Exodus

Hebrew Servants
Personal Injuries
Protection of Property
Social Responsibility
Law of Justice and Mercy
Sabbath Laws

Chapters 20-23 are the covenant Code, presented as case law, as a reference for the practical application of the law. 

 

Exodus 21:1-4

In chapter 20, God spoke to Moses, then Moses spoke to the people.  Then the Lord spoke to Moses again.  This chapter continues the Lord laying out regulations he was to set before the people. 

God saves these people and declared them His own.  He saved them, redeemed them and freed them.  As a result, they ought to find out why and what this God expects of them.  The Lord reveals Himself, His values, morals and ethics by the laws He gives.  These are the ways to honor Him.  We should add, these are the ways, whether they agreed or understood. 

A person in extreme poverty or debt might sell themselves into bondage.  Those in great debt might never be able to work it off.  The law is such that respects the life of all men.  Every situation and life is redeemable.  A contract for the servant was only able to bind that person for 6 years, then all debt was erased.  If a person loaned someone more than they could repay in 6 years or they thought they weren't fairly reimbursed, they learned from their mistake.  At the end of 6 years, those in bondage were to go free.  The person who came alone, left alone.  The one who came with family, left with family. 

There was a practice in that culture where the master would provide a wife for the slave to produce him 'house born' slaves.  In this case, the wife provided by the mast and the family she brought forth stayed with the master.

 

Exodus 21:5-6

Its not hard to imagine an emotional bond with the master, wife and children that would bring a servant to declare a lifetime commitment to the master.  The servant would come before the judges, declare his intention, which was to waive the right to Sabbath year release.  He would then be taken to the door of his master and have his ear pierced with an awl.  This 'attached' the servant to that household.  He would become his master's servant for life.  It is presumed a ring was then placed in the ear to mark that person as a bondservant.

 

Exodus 21:7-11

On the surface, to us, this seems like a cruel father.  In that culture, it was a loving father seeking a better life for his daughter.  The word for servant is one that means maid (maiden) and implies she is being sold to her future husband.  If all went well, there would one day be a marriage.  She would be delivered from a life of poverty.  If the master chooses not to take her as a wife, he must allow the family to redeem her (purchase her back).  She is to be protected from sexual exploitation by not selling her to foreigners who wouldn't honor the laws of God.  The man could give her to his sone as a wife and she would become part of the family.  He was obligated to take care of her basic needs. 

 

Exodus 22:12-17

God establishes a high value of life for His imagers.  The penalty for premeditated murder was death.  If the death was accidental, they would flee to a place God would provide.  These are the cities of refuge the Lord would set up later.  Even if that person came to the altar in repentance, they still faced justice for their actions. 

There is high value also established for the life in the context of family.  Attacking your father and mother was serious and brought a death penalty.  Likewise, even cursing mom and dad brought a death sentence.  This is to dishonor your parents and a curse was viewed with the same seriousness as physical attack.  Kidnapping and removing a person from their family and their life is essentially taking their life from them.  The kidnapper would pay with their life. 

 

Exodus 21:18-21

What a different world it would be if we were forced to care for and nurse those we victimized back to health.  God's law puts the responsibility on the person who inflicted suffering on another to bring them back to health.  The servant who dies from the rod of the master would face the death penalty.  The value of life is the same no matter the walk of life.  Our culture values the rich and powerful, while God places no more value on them than the homeless or impoverished. 

 

Exodus 21:22-25

If someone hit a pregnant woman, they are the at the mercy of God.  If the child is born and is fine, they should thank the Lord and learn from their mistake.  If there is injury to the child then the punishment should fit the crime.  The is the law of retaliation (Lex Talionis) and it does two things. 

1. Brings appropriate justice for the crime committed.  Particularly where the victim is incapable of taking care of themselves. 
2. Protects from inappropriate justice.  Where injury to a child might bring anger leading to death.  In some cultures, they would torture or enact cruel punishments. 

I find it noteworthy the law of retaliation is presented in the context of a child when this nation has so much blood on its hands.  A nation that has rejected grace has put themselves under God's law and justice is due. 

 

Exodus 21:26-27

The owner who took the sight of a servant would lose the servant and the money invested in them.  Instead of the law of retaliation, they received their life back to compensate for the loss of the eye.  This would keep the masters from abuse toward their servants, to see their life as having value.

