The Spirit of the Bible, Or, the Nature and Value of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures Discriminated (Volume 1); In an Analysis of Their Several Books (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1853. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... arrangement, in the order in which they were enacted, and often in immediate connection with some incident out of which they arose, is artless and natural, and such as the legislator himself, but no one in a later age, would be likely to adopt. Josephus, in his Jewish Antiquities, has professed to give in Greek what Moses wrote in Hebrew; but, as might have been expected, he has departed from the order observed by the author of the Pentateuch. He has separated the laws from the historical detail, and placed them all in one view. And the same method would, no doubt, have been pursued by the original writer, had he not been present at the transactions which he records, and engaged in establishing the Israelitish polity. What plainer indication that Moses was that writer can we have or desire?" GENESIS. The first book of Moses is called Genesis in the Greek version, and this name has been copied in modern versions in general. It means Production or Origin, and appropriately describes the contents of the earlier part of the book especially, which treats of the creation of the world, and the origin and progress of human society. The Jewish name for the book is Beraschit, or In-thebeginning, this being the first word of the book itself. The other books of the Pentateuch also are named in the same way, by citing one of their first words; but none of those names happen to be equally descriptive of their contents; while in each case the Greek name, which we use, is descriptive, as will be seen in their places. Genesis is probably the oldest book in the world. It is indeed "a priceless relic of the olden time." It is older than Moses, admitting him to have been the author or compiler of the Pentateuch. For it is evident that his authorship of Genesis must have been of a v...