ABBREVIATIONS USED The American Revised Version (1901) is used for all references to the Old Testament. INTRODUCTION A THE STUDY OF LEGAL ORIGINS The study of a nation's history and traditions has always been regarded as of great significance. In an especial sense this truth is applicable to the study of legal origins. Cultural development and growth in the fundamental ideas of justice and humanity are perhaps better illustrated in the laws of a people than in any other one thing. The genius of a people, their most intimate thought, their very life blood, are crystallized in their laws. The study of Israel's origins is not only interesting in itself, but these origins acquire an enhanced importance from the growth of religious ideas which they illustrate. How a small Semitic tribe through long wanderings in the desert and countless hardships developed the highest conception of God and the noblest religious literature of the ancient world is a strange and thrilling story, of the most absorbing interest. We find there the gradual growth of pure monotheism, the eloquence of prophets, the codes of law-givers, the persistent urge toward a nobler religious utterance, which cannot be matched in any other story, either ancient or modern. Our own religious notions are derived directly from this insignificant tribe in an obscure corner of the ancient civilized world. Surely we may study the early history of this race with profit. Many of our own laws no doubt had their remote progenitors in Judea. And the study of these historic foundations may, by proper methods of teaching, be made of absorbing interest to the youth who throng our schools. |