 

Exodus 21:28-32

The animal took a human life.  The human life is of greater value than that of an animal.  The animal is treated as a murderer, stoned to death.  The meat is not to be eaten.  No one would benefit from the death of this person.  If the owner knew this could happen and didn't act to prevent it, he could be stoned also.  The victim's family could demand a payment in lieu of the death penalty.  They could essentially bring that person into their bondage.  He would owe them his life. 

The value of the slave's life cost the animal its life.  The value of slave's labor is set at 30 shekels to compensate the owner for the loss.

 

Exodus 21:33-36

This is the law of restitution for property.  Actions that lead to the loss of another's property caused an equal loss to the responsible person.  If an animal caused the loss of another, then there was equal loss.  Both received half of value of the live one and half the meat of the dead.  If there was negligence involved, then the negligent owner paid for the animal that was killed.

There was no jail with the Israelite community.  These are some of the precepts and ordinances for daily life.  These are the small things that escalate to full blown arguments and beyond among people, neighborhoods and communities.  These are the guiding principles for the judges that helped Moses.

 

Chapters 20-23 are the covenant Code, presented as case law, as a reference for the practical application of the law. 

 

Exodus 22:1

This chapter continues with laws for protecting personal property.  Slaughtering or selling an animal after it was stolen shows it was done for the intent of financial gain.  The penalty is substantially higher than original value because of this. 

 

Exodus 22:2-4

Human life is valued greater than property.  At night the thief's intentions would not be known but it would be clear it was criminal.  It's not okay to kill a thief, but if he was struck a blow and died, the homeowner was not liable.  If this same thing occurs in daylight, then the defender could be found guilty of murder. 

Restitution is a given.  If the thief has no way to make restitution, he becomes the restitution himself.  If an animal is stolen, the animal is to be returned with a second one. 

These laws would certainly discourage thievery, especially at night.

 

Exodus 22:5-6

We now see the law deal with property loss from neglect or some unforeseen circumstance.  The offender didn't properly keep his animal in the right field so must make restitution from his filed. 

The thornbushes were hedges to mark property lines.  Fire in the thornbush could easily spread to the field next door.  The one starting the fire must make restitution.  It was their responsibility to keep the fire retained and controlled. 

 

Exodus 22:7-15

In the case where property is stolen while in the care of another, capturing the thief is the first priority.  If the thief isn't captured it brings into question the integrity of the other person.  Did they steal the property?  Were they in on it?  Did they take normal care of the property?  The word for judge is 'elohim'.  A word sometimes use for God and other times for men in leadership positions.  Determining the truth between two parties was done by casting lots in some situations.  There was also the idea of swearing an oath to truth in the name of Yahweh.  "I swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth" doesn't seem to keep people from lying in our day.  For them to swear to the truth in the presence of Yahweh was a powerful thing (1 Kings 2:42-43).

Negligence of a person borrowing an animal is responsible for restitution should something happen to it.  However, if a neighbor hires the animal and the man to work and the animal dies, he wasn't negligent.  The owner was present to protect his property.

 

Exodus 22:16-17

This verse begins a passage regarding laws for social responsibility.  However, the focus is still on economic value for application of the law.  The seduction is not rape.  The man must pay the bride price, since the loss of her virginity would make it difficult for her to find a husband.  The man must take her for his wife unless the father refuses to give her to the man.  Either way, the father kept the bride price.

 

Exodus 22:18-20

This collection of laws seem only vaguely related by the care for this overall society and care for each other.  A sorceress was one who cast spells, work magic or recite incantations.  This amounted to looking to other gods, forbidden by the Lord and is deserving of the death penalty.

Bestiality may have been a worship practice of one of the false gods. It is an abomination and calls for the death penalty. 

The penalty for sacrificing to another god was to be destroyed.  In this case, the implied death is 'charam' or to be devoted to destruction.  It was to be set apart completely and wholly to God because of the sin.  This was nearly always accomplished by death. 

 

Exodus 22:21-24

God's laws not only protected the vulnerable and the oppressed, they called for His people to love them and care for them.  The memory of their own bondage for 400 years ought to motivate them to not oppress others.   

Taking advantage of a widow or orphan would quickly get you in trouble with the Lord.  Socially, there were no laws, no programs and thereby no means for a widow or orphan to have their basic needs met. 

When God 'killed with a sword' it often meant He would bring an army against them.  This punishment was not focused on a person but on a town or the offending community.  They would all be punished for allowing the oppression of a widow or orphan.

