| EXODUS |
| Explanatory Footnotes - page 3 |
| 16:12 Food Supply The word manna means literally, "What is it?" recalling the Israelites' first reaction to it (verse 15). Manna is a clear example of the Israelites enforced dependence on God; they had to rely on him every day for 40 years, just to survive. God's provision of manna made greed impossible: it could not be hoarded and was distributed with precise equity (verses 17-21). Quail, referred to here and in Numbers 11, still migrate across the Sinai peninsula, flying in great flocks between Europe and Arabia. Exhausted by their long flight, they roost on the ground or in low bushes at night, making capture easy. This phenomenon occurs annually rear el 'Arish on the Mediterranean coast. 19:5 Book of the Covenant The word covenant appears throughout the next portion of Exodus. Chapter 19 gives the dramatic setting, and chapters 20-23 contain the actual covenant, a treaty between God and the Israelites. Chapter 24 shows the covenant being confirmed. Another word for covenant is testament, and, in fact, the rest of the Old Testament builds on what took place in these six chapters. Centuries later, biblical writers would dust off the old word convenant and apply it to Jesus Christ (as in 1 Corinthians 11:25). He fulfilled and completed the reconciliation with God begun at Sinai. 20:1 Long-lasting Laws The Ten Commandments given here and in Deuteronomy 5 form a central core of morality, a major advance from other legal codes of the day. The phrase "Judeo-Christian ethics," heard often in U. S. Courtrooms and legislative chambers, refers to the broad moral principles derived from the laws outlined her and in the next three books. 22:9 Punishment by Restitution In contrast to the punishments of other contemporary codes |
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