TANAKH AND THE ORAL LAW
Biblical Law, i.e. Torah, is not a set
of religious guidelines for those who believe. Torah is national
law, governing Israel--both the land and the people, whether or
not they be in the land. It includes both civil statutes and criminal
code. The determination of what Torah is, therefore, is the determination
of what individual behavior is permitted or prohibited, and what
national goals and policy are to be embraced or shunned.
Since there are no rabbis in Torah or Tanakh, it can only be the
oral law that appoints them the authorized interpreters and guardians
of Torah. It can only be the oral law that establishes their place
and authority.
What establishes the authority of the oral law? To answer that,
we need to know where it came from and when it appeared. The origin
and the purpose of the oral law are inseparable one from the other.
The better we understand the one, the better we will understand
the other. Knowing the origin and purpose enable us to identify
its source.
If the oral law was in some way given at Sinai, then Rabbinic
Judaism would be a continuation of God's revelation at that time.
On the other hand, if the oral law was not given at Sinai, and
did not appear until the first and second century, then rabbinic
Judaism would be a distinctly new religion.
To determine when the oral law first appeared, we need to know
exactly what it is. That is not simple. In the Talmud, there are
three related, but significantly different and distinct claims
concerning the oral law:
1. The oral law is a separate divine revelation to Moses at
Sinai.
2. The oral law is an extended interpretation and elaboration
of the written Torah which was given to Moses. [Or, it was present
as a seed in the written Torah, but later grew and flourished.]
3. The oral law is a fence around the written Torah.
What is the record of Tanakh concerning the oral law? On the
basis of what is in the Law, the Writings, and the Prophets, was
there, or could there have been, an oral law given by God to Moses
at Sinai? If there was an oral law which God gave to Moses, Moses
never mentioned it, nor did Joshua, Ezra or any other person in
the Bible. If it existed, it was not part of God's covenant with
Israel. Nor was it relevant to the blessing or judgment of God.
No prophet, priest, or king either mentions it, or demonstrates
any concern to know it, obey it, or teach it. It was not relevant
to the governance or required worship of Israel. Nor did it play
any part in the instruction of the people or their children.
The First Talmudic Claim: The Oral
Law is a separate divine revelation given by God to Moses at Sinai.
"Moses received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted it to
Joshua, Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets,
and the prophets to the men of the great synagogue." Avoth
1:1 The Talmud describes how the oral law was given to Moses and
then passed on throughout the history of Israel. Eruvin 54b
According to Tanakh, what is "the Law of Moses" ? Does
it include the Oral Law? If it does not include it, does it permit
the possibility of an Oral Law having been given at Sinai in one
form or another?
The Record of the Torah
It seems that the scriptural incident that inspired the Talmudic
account may have been the battle against Amalek. Amalek attacked
Israel in the wilderness, but Israel triumphed in this first encounter.
"Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Write this on a scroll as
something to be remembered and put it in the ears of Joshua, because
I will completely blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under
heaven.' "1
Here, of course, what was put in the ears of Joshua was written
down first. What was written down was to be verbally recounted
to the one who would lead Israel into future battles.
When Moses initially presented to the people the covenant of the
Law which he had received from the Lord, the people accepted it.
"Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD. He got
up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the
mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve
tribes of Israel. Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered
burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings
to the LORD.
"Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the
other half he sprinkled on the altar. Then he took the Book of
the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, 'We will
do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.'
"Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and
said, 'This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made
with you in accordance with all these words.'"2
Moses "wrote down everything the LORD had said.Then he took
the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people."
On the basis of what Moses wrote and then read to the people -
i.e. "everything the LORD had said" - the people
responded, "We will do everything the LORD has said; we
will obey." They committed themselves to the covenant
which Moses had written and then read to them. It is that covenant
that was "cut" in the blood of the sacrifice.
Then, "The LORD said to Moses, 'Come up to me on the mountain
and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the
law and commands I have written for their instruction.'"3
Israel was to be instructed by what was written. Covenants were
put in writing to fix their text and make their terms binding.
At the conclusion of Leviticus, we are told, "These are the
decrees, the laws and the regulations that the LORD established
on Mount Sinai between himself and the Israelites through Moses."4
At the conclusion of Numbers, we are told, "These are the
commands and regulations the LORD gave through Moses to the Israelites
on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho."5
What the Lord added on the plains of Moab to the covenant he gave
Israel on Mt. Sinai was also recorded in written form.
