BENEDICT DE SPINOZA: Theological-Political Treatise

The Hebrew state in the time of Moses
[7] After the Hebrews departed from Egypt, we have already noted
above in chapter 5, they were no longer obligated by the law of any other
nation, but it was up to them to institute new laws as they pleased and
occupy whatever lands they wanted. Once liberated from the intolerable
oppression of the Egyptians, they were not bound by compact to anyone;
rather they regained the natural right to all that they could get, and
everyone was once again free to decide whether they wanted to retain
this right or give it up and transfer it to another person. Being in this
natural state, they resolved, on the advice of Moses in whom they all had
the greatest trust, to transfer their right to no mortal man but rather to
God alone. Without hesitation, all equally with one shout promised to
obey God absolutely in all his commands, and to recognize no other law
but that which He himself conferred as law by prophetic revelation. This
undertaking or transfer of right to God was made in the same way that
we conceived above it is made in an ordinary society, whenever men
make up their minds to surrender their natural right. For they gave up
their right freely, not compelled by force or frightened by threats, and
transferred it speci¢cally to God with an agreement (see Exodus 24.7)
and an oath. In order that the agreement should be accepted and settled
without any suspicion of fraud, God made no agreement with them until
after they had experienced his astounding power, by which alone they
had been saved and by which alone they could be redeemed in the future 206
(see Exodus 19.4^5). Believing they could be saved by God’s power alone,
they transferred to Him all their natural power of preserving themselves ^
which previously perhaps they thought they had from themselves ^ and
hence transferred all their right.
[8] Consequently, God alone held the government of the Hebrews, and
it was thus rightly called the kingdom of God owing to the covenant, and
God was aptly called also king of the Hebrews. Hence, the enemies of
this state were the enemies of God, citizens who attempted to usurp
power were guilty of treason against God’s majesty and the laws of the
state were the laws and commands of God. For this reason, civil law in
this state and religion (which as we have shown consists solely in obedience
to God) were one and the same thing. That is, religious dogmas
were not doctrines but rather laws and decrees, piety being regarded as
justice, and impiety as crime and injustice. Anyone who defected from
this religion ceased to be a citizen and for this reason alone was held to
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