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tateuch, 1 Samuel, ii. 13, (see Deut. xviii. 3, and Leviticus, vii. 29.) So 1 Samuel, vi. 15, (see Numbers, i. 50, 51.) And 1 Samuel, xiv. 37; xxii. 10; xxiii. 2,3; xxx. 7, 8 (see Exodus, xxviii. 30, Numbers, xxvii. 21.) "In this book we find all these ordinances of the Pentateuch-the tabernacle of the congregation-the ark of the covenant-the yearly visitation-the rejoicing with the whole household-the duties of the priests and Levites, the altar, the incense, and the Ephod, the Urim and Thummim, the priest's dues, and the manner in which they were to be received, the inquiring of the Lord by the priests, the new moon, the laws concerning ceremonial uncleanness, wizards and possessors of familiar spirits. Many of these are described in the exact and peculiar language of the Pentateuch." Dr. Alexander McCaul.

So, also, in 1 Kings, David enjoins upon Solomon to observe all the precepts, and keep the charge "as it is written in the law of Moses," 1 Kings, ii. 3. In 2 Kings, xiv. 6, "the book of the law of Moses" is expressly referred to. And in 2 Kings, xxii. 8, this "book of the law," called, also, the book of the covenant-and "the book of the law of the Lord, (written,) by Moses," is related to have been found in the temple by the High Priest, Hilkiah, after a long period of its neglect; 2 Chron. xxxiv. 14. See also 2 Kings, xxiii. 3, and 2 Chron. xxiii. 18; xxv. 4. And Josiah, the king, is said to have "turned to the Lord with all his heart, according to all the Law of Moses," 2 Kings, xxiii. 25. And this bringing out of the law of Moses before the people, was the means of a great reformation in his time.

He kept a great Passover, "as it is written in the Book of Moses," 2 Chron. xxxv. 12, 18. Some well known sacred volume is here evidently referred to, comprising the law, (Hebrew, Torah teaching,) which God gave to Israel, including the history of the nation "by the hand of Moses." Some have supposed that this was the original copy which was commanded to be laid up in the ark of the covenant, and which was now found, Deuteronomy, xxxi. 24-26.

That this "Book of the Law" was not merely the Book of Deuteronomy, much less the Decalogue, as some have contended, is plain from the fact that the Passover was celebrated on the basis of the directions found in this Book, and it could have been only in Exodus, (see Ex. xii. 1-20,) and Numbers, (see Numb. xxviii. 16-25,) that the full directions were found. In Deuteronomy they are few, (see Deut. xvi. 1–8.) But the former two Books plainly presupposed the Book of Genesis, as introductory to them, and incomplete and unintelligible without them. Indeed, this very Book of Deuteronomy presupposes throughout the other four books of the Pentateuch, and they are constantly spoken of together as the Law.

The Psalms, also, constantly refer to "the Law," as the 119th Psalma manual of devotion-in every verse of it. And the 1st Psalm, which was, perhaps, written by Ezra as an introduction to the whole Book of Psalms,

or selected from David's or others' Psalms, as most proper for an introductory Psalm, refers entirely to "the Law of the Lord," as a whole-somehing to be read, and meditated on, and kept in the daily conduct. Psalm kviii. is remarkably full of historical references. Psalms lxxiv., lxxvi., kxviii., civ., cv., cvi., cxxxiii., cxxxv., cxxxvi., and others, refer to the histay in the Pentateuch most strikingly and conclusively. See Ps. xxix. 10; se, also, Ps. viii. referring to Genesis, and Ps. cxxxii. referring to the Levitical service.

Psalm, cx. 4, refers to Melchisedec, and so it is cited and expounded by the Epistle to the Hebrews. The Law is also spoken of as a written voume, see Ps. xl. 7.

The Proverbs, also, make constant reference to the Pentateuch, and hold up" the Law" as the basis of all wise and happy living, and as accordant with all men's experience of truth, and duty, and prosperity in this life. The peculiar phraseology of the Pentateuch is frequently used, showing that these writings of Moses must have been in use in the time of Solomon, Prov. x. 18; Heb. Numb. xiii. 32. Prov. xi. 1; xx. 10, 23 are from Lev. xix. 36, and Deut. xxv. 13. In Prov. xi. 13; xx. 19, the peculiar phrase is from Lev. xix. 16; Prov. xvii. 15 is from Exodus, xxiii. 7, and Deut. xxv. 1.

