The Seven Noahide Laws

As I go through life, I find an old dog really can learn new tricks (or new things). Somehow I’ve made it nearly sixty years never hearing of “The Seven Noahide Laws.” I ran across the term several months ago. Bet some of you never heard of it either! (They are also called the Seven Laws of Noah or Seven Noachide Laws.)

According to Wikipedia (and the Jewish Virtual Library), “The seven Noahide laws as traditionally enumerated are the following:”

• Do not deny God.
• Do not blaspheme God.
• Do not murder.
• Do not engage in illicit sexual relations.
• Do not steal.
• Do not eat from a live animal.
• Establish courts/legal system to ensure obedience to the law.

The seven laws consist of six that are negative (don’t do this) and one that is positive (do this). These seven laws or commandments are “considered by rabbinic [Jewish] tradition as the minimal moral duties required by the Bible on all men” (the sons of Noah). They are held to be derived from “divine demands addressed to Adam and Noah...and are thus regarded as universal.”

Not trying to put anyone under law – Cf. Romans 6:14 – just passing along information that interests me.