Exodus 21-30

Exodus 21: A truly awful reading of mandates by Jehovah to Moses concerning ethics and property law, including, but in no way, shape, or form limited to: Treatment of servants, death penalty violations (smiting parents, stealing men for resale, cursing parents, murder, improperly fencing oxen that have previously gored, etc.), livestock rights and responsibilities, cistern responsibilities.

Exodus 22: This chapter might even be worse than the last**, with Jehovah issuing decrees about: restitution, arson, usury, not allowing sorceresses to live, not fucking beasts, affliction of the poor, a subtle reminder about the sacrifice of all firstborn, not hating God, worshiping, and leaving dead things found in the field for dogs.

**What makes it truly worse for me is the concordance in the Spanish edition. I see Deuteronomy, Leviticus, and Numbers cross-referenced all over the place in footnotes, and having read these texts before a couple of times, I know the redundancy is just now getting started. Page-long instructions regarding the treatment of a Hebrew slave and compensations for nomadic farmers' misdeeds bear little relevance in contemporary life.

Exodus 23: More laws, fallow land after six years, three feasts per annum: Passover, harvest, end of year. Another reminder of firstfruits. Jehovah finally promises to drive off the Amorite, Perizzite, Canaanite, Hivite and Jebuzite, but not all at once. It will be a struggle, says He, but once it happens, the covenant is re-repeated, promising a homeland from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines***, from the wilderness to the Euphrates. Lots of land included with this covenant reminder.

***Presumably, the Mediterranean.

Exodus 24: Mt. Sinai again. Moses, along with 70 elders come near Mt. Sinai. The elders include: Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, Joshua, and Hur. These men see the presence of Jehovah there, under His feet a work of Saphire. Moses had previously written upon Jehovah’s command some recent occurrences, but Jehovah offers tables of stone with written law for clarity. Moses alone dealt with the cloud of Jehovah for six days, when Jehovah summoned Moses within the midst of the cloud. Moses then stayed in the mount forty days and nights.

Exodus 25: On offerings unto Jehovah: No cheap stuff. The ark/showtable (table of Showbread): Acacia and gold. All gold utensils and candlesticks, hammered. Follow the blueprints given thee on the mount, says Jehovah to Moses.

Exodus 26: Measurements for curtains. Specifications for curtains. Acacia specified for wood in the tabernacle. Joinery specifications for tabernacle boards.**** Specifications for screens.

****I may not be able to continue reading in Spanish much longer. This is miserable and altogether pointless enough in English.

Exodus 27: Specifications for building the altar and the court. Much discussion of fabric and brass sockets.

Exodus 28: Aaron is to be dressed as a modern-day pimp when ministering. (Or almost exactly like Mad Donna during the 2012 Superbowl halftime show)

Exodus 29: An offering schedule, with specific requirements therein. Looks to me like one bloody and very unsanitary tent.

Exodus 30: Atonement cost is a half shekel of silver annually. No more, no less. The washbin shall be bronzed. Anointing oil is holy. Incense is important.