Covenant Code

And so just before this, in Exodus chapter 20, verses 1 through 17, it relates the giving of the Ten Commandments, which we're very familiar with.

Then, starting with Exodus chapter 21, verse 1, through chapter 23, verse 33, so that encompasses today's reading, it relates a derived law from the Ten Commandments called the Covenant Code, or the Ordinances.

And so you've got these general laws, and then you've got tons and tons of specific laws.

In fact, 613 commandments, 635 ordinances, and 268 prescriptions all part of this.

And this is on page 181, and it has to do with these ordinances.

Scholars have long noted particular and striking parallels between the covenant code, this is Exodus 21 through 23, and ancient Near Eastern law codes, especially the code of Hammurabi, referenced as CH.

The CH was written in about 1700 BC, but was studied and recopied as part of the education of scribes throughout the Near East for well over a millennium.

So this puts us to about 700 BC.

The laws in it address common legal cases in ancient Near Eastern society and probably represent judicial precedent or custom even older than Hammurabi himself.

There is no need to posit direct dependence of the Covenant Code on the Code of Hammurabi.

Both are part of an ancient Near Eastern legal tradition and share some similarities.

However, even when the situation both codes address is virtually identical, the legal remedy is often quite different.