So, also, the Old Testament prophets constantly base their warnings and threatenings upon "the Law of the Lord," as something in documentary form and well known and in use among the people. Isaiah, and his contemporaries in the time of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, speak of "the Law of the Lord," chapter v. 24; xxx. 9. He calls it "the Book," as we say the Bible, chapter xxix. 18. See, also, most remarkably, chapter lxiii. 11-14. So Hosea speaks of the Law as written, chapter viii. 12; see, also, chapter vi. 7; see, also, Hosea, ii. 15; xi. 1, 8. And compare ii. 17 and Exodus, xxiii. 13; compare iii. 1 and Deut. xxxi. 16; compare iv. 10 and Levit. xxvi. 26. So Micah, vii. 15–20, refers to the history of the patriarchs—and chapter vi. 5, to Balaam, and vi. 4, to the Exodus. Amos, ii. 4, also, chapter iv. 11; ii. 10; iii. 1; v. 25. So compare Amos, ii. 7 and Exodus, xxiii. 6. Amos, ii. 8, compare Exodus, xxii. 25; Amos, ii. 9, compare Numbers, xiii. 32, 33; Amos, ii. 10, compare Deut. xxix. 2.

In Jeremiah, also, the Law is very frequently referred to and cited, chapter ii. 6, 8; vi. 19; viii. 8; ix. 13; xvi. 11; xxii. 22. Chapter iv. 4, compare Deut. x. 16. In his days, “the Book of the Law,” long neglected, was found in the temple by Hilkiah, who refers to it as a volume which had been well known and lost, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 15.

So, also, the prophet Ezekiel, see chapters xviii. and xx. throughout. This prophet employs terms and figures peculiar to the Pentateuch, chapter v. 11; vii. 4, 9; viii. 18; ix. 5, 10. Compare chapter v. 2, 12; xii. 14,

with Exodus, xv. 9; Leviticus, xxvi. 33. He refers to the Law as known by priests and people as of Divine authority, Ezek. xi. 12; xviii. 21.

It is not disputed that such a writing was known to the prophets of the Restoration, and to the people of their time. So, also, the historical books subsequent to the Captivity, plainly refer back to the Pentateuch as well known, and acknowledged to be written by Moses.

Ezra, iii. 2 refers to the laws about burnt-offerings in Leviticus," as it is written in the Law of Moses, the man of God." Again, in Ezra, vi. 18, at the dedication of the second temple, the priests and Levites were arranged expressly according "as it is written in the Book of Moses."

So, also, Nehemiah makes frequent references to the Pentateuch, showing that the Jewish people, through all their changes of exile and return, acknowledged this written book of the law of God by Moses. Even De Wette admits that "in Ezra and Nehemiah the mention of the Pentateuch as we now have it, is as certain as it is frequent." By some the Pentateuch has been ascribed to Ezra. But Ezra is shown to be witness against this when he says, as it is written in the Book of Moses," see chapter vi. 18. But Daniel, also, mentions the Pentateuch before the time of Ezra, Dan. ix. 11-13.

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Ezra may, indeed, have copied the Pentateuch at the Reformation in his time-in which case he would naturally have appended certain notices, as of Moses' death-yet by the same Divine inspiration. This gives, then, the testimony of the continuator.

And so Malachi, at the close of the Old Testament revelation, says: “Remember ye the law of Moses, my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments."

The passage which is, also, adduced against the Mosaic authorship, (Numb. xii. 3,) "Now the man Moses was very meek," etc., is accounted for by the Divine inspiration which dictated it. It is not the mere word of Moses, but the word of God.

That the death of Moses is recorded at the close of Deut., (chapter xxxiv. 5,) is argued by objectors as proof that the books were not written by Moses; as though such a notice could not have been appended by another, and upon the same Divine authority as directed the writing of the books by Moses. Keil, in his recent work, (p. xxii., note,) refers to a similar instance in a well known work by John Sleidanus, (see Hengst. Beitrage, 2, lxxx.,) at the close of which the death of the author is narrated. Of course, it is not necessary to note that such an addition must have been from another hand, and could not claim to be from the author of the book, inas. much as no one could be supposed to write an account of his own death. Besides the narrative of the death and burial is not given until after it has been expressly stated that he had finished his work, and transferred it to

the Levites, from which it would at once be understood that the closing and supplementary paragraph did not claim to be from him.

