The social and civil code of Moses seems to have had primary reference to the necessary isolation of the Jews, to keep them from the abominations of other nations, and especially idolatry, and even to make them repulsive and disagreeable to foreigners, in order to keep them a peculiar people.  The Jew wore an uncouth dress.  When he visited strangers he abstained from their customs, and even meats.  When a stranger visited the Jew he was compelled to submit to Jewish restraints.  So that the Jew ever seems uncourteous, narrow, obstinate, and grotesque:  even as others appeared to him to be pagan and unclean.  Moses lays down laws best calculated to keep the nation separated and esoteric; but there is marvellous wisdom in those which were directed to the development of national resources and general prosperity in an isolated state.  The nation was made strong for defence, not for aggression.  It must depend upon its militia, and not on horses and chariots, which are designed for distant expeditions, for the pomp of kings, for offensive war, and military aggrandizement.  The legislation of Moses recognized the peaceful virtues rather than the warlike,—­agricultural industry, the network of trades and professions, manufacturing skill, production, not waste and destruction.  He discouraged commerce, not because it was in itself demoralizing, but because it brought the Jews too much in contact with corrupt nations.  And he closely defined political power, and divided it among different magistrates, instituting a wise balance which would do credit to modern legislation.  He gave dignity to the people by making them the ultimate source of authority, next to the authority of God.  He instituted legislative assemblies to discuss peace and war, and elect the great officers of state.  While he made the Church support the State, and the State the Church, yet he separated civil power from the religious, as Calvin did at Geneva.  The functions of the priest and the functions of the magistrate were made forever distinct,—­a radical change from the polity of Egypt, where kings were priests, and priests were civil rulers as well as a literary class; a predominating power to whom all vital interests were intrusted.  The kingly power among the Jews was checked and hedged by other powers, so that an overgrown tyranny was difficult and unusual.  But above all kingly and priestly power was the power of the Invisible King, to whom the judges and monarchs and supreme magistrates were responsible, as simply His delegates and vicegerents.  Upon Him alone the Jews were to rely in all crises of danger; in Him alone was help.  And it is remarkable that whenever Jewish rulers relied on chariots and horses and foreign allies, they were delivered into the hands of their enemies.  It was only when they fell back upon the protecting arms of their Eternal Lord that they were rescued and saved.  The mightiest monarch ruled only with delegated powers from Him; and it was the memorable loyalty of David to his King which kept him on the throne, as it was self-reliance—­the exhibition of independent power—­which caused the sceptre to depart from Saul.