When Moses neared the end of his life, he told the people what
the law would be concerning the king that they would one day want
to rule over them. Kings are particularly susceptible to certain
sins. Every king of Israel, therefore, is to guard himself from
such sins, so that he can faithfully lead the people as the Lord's
servant.
"When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write
for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of
the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is
to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere
the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law
and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers
and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and
his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel."6
The priests would have a written scroll of the law of the Lord
which had been given through Moses. That is because the Lord charged
Aaron, "you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the
LORD has given them through Moses."7
The king is to personally "write for himself on a scroll
a copy of this lawand he is to read it all the days of his life."
He is not to "turn from the law [which he has copied] to
the right or to the left." It is the written law that is
to guide and judge the king.
Just before his death, and before Israel was to enter the promised
land, Moses instructed the generation which had grown up in the
wilderness about what the Lord required of them. He told them
to bind themselves to an oath to carry out the law of the Lord.
He gave them these preliminary instructions:
"When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the LORD
your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them
with plaster. Write on them all the words of this law when you
have crossed over to enter the land the LORD your God is giving
you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the
God of your fathers, promised you.And you shall write very clearly
all the words of this law on these stones you have set up."8
It is "all the words of this law" which the people write
on the stones. It is to what they have written that they are to
bind themselves, saying, "'Cursed is the man who does not
uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.' Then all the
people shall say, 'Amen!' "9
Obedience to "all the words of this law" which are written
will bring blessing. Disobedience will bring curses.
"If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law,
which are written in this bookthe LORD will send fearful plagues
on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and
severe and lingering illnesses. He will bring upon you all the
diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you.
The LORD will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster
not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed.
You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left
but few in number, because you did not obey the LORD your God."10
It is obedience to the written law that determines whether Israel
will be blessed or cursed. Moses stated explicitly that the written
laws he was commanding the people that day were also part of their
covenant with the Lord. "These are the terms of the covenant
the LORD commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in Moab,
in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Horeb."11
The words of the covenant were written down, and the blessings
and curses were written down. Israel was told, "Carefully
follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in
everything you do."12
If a person's heart turned away from following the Lord, "The
LORD will never be willing to forgive him; His wrath and zeal
will burn against that man. All the curses written in this book
will fall upon him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under
heaven. The LORD will single him out from all the tribes of Israel
for disaster, according to all the curses of the covenant written
in this Book of the Law."13
The covenant was written down. The curses for turning away from
it were also written down. The name of the one who turned away
from what was written would be blotted out. The only thing not
written down were "every kind of sickness and disaster
not recorded in this Book of the Law" which the Lord
would bring on those who disobeyed what was written.
Moses prophesied that Israel would turn away from the written
covenant of the Lord. He detailed the horrors that would follow
such a turning away, especially the horrors that would take place
in exile. Even the land of Israel itself would be severely afflicted,
so that "All the nations will ask: 'Why has the LORD done
this to this land? Why this fierce, burning anger?'
"And the answer will be: 'It is because this people abandoned
the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, the covenant
He made with them when He brought them out of Egypt. They went
off and worshipped other gods and bowed down to them, gods they
did not know, gods He had not given them. Therefore the LORD's
anger burned against this land, so that he brought on it all the
curses written in this book'"14
The covenant was written down for instruction. The curses were
given as a warning. They were also written down as a future witness
for the day when Israel would break the written covenant.
Moses then prophesied that after all these curses, there would
be a turning back to the Lord. This turning back would bring restoration
from the Lord, a restoration that would be conditional upon obeying
the written covenant.
"You will again obey the LORD and follow all His commands
I am giving you today. Then the LORD your God will make you most
prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your
womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land.
The LORD will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just
as He delighted in your fathers, if you obey the LORD your God
and keep His commands and decrees that are written in this Book
of the Law and turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and
with all your soul."15
"So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests,
the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD,
and to all the elders of Israel. Then Moses commanded them: 'At
the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts,
during the Feast of Tabernacles, when all Israel comes to appear
before the LORD your God at the place He will choose, you shall
read this law before them in their hearing. Assemble the people--men,
women and children, and the aliens living in your towns--so they
can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully
all the words of this law. Their children, who do not know this
law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long
as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.'"16
Future generations were to live and worship in accordance with
the written Law of the Lord. Every seven years, all Israel was
to assemble to hear the Law read to them. The priests were responsible
for reading the law to the people. The written law was to instruct
the children of each generation so that they would "learn
to fear the Lord."
