September 3, 2025 • 19 mins
Explore one of the most pivotal periods in Old Testament history with The Exodus and Wilderness Wanderings. This enlightening journey begins in the shadows of Egypt, where centuries of silence and Divine forgetfulness are shattered by miraculous events that lead to Israels liberation and the fall of Pharaohs empire. Experience the birth of the Israelite nation on that fateful Paschal night, marked by the blood of sacrifice. As they are guided to Mount Sinai, discover the laws, ordinances, and divine guidance that shape their identity. This narrative not only recounts the ancient history of Gods chosen people but also serves as a profound metaphor for the redemption and sanctification of the Church. By integrating archaeological insights and contemporary geographical research, Ive aimed to vividly illustrate the circumstances of their journey, allowing you to visualize the landscapes and experiences of the Israelites as they wander toward their promised inheritance.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter fourteen of The Bible History, Volume two, The Exodus
and the Wanderings in the Wilderness. This is a LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. The
(00:24):
Bible History, Volume two, The Exodus and the Wanderings in
the Wilderness by Alfred Ettersheim, Chapter fourteen, analysis of the
Book of Leviticus, the Sin of Nadab, and a bay
you judgment upon the blasphemer Leviticus. The Book of Exodus
(00:50):
was intended to tell how the Lord God redeemed and
set apart for himself a peculiar people. Acordingly, it appropriately
closes with the erection of the Tabernacle and the hallowing
of it by the visible presence of Jehovah in the
(01:10):
Holy Place. It yet remained to show the other aspect
of the Covenant, for the provisions and the means of
grace must be accepted and used by those for whom
they are designed, and the setting apart of the people
by Jehovah implied as its converse consecration on the part
(01:34):
of Israel. And this forms the subject matter of the
Book of Leviticus footnote. The Book of Leviticus or about
the Levitical Ordinances, derives its designation from the corresponding Greek
term in the Septuagint translation and its Latin name in
(01:56):
the vulgate A corresponds to the rabbinical designation of Law
of the Priests and Book of the Law of Offerings.
Among the Jews, it is commonly known as Vijicra, from
the first word in the Hebrew text Vejicra. He called
(02:17):
end a footnote, which a recent German writer has aptly
described as the code regulating the spiritual life of Israel
viewed as the people of God. To sum up its
general contents, it tells us in its first part, chapters
(02:37):
one through sixteen, how Israel was to approach God, together
with what, symbolically speaking, was inconsistent with such approaches, and
in its second part, chapters seventeen through twenty seven, how
having been brought near to God, the people were to maintain,
(02:59):
to enjoy, and to exhibit the state of grace of
which they had become partakers. Of course, all is here symbolical,
and we must regard the directions and ordinances as conveying
in an outward form so many spiritual truths. Perhaps we
(03:20):
might go so far as to say that Part one
of Leviticus exhibits in a symbolical form the doctrine of justification,
and Part two that of sanctification, or more accurately, the
manner of access to God and the holiness which is
(03:42):
the result of that access. It has already been pointed
out that the Book of Leviticus consists of two parts,
the one ending with chapter fourteen, the other properly speaking,
with chapter twenty five being a general conclusion indicating the
(04:03):
blessings of faithful adherence to the Covenant, while chapter twenty seven,
which treats of vowing unto the Lord, forms a most
appropriate appendix. At the close of the book itself, and
of the chapter, which, for want of a better name,
we have termed its appendix chapter twenty seven, verse thirty four,
(04:27):
we find expressions indicating the purpose of the whole, and
that the Book of Leviticus forms in itself a special
and independent part of the Pentateuch. We repeat it, the
Book of Leviticus is intended for Israel as the people
of God. It is the statute book of Israel's spiritual
(04:50):
life and on both these grounds. It is neither simply
legal in the sense of ordinary law, nor yet merely sirmonio,
but throughout symbolical and typical. Accordingly, its deeper truths apply
to all times and to all men. Part one, chapters
(05:15):
one through sixteen, which tells Israel how to approach God
so as to have communion with him appropriately, opens with
a description of the various kinds of sacrifices. It next
treats of the priesthood. The thoroughly symbolical character of all,
(05:36):
and hence the necessity of closest adherents to the directions given,
are next illustrated by the judgment which befell those who
offered incense upon strange fire from the priesthood. The sacred
text passes to the worshipers. These must be clean personally
(05:58):
chapter eleven Versus one through forty seven, in their family life,
and as a congregation above and beyond all is the
great cleansing of the Day of Atonement, with which the
first part of the book concerning access to God closes.
