The Second Book of Moses, called Exodus
Exodus 22
Chapter XXII · Vol. I, pp. 331–332
1 Of theft. 5 Of damage. 7 Of trespasses. 14 Of borrowing. 16 Of fornication. 18 Of witchcraft. 19 Of beastiality. 20 Of idolatry. 21 Of oppressing strangers, widows, or fatherless. 25 Of usury. 26 Of pledges. 28 Of reverence to magistrates. 29 Of the first-fruits. 31 Eating torn flesh.
1 IF a man a shall7 steal an b ox or a sheep,8 and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
a ver. 2-15. Le. 5.16; 6.5; 22.14. Nu. 5.7. 2 Sa. 12.6. Pr. 6.31. Lu. 19.8.
7 What an admirable enactment for prevention of robbery, and how much more efficacious than imprisonment or exile! When will Christians have recourse to the Bible for their principles and examples of legislation!—C.
b As the oxen were most useful in labour, the restitution was larger. But when the animals were found, and so the loss small, the restitution was but double, ver. 4.
8 Or, goat.
2 If a thief be c found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
3 If d the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him;9 for he should make full restitution: if he have nothing, then he shall be e sold for his theft.
A.M. 2513. B.C. 1491.
d Ge. 9.6. See ch. 21.12,14,20,23. Nu. 35.30.
9 The reason of the distinction in this law is that, in the night, the robbery might be considered an assault upon the life as well as on the property, and in the terror and confusion of the night life was more endangered. In both cases the care of human life is remarkable, and fully justifying the principle now very generally introduced into our law, that only crimes implying the taking away of life are punishable with death.—I.
e ch. 21.2. Mat. 18.25.
4 If the theft1 be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore f double.
5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.
6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.2
2 This is doubtless a case not of wilful and malicious but of accidental fire-raising; a thing very apt to happen, and requiring to be very strictly guarded against, where they were in the habit of setting fire to the withered herbage before the autumnal rains, to favour the growth of the future crop.—I.
7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the g judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.3
9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the h cause of both parties shall come before the judges;4 and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.
h 2 Ch. 19.10. De. 25.1. ver. 4,8.
4 The same principles, it is here intimated, were to apply to all other cases, and the sentence of the judges was to be final.—I.
10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, i to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:
i Ge. 30.35,36; 31.39.
11 Then shall k an oath of the LORD be between them both,5 that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.
k He. 6.16. 1 Ki. 2.42,43. See Ge. 14.22.
5 That is, whereby Jehovah is taken to witness, because there was no man that saw and could testify, ver. 10. If there be witnesses, he is not to pay, nor to sware. The Chaldee saith, (the owner) shall take the oath, and so end the controversy, and he the keeper shall not pay for it.—I.
12 And l if it be stolen6 from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.
l Ge. 31.39.
6 Thus stolen from among his cattle, it implies that he had taken less care of it than of his own, and must make restitution.—I.
13 If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring m it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.
m Am. 3.12.
14 And if a man n borrow7 ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it; he shall surely make it good.
15 But if the owner thereof be with it,8 he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.
8 The reason of the distinction here is, that, when the owner was absent, it might be ill treated, when present it is presumed he would take care of it, and obtaining the hire the risk was his own.—I.
16 And o if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her; he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
17 If her p father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay q money according to the dowry of virgins.
18 Thou r shalt not suffer a witch to live.
r Le. 20.6,27; 19.31. De. 18.10,11. 1 Sa. 28.9. Witches are persons in covenant with the devil, who by his help delude men's senses, and hurt their persons or effects.
20 He t that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
t De. 13.1,6,13-15; 17.2-5; 18.20. ch. 32.27,28,35. Le. 20.2. Nu. 25.4, &c. Jos. 22.17. 1 Ki. 18.40. 2 Ki. 10.24,25; 11.18.
21 Thou u shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.9
u ch. 23.9. Le. 19.33. De. 10.19. Zec. 7.10. Je. 22.3.
9 National pride, either of ancestry, or of war, or of learning, or of riches, or even of religion, is one of the most common examples of human weakness and folly, and one of the most pregnant sources of prejudice against, contempt for, or oppression of strangers. As an antidote to this national pride, God reminds Israel of their condition and treatment in Egypt, and, by the unmingled benevolence of his law, forbids them either to vex or oppress a stranger.—C.
23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I y will surely hear their cry;
y Ps. 146.9; 72.12. Pr. 22.22,23; 23.10,11. Lu. 18.3. Mat. 23.14.
