47
Q.
Why not just include the Code of Hammurabi?
little more than playthings—or the “Unmoved Mover” of ancient philosophy.
Instead, Israel confesses that God cares about the way we treat each other, and
so gave the Ten Commandments as a gift to help us get more out of life.
Brandon Gilvin
A.
The Ten Commandments appear twice in the Bible. Both times,
they appear as part of longer legal codes, in Deuteronomy 5 and
Exodus 20.
It’s really not accurate to say that they are an exact copy of the Code of
Hammurabi, an ancient legal code from Babylon (modern-day Iraq). People
who study the history of the Bible, however, do pay attention to the Code of
Hammurabi, but because the Hammurabi Code clearly infl uenced the legal
codes of ancient Israel.
Many of the laws themselves are similar, but more importantly, they
exhibit an understanding that Prince Hammurabi offered legal protection to
his citizens as long as they fulfi lled the obligations expected of subjects.
Ancient Israelite legal codes are similar in the exchange of allegiance for
protection. However, a good portion of Israel’s history included a rejection of
kingship as a way of remaining distinctive as a nation, so the legal contract
in ancient Israel was directly between God and God’s people. Whereas Ham-
murabi was conceptualized as the locus of power and lawmaking, for ancient
Israel, the locus was God.
Kingship emerged later in Israel’s history, and even then, it was bitterly
debated, as one can fi nd in 1 Samuel 8—9.
Scriptural References
Exodus 20—31; Deuteronomy 5; 1 Samuel 8—9
Suggested Additional Sources for Reading
- Charles F. Horne, The Code of Hammurabi (Forgotten Books, 2007).
- William Walter, The Codes of Hammurabi and Moses: With Copious
Comments, Index, and Bible References (General Books LLC, 2010).
Suggested Questions for Further Discussion/Thought
- If it were proven that the Ten Commandments were derived from another
source, would it make them less holy or important to you? Why? - How does Jesus’ commandment to love God and neighbor fi t in your
mind with the Ten Commandments? Do we still need them?