In addition to the written law itself, God gave Moses and Israel
a song to testify in the future of His faithfulness and Israel's
unfaithfulness. "Now write down for yourselves this song
and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that
it may be a witness for me against them."17 The law was written,
and the witness of the law was written.
"After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this
law from beginning to end, he gave this command to the Levites
who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD: 'Take this Book
of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the
LORD your God. There it will remain as a witness against you.'"18
Moses wrote all the words of the law "from beginning to end."
The written "Book of the Law" would be a witness against
the Levites and Israel for their future unfaithfulness.
According to the Torah, it is the written law that comprised God's
covenant with Israel. It is the written law that is the guide
to proper governance, and the standard by which those who govern
will be judged. It is disobedience to the written law that will
bring judgment and exile. It is obedience to the written law that
will bring restoration. It is the written law that is to be taught
to future generations.
There is no mention of an oral law.
The Record from Moses to the Exile
After the death of Moses, the Lord spoke to Joshua: "Be strong
and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant
Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,
that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book
of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night,
so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then
you will be prosperous and successful."19
Joshua was commanded to meditate on the Book of the Law day and
night to insure that he would obey all the law that Moses had
given him. What was written in The Book of the Law was to be in
his mouth. He was to be "careful to do everything written
in it." Doing what was written in the Book of the Law would
make him "prosperous and successful."
On Mt. Ebal, Joshua renewed the covenant between Israel and the
Lord. He built an altar "as Moses the servant of the LORD
had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is
written in the Book of the Law of Moses--an altar of uncut stones,
on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered to the
LORD burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings. There,
in the presence of all Israel, Joshua wrote on the stones the
copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.
"Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law - the blessings
and the curses - just as it is written in the Book of the Law.
There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua
did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women
and children, and the aliens who lived among them."20
The words translated "copy of the law" are Mishneh Torat
, the words which the Rabbis used to designate the Oral Law. They
refer to a copy of the written law which was read to all the people,
rather than to a different law recited by memory to a select group.
It was the written Book of the Law that determined how the altar
was to be built. When the altar was ready, "Joshua wrote
on the stones the copy of the law of Moses, which he [Moses] had
written." All that Moses commanded was written before all
the people.
Then, "Joshua read all the words of the lawjust as it is
written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that
Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly
of Israel." Joshua read every word of all that Moses had
commanded. Every word that Moses had commanded had been written
down.
Before Joshua died, he "summoned all Israel--their elders,
leaders, judges and officials--and said to them: 'Be very strong;
be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law
of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left.'"21
Just as Moses had charged Joshua and his generation, so Joshua
charged the next generation: "obey all that is written in
the Book of the Law of Moses." Their response to what was
written would determine their fate.
Joshua gathered the people one more time at Shechem. "On
that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem
he drew up for them decrees and laws. And Joshua recorded these
things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone
and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD."22
Joshua recorded the confirmation of the covenant and the added
decrees and laws.
As we previously noted, the Law of Moses requires each king of
Israel to write out a personal copy of the Law. From the behavior
of many of the kings, it can certainly be doubted that they ever
wrote it or read it. They did not follow the Law of the Lord.
For most of David's life, he was careful to follow the Law of
the Lord. For example, "David left Zadok the priest and his
fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place
in Gibeon to present burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar
of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance
with everything written in the Law of the LORD, which he had given
Israel."23 The sacrifices were to be offered "in accordance
with everything written in the Law of the LORD." What was
written was determinative. "When the time drew near for David
to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. 'I am about to go
the way of all the earth,' he said. 'So be strong, show yourself
a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in His
ways, and keep His decrees and commands, His laws and requirements,
as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all
you do and wherever you go, and that the LORD may keep his promise
to me: If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk
faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never
fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.'"24
David charged Solomon to keep the decrees, commands, laws, and
requirements "as written in the Law of Moses." That
would guarantee prosperity in every area of his life and the continuity
of the Davidic kingdom. Obeying what was "written in the
Law of Moses" was equated with walking faithfully before
the Lord.
King Joash of Judah was assassinated by some of his own officials.
His son Amaziah became king after him. "After the kingdom
was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered
his father the king. Yet he did not put the sons of the assassins
to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the
Law of Moses where the LORD commanded: 'Fathers shall not be put
to death for their children, nor children put to death for their
fathers; each is to die for his own sins.'"25
Amaziah was a righteous king. He governed according to what was
"written in the Book of the Law of Moses."
When King Ahaziah of Judah was killed, his mother, Athaliah, usurped
the throne by murdering all but one of her son's children. The
one, Joash, was hidden by his aunt and uncle, the priest Jehoiada.