(06:18):
The second part of the Book of Leviticus, which describes
in symbolical manner the holiness that becometh the people of
God treats first of personal holiness, then of holiness in
the family, of holiness in social relations, and of holiness
in the priesthood. Thence the Sacred Text proceeds to holy seasons,
(06:44):
as the duty of close adherence to the divine directions
in connection with the priesthood had been illustrated by the
judgment upon Nadab and Abihu. So now the solemn duty
incumbent on all Israel to treat the name of Jehovah
as holy is exhibited in the punishment of one who
(07:06):
had blasphemed it. Finally, Leviticus twenty five describes the holiness
of the land. Thus Part two treats more especially of consecration.
As Part one, describing access to God, had culminated in
the ordinance of the day of Atonement, so Part two
(07:29):
in that of the jubilee year. Lastly, Leviticus twenty six
dwells on the blessing, attaching to faithful observance of the Covenant.
While Leviticus twenty seven, reaching as it were, beyond ordinary
demands and consecrations, speaks of the free will offerings of
(07:51):
the heart as represented by bows. It now only remains
to describe the two illustrative instants already referred to, the
one connected with the priesthood, the other with the people.
Erin and his sons had just been solemnly consecrated to
(08:12):
their holy office, and the offering which they had brought
consumed in view of the whole people by fire from
before Jehovah to betoken his acceptance thereof all the more
did any transgression of the Lord's ordinance, especially if committed
(08:33):
by his priests, call for signal and public punishment. But
Nadab and Abyju, the two eldest sons of Erin, attempted
to offer strange fire before Jehovah, which he commanded them not.
Some writers have inferred, from the prohibition of wine or
(08:56):
of any strong drink to the priests during the time
time of their ministry, which immediately follows upon the record
of this event Chapter ten, verses eight, three eleven, that
these two had been under some such influence at the
time of their daring attempt. The point is of small importance.
(09:19):
Comparatively speaking, it is not easy to say what the
expression strange fire exactly implies. Clearly, the two were going
to offer incense on the golden altar. Verse one and
as clearly this service was about to be done at
a time not prescribed by the Lord. For a comparison
(09:44):
of verses twelve and sixteen shows that it took place
between the sacrifice offered by Aaron and the festive meal
following that sacrifice, whereas incense was only to be burnt
at the morning and evening sacrifices. Besides, it may be
(10:06):
that they also took strange fire, in the sense of
taking the burning coals otherwise than from the altar of
burnt offering in the ceremonial for the day of Atonement.
The latter is expressly prescribed, and it is a fair
inference that the same direction applied to every time of incensing.
(10:30):
At any rate, we know that such was the invariable
rule in the temple at the time of Christ. But
Nadab and Abaihu were not allowed to accomplish their purpose.
The same fire which a little ago had consumed the
accepted sacrifice, now struck them, and they died before Jehovah,
(10:56):
that is, in front of his dwelling place, most probably
in the court. Compare Leviticus, chapter one, verse five, just
as they were about to enter the Holy Place. Thus,
on the very day of their consecration to the priesthood,
did the oldest sons of Eron perish because they had
(11:20):
not sanctified the Lord in their hearts, but had offered
him a worship of their own devising, instead of that
holy incense consumed by fire from off the altar, which
symbolized prayer, offered up on the ground of accepted sacrifice.
(11:41):
And this twofold lesson did the Lord himself teach in
explanation of this judgment chapter ten, verse three, so far
as the priesthood was concerned, I will sanctify myself in
those who stand near to me, And so far as
(12:02):
all the people were concerned. Before all the people, I
will glorify myself. In other words, if those who had
been consecrated to him would not sanctify him in heart
and life, he would sanctify himself in them by judgments.
