Book of the Covenant

The Book of the Covenant, also known as the Covenant Code, is one of the oldest legal collections in the Old Testament, found in Exodus 20:22–23:33. It is similar in structure to the Code of Hammurabi, featuring a prologue, laws on worship, persons, property, and the continuation of the covenant, followed by an epilogue. A key element is the law of retribution, or lex talionis, often summarized as "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," though financial compensation was also permitted. This code is part of the Sinai covenant, a conditional agreement between God and the Israelites, establishing them as God's people in exchange for their adherence to divine law. The covenant was sealed with ritual ordinances and civil laws, and later became identified with circumcision and the observance of the law of Moses.123