 

Exodus 22:25-27

If you lend money it is to be like a loan to family, to a brother or sister.  To treat it like a business deal.  The idea is not to act like an extortioner.  This financial state was not to be used as a means to oppress them or bond them.  God's care extended down to the details of their cloak.  The message is clear that God has their back.  Don't mess with hem.

 

Exodus 22:28

God is to be respected and revered.  Likewise, the Lord puts others in places of leadership that stand in His stead.  These leaders are to be respected and revered also.  The ruler of the people at that time were the leaders of the clans.

 

Exodus 22:29

It's not clear what the prescribed offerings were prior to the law being given.  These precepts would become more meaningful as they began to support the priests and the tabernacle worship. 

 

Exodus 22:29-30

The firstborn sons belong to the Lord.  This was the first command given after the 10^th plague.  The firstborn is to be consecrated to the Lord on the 8 day.  This aligns with the circumcision on the 8^th day, marking the sons with the covenant promise. 

Israel is the firstborn of the nations, consecrated as a firstborn.  They are set aside for God's purpose.  This idea is also seen in the feast of the first fruits.  The first fruit was a the first offered to the Lord, representing the remaining harvest.

 

Exodus 22:31

The concept of holiness precluded the touching of a carcass.  Doing so made the person ritually unclean.  This probably has more to do with someone offering an animal torn by a wild beast at the tabernacle and then eating it. 

 

Chapters 20-23 are the covenant Code, presented as case law, as a reference for the practical application of the law.  

 

Exodus 23:1

This first verse would just about exclude us from forwarding on most social media posts.  The internet is such an easy place to spread lies.  We are especially susceptible when the lie provokes us in some way.  We'll give the lie the benefit of the doubt if it's something we want to believe.  The 'guilty person' is the first liar giving testimony who then draws you in to back up their lie with your testimony.  Mark Twain was right when he said, "A lie can travel half away around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes."

 

Exodus 23:2-3

We are to fear God only.  It is the fear of man that temps us to edit the truth to appease the crowd.  We want to be liked by others to the point we, of our nature, are willing to bend the truth or even completely disregard it so as not to be rejected by the crowd.  Let the truth be the truth.  Let your testimony be true regardless of consequences.  Those in the crowd would want you to be true on their behalf. 

In addition, we aren't to show favoritism to the poor in a lawsuit.  Making another suffer does not help the poor person.  Even giving the wealth of another to the poor person is not effective.  Hard work, stewardship and wisdom remove one from poverty.  These things build character that understands the place of wealth in this world.  It is a perversion of justice to make everything about money.

 

Exodus 23:4-5

Even your enemy should be dealt fairly and with integrity.  They are a child of God and their possessions were provided by Him.  We shouldn't interfere with that.  Even if their donkey falls under a load, the donkey and possessions are to be rescued without reward.

 

Exodus 23:6-7

The poor people are not of lesser value or importance in the community of believers.  The world promotes this kind of thinking; that the rich, powerful and influential are of more importance.  The media asks what movie stars think of political matters but they never ask homeless folks the same question.  Why is it the world holds the political views of someone who can act or sing at a higher level than someone poor, homeless or even middle income?

We are not to get drawn into siding with the wealthy to bring charges against the poor.  These could lead to death and bring God's charge against you.  Truth and justice should not be affected by status or wealth.

 

Exodus 23:8

A bribery is an evil perversion of justice.  To receive a bribe brings a bias against someone or something; as if to damage the eyesight of a person so they can't clearly see the truth.  It brings a twisting, perverting of the truth.  The word conveys the idea of subverting or overthrowing what was true and right. 

 

Exodus 23:9

How easy it would be for them to forget what once defined their existence.  How easy it is for us to feel as though we've arrived at some secure position.  God did not want them looking down on foreigners as if they were less human.  They weren't to oppress or abuse them.  The normal rules and function of their community did not include the foreigner, but they were not to exclude them from the basic respect we have for every person, recognizing they are also created in God's image.

 

Exodus 23:10-13

Jesus made clear that the Sabbath was made for men, not men for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27.  We are not to be burdened by Sabbath but refreshed though the Sabbath given by God.  As there were 6 days of work and a day of rest, this passage puts for the idea of the land requiring sabbath.  For six years, they could sow and reap, but the seventh year they were to let the ground lie fallow.  In Leviticus 25 the Lord expands on this to tell the people he would bless them in the 6^th year in a way to provide for them in the seventh.  This same was to be applied to crops, vineyards and groves.  It became a provision for the animals and the poor. 

