Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes, Chapter 40 summary

What happens

1. Abraham’s covenant gives him authority to direct his household’s religion, interpret divine commands, and punish competing claims of revelation.
2. The Israelites promise obedience to Moses, making their consent the basis of his authority under God.
3. Moses holds civil and religious sovereignty, while Aaron and the authorized prophets serve under him.
4. After Moses dies, sovereignty belongs to the High Priest, although obedience during the Judges’ period often follows extraordinary leaders instead.
5. The people demand kings, who acquire authority over government and religion despite resistance from subjects and prophets.
6. The discussion of Captivity and return supplies no settled model of sovereignty, leaving the argument grounded in the earlier commonwealth.

In this chapter

What to notice

The sentence applies Abraham’s household authority to sovereign government. It makes private revelation no exemption from public law.

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