[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

Title:Discussions from a Christian Perspective
Notice:Prostitutes and tax collectors welcome!
Moderator:CSC32::J_CHRISTIE
Created:Mon Sep 17 1990
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1362
Total number of notes:61362

744.0. "The Covenant Box" by CSC32::J_CHRISTIE (Pacifist Hellcat) Sun Oct 17 1993 15:09

In Exodus 25.10-22, the specifications for the Covenant Box is given.
Though I have not compared the finished product against the specs, I
assume the building of the Covenant Box detailed in Exodus 37.1-9
complies with instructions.

The thing that has my curiosity is that the first mention of the
Covenant Box is Exodus 16.34.  Where did it come from?  It is a different
Covenant Box?

If it is the same Covenant Box, then Exodus has it out of chronological
order.  Is there another explanation of the sequence of events?

It leads me to believe there are possibly other portions of the Bible
which may be out of chronological order.

Shalom,
Richard
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
744.1GRIM::MESSENGERBob MessengerTue Oct 19 1993 16:2849
Re: .0 Richard

>In Exodus 25.10-22, the specifications for the Covenant Box is given.

What the TEV calls the "Covenant Box" is also known as the "Ark of the
Covenant" (of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" fame), or (in the RSV) the "Ark
of the Testimony".

>The thing that has my curiosity is that the first mention of the
>Covenant Box is Exodus 16.34.  Where did it come from?  It is a different
>Covenant Box?

	Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar, put two quarts of manna in it,
	and place it in the LORD's presence to be kept for our
	descendants." As the LORD had commanded Moses, Aaron put it in
	front of the Covenant Box, so that it could be kept.
					Exodus 16:33-34 (TEV)

	And Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in
	it, and place it before the LORD, to be kept throughout your
	generations."  As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it
	before the testimony, to be kept.
					Exodus 16:33-34 (RSV)

	Then put in the Box the two stone tablets that I will give you, on
	which the commandments are written.
					Exodus 25:16 (TEV)

	And you shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give
	you.
					Exodus 25:16 (RSV)

Apparently what the Revised Standard Version calls the "testimony" were
two stone tablets on which were inscribed the (ten?) commandments.  Where
the RSV and TEV disagree is that the TEV says that Aaron put the jar of
manna in front of the ark, while the RSV says that Aaron put it in front
of the stone tablets, which were later put into the ark (which hadn't been
built yet).

Still, even in the RSV there is a question because in Exodus 25:16 God
says "the testimony which I shall give you" rather than "the testimony
which I have given you".  Maybe the testimony in Exodus 16:34 is an
earlier copy of the testimony in Exodus 25:16 (i.e. in Exodus 25:16 God
promised to give Moses a new copy of the commandments that had given him
earlier on Mount Sinai).

I wonder which version is most consistent with the original Hebrew.

				-- Bob
744.2CSC32::J_CHRISTIEPacifist HellcatTue Oct 19 1993 18:076
    .1
    
    Interesting.  Thanks, Bob.
    
    Peace,
    Richard