History of the Israelite Nation, from Abraham to the Present Time

On this occasion a singular event occurred, which gave a new impulse to the piety and energy of Joshiah. The original copy of the laws, supposed to be written by Moses himself was found in the temple by the high priest, who delivered it to Shaphan, the king’s scribe, by whom it was read to the king.

Since the hypercritics of our days attach so much importance to this event, drawing from it the conclusion that the kings, prophets and people of Israel previous to this date were altogether ignorant of the laws of Moses; and since some of them went even so far as to suppose the Pentateuch was then composed secretly, and published as the composition of Moses, we must stop here to make some remarks on the subject. We have proved that the style of the Pentateuch is imitated and whole sentences copied in all the books after Moses, that its laws, religious and political principles and institutions not only continually existed up to the reign of Menassah, but also inspired the prophets and psalmists as well as the historians. It can therefore only be asserted, that during the reign of Menassah and Amon, the Mosaic law was thus neglected, or burnt, as the ancient rabbins supposed, that no copy of it remained at court. For that no copy should have been left in the whole country, and among the Israelites in exile, is a matter of impossibility. But even granted that no copy of the Pentateuch existed at court, would not the governors of the people during the absence of Menassah, or would not Menassah himself, when he had returned from captivity, or would not the pious and popular Joshiah, so much influenced by Jeremiah, have endeavored to procure a copy of it? And if he had made such an attempt, would he not have been supported by the party then in favor of the administration who must have been in possession of numerous copies? From the words as they occur in the respective passages, it is plain, that the regret of Joshiah found its cause in the fact, that his predecessors have not observed every thing as written in that book. The Mosaic laws were in force, but not every thing was done as those laws prescribed. We are also informed about the particular cases, which were not done in strict accordance with the laws. The symbols of foreign gods were not only suffered to be kept sacred in the country, but also occupied places in the temple, although idolatry was abolished; and the symbols introduced by Jerobeam still occupied their place at Bethel, and idolatry was practiced in the dependencies of Judah (II Chron. xxxiv, 33), all of which was against the Mosaic laws, which permitted only the introduction of such and of no other symbols, which the law specified. The groves in which idols were worshiped still existed, and places devoted to such worship were still considered sacred; the theraphim, or house gods, the wizards and the conjurers of the spirits also existed in private, all of which was opposed to the Mosaic laws. As regards the symbols of foreign gods, Solomon already laid the foundation to naturalize them even in the temple. Jerobeam introduced other symbols, which practice afterwards remained both in Israel and Judah. If a king abolished the idols, he did not think it sinful to deposit in the temple the vessels which bore the symbols of foreign gods, or other marks of art, which again led to idolatry. The fact appears to be that the Mosaic laws in regard to the punishment set upon idolatry, and the practices connected with it, were amended in an early stage of this history, probably as early as the days of David, who found it impracticable to eradicate idolatry in the conquered provinces, as the law ordained; or in the days of Solomon, who introduced foreign symbols in the temple of God; if not so early certainly in the days of Jerobeam and Rehabeam and their immediate successors. It is a matter of impossibility, that the kings of Judah and of Israel could have so often introduced idolatry, or that the kings of Israel could have introduced an entire new set of symbols, in a land where the laws were considered the only safeguard of the people, and where every thing points so distinctly to the Mosaic laws, if such amendments had not been adopted by that body, which was entrusted with expounding the law to meet the exigencies of the age. The amendments were incorporated with the law, were copied and passed into the hands of the people, although many unadulterated copies of the law certainly were preserved, which most likely was one of the differences between the parties. Finally the amendments were considered of the same origin with the law, and those who protested against it had nothing to prove it. Therefore Joshiah left in the temple the altars of Menassah, the vessels and the works of art of different gods, although he had abolished idolatry; therefore the altar of Bethel was spared, although the place was in possession of King Hezekiah.