The first book (בראשית).—It begins with the important lesson, the
basis of all that is taught in the whole Bible: that God is the Creator
of the whole universe. Then follows an account of the Creation, the
history of the first man and the first woman, their transition from the
state of innocence and happiness to the state of sin and toil, their
descendants, the beginnings of industry and civilisation, the
deterioration of mankind, the flood, Noah, and the succeeding
generations to Abraham; the history of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, or Israel; the immigration of Jacob with his family into
Egypt; and with the death of Joseph, the son of Jacob, the book
concludes.
The book contains principally history, but mention is made also of some
religious institutions. Reference is thus made to the institution of
marriage (ii. 23–25); Sabbath (ii. 1–3); the Covenant of Abraham or the
commandment of circumcision (xvii. 1–14); the prohibition of eating
flesh cut off from an animal while alive (ix. 4, אבר מן החי), of
murder (ix. 5–6), and of eating “the sinew that shrank” (xxxii. 33,
גיד הנשה).
The second book (שמות).—The history of the family of Jacob, the
Israelites, is continued: their sojourn in Egypt, the Exodus, the
journey to Mount Sinai, the Revelation, the erection of the Tabernacle,
and the events in the camp of the Israelites during their stay in the
wilderness of Sinai.
The Divine precepts take a more prominent place in this book. Chief
among these are the institution of the Jewish Calendar, appointing the
month of Abib—Nisan—to be the first month (xii. 2); the Sacrifice of
the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (chap. xii.); the
Sabbath (xvi. 22–30); the Decalogue (chap. xx. 1–12); civil legislation
(xxi. to xxiii.); the year of release (xxiii. 10, 11); and the שלש
רגלים or festivals of pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Lord; viz.,
Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (פסח, שבועות and סכות xxiii.
14–17).
The third book (ויקרא) contains the laws revealed during the stay of
the Israelites near Mount Sinai. A few historical incidents are
mentioned in illustration of the Law. Leviticus contains the laws
concerning the sacrifices (i. to vii.); the initiation of Aaron and his
sons as priests (viii. to x.); dietary laws (xi.); laws about cleanness
and uncleanness (טהרה וטומאה) in man and woman (xii. to xv.); the Day
of Atonement (xvi.); prohibition of blood (xvii. 10–14); marriage laws
(xviii. and xx. 10–22); laws concerning the holiness of man (xix.);
laws concerning the priests (xxi., xxii. 16) and sacrifices (xxii.
17–33); the Festivals of the Lord (xxiii.); the year of release and the
year of jubilee, and land-laws connected with these (xxv.); laws
concerning the transfer of property to the sanctuary and the priests.
The fourth book records the departure of the Israelites from Mount
Sinai, their journeyings until they came to the east of the Jordan in
the plains of Moab; the chief incidents during these travels, viz., the
consecration of the altar, and the instalment of the Levites as
assistants to the priests in the performance of the Divine Service; the
first appointment of a council of seventy elders; the punishment of
Miriam for slander; the spies; the rebellion of Korah; death of Miriam;
Moses and Aaron’s sin at Meribah, and their punishment; death of Aaron;
wars with Sihon and Og; the blessings of Bileam instead of his intended
cursings; the zeal and distinction of Phineas; war against Midian; the
appointment of Joshua as future leader of Israel.
There is also in the book a list of all the stations where the
Israelites had encamped during their travels through the Arabian desert
(chap. xxxiii.), and a minute description of the boundaries of the land
of Canaan (chap. xxxiv.).
The following are the principal laws mentioned in Numbers: the laws
concerning Nazirites; concerning a woman suspected of faithlessness
against her husband; the second Passover (פסח שני) for those who
could not fulfil their duty on the 14th of Nisan; the law of fringes
(ציצת); the law of purification of persons who have become unclean
through contact with the dead body of any person (פרה אדומה chap.
xix.); the law of inheritance (xxvii.); the sacrifices for the
festivals (xxviii., xxix.); the laws of vows (xxx.); laws concerning
murder and cities of refuge (xxxv.).
The fifth book (דברים) contains speeches of Moses which he addressed
to the Israelites during the last year of his life, reminding them of
their repeated disobedience to the Divine command, and their want of
confidence in Him, and exhorting them to be faithful to God. He
frequently emphasises the truth that blessing and happiness can only be
obtained through obedience, trouble and curses being the certain result
of sin and transgression. Chapter xxviii., called תוכחה “exhortation”
or “rebuke” (see also Lev. xxvi.), is especially devoted to this
principle. In the song האזינו (chap, xxxii.), which all the people
were to learn by heart, Moses rebukes his brethren for their
ingratitude to God, and foretells them that, in the remote future,
similar conduct will be visited severely, and that after a period of
punishment God will show mercy to them, and again restore them to a
state of happiness and glory. Before his death he gives a special
blessing to each tribe. The book concludes with the death of Moses, the
succession of Joshua, and the praise of Moses as the greatest of all
prophets.
Many of the commandments are repeated in the course of the
exhortations: the Decalogue, the laws concerning the three agricultural
and national festivals (שלש רגלים), and such other laws as Moses
considered necessary to impress on the heart of the Israelites before
he departed from among them. The Israelites being near Jordan, and
about to take possession of the promised land, their attention is
called to such laws as would then come into practice, e.g., those which
refer to the political and judicial arrangements of the country (xvi.
to xviii.); and the solemn declaration of allegiance to the Will of God
(xxvii.).
The Pentateuch is divided into verses (פסוקים), paragraphs (פסקות),
and into sections called סדרות or “weekly portions.” The division
into chapters is of comparatively modern origin.