Seven years later, Jehoiada planned and performed the coronation
of Joash, the child king. "Jehoiada and his sons brought
out the king's son and put the crown on him; they presented him
with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed
him and shouted, 'Long live the king!'"26
Jehoiada gave Joash a written copy of the covenant, the Law of
Moses. That copy was to be Joash's guide in ruling the kingdom.
(As long as Jehoiada lived, it was.)
"Then Jehoiada placed the oversight of the Temple of the
LORD in the hands of the priests, who were Levites, to whom David
had made assignments in the Temple, to present the burnt offerings
of the LORD as written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and
singing, as David had ordered."27
The burnt offerings were presented according to what was "written
in the Law of Moses." That was the guide for offering the
sacrifices properly.
Likewise, when King Hezekiah wanted to bring Judah back to the
Lord, "They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel,
from Beersheba to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem
and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel. It
had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was
written.Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim,
Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet
they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written.
"But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, 'May the LORD, who
is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God--the
LORD, the God of his fathers--even if he is not clean according
to the rules of the sanctuary.' And the LORD heard Hezekiah and
healed the people."28
Passover was to be celebrated "according to what was written."
Those who celebrated "contrary to what was written"
were guilty before the Lord.
The priests, however, were careful to consecrate themselves according
to the Law. "Then they took up their regular positions as
prescribed in the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests sprinkled
the blood handed to them by the Levites."29
Hezekiah also sought to cleanse the land of idolatry and reinstitute
the proper worship of the Lord. Accordingly, "The king contributed
from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings
and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moons and appointed
feasts as written in the Law of the LORD."30
All the sacrifices were to be offered according to what was "written
in the Law of the LORD." All the feasts were to be celebrated
according to what was "written in the Law of the LORD."
In the days of Josiah, a similar revival took place. When Josiah
the king first heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes.
Then he ordered his servants: "Go and inquire of the LORD
for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written
in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that
burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words
of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that
is written there concerning us."31
It was the words written in the book of the Law that moved Josiah
to repentance. It was the failure to observe what was written
in the book, that had brought judgment on Judah.
God confirmed Josiah's assessment of the situation: "This
is what the LORD says: 'I am going to bring disaster on this place
and its people, according to everything written in the book the
king of Judah has read.' "32 God held the people accountable
for what was written in the covenant.
In response, Josiah "went up to the temple of the LORD with
the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the
prophets - all the people from the least to the greatest. He read
in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which
had been found in the temple of the LORD. The king stood by the
pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD--to
follow the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees
with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words
of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged
themselves to the covenant."33
Josiah read "all the words of the Book of the Covenant."
That is the covenant he then renewed. He confirmed "the words
of the covenant written in this book." It was the written
covenant to which "all the people pledged themselves."
Then Josiah set about cleansing the land and people of all their
abominations. He set about restoring the proper worship of the
Lord. "The king gave this order to all the people: 'Celebrate
the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book
of the Covenant.'"34
"They set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the subdivisions
of the families of the people to offer to the LORD, as is written
in the Book of Moses."35 The guide for proper worship and
celebration was what was "written in this Book of the Covenant,"
i.e. "the Book of Moses."
"Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists,
the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things
seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements
of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered
in the temple of the LORD. Neither before nor after Josiah was
there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did--with all
his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in
accordance with all the Law of Moses."36
Josiah sought only "to fulfill the requirements of the law
written in the book." For that, he is highly commended. The
Law of Moses was what was written in the book.
To summarize, the record of Tanakh concerning the time from Moses
to the exile is that it was the written law that was to be the
object of meditation and the guide for those - whether general,
priest, or king - who governed and lead in Israel. It was the
written law that defined individual and corporate fidelity or
infidelity to the Lord.
It was the written law that was followed in building the altar
and in offering the sacrifices. It was the written law that was
to be taught to Israel throughout its generations. It was obedience
to the written law that would bring prosperity and success. It
was the written law that was to be taught to future generations.
According to Tanakh, concerning the time from Moses to the exile,
not one word of all of the Law of Moses was unwritten.
There is no mention of an oral law.
