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were there ever more than 10 commandments?
I heard there were a few not included in the modern version of the OT
11 Answers
- GerriLv 57 years ago
Yes, the Ten Commandments were the first ten of over 600 laws given to the Israelites from Jehovah God.
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- ChristineLv 67 years ago
The ten commandments were merely a part of the grand Mosaic Law:
"Many seem to think that the Mosaic Law was an unwieldy, complex set of laws. Such a notion is far from the truth. There are over 600 laws in the entire code. That may sound like a lot, but just think: By the end of the 20th century, the federal laws of the United States filled over 150,000 pages of legal books. Every two years some 600 more laws are added! So in terms of sheer volume, the mountain of human laws dwarfs the Mosaic Law. Yet, God’s Law governed the Israelites in areas of life that modern laws do not even begin to touch. Consider an overview.
The Law exalted Jehovah’s sovereignty. Thus, the Mosaic Law is beyond comparison with any other law code. The greatest of its laws was this: “Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah. And you must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your vital force.” How were God’s people to express love for him? They were to serve him, submitting to his sovereignty.—Deuteronomy 6:4, 5; 11:13.
Each Israelite showed his acceptance of Jehovah’s sovereignty by submitting to those placed in authority over him. Parents, chieftains, judges, priests and, eventually, the king all represented divine authority. Jehovah viewed any rebellion against those in authority as rebellion against him. On the other hand, those in authority risked Jehovah’s wrath if they dealt unjustly or arrogantly with his people. (Exodus 20:12; 22:28; Deuteronomy 1:16, 17; 17:8-20; 19:16, 17) Both sides were thus responsible for upholding God’s sovereignty.
The Law upheld Jehovah’s standard of holiness. The words “holy” and “holiness” occur over 280 times in the Mosaic Law. The Law helped God’s people to distinguish between what was clean and unclean, pure and impure, citing about 70 different things that could render an Israelite ceremonially unclean. These laws touched on physical hygiene, diet, and even waste disposal. Such laws provided remarkable health benefits.* But they had a higher purpose—that of keeping the people in Jehovah’s favor, separate from the sinful practices of the debased nations surrounding them. Consider an example.
Statutes of the Law covenant stated that sexual relations and childbirth—even among married people—brought on a period of uncleanness. (Leviticus 12:2-4; 15:16-18) Such statutes did not denigrate these clean gifts from God. (Genesis 1:28; 2:18-25) Rather, those laws upheld Jehovah’s holiness, keeping his worshipers free from contamination. It is noteworthy that the nations surrounding Israel tended to mix worship with sex and fertility rites. Canaanite religion included male and female prostitution. Degradation of the worst sort resulted and spread. In contrast, the Law made the worship of Jehovah entirely separate from sexual matters.* There were other benefits too.
Those laws served to teach a vital truth.* How, after all, is the stain of Adam’s sin transmitted from one generation to the next? Is it not through sexual relations and childbirth? (Romans 5:12) Yes, God’s Law reminded his people of the ever-present reality of sin. All of us, in fact, are born in sin. (Psalm 51:5) We need forgiveness and redemption in order to draw close to our holy God.
The Law upheld Jehovah’s perfect justice. The Mosaic Law advocated the principle of equivalence, or balance, in matters of justice. Thus, the Law stated: “Soul will be for soul, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” (Deuteronomy 19:21) In criminal cases, then, the punishment had to fit the crime. This aspect of divine justice permeated the Law and to this day is essential to understanding the ransom sacrifice of Christ Jesus, as Chapter 14 will show.—1 Timothy 2:5, 6.
The Law also included safeguards against the perversion of justice. For instance, at least two witnesses were required in order to establish the validity of an accusation. The penalty for perjury was severe. (Deuteronomy 19:15, 18, 19) Corruption and bribery were also strictly forbidden. (Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 27:25) Even in their business practices, God’s people had to uphold Jehovah’s lofty standard of justice. (Leviticus 19:35, 36; Deuteronomy 23:19, 20) That noble and just legal code was a great blessing to Israel!"
Source(s): JW.org - Anonymous7 years ago
There are 613 Mosaic Laws and at least three versions of Decalogue in OT...
One of the 'laws' in one of the other Decalogues is...
Do not boil a kid in its mother's milk.
~
- ANDRE LLv 77 years ago
A few were lost... Mel Brooks...
Source(s): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TAtRCJIqnk - sanityLv 77 years ago
The 613 Mosaic laws (in the Old Testament) were plagiarized from Hammurabi's codes (of 613 laws) and there were excavated relics of those laws (Hammurabi) inscribed on stones.
- Light and TruthLv 77 years ago
No. There are a number of places there they are recited, and they also appear in 21 manuscripts and there are always 10, a decaloge.