(12:23):
Compare also Ezekiel chapter thirty eight, verse sixteen. And thus
glorify his name before all, as the Holy One, who cannot,
with impunity be provoked to anger. So deeply was Erin solemnized,
that in the language of scripture he held his peace.
(12:49):
Not a word of complaint escaped his lips, nor yet
was a token of mourning on his part or on
that of his sons, allowed to cast the shadow of
personal feelings or of latent regret upon this signal vindication
of divine holiness Chapter ten, verse six. Only their brethren,
(13:16):
the whole house of Israel, were permitted to bewail this
burning of his anger, which Jehovah hath kindled. The history
of the judgment upon the blasphemer was inserted in the
portion of Leviticus where it stands, either because it happened
at the time when the laws there recorded were given,
(13:39):
or else because it forms a suitable introduction to and
illustration of the duty of owning Jehovah, which finds its
fullest outward expression in the rest of the sabbatical and
in the arrangements of the Jubilee year enjoined in Leviticus
(13:59):
twenty five. It also affords another instance of the dangers
accruing to Israel from the presence among them of that
mixed multitude which had followed them from Egypt. There seems
no reason to doubt the Jewish view that the latter
occupied a separate place in the camp, the children of
(14:22):
Israel being ranged according to their tribes, every man by
his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house.
But as the blasphemer was only the son of a
Danite mother Shilohmeth, the daughter of Dibrai, his father having
been an Egyptian footnote. A very ancient Jewish tradition has
(14:48):
it that the father of this blasphemer was the Egyptian
whom Moses slew on account of his maltreatment of a
Hebrew Exodus two verses eleven and twelve. Legendary details are
added about the previous offenses of that Egyptian, which need
(15:09):
not be here repeated. Their evident object is, on the
one hand, to render the passionate anger of Moses excusable,
and on the other, to account for the fact that
an Egyptian was the father of a child of which
a Hebrewist was the mother, and a footnote, he would
(15:32):
not have been entitled to pitch his tent among the
tribe of Dan. Hebrew tradition further states that this had
been the cause of the quarrel when the blasphemer went
out among the children of Israel, and this son of
the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together
(15:55):
in the camp. Finally, it adds that the claimed to
dwell among the Danites, having been decided by Moses against him,
the man blasphemed the name of Jehovah and cursed footnote.
The Rabbis and the septuagent version rendered the expression blasphemed
(16:18):
by uttered distinctly, and Jewish traditionalism has based upon this
rendering the prohibition ever to pronounce the name Jehovah, an
ordinance so well observed that even the exact pronunciation of
the word is not certainly known. Most probably it should
(16:41):
be pronounced jave. In our English version, as in the
Septuagint and Vulgate, it is rendered by the Lord, the
latter word being printed in capitals and a footnote. Whatever truth,
if any, there be in this tradition, the crime itself
(17:04):
was most serious. If even cursing one's parents was visited
with death. What punishment could be too severe upon one
who had reviled Jehovah and cursed? But just because the
case was so solemn, Moses did not rashly adjudicate in it.
(17:25):
Compare the corresponding delay in numbers, Chapter fifteen, verse thirty four.
They put him in ward to determine about them, that is,
about blasphemer's According to the mouth or command of Jehovah.
Then by divine direction, the blasphemer was taken without the camp.
(17:48):
Those who had heard his blasphemy laid their hands upon
his head, as it were, to put away the blasphemy
from themselves and lay it on the head of the
guilty compared duter Ronomy, Chapter twenty one, verse six, and
the whole congregation shared in the judgment by stoning him.
