Home > Abraham to Sinai >
Email | Print | 
.
 
9.4 References: Decalogue Before Sinai
by Hubert F. Sturges, www.everlastingcovenant.com, April 26, 2010

References:
General References
The Fall of Man and Cain and Abel
Summary of the Law Before Sinai


General REFERENCES:

1. Unless otherwise specified, Scripture references in this article are quoted from the New King James Version.
2. Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis: A Commentary(Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2001), p. 87.
3. Terence E. Fretheim, God and World in the Old Testament: A Relational Theology of Creation (Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon, 2005), p. 136.
4. Gerhard F. Hasel, “Sabbath’ in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, David Noel Freedman, editor-in-chief (New York: Doubleday, 1992), vol.5, p.851.
5. Ibid., p. 222.
6. Kenneth A. Mathews, An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture: Genesis 1 - 11:26 in E. Ray Clendenen, Genesis ed., The New American Commentary New International Version (Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman & Holman, 2001), p. 275.
7. Gordon J. Wenham in David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker, Genesis ed., Word Biblical Commentary: Genesis 1-15 (Waco, Texas: Word, 1987), p. 100.
8. Kenneth A. Mathews, An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture: Genesis 1-11:26, op cit., p.289.
9. Derek Kidner, Genesis, in D. J. Wiseman, Genesis ed., Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP, 1967), p. 136.

10. Kenneth A. Matthews, An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture: Genesis 1-11:26, op cit., p.237.
11. Terence E. Fretheim, God and World in the Old Testament: A Relational Theology of Creation, op cit., p. 99.
12. Victor P. Hamilton, in Robert L. Hubbard, Jr., Genesis ed., The Book of Genesis: Chapters 1-17 in The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990), pp. 219, 220.
13. Ibid., p. 469.
14. Ibid., p. 468.
15. John H. Sailhamer, The Pentateuch as Narrative: A Biblical-Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992), p. 148.
16. Terence E. Fretheim, God and World in the Old Testament: A Relational Theology of Creation, op cit., p. 136.

Comparison of the fall of man and the story of Cain and Abel:

There is a close parallel between these two stories (7).

1. The central scene in each chapter is a terse description of the sin (Genesis 3:6-8//4:8) that contrasts strikingly with long dialogues before and afterward.

2. The following scene in each case where God investigates and condemns the sin is also remarkably alike:

“‘Where is Abel your brother?”// “Where are you?” (Genesis 4:9; 3:9)

“What have you done?” (Genesis 3:9; 4:10; 3:13).

“You are cursed from the land,”//”’You are more cursed than all domesticated animals; the land is cursed because of you” (Genesis 4:11; 3:14, 17).

3. Both stories conclude with the transgressors leaving the presence of God and going to live east of Eden (Genesis 4:16; 3:24).

4. In Genesis 3:24, the Lord drove Adam and Eve out of the garden. Cain’s complaint is similar: “You have driven me this day from the face of the ground” (4:14).

These parallels between Genesis 3 and 4 suggest that the two narratives should be compared to give insight into the nature of human sin. Fratricide graphically illustrates the defilement of sin. In chapters 3 and 4, Eve has to be persuaded by the serpent to disregard the Creator’s advice (3:1- 5); Cain is not dissuaded from his murderous intention by God’s direct appeal (4:6, 7). In chapter 3 there is no stark sense of immediate alienation between Adam and Eve with God. When God pronounces sentence on Adam, Eve, and the serpent, they accept it without protest (vss. 14-20). Cain’s negative attitude is perceptible from the outset when the Lord does not accept his sacrifice.

Clearly the writer of Genesis wants to mark parallels between the two narratives. The murder of Abel, however, is not simply a rerun of the Fall. There is further debasement. Sin’s vicious nature is more graphically demonstrated, and humanity is further alienated from God. The Genesis narratives proceed with deliberate linkages, showing the curse of sin rapidly developing a deadly hold upon the human race. Human nature is now bent toward evil. With terrible realism the narrative continues?”


Summary: The Law Before Mount Sinai

All 10 precepts of the Sinai Decalogue are attested to throughout the Genesis narratives:

1. “You shall have no other gods before Me” (monotheism): Creation Week; Genesis 2:1-3; 4:3, 26; 12:1-3; 22:5; 24:48.

2. “You shall not make . . . a carved image, or . . . bow down to them nor serve them” (Exodus 20:4, 5): Jacob’s urging of family to put away idols (Genesis 35:2).

3. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7): calling “on the ‘name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26).

4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. . . . The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:8, 10): Creation Week; Cain and Abel’s worship time; weekly cycle operating (Genesis 2:1-3; 4:3; 7:4, 10; 8:10, 12).

5. “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12): Noah/his sons; Lot/his daughters (Genesis 9:20- 27; 19:1-38).

6. “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13): Cain kills Abel and is held accountable by God; Lamech bragging of murder; Simeon and Levi killing (Genesis 4:3-15; 4:23, 24; 34).

7. “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14): Abraham/Sarah/Pharaoh; Lot/his daughters; Abraham/Sarah/Abimelech; Isaac/Rebekah/Abimelech; Joseph/Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 12:9-20; 19:30-38; 20:1- 7; 26:6-11; 39:7-21).

8. “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15): Rachel steals idols (Genesis 31:13-42).

9. “You shall not bear false witness” (Exodus 20:16): Abraham/Sarah/Pharaoh; Abraham/Sarah/Abimelech; Isaac/Rebekah/Abimelech; Jacob/Esau/Isaac; Laban/Leah and Rachel/Jacob; Dinah incident; Joseph/Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 12:9-20; 20:1-7; 26:6-11; 27; 29; 34:13-27; 39).

10. “You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17): Dinah/Shechem Joseph/Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 34:1-4; 39).

At the time of the patriarchs written records were sparse, and there was a strong oral tradition by which many details were given. See Article #8.5, The Oral Tradition.

These verses in Genesis show that the patriarchs recognized the law of God before Sinai. When God gave the covenant to Isaac, it was on the basis of Isaac following his father Abraham in keeping recognized laws. “I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father . . . because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws” (Genesis 26:3, 5, italics supplied).

These terms are well-known from Deuteronomy (e.g., 11:1; 26:17), where they are used for describing the keeping of the Torah revealed at Sinai (15).” This explicitly detailed statement of God “witnesses to the place of law in the pre-Sinai period and that the law given at Sinai stands in fundamental continuity with the law obeyed by Abraham(16).” God could have merely stated to Isaac that Abraham had been obedient. Instead He becomes very precise, mentioning specifically what Abraham had been obedient to.