All written materials for this series will be posted on this website, http://servingandsharing.com/, under the category, “Exodus – God Makes a Way.” All corresponding video presentations may be found on this YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFXW6HwOySA&list=PL7JRppjEn33ZzlfbuQKdvQQfsrkwm0GC5. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, send a message via the “Contact” button.
Here’s a broad outline of Exodus 21-22, thanks in part to Dr. Coy Roper in the Truth for Today Exodus commentary.
Ex 21-22 Yahweh Declares Covenant Laws (1).
Ex 21:1-11 Laws Related to Slavery
Ex 21:12-27 Laws Related to Personal Injury
Ex 21:28-36 Laws Related to Oxen
Ex 22:1-17 Laws Related to Property
Ex 22:18-20 Laws Related to Idolatry
Ex 22:21-27 Laws Related to Compassion
Ex 22:28-31 Laws Related Specifically to God
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Ex 21:1-11 Laws Related to Slavery
The Law did not condone or allow the abuse or mistreatment of anyone. To the contrary, it created a “Bill of Rights” to protect all fairly.
A Hebrew man, due to poverty or debt, could sell himself (actually, sell six years of his contracted service). The buyer would provide for his needs and pay him, so that he could recover financially. Without any government-based welfare assistance, it was a workable system.
He then left free, owing nothing! By God’s legal requirement!
If his wife was given to him by his master, she and her children were still the master’s responsibility and still belonged to him. Important: the slave knew of this arrangement before marrying the wife. He had the love-based option to stay permanently and be “earmarked.”
A destitute father in the ancient world might sell his daughter either to serve or to marry, either a master or his son, to ensure her security.
The Law guaranteed and protected her rights to fair treatment.
“If she is displeasing,” others (perhaps her family) could redeem her.
“If she is designated for the master’s son,” treated as a daughter.
“If … another woman,” he must fully care for all of this one’s needs.
Note: Heb. term means “cohabitation” and whatever she needed in the marriage, not specifically “conjugal rights.”
Any breech in this agreement automatically granted her freedom.
For further study, cf. Lev 25:39-46; Dt 15:12-18; Jer 34:12-22.
Ex 21:12-27 Laws Related to Personal Injury
21:12-14 Murder and Manslaughter (Note the distinctions.)
21:15-17 Striking / Cursing Parents, Kidnapping (Note death penalty.)
21:18-27 Striking Others
— 21:18,19 When Men Fight and One Hurts Another
Must cover his loss of time, care for him until he is completely healed.
— 21:20, 21 When a Master Strikes His Slave and His Slave Dies
“Under his hand” = beaten to death at once; death to be avenged.
If the slave survived briefly (homicide not intended), the master’s punishment was the resulting loss of the slave’s service and its income.
“The slave is [the master’s] money.”
— 21:22-25 When Men Fight and Strike a Pregnant Woman
Premature birth w/o harm: husband penalty demands, courts allow.
With harm: equitable, lex talionis (law of retribution: eye/eye, etc.).
Lex talionis was not cruel, evil, or unfair. It limited the punishment to fit the crime, preventing the seeking / imposing of excessive penalties.
— 21:26, 27 When a Master Disfigures His Slave
Again, the Law provided some protection and recourse for slaves.
The master knew that, if he cost his slave an eye or a tooth, that would cost him! The slave would automatically be set free.
Ex 21:28-36 Laws Related to Oxen
Ox that gores and kills, dies. Its flesh not eaten. Owner not liable.
Unless … the owner had been warned and took no action! Then he dies, or he pays the fine (redemption, compensation) imposed on him.
A slave’s death required paying his/her master the cost of a slave, thirty shekels (about 3/4 of a pound) of silver. Zech 11:12; Mt 26:15
Ox falls into uncovered pit: owner of pit pays and owns the dead ox.
Ox kills another ox: owners share sale of live ox and meat of dead ox.
Unless … if ox had gored habitually, owner was liable. He must exchange a live ox for the dead ox that his ox killed. Fair enough!
Ex 22:1-17 Laws Related to Property
22:1-4 Theft
Retribution: simple, practical, effective! Pay back five oxen for an ox (more valuable, harder to replace), four sheep for a sheep. Would you steal, knowing that this was the penalty? No! So, why not today?
Thief killed in self-defense at night – not a capital crime. Surprised homeowner could not know if the intruder might be intent on murder.
In daylight – if it’s clearly a thief, not a murderer, a crime to kill him.
Value even a thief’s life. He pays double or is sold to repay his debt.
22:5, 6 Stealing and Property Damage
Animal grazing in another’s field: restitution from owner’s best.
Fire destroying grain or a field: restitution from the one responsible.
22:7-15 Dishonesty in Handling Others’ Goods
If things kept in trust were stolen, thief to pay double. If no thief found, trustee to appear in court. Guilty had to repay double.
If an animal was affected, trustee could swear “not at fault!” and be free or forced to make restitution if at fault for negligence.
Borrowed animal – was the owner present to protect it?
Hired animal – no restitution. Risk of loss was included in the price.
22:16, 17 Seduction of a Man’s Daughter
Such a daughter, neither married, betrothed, or spoken for, would have brought to her father a “bride-price” from the man who married her.
If a man seduced an unengaged virgin to sin with him, he was obligated to marry her and to pay the regular dowry.
If the father refused to give his daughter in marriage, the man still had to pay the “bride-price” to the father, since the possibility that the daughter would ever marry was now greatly reduced.
Ex 22:18-20 Laws Related to Idolatry
Three capital crimes in addition to murder …
Sorcery or witchcraft. Sorcery acknowledges the reality and power of other “gods” and, further, indicates the practitioner’s allegiance to those gods rather than to the Lord. Cf. Dt 18:9-14.
Sexual relations with an animal. Canaanite gods were sometimes depicted practicing such immoral behavior. Cf. Lev 18:23–25.
Idolatry. The Heb. charam, “utterly destroy,” is more severe than the simple death penalty formula. It implies total annihilation and includes the destruction of the criminal’s property.
Ex 22:21-27 Laws Related to Compassion
Israelites to treat strangers in their own land as they wanted to be treated formerly as strangers themselves in a foreign land.
They were to treat widows and fatherless children humanely and kindly. Unlike other violations, to be punished by men, mistreatment of these would incur God’s direct punishment. Mt 25:31-46; Jas 1:27
No interest was to be charged on money lent to an Israelite, unlike Gentiles (Dt 23:20). Clothing that was taken as a pledge had to be returned before nightfall, since the cloak was used as a blanket.
Ex 22:28-31 Laws Related Specifically to God
Cursing God and cursing a ruler are placed together here!
How is our respect for God reflected in our respect for leaders?
Remember how Paul quoted this text, even relating it to not speaking evil of the corrupt high priest, Ananias. Acts 23:1-5.
The Lord was to receive His portion, whether of crops or sons or animals. Firstborn animals were to be offered on the eighth day.
Not to eat meat torn by beasts. Such would contain undrained blood (forbidden – Lev 17) and carry possible infection (such as rabies).