INTERNAL EVIDENCE.

That the Pentateuch could not have been compiled from "floating traditions," after the time of Moses, nor by any one from Samuel to Ezra, is plain.

For, 1. The Book is written evidently by a contemporary of the events, and an eye-witness, as Moses was. If written by any other than Moses, then it is a forgery claiming to be by the hand of Moses, but really by another, and thus imposed upon the nation in his name. But this cannot be. No motive could be imagined for such an imposture. Nor could it have been possible if we can give any weight to the internal evidence of authorship.

The style is every where simple and artless. The history is full of minute detail, precisely such as supposes the author to have been an eyewitness. And this is every where claimed. The minutia are such as must have been recorded at the time-details of marches-geographical sites— routes, etc., and with the origin of the names often in the events themselves -and all the items of the history agreeing together as a consistent whole, and agreeing, also, with the known character of Moses, and with the supposition that he, and no other than he, is the author.

Moreover, that the Books of the Pentateuch belong to this period, is indicated by the command of God to Moses, "to write the discomfiture of Amalek for a memorial in a book," (Exodus, xvii. 14,) (literally, in THE Book, showing that there was a book for these memorials, and that this book was the writing of Moses.)

2. The language of the Pentateuch is a further proof of its Mosaic authorship. If it had been written at a later period, there would have been found such modern words and phrases as would indicate the later date. But antiquated words abound, such as fix its antiquity. Jahn notes two hundred words peculiar to the Pentateuch, besides phrases. There are, also, Egyptian terms, or traces of such, which only an Egyptian would use. The style, especially in Deuteronomy, could have been feigned by no one, nor could any one have so completely assumed the person of Moses, or have spoken to the people, as they were then circumstanced, in the manner in which he speaks. "See Jahn."

3. The Pentateuch is manifestly written according to the progress of the events. Statutes are recorded as they were made, and their subsequent alteration, or repeal, is afterwards recorded as it came to pass, and as persons of a later age could not have known, in such connection; all bearing

the clear mark of a contemporary authorship-showing that the author narrated the history of his own legislation. See Exodus, xxi. 2–7, compare Deut. xv. 12-23; Numb. iv. 24-33, compare Numb. vii. 1-9. Now no compiler of floating traditions could ever have produced such a narrative, bearing such clear marks of contemporaneous history. He would not have arranged the writings "in the manner of a journal, following the order of time, so as to introduce, now a law, then a historical fact, then an admonition, and then again a law"-he would not have repeated some laws as often as they were published—or, at least, he would have omitted, in the former parts of the work, the laws which are altered in Deuteronomy. Nor would he have repeated the minute description of the tabernacle and its furniture at its completion, which he had already given in the directions for its building. All these features clearly show that the author wrote according to the successive unfolding of the history in which he was so eminently concerned; and wrote his history as a public and official record of his time.

4. The genealogies show a writer of the earliest time, such as Moses; and these genealogies being the basis of the distribution of property, carry all the proof which such a necessary public register must have among the national archives.

5. The different portions of the book, written evidently at different times, show coincidences so minute, so latent, so indirect, and so evidently undesigned, as to prove one hand throughout, always taking for granted that the notice of Moses' death at the close is by the hand of anotherwhich it was not at all necessary to state.

6. The details, geographical, historical, and personal, show the hand of Moses. The Book of Exodus, describing the conduct of Pharaoh, in such keeping with all that is known of the Egyptian court, and the route of the exodus, showing one well acquainted with Arabia and the peninsula of Sinai, could most naturally have come from one who had spent forty years in the land of Midian, and who, himself, traversed this route.

We have seen, then, that to suppose any other author than Moses, is, at best, to suppose a forgery, and is to charge the author, or compiler, with forgery-for he writes as being Moses himself, and none other.

And 1. Forged records would not venture upon such minute detail.

2. They could not furnish so many and various particulars with any such perfect consistency.

3. They would be most easy of exposure, especially as they involved all the affairs of a great people. And that they have passed for ages as their acknowledged archives in church and state, involving their family lineage,

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