(18:11):
But the general law which decreed the punishment of death
upon blasphemy was to apply to native Israelites as well
as to the stranger. As Indeed, all crimes that carried
retributive punishment, especially those against the life or the person,
were to be equally visited, whether the offender were a
(18:35):
Jew or a foreigner. This is the object of the
repetition of these laws in that connection. For Jehovah was
not a national deity like the gods of the Heathen,
nor were Israel's privileges those of exceptional favor in case
of offenses. But Jehovah was the holy One of Israel,
(18:59):
and holiness became his house forever. End of chapter fourteen,
read by Carrie Adams Your Book Boys at MESA, Arizona,
on the seventh of August twenty twenty two.
Chapter fourteen of The Bible History, Volume two, The Exodus
and the Wanderings in the Wilderness. This is a LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. The
(00:24):
Bible History, Volume two, The Exodus and the Wanderings in
the Wilderness by Alfred Ettersheim, Chapter fourteen, analysis of the
Book of Leviticus, the Sin of Nadab, and a bay
you judgment upon the blasphemer Leviticus. The Book of Exodus
(00:50):
was intended to tell how the Lord God redeemed and
set apart for himself a peculiar people. Acordingly, it appropriately
closes with the erection of the Tabernacle and the hallowing
of it by the visible presence of Jehovah in the
(01:10):
Holy Place. It yet remained to show the other aspect
of the Covenant, for the provisions and the means of
grace must be accepted and used by those for whom
they are designed, and the setting apart of the people
by Jehovah implied as its converse consecration on the part
(01:34):
of Israel. And this forms the subject matter of the
Book of Leviticus footnote. The Book of Leviticus or about
the Levitical Ordinances, derives its designation from the corresponding Greek
term in the Septuagint translation and its Latin name in
(01:56):
the vulgate A corresponds to the rabbinical designation of Law
of the Priests and Book of the Law of Offerings.
Among the Jews, it is commonly known as Vijicra, from
the first word in the Hebrew text Vejicra. He called
(02:17):
end a footnote, which a recent German writer has aptly
described as the code regulating the spiritual life of Israel
viewed as the people of God. To sum up its
general contents, it tells us in its first part, chapters
(02:37):
one through sixteen, how Israel was to approach God, together
with what, symbolically speaking, was inconsistent with such approaches, and
in its second part, chapters seventeen through twenty seven, how
having been brought near to God, the people were to maintain,
(02:59):
to enjoy, and to exhibit the state of grace of
which they had become partakers. Of course, all is here symbolical,
and we must regard the directions and ordinances as conveying
in an outward form so many spiritual truths. Perhaps we
(03:20):
might go so far as to say that Part one
of Leviticus exhibits in a symbolical form the doctrine of justification,
and Part two that of sanctification, or more accurately, the
manner of access to God and the holiness which is
(03:42):
the result of that access. It has already been pointed
out that the Book of Leviticus consists of two parts,
the one ending with chapter fourteen, the other properly speaking,
with chapter twenty five being a general conclusion indicating the
(04:03):
blessings of faithful adherence to the Covenant, while chapter twenty seven,
which treats of vowing unto the Lord, forms a most
appropriate appendix. At the close of the book itself, and
of the chapter, which, for want of a better name,
we have termed its appendix chapter twenty seven, verse thirty four,
(04:27):
we find expressions indicating the purpose of the whole, and
that the Book of Leviticus forms in itself a special
and independent part of the Pentateuch. We repeat it, the
Book of Leviticus is intended for Israel as the people
of God. It is the statute book of Israel's spiritual
(04:50):
life and on both these grounds. It is neither simply
legal in the sense of ordinary law, nor yet merely sirmonio,
but throughout symbolical and typical. Accordingly, its deeper truths apply
to all times and to all men. Part one, chapters
(05:15):
one through sixteen, which tells Israel how to approach God
so as to have communion with him appropriately, opens with
a description of the various kinds of sacrifices. It next
treats of the priesthood. The thoroughly symbolical character of all,
(05:36):
and hence the necessity of closest adherents to the directions given,
are next illustrated by the judgment which befell those who
offered incense upon strange fire from the priesthood. The sacred
text passes to the worshipers. These must be clean personally
(05:58):
chapter eleven Versus one through forty seven, in their family life,
and as a congregation above and beyond all is the
great cleansing of the Day of Atonement, with which the
first part of the book concerning access to God closes.
