and the basis of proper attitudes in life, by loyal service which arose out of their reverence, and by making Yahweh the guarantor of their integrity and honesty in every undertaking as they took oaths in his name alone. The later history of Israel is replete with instances of a people who failed to heed this warning. For example, during the prosperous years of the eighth century BC God was honoured only by external observances; the weightier matters of his law were forgotten (Amos 5:4, 5, 14; 6:1,