and another for man.

Conjunction takes place from the Lord, but only when man does what is written in his table: for the Lord is continually present and wishes to enter in ; but man, by the freedom which he has from the Lord, must open to Him; for the Lord says: 66 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and sup with him, and he with me" (REV. iii. 20).

That the tables of stone on which the Law was written, were called "the tables of the covenant," that from them the ark was called "the ark of the covenant," and that the Law itself was called the covenant [or testament], may be seen in NUMB. X. 33; DEUT. iv. 13, 23; V. 2, 3; ix. 9; JOSH. iii. II; I. KINGS viii. 21; REV. xi. 19, and elsewhere. Since a covenant signifies conjunction, it is said of the Lord, that He shall be a 66 covenant for the people," ISA. xlii. 6; xlix. 8; and He is called the "messenger of the covenant," MAL. iii. I; and his blood is called the "blood of the covenant," Matt. xxvi. 28; ZECH. ix. II; Ex. xxiv. 4-10; and therefore the Word is called the Old and New Covenant; for covenants arise from love, for the sake of friendship, association and union.

So great holiness and power were in the Law, because it was the complex of all that pertains to religion; for it was written on

two tables, one of which contained in the complex all that regards God, and the other all that regards man. Therefore the precepts of the Law are called the Ten Words (Ex. xxxiv. 28; DEUT. iv. 13; x. 4). They were so called because ten signifies all, and words signify truths; for they were more than ten words. Tithes [tenths] were instituted on account of that signification; and that that Law is the complex of all that pertains to religion, will be seen in what follows." (T. Č. R., nos. 282-286.)

XI.-The Five Books Separately.

GENESIS.

The Hebrews named this book from its first word Bereshith, in the beginning. Our name Genesis, comes from the Greek, and signifies generation or genealogy; from the number of genealogical records with which the book abounds. Such records appear to have been the earliest form of history. The book is easily and naturally divided into two parts, one preceding the call of Abraham, the other continuing the history after that event. The earlier portion has already been considered in the two chapters on Ante-diluvian and Post-diluvian Revelation. The second portion contains the history of the four patriarchs, Abraham,

It

Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, until the death of the two latter in Egypt, and their burial. The whole is the introductory book of the Pentateuch, without which the subsequent books could not be well understood. keeps up the continuity of Divine Revelation, and the manifest presence of the Heavenly Father with His people from age to age, with the repeated renewal of covenant relations.

As we have seen that Moses obtained the first portion from pre-existing inspired documents, so it is not unreasonable to suppose that he had access to others for the whole of the remainder. No doubt a minute family history was kept by the patriarchs, and handed down from generation to generation, being preserved among their descendants in Egypt. It is obvious, however, that all the gathered fragments were put together and woven into one continuous, consistent whole by Moses.

EXODUS.

The Hebrew name of this book is Veelle Shemoth, which are its first words, meaning, now these are the names. More commonly, however, it was called simply Shemoth, names. Our name, Exodus, is the Latin, derived from the Greek Exodos, meaning going forth or departure, that is, of the Israelites out of Egypt.

The first chapter is a brief summary of

names and events from the settlement of the twelve patriarchs in Egypt down to the time of the parents of Moses. Chapter second gives the birth of Moses, and forty years of his life, until he fled from Egypt, and went to dwell with Jethro, the priest and ruler of Midian. With Jethro he remained forty years. Here he was brought into relations with a priest and people of the Ancient Church; and it will always be an interesting question, What knowledge of preexistent revelation,- of books, principles, and institutions,—did he derive from this learned and wise priest of Midian? Farther on we shall see that the arrangement of the national judiciary was communicated to Moses by him, as related in chapter xviii.

Chapter third records the call and Divine commission of Moses; while the rest of the book naturally divides into two parts. The first to chapter xviii. giving the deliverance of Israel and their journey to Sinai ; including the ten plagues in Egypt, the establishment of the passover, the passage of the Red sea, the guidance of the cloudy pillar, the miraculous supply of manna, and of water from the rock, the fight with Amelek, and Jethro's visit to the camp. The second part to end of chapter xl., is especially important, containing as it does, the promulgation of the Law, the establishment of the covenant, the foundation of the Mosaic economy, with its tabernacle and priesthood.