The first couple of chapters are some mostly good civic laws. It’s just a little surprising that a book written by God has lots of detailed rules. Maybe it’s because the book is really cobbled together later, and is just codifying the rules that have already been written. Seriously, should He really care about the fact that a stolen ox must be paid back fivefold, but a sheep fourfold?

But we get to the moral laws, and they are all over the place.

No sex with animals. Sounds reasonable. Put them to death. Yow!

Burn the witches. Ouch!

If a man rapes a virgin, he just has to pay a bride price to her father, and he keeps her. Unless the father doesn’t like it. Too bad, honey.

We are now promised a large amount of land, which would make Syria and Egypt quite unhappy if it were all part of Israel. I need to write a book where God promises me someone else’s land. It’s a great scam.

And then Moses went back up the mountain for forty days and nights.

Tomorrow: Exodus 25-27

My old orthodox co-worker Gary tells this joke:

Moses, thou shalt not cook the kid in the milk of its mother. Ok, so I can’t have a glass of milk with my steak? No, listen carefully: Thou shalt not cook the kid in the milk of its mother. So after my lamb chop, no chocolate bar? Moses, you are not listening to me! Thou shalt not cook the kid in the milk of its mother. No cheeseburgers? Oh, do what you want!