been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not

k t it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, d its owner
also hall be put to death ....
"
en a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed er, or lets his beast
loose and
eeds in another man's field, he shall make stitution from the best
in his own fiel
d in his own vineyard.
"When fire brea
ut and catches in thorns s hat the stacked grain or the
standing grain or the fiel . consumed, he tha indled the fire shall make full
restitution.
"If a man seduces a virgin w is no etrothed, and lies with her, he shall
give the marriage present for her, an
ke her his wife. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall a
e e uivalent to the marriage present
f

"Youshall not permit a sor ress to live.

"Whoever lies with a be
shall be put to de h.
"Whoeversacrificesto y god, saveto the Lord 0 , shallbe utterly destroyed.
"You shall not wro a stranger or oppress him,
the land of Egypt. u shall not afflict any widow or 0
an. If you do afflict
them, and theY.: y out to me, I will surely hear their cry; d my wrath will
burn, and I
I kill you with the sword, and your wives shall ecome widows
and your 'ldren fatherless.
"Iou lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, yo
be him as a creditor, and you shall not exact interest from him.

The Prophets
From time to time prophets arose who rebuked the sins of rulers and people. They warned
of God's wrath but also foretold the coming of a Messiah who would finally exalt Israel
after all its trials. The early Christians interpreted these prophecies as references to the
coming of Jesus. The prophecy of Isaiah is from the eighth century B.C.
From The Book of Isaiah
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and
Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
Hear, 0 heavens, and give ear, 0 earth;
for the Lord has spoken:
"Sons have I reared and brought up,
but they have rebelled against me.
The ox knows its owner,
and the ass its master's crib;

From the Revised Standard Version Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1973). Isaiah 1:1-9.
Copyright 1946,1952, 1971, 1973 by the National Council of the Churches of Christ. Reprinted by
permission.

but Israel does not know,

my people does not understand."
Ah, sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
sons who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the Lord,
they have despised the Holy One
of Israel,
they are utterly estranged.
Why will you still be smitten,
that you continue to rebel?
The whole head is sick,
and the whole heart faint.
From the sole of the foot even to the head,
there is no soundness in it,
but bruises and sores
and bleeding wounds;
they are not pressed out, or bound
up,
or softened with oil.
Your country lies desolate,
your cities are burned with fire;
in your very presence
aliens devour your land;
it is desolate, as overthrown by
aliens.
And the daughter of Zion is left
like a booth in a vineyard,
like a lodge in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.
If the Lord of hosts
had not left us a few survivors,
we should have been like Sodom,
and become like Gomorrah.

The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep
darkness,
on them has light shined.
From the Revised Standard Version Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1973). Isaiah 9:2-7.
Copyright 1946, 1952, 1971,1973 by the National COlUlcilof the Churches of Christ. Reprinted by
permission.

Thou hast multiplied the nation,

thou hast increased its joy;
they rejoice before thee
as with joy at the harvest,
as men rejoice when they divide
the spoil.
For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
thou hast broken as on the day of
Midian.
For every boot of the tramping
warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government will be upon
his shoulder,
and his name will be called
"Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of
Peace."
Of the increase of his government
and of peace
there will be no end,
upon the throne of David, and over
his kingdom,
to establish it, and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and for
evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do
this.

Hebrew Poetry
The following song on the splendor of God's creation was attributed to the hero-king
David (ca. 1000 B.C.)

From the Revised Standard Version Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1973). Psalm 148.
Copyright 1946, 1952, 1971,1973 by the National Council of the Churches of Christ. Reprinted
by permission.