(06:18):
The second part of the Book of Leviticus, which describes
in symbolical manner the holiness that becometh the people of
God treats first of personal holiness, then of holiness in
the family, of holiness in social relations, and of holiness
in the priesthood. Thence the Sacred Text proceeds to holy seasons,
(06:44):
as the duty of close adherence to the divine directions
in connection with the priesthood had been illustrated by the
judgment upon Nadab and Abihu. So now the solemn duty
incumbent on all Israel to treat the name of Jehovah
as holy is exhibited in the punishment of one who
(07:06):
had blasphemed it. Finally, Leviticus twenty five describes the holiness
of the land. Thus Part two treats more especially of consecration.
As Part one, describing access to God, had culminated in
the ordinance of the day of Atonement, so Part two
(07:29):
in that of the jubilee year. Lastly, Leviticus twenty six
dwells on the blessing, attaching to faithful observance of the Covenant.
While Leviticus twenty seven, reaching as it were, beyond ordinary
demands and consecrations, speaks of the free will offerings of
(07:51):
the heart as represented by bows. It now only remains
to describe the two illustrative instants already referred to, the
one connected with the priesthood, the other with the people.
Erin and his sons had just been solemnly consecrated to
(08:12):
their holy office, and the offering which they had brought
consumed in view of the whole people by fire from
before Jehovah to betoken his acceptance thereof all the more
did any transgression of the Lord's ordinance, especially if committed
(08:33):
by his priests, call for signal and public punishment. But
Nadab and Abyju, the two eldest sons of Erin, attempted
to offer strange fire before Jehovah, which he commanded them not.
Some writers have inferred, from the prohibition of wine or
(08:56):
of any strong drink to the priests during the time
time of their ministry, which immediately follows upon the record
of this event Chapter ten, verses eight, three eleven, that
these two had been under some such influence at the
time of their daring attempt. The point is of small importance.
(09:19):
Comparatively speaking, it is not easy to say what the
expression strange fire exactly implies. Clearly, the two were going
to offer incense on the golden altar. Verse one and
as clearly this service was about to be done at
a time not prescribed by the Lord. For a comparison
(09:44):
of verses twelve and sixteen shows that it took place
between the sacrifice offered by Aaron and the festive meal
following that sacrifice, whereas incense was only to be burnt
at the morning and evening sacrifices. Besides, it may be
(10:06):
that they also took strange fire, in the sense of
taking the burning coals otherwise than from the altar of
burnt offering in the ceremonial for the day of Atonement.
The latter is expressly prescribed, and it is a fair
inference that the same direction applied to every time of incensing.
(10:30):
At any rate, we know that such was the invariable
rule in the temple at the time of Christ. But
Nadab and Abaihu were not allowed to accomplish their purpose.
The same fire which a little ago had consumed the
accepted sacrifice, now struck them, and they died before Jehovah,
(10:56):
that is, in front of his dwelling place, most probably
in the court. Compare Leviticus, chapter one, verse five, just
as they were about to enter the Holy Place. Thus,
on the very day of their consecration to the priesthood,
did the oldest sons of Eron perish because they had
(11:20):
not sanctified the Lord in their hearts, but had offered
him a worship of their own devising, instead of that
holy incense consumed by fire from off the altar, which
symbolized prayer, offered up on the ground of accepted sacrifice.
(11:41):
And this twofold lesson did the Lord himself teach in
explanation of this judgment chapter ten, verse three, so far
as the priesthood was concerned, I will sanctify myself in
those who stand near to me, And so far as
(12:02):
all the people were concerned. Before all the people, I
will glorify myself. In other words, if those who had
been consecrated to him would not sanctify him in heart
and life, he would sanctify himself in them by judgments.
(12:23):
Compare also Ezekiel chapter thirty eight, verse sixteen. And thus
glorify his name before all, as the Holy One, who cannot,
with impunity be provoked to anger. So deeply was Erin solemnized,
that in the language of scripture he held his peace.
