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name of the jurisdiction of Argob； or the land of the giants。 （30） Therefore
the writer is compelled to explain what these places were which were
anciently so styled； and at the same time to point out why they were at the
time of his writing known by the name of Jair； who was of the tribe of
Manasseh； not of Judah。 （31） We have thus made clear the meaning of
Aben Ezra and also the passages of the Pentateuch which he cites in proof
of his contention。 （32） However； Aben Ezra does not call attention to
every instance； or even the chief ones； there remain many of greater
importance； which may be cited。 （33） Namely （I。）； that the writer of the
books in question not only speaks of Moses in the third person； but also
bears witness to many details concerning him； for instance； 〃Moses talked
with God；〃 〃The Lord spoke with Moses face to face； 〃 〃Moses was the
meekest of men〃 （Numb。 xii：3）； 〃Moses was wrath with the captains of the
host； 〃Moses； the man of God； 〃Moses； the servant of the Lord； died；〃
〃There was never a prophet in Israel like unto Moses；〃 &c。 （34） On the
other hand； in Deuteronomy； where the law which Moses had expounded
to the people and written is set forth； Moses speaks and declares what he
has done in the first person： 〃God spake with me 〃 （Deut。 ii：1； 17； &c。）； 〃I
prayed to the Lord；〃 &c。 （35） Except at the end of the book； when the
historian； after relating the words of Moses； begins again to speak in the
third person； and to tell how Moses handed over the law which he had
expounded to the people in writing； again admonishing them； and further；
how Moses ended his life。 （36） All these details； the manner of narration；
the testimony； and the context of the whole story lead to the plain
conclusion that these books were written by another； and not by Moses in
person。
（37） III。 We must also remark that the history relates not only the
manner of Moses' death and burial； and the thirty days' mourning of the
Hebrews； but further compares him with all the prophets who came after
him； and states that he surpassed them all。 （38） 〃There was never a prophet
in Israel like unto Moses； whom the Lord knew face to face。〃 （39） Such
testimony cannot have been given of Moses by； himself； nor by any who
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immediately succeeded him； but it must come from someone who lived
centuries afterwards； especially； as the historian speaks of past times。 （40）
〃There was never a prophet；〃 &c。 （41） And of the place of burial； 〃No one
knows it to this day。〃
（42） III。 We must note that some places are not styled by the names
they bore during Moses' lifetime； but by others which they obtained
subsequently。 （43） For instance； Abraham is said to have pursued his
enemies even unto Dan； a name not bestowed on the city till long after the
death of Joshua （Gen。 xiv；14； Judges xviii；29）。
（44） IV。 The narrative is prolonged after the death of Moses； for in
Exodus xvi：34 we read that 〃 the children of Israel did eat manna forty
years until they came to a land inhabited； until they came unto the borders
of the land of Canaan。〃 （45） In other words； until the time alluded to in
Joshua vi：12。
（46） So； too； in Genesis xxxvi：31 it is stated； 〃These are the kings that
reigned in Edom before there reigned any king over the children of Israel。〃
（47） The historian； doubtless； here relates the kings of Idumaea before that
territory was conquered by David ＇Endnote 10＇ and garrisoned； as we read
in 2 Sam。 viii：14。 （48） From what has been said； it is thus clearer than the
sun at noonday that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses； but by
someone who lived long after Moses。 （49） Let us now turn our attention to
the books which Moses actually did write； and which are cited in the
Pentateuch； thus； also； shall we see that they were different from the
Pentateuch。 （50） Firstly； it appears from Exodus xvii：14 that Moses； by the
command of God； wrote an account of the war against Amalek。 （51） The
book in which he did so is not named in the chapter just quoted； but in
Numb。 xxi：12 a book is referred to under the title of the wars of God； and
doubtless this war against Amalek and the castrametations said in Numb。
xxxiii：2 to have been written by Moses are therein described。 （52） We hear
also in Exod。 xxiv：4 of another book called the Book of the Covenant；
which Moses read before the Israelites when they first made a covenant
with God。 （53） But this book or this writing contained very little； namely；
the laws or commandments of God which we find in Exodus xx：22 to the
end of chap。 xxiv。； and this no one will deny who reads the aforesaid
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chapter rationally and impartially。 （54） It is there stated that as soon as
Moses had learnt the feeling of the people on the subject of making a
covenant with God； he immediately wrote down God's laws and utterances；
and in the morning； after some ceremonies had been performed； read out
the conditions of the covenant to an assembly of the whole people。 （55）
When these had been gone through； and doubtless understood by all； the
whole people gave their assent。
（56） Now from the shortness of the time taken in its perusal and also
from its nature as a compact； this document evidently contained nothing
more than that which we have just described。 （57） Further； it is clear that
Moses explained all the laws which he had received in the fortieth year
after the exodus from Egypt； also that he bound over the people a second
time to observe them； and that finally he committed them to writing （Deut。
i：5； xxix：14； xxxi：9）； in a book which contained these laws explained； and
the new covenant； and this book was therefore called the book of the law
of God： the same which was afterwards added to by Joshua when he set
forth the fresh covenant with which he bound over the people and which
he entered into with God （Josh。 xxiv：25； 26）。
（58） Now； as we have extent no book containing this covenant of
Moses and also the covenant of Joshua； we must perforce conclude that it
has perished； unless； indeed； we adopt the wild conjecture of the Chaldean
paraphrast Jonathan； and twist about the words of Scripture to our heart's
content。 （59） This commentator； in the face of our present difficulty；
preferred corrupting the sacred text to confessing his own ignorance。 （60）
The passage in the book of Joshua which runs； 〃and Joshua wrote these
words in the book of the law of God；〃 he changes into 〃and Joshua wrote
these words and kept them with the book of the law of God。〃 （61） What is
to be done with persons who will only see what pleases them？ （62） What
is such a proceeding if it is not denying Scripture； and inventing another
Bible out of our own heads？ （63） We may therefore conclude that the book
of the law of God which Moses wrote was not the Pentateuch； but
something quite different； which the author of the Pentateuch duly inserted
into his book。 （64） So much is abundantly plain both from what I have
said and from what I am about to add。 （65） For in the passage of
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Deuteronomy above quoted； where it is related that Moses wrote the book
of the law； the historian adds that he handed it over to the priests and bade
them read it out at a stated time to the whole people。 （66） This shows that
the work was of much less length than the Pentateuch； inasmuch as it
could be read through at one sitting so as to be understood by all； further；
we must not omit to notice that out of all the books which Moses wrote；
this one book of the second covenant and the song （which latter he wrote
afterwards so that all the people might learn it）； was the only one which he
caused to be religiously guarded and preserved。 （67） In the first covenant
he had only bound over those who