ance among the two people
differs. The earliest Hebrew legislation (Exod. 23. 12) would seem to
indicate that humanitarian considerations are responsible for Sabbath
observance, not religious superstition, (c) The Sabbath law of the
Hebrews was binding on all. According to our present knowledge, among
the Babylonians only the leaders appear to have been affected.

The Babylonians, Egyptians, and other ancient peoples had in addition
to the Sabbath numerous other festivals, and it is not improbable that
some of the Hebrew festivals are connected with these, though the exact
relation is not yet determined.

Archaeology has thrown much light on the complicated ceremonial system
of the Old Testament, though it is an exaggeration to say that, "if we
want to trace the origin of the late Jewish ceremonial of the Priest
Code, we must look for {179} it in the cuneiform ritual texts of the
Babylonians."[20] Attention may be called here to a few of the more
marked similarities between the Hebrew and Babylonian systems.[21] (1)
The Babylonian temple closely resembled the temple of Solomon. Both
had two courts, chambers for the priests, the sanctuary, and the Holy
of holies. Externally, both were mere rectangular boxes, without much
architectural beauty or variety of design. It was only in the
possession of a tower that the Babylonian temple differed from the
Hebrew, a difference due to a difference in the conception of Deity.
The temples agreed even in the details of their furniture: the two
altars of the Babylonian sanctuary are found again in the temple of
Jerusalem; so also the mercy seat and the table of showbread. The
bronze sea of Solomon was modeled after a Babylonian original. The
twin pillars, which Solomon erected in the porch of the temple, have
their counterparts in Babylonian sanctuaries. Even the sacred ark
seems to have had a Babylonian origin, though some would trace it to
Egypt. (2) Every great sanctuary had its chief priest. Under him was
a large number of subordinate priests and temple ministers, such as
sacrificers, pourers of libations, anointers with oil, bakers,
chanters, wailers, etc. Connected with the sanctuaries were also the
prophets, augurs, soothsayers, necromancers, etc. {180} Though not all
these classes of religious workers are found in connection with the
Jewish sanctuaries, the chief priest and his subordinates are found
there as well as in Babylon. (3) Similarities in the details