narrated simply and as a mere matter of history.  (2:77) If, again,
it is permitted to pretend that the passage has another meaning,
and was written as it is from some reason unknown to us, this is
no less than a complete subversal of the Bible; for every absurd
and evil invention of human perversity could thus, without detriment
to Scriptural authority, be defended and fostered.  (78) Our
conclusion is in no wise impious, for though Solomon, Isaiah,
Joshua, &c. were prophets, they were none the less men, and as
such not exempt from human shortcomings.

(79) According to the understanding of Noah it was revealed to
him that God as about to destroy the whole human race, for Noah
thought that beyond the limits of Palestine the world was not
inhabited.

(2:80) Not only in matters of this kind, but in others more
important, the about the Divine attributes, but held quite
ordinary notions about God, and to these notions their
revelations were adapted, as I will demonstrate by ample
Scriptural testimony; from all which one may easily see
that they were praised and commended, not so much for the
sublimity and eminence of their intellect as for their
piety and faithfulness.  (2:81) Adam, the first man to whom God
was revealed, did not know that He is omnipotent and omniscient;
for he hid himself from Him, and attempted to make excuses for
his fault before God, as though he had had to do with a man;
therefore to him also was God revealed according to his
understanding - that is, as being unaware of his situation or
his sin, for Adam heard, or seemed to hear, the Lord walling,
in the garden, calling him and asking him where he was; and then,
on seeing his shamefacedness, asking him whether he had eaten of
the forbidden fruit.  (82) Adam evidently only knew the Deity as
the Creator of all things.  (82a) To Cain also God was revealed,
according to his understanding, as ignorant of human affairs,
nor was a higher conception of the Deity required for repentance
of his sin.

(2:83) To Laban the Lord revealed Himself as the God of Abraham,
because Laban believed that each nation had its own special
divinity see Gen. xxxi:29).  (84) Abraham also knew not that
God is omnipresent, and has foreknowledge of all things; for
when he heard the sentence against the inhabitants of Sodom,
he prayed that the Lord should not execute it till He had
ascertained whether they all merited such punishment; for he
said (see Gen. xviii:24), "Peradventure there be fifty righteous
within the city," and in accordance with this belief God was
revealed to him; as Abraham imagined, He spake thus: "I will
go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according
to the cry of it which is come unto Me; and, if not, I will know."
(2:85) Further, the Divine testimony concerning Abraham asserts
nothing but that he was obedient, and that he "commanded his
household after him that they should keep the way of the Lord"
(Gen. xviii:19); it does not state that he held sublime
conceptions of the Deity.

(2:86) Moses, also, was not sufficiently aware that God is
omniscient, and directs human actions by His sole decree,
for although God Himself says that the Israelites should
hearken to Him, Moses still considered the matter doubtful
and repeated, "But if they will not believe me, nor hearken
unto my voice."  (87) To him in like manner God was revealed
as taking no part in, and as being ignorant of, future human
actions: the Lord gave him two signs and said, "And it
shall come to pass that if they will not believe thee,
neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they
will believe the voice of the latter sign; but if not, thou
shalt take of the water of the river," &c.  (2:88) Indeed,
if any one considers without prejudice the recorded opinions
of Moses, he will plainly see that Moses conceived the Deity
as a Being Who has always existed, does exist, and always
will exist, and for this cause he calls Him by the name
Jehovah, which in Hebrew signifies these three phases of
existence: as to His nature, Moses only taught that He is
merciful, gracious, and exceeding jealous, as appears from
many passages in the Pentateuch. (89) Lastly, he believed
and taught that this Being was so different from all other
beings, that He could not be expressed by the image of any
visible thing; also, that He could not be looked upon, and
that not so much from inherent impossibility as from human
infirmity; further, that by reason of His power He was without
equal and unique.  (2:90) Moses admitted, indeed, that there were
beings (doubtless by the plan and command of the Lord) who
acted as God's vicegerents - that is, beings to whom God had
given the right, authority, and power to direct nations, and
to provide and care for them; but he taught that this Being
Whom they were bound to obey was the highest and Supreme God,
or (to use the Hebrew phrase) God of gods, and thus in the song
(Exod. xv:11) he exclaims, "Who is like unto Thee, 0 Lord,
among the gods?" and Jethro says (Exod. xviii:11), "Now I know 
that the Lord is greater than all gods." (91) That is to say,
"I am at length compelled to admit to Moses that Jehovah is
greater than all gods, and that His power is unrivalled."
(2:92) We must remain in doubt whether Moses thought that these
beings who acted as God's vicegerents were created by Him, for he
has stated nothing, so far as we know, about their creation and
origin.  (93) He further taught that this Being had brought the
visible world into order from Chaos, and had given Nature her germs,
and therefore that He possesses supreme right and power over all
things; further, that by reason of this supreme right and power
He had chosen for Himself alone the Hebrew nation and a certain