24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and z your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
25 If a thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.1
a Le. 25.36,37. De. 23.19,20. Ps. 15.5. 2 Ki. 4.1. Ne. 5.7,10,11. Pr. 28.8. Eze. 18.8,13,17; 22.12. Je. 15.10.
1 The usury forbidden, is not legal interest for the loan of money to persons in affluent circumstances, but requiring temporary accommodation. The usury forbidden, is that which feeds upon the poor, by the practice of extortion, and sells for profit what it should give for brotherly kindness.—C.
26 If thou b at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:
27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, c when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
c See ver. 22,23. Mat. 5.44-48. Lu. 6.35,36.
28 Thou d shalt not revile the e gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
d Ec. 10.20. 2 Pe. 2.10. Jude 8. Ac. 23.5.
e Or, judges, Ps. 82.1. ch. 7.1.
29 Thou f shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits,2 and of thy3 liquors: g the first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.
30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep:4 seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.
4 Nothing unclean is to be devoted to God.
31 And ye shall be h holy men unto me: i neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.
A.M. 2513. B.C. 1491.
h ch. 19.5,6. De. 14.21. Le. 20.7. Nu. 15.40. Is. 62.12; 60.21. 1 Pe. 1.15,16; 2.9. Tit. 2.12. Mat. 5.47,48.
i Le. 22.8; 17.15,16. Eze. 44.31; 4.14.
Notes
[Ver. 22, 23. To those who have had little actual experience of human life, the multiplicity, the minuteness, and the impressive sanctions of the laws on behalf of widows and orphans, may appear almost superfluous. But by those who have carefully observed how these defenceless parties are sometimes treated, the benevolence of these laws, and the deep practical acquaintance with human life on which they are founded, will be readily perceived, and gratefully acknowledged. C.]
Ver. 26. [Raiment. The raiment of the poor modern Arab of the desert is, most probably, near akin to that of the poor Jew supposed to be given in pledge. It is generally woollen, nearly square, reaching from the shoulders to the calf of the leg or the ankles. Two slits admit the arms, and it is joined at the neck, so as to form a hole, through which the head passes. It is open before from top to bottom; and is wrapped round the body, or let loose, at the pleasure of the wearer. This, with an under shirt, forms all the poor Arab's dress. It is generally both his bed and covering at night; and a mat, or carpet, if it can be obtained, is all he requires to constitute perfect luxury. If nearly such was the raiment of the poor Jew, and there is good reason to believe it was, the law that restored it in the evening, when pledged through the day, indicates the Lord's minute and benevolent regard to the health and comfort of his creatures. C.]
Ver. 28. [The Hebrew word is elohim, the usual meaning and translation of which is 'God.' The same word is rightly rendered 'judges' in ver. 8 and 9; but there it has the article, while here it has not. The meaning given to it in the Authorized Version is opposed alike to the common use of the word, and to the spirit of the Mosaic laws. The true meaning is, 'Thou shalt not blaspheme God.' P.]
Ver. 29. The proportion of the first-fruits was between the fortieth and sixtieth part of the increase. By giving this, they acknowledged themselves the Lord's tenants; and thus their crop was sanctified. These first-fruits also typified Jesus Christ and his people, who are dedicated to God, and bring blessings on mankind.—[Literally, 'Thou shalt not delay (to offer) from thy fulness (of corn), and thy tear (of the vine).' 'The tear of the vine' is a common metaphor in wine-growing countries. It signifies the best or choicest produce of the grape. P.]
Reflections.—Behold how the righteous Lord loveth righteousness, and beholdeth the upright with a pleasant countenance! Let, therefore, the grace revealed in the gospel teach me to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, rendering unto God and men their respective dues. If God be my portion, all covetousness, injustice, and infidelity should be far from my heart and hand. If God be my pleasure, never should I wallow in fleshly lusts, or render others disgraced and miserable by any means. If God be my blessed Husband and Lord, I should, as under the sweetest and strongest obligation, resist the devil, and detest his influence. Let me therefore honour JEHOVAH with due worship, and with the first-fruits of all my increase; and regard magistrates as his deputies on earth, who are bound in the most exact manner to punish crimes against God or men. If God be my pattern, let me prepare of my goodness for the poor. It is more blessed to give than to receive. While I have gracious provision, let my soul never live on that which is corrupt, or can be torn from me; but, despising the blessings of earth, show myself fully satisfied with the rich provisions of divine grace.