However, to me it is the history of a people who believed in God and thus captured their beliefs about God.
Jordan Peterson also explains the story of the Ten Commandments.
Jordan Peterson |The Ten Commandments
It is a fascinating explanation. My recollection of Jordan's explanation, which might well be a bit distorted, so take it with a pinch of salt, is that Moses, as leader, presided in judgement over people's problems in a court. Jordan Peterson's Theory is that it was whilst carrying out these judgements that Moses worked out the rules, which later became the Ten Commandments.
But this is the very interesting bit that Jordan relates. Background:-There's the story of The Rat that giggles when you tickle it, and then there's another story where you put a big rat and a small rat together and they will play, but if the big rat does not let the small rat win at least 30% of the time, then the small rat gives up and won't play anymore. The point is that the rats don't sit down and decide "I've only one one game out of 10 so I'm pissed off, I'm going to go and sit in the corner", the rat knows that it's wrong it's not as a thought, but as an instinct...
What Moses ferreted out in his is presiding in judgement over his people's was what the people's Instincts told him what was fair and just. HOW?
I have no idea how this court was arranged, but I would imagine it must have been similar to the way courts her arranged these days, the audience, then in front of the audience there defendant and the plaintive, with their backs to the audience. The judge sat in front presiding over the court, viewing the the two combatants and with a good view of the entire audience.
From this position, Moses, and indeed any Judge could get feedback from the audience, insight on the right or wrongness of the case. Possibly an indication of whether they thought someone was lying or telling the truth.
I like watching Judge Judy I find her very fair. It was after hearing Jordan Peterson's explanation of how Moses may well have come up with the Ten Commandments that I noticed that Judge Judy is in the position I outlined above, sat facing the audience. She could pick up on subtle cues from members of the audience. Someone might not be in agreement with something and shake their head in disagreement. someone may grimace in disgust. Not only does it make sense that Moses had the opportunity to develop the Ten Commandments from his court experience, it also makes a lot of sense that the audience gave him feedback, feedback via their emotions, their Instincts. These Instincts were then turned into law... The point is, no group sat down and had it out and formed the laws. That's an important distinction, it means the laws came from the whole community the instinctive knowledge of the community, deep meaningful Instincts that permeate the culture. Thousands if not millions of years of instinctive behaviour condensed it to the 10 Commandments.
I found this YouTube of Judge Judy presiding over a case and you can see what I mean at the time index 5:30 you can see the audience reacting behind the defendant and the plaintive.
Top 20 Times Judge Judy Owned People in Court