The Record in the Exile and in the
Return
The Record in the Exile and in the Return In the Torah, God promised
to send Israel into exile for disobedience to what was written
in His Law. In exile in Babylon, Daniel the prophet read in the
book of Jeremiah that "the desolation of Jerusalem [would
last] 70 years."37 Those 70 years were coming to an end,
and Daniel wrote, "So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded
with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth
and ashes."38
In seeking the Lord's mercy and forgiveness, Daniel confessed
the sins of Israel. "All Israel has transgressed Your law
and turned away, refusing to obey You. Therefore the curses and
sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God,
have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You.Just
as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come
upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God
by turning from our sins and giving attention to Your truth."39
In Daniel's understanding, the curses, judgments, and exile which
had been decreed and "written in the Law of Moses"
had been fulfilled. That was what defined Israel's sin. He prayed
in the expectation that the promise of restoration which was written
in the Book of Jeremiah would also be fulfilled.
Ezra is the most important of the dozen scribes who are mentioned
by name in Tanakh. He is the only scribe mentioned in Tanakh who
was a leader in Israel. In the Talmud, Ezra is very important
in the transmission of the oral law. What do the books of Ezra
and Nehemiah tell us concerning the written and oral law? "For
Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law
of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel."40
"Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel
son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of
the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance
with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.Then in
accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Feast of
Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed
for each day."41
Jeshua and Zerubbabel were among the first group that returned
to Israel from Babylon. During their time, the altar was built,
the sacrifices were offered, and Sukkot was celebrated "in
accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses."
"So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper
under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant
of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command
of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes,
kings of Persia.And they installed the priests in their divisions
and the Levites in their groups for the service of God at Jerusalem,
according to what is written in the Book of Moses."42 In
the time of Haggai and Zechariah, the guide for installing the
priests was "what is written in the Book of Moses."
Ezra recorded those things about those who returned before him.
What about the time of his own return? What did Ezra himself teach?
the written law? the oral law? both?
"all the people assembled as one man in the square before
the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book
of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.
So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought
the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women
and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak
till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the
presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And
all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
"Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because
he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all
stood up.The Levitesinstructed the people in the Law while the
people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law
of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people
could understand what was being read."43
Ezra read to the people from the Book of the Law. The Levites
did the same. Then they explained the written text because the
ancient language was not clear to the people.
"On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families,
along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the
scribe to give attention to the words of the Law. They found written
in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the
Israelites were to live in booths during the feast of the seventh
month and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout
their towns and in Jerusalem: 'Go out into the hill country and
bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from
myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make booths'--as it is written."44
They sought to obey what they found written in the Law. So the
people celebrated Sukkot in accordance with what was written in
the Law. "Day after day, from the first day to the last,
Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the
feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with
the regulation, there was an assembly."45
Later in the same month the people gathered again. "They
stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the
LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter
in confession and in worshipping the LORD their God."46 The
people confessed their sins because of what they had heard read
from the Book of the Law.
NOTES
The Record of the Torah
1. Ex. 17:14
2. Exod. 24:4-8
3. Exod. 24:12
4. Lev. 26:46
5. Num. 36:13
6. Deut. 17:18-20
7. Lev. 10:11
8. Deut. 27:2-3,8
9. Deut. 27:26
10. Deut. 28:58-62
11. Deut. 29:1
12. Deut. 29:9
13. Deut. 29:20-21
14. Deut. 29:24-27
15. Deut. 30:8-10
16. Deut. 31:9-13
17. Deut. 31:19
18. Deut. 31:24-26
The Record from Moses to the Exile
19. Josh. 1:7-8
20. Josh. 8:31-32,34-35
21. Josh. 23:2,6
22. Josh. 24:25-26
23. 1Chr. 16:39-40
24. 1Kgs. 2:1-4
25. 2Kgs. 14:5-6
26. 2Chr. 23:11
27. 2Chr. 23:18
28. 2Chr. 30:5,18-20
29. 2Chr.30:16
30. 2Chr. 31:3
31. 2Kgs. 22:13
32. 2Kgs. 22:16
33. 2Kgs. 23:2-3
34. 2Kgs. 23:21
35. 2Chr. 35:12
36. 2Kgs. 23:24-25
The Record in the Exile and in the Return
37. Dan.9:2, referring to Jer.25:11-12
38. Dan.9:3
39. Dan. 9:11,13
40. Ezra 7:10
41. Ezra 3:2,4
42. Ezra 6:14,18
43. Neh. 8:1-3,6-8
44. Neh. 8:13-15
45. Neh. 8:18
46. Neh. 9:3
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(go back)
What Is A Rabbi
Tanakh And Oral Law
The Oral Law As Interpretation
The Historical Development Of Oral Law
A Fence Around The Torah
Talmudic Revisionism
Confronting The Scriptures
Uprooting the Scriptures