Biblical Contracts

[psholtz]

In our Constitution, at Article I, Section 10, it's written that no State shall pass any legislation impairing the obligation of contract.

In other words, contract law trumps legislated law.

I'm wondering whether there is a Biblical precedent for this?

I've heard it argued that the common law, as practiced/understood in the US/UK, derives from the common instituted by King Alfred the Great of England c. 800AD, and he in turn drew the common law from the Law of Moses in the Bible.

Sooo... understanding the common law (Biblically) to be the Mosaic law, are there examples in the Bible where contracts between two persons/sovereigns ever trumps the Mosaic Law?

Or... is Mosaic Law itself to be understood as a contract between man and God, and a contract which takes precedence over all other contracts man may enter into?

[Livefire]

Ecc 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.


One can read the 9th chapter of Joshua, there the princes made a vow to the Gibeonites to spare their lives. Even though these people had dealt fraudulently
with them, Israel still honored their agreement even tho they were commanded by God to destroy every inhabitant of Caanan, sparing no one.

Their agreement superceded the command of God, much to Israel's detriment later on because the peoples they spared eventually led them to idolatous practices. This in turn brought judgment upon them from the Lord.

If you read carefully, you will see they swore that oath to them before the Lord God.

[psholtz]

Interesting, thanks..

Good example..

I'll take a closer look at it..