The fourth commandment was the command to keep the Sabbath.  The Jews struggled with Sabbath, either not keeping it or making it a legalistic burden.  The benefit of rest should not be ignored, even when they were willing to do so to their detriment, the Lord said this also benefited the ox, donkey, the servant and the foreigner. 

Another way the people messed up the idea of Sabbath is by looking to other gods during the cycles of the growth seasons.  They simply could not keep Sabbath with the Lord and then worship other gods asking for their blessing and provision on crops.  There is one Lord, one Creator, one provider and one God who brought the blessing of rain, the blessing of hard work and the blessing of a harvest. 

The Sabbath was not kept and while they may have thought they had gotten away with it, the Lord would require the rest for the Land.  Their failures would determine the length of the captivity in Babylon (Lev 26:32-35; 2 Chronicles 36:21).  God made up the 70 Sabbath years while they were in Babylon for the 490 years in the land.  

 

Exodus 23:14-19

The Lord commanded three main feasts that all the men were to celebrate and appear before the Lord. 

1. The Feast of Unleavened Bread.  This includes Passover.  This marks the exodus, the killing of the Passover lamb and leaving Egypt in a hurry.  There was no time for their bread to rise, it was unleavened.  The leaven becomes a picture of sin that permeates a life and culture.  Verse 18, they were to make sure all the yeast was removed prior to sacrificing the lamb.  In addition, they were to insure all the fat was burned up prior to morning.  This memorial happened in the month of Aviv, which came to be known as Nissan. 

2. The Festival of Harvest, also known as the Feast of Weeks and Pentecost.  It is 50 days after the sabbath during Passover.  It was always on a Sunday, 7 weeks after Passover.  The Feast of Firstfruits happened on the first day after the Sabbath during Passover.  Pentecost was the culmination of the first fruits.  The day after the Sabbath was the resurrection, Jesus rising from the grave became the first fruits of the grave representing the many that would follow.  The culmination of that season came on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came on the believer and gave birth to the church.

No one was to come before the Lord empty handed. 

3. The Festival of Ingathering marks the end of the year.  It also is a celebration of the Exodus.  Known also as the Feast of Booths, it brings to remembrance that they lived in tents during those days.  It is a feast of thanksgiving for the provision of the harvest the Lord brought to His people.

 

The last half of verse 19 causes lots of discussion.  It appears to be a pagan magic ritual that was to be specifically forbidden.  It may have been something brought with them from Egypt that some were mixing with their feasts.   Moses specifically forbids this.  The shows up in two other places and became the bases for the Kosher separation of mean and dairy. 

 

Exodus 23:20-26

The word translated to angel means messenger and can refer to human or divine messengers.  In this case, it appears a divine messenger because the angel of the Lord is almost indistinguishable from the Lord Himself.   In other places we see the Lord say He will do something, then it is done by the 'Angel of the Lord' and the Lord says, "I have done it."  The angel will lead as God.  He will advise and speak to them as God would.  The Name of God is in this angel; in its essence and being.  They were to be careful not to rebel or ignore.  To do so was to ignore or rebel against God.  Obedience would bring the protection and provision from God as He delivered them to the covenant Promised Land.  There is a consistent drumming into them that they were not to worship these foreign gods.  In addition, the worship of their God important.  Life was health and family, food and water.   God would bless with quality and quantity of life.

Could this Angel be a preincarnate appearance of Jesus?  Chuck Smith believed it was.   Who else would you expect to lead God's people to the Promised Land?    

 

Exodus 23:27-30

The terror of the Lord would go before them.  The news of God's people in the land would strike fear and anxiety in the enemies.  They would hear of all the great things the Lord had done for them.  They would know the Lord provides for them and fights their battles.  The Lord would cause confusion in them as well as use something as small as the hornet.  The enemies would be driven out on God's timeline, which is always different than man's timeline.  There would be a 'little by little' transference of ownership of the land.

 

Exodus 23:31-33

The boundaries differ slightly from Genesis 15:18 but the essence of the Promised Land remains.  To make a covenant was to agree between parties in the presence of their god(s).  They did not revere Yahweh or respect honor, honesty, integrity and justice in the same way.  There could be no covenant for those set apart to Yahweh.  To compromise and allow them to live in the land was to invite their worship and their gods into their culture.  In time, it would snare them.  This is a warning against what is sure to come about. 

©2021 Doug Ford