Theological Theses · §1969 · Louis Le Blanc de Beaulieu

Reply: the oath concerned the nation, or was conditional; even a good man may swear so

It is true that God often swore to give the land of Canaan to Abraham's descendants, and the words just quoted refer to those oaths, which are recorded in many places. But the quoted words, 'You will not enter the land I swore with raised hand to settle YOU in', do not prove that the oath was aimed specifically at those Israelites who rebelled in the wilderness. There the word 'you' refers to the Israelite nation in general, not to the particular persons who made it up at the time.

Even so, there would be nothing absurd in saying that God promised those men in particular, on oath, that they would enter the land of Canaan, not absolutely but on a condition, though he foresaw that they would not meet it. All that is required is that the condition was part of their duty and was one they could and ought to fulfil.

Among human beings, too, no one would be mad who swore to someone that he would do this or that provided the other kept to the duty of a good man, even though he was sure the other would not do his duty at all.

Latin

XVIII. Sed verum est quidem Deum saepius juravisse se daturum posteris Abrahami terram Canaan, & ad illa juramenta multis in locis memorata respiciunt verba quae modo citavimus. Juramentum autem istud speciatim spectavisse illos ex Israelitis qui in deserto fuerunt rebelles, non probatur ex verbis citatis, Non intrabitis terram super quam levavi manum meam, ut habitare VOS facerem. Nam ibi particula Vos indefinite designat gentem Israeliticam, non vero singulariter personas quae tum illam constituebant. Neque tamen in eo quicquam esset absurdi, si diceremus Deum speciatim hominibus illis ingressum in terram Canaan cum juramento promisisse, non absolute, sed sub conditione, quanquam praevideret conditionem illam ab iis non esse implendam; modo conditio ista pertinuerit ad eorum officium, & talis fuerit quam possent & deberent implere. Neque inter ipsos homines amens esset, qui juraret alicui se hoc aut illud facturum, modo in viri boni officio perstaret, quanquam haberet pro certo fore ut alter ille officio suo minime fungeretur.

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