(12:49):
Not a word of complaint escaped his lips, nor yet
was a token of mourning on his part or on
that of his sons, allowed to cast the shadow of
personal feelings or of latent regret upon this signal vindication
of divine holiness Chapter ten, verse six. Only their brethren,
(13:16):
the whole house of Israel, were permitted to bewail this
burning of his anger, which Jehovah hath kindled. The history
of the judgment upon the blasphemer was inserted in the
portion of Leviticus where it stands, either because it happened
at the time when the laws there recorded were given,
(13:39):
or else because it forms a suitable introduction to and
illustration of the duty of owning Jehovah, which finds its
fullest outward expression in the rest of the sabbatical and
in the arrangements of the Jubilee year enjoined in Leviticus
(13:59):
twenty five. It also affords another instance of the dangers
accruing to Israel from the presence among them of that
mixed multitude which had followed them from Egypt. There seems
no reason to doubt the Jewish view that the latter
occupied a separate place in the camp, the children of
(14:22):
Israel being ranged according to their tribes, every man by
his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house.
But as the blasphemer was only the son of a
Danite mother Shilohmeth, the daughter of Dibrai, his father having
been an Egyptian footnote. A very ancient Jewish tradition has
(14:48):
it that the father of this blasphemer was the Egyptian
whom Moses slew on account of his maltreatment of a
Hebrew Exodus two verses eleven and twelve. Legendary details are
added about the previous offenses of that Egyptian, which need
(15:09):
not be here repeated. Their evident object is, on the
one hand, to render the passionate anger of Moses excusable,
and on the other, to account for the fact that
an Egyptian was the father of a child of which
a Hebrewist was the mother, and a footnote, he would
(15:32):
not have been entitled to pitch his tent among the
tribe of Dan. Hebrew tradition further states that this had
been the cause of the quarrel when the blasphemer went
out among the children of Israel, and this son of
the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together
(15:55):
in the camp. Finally, it adds that the claimed to
dwell among the Danites, having been decided by Moses against him,
the man blasphemed the name of Jehovah and cursed footnote.
The Rabbis and the septuagent version rendered the expression blasphemed
(16:18):
by uttered distinctly, and Jewish traditionalism has based upon this
rendering the prohibition ever to pronounce the name Jehovah, an
ordinance so well observed that even the exact pronunciation of
the word is not certainly known. Most probably it should
(16:41):
be pronounced jave. In our English version, as in the
Septuagint and Vulgate, it is rendered by the Lord, the
latter word being printed in capitals and a footnote. Whatever truth,
if any, there be in this tradition, the crime itself
(17:04):
was most serious. If even cursing one's parents was visited
with death. What punishment could be too severe upon one
who had reviled Jehovah and cursed? But just because the
case was so solemn, Moses did not rashly adjudicate in it.
(17:25):
Compare the corresponding delay in numbers, Chapter fifteen, verse thirty four.
They put him in ward to determine about them, that is,
about blasphemer's According to the mouth or command of Jehovah.
Then by divine direction, the blasphemer was taken without the camp.
(17:48):
Those who had heard his blasphemy laid their hands upon
his head, as it were, to put away the blasphemy
from themselves and lay it on the head of the
guilty compared duter Ronomy, Chapter twenty one, verse six, and
the whole congregation shared in the judgment by stoning him.
(18:11):
But the general law which decreed the punishment of death
upon blasphemy was to apply to native Israelites as well
as to the stranger. As Indeed, all crimes that carried
retributive punishment, especially those against the life or the person,
were to be equally visited, whether the offender were a
(18:35):
Jew or a foreigner. This is the object of the
repetition of these laws in that connection. For Jehovah was
not a national deity like the gods of the Heathen,
nor were Israel's privileges those of exceptional favor in case
of offenses. But Jehovah was the holy One of Israel,
(18:59):
and holiness became his house forever. End of chapter fourteen,
read by Carrie Adams Your Book Boys at MESA, Arizona,
on the seventh of August twenty twenty two.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd is a thought-provoking, opinionated, and topic-driven journey through the top sports stories of the day.