Exodus 20:22 to Exodus 23:33 _The Book of the Covenant_ The -Book of the Covenant" (see Exodus 24:7 in explanation of the name) is the oldest piece of Hebrew legislation that we possess. The laws contained in it are spoken of in Exodus 24:3 as consisting of two elements, the WORDS (or commands) an... [ Continue Reading ]
Veracity and impartiality to be observed, especially in giving evidence in a court of law. Cf. (in H) Leviticus 19:15-18. 1A. A groundless report not to be given currency as might readily happen, for instance, from thoughtlessness or malice. Cf. Leviticus 19:16. _take up_ on the lips, i.e. _utter_... [ Continue Reading ]
Not to follow a majority blindly for evil purposes, or, in particular to pervert justice. _to do evil_ lit. _into evil things_. _speak_ ANSWER (in a court of law), i.e. BEAR WITNESS (RVm.), as Exodus 20:16. The Heb. _-ânâh_never means simply to -speak." _to turn aside after_ Judges 9:3 Heb., 1 Sa... [ Continue Reading ]
Judgement to be given with strict impartiality. _favour_ lit. _adorn_, i.e. _honour_(Leviticus 19:15; Leviticus 19:32; Lamentations 5:12) in a bad sense, _honour unduly_= _favour_, viz. out of false sympathy, or antipathy to the rich and powerful. -The sense is good, and supported by Leviticus 19:15... [ Continue Reading ]
_thine enemy's ox_ that such a service would be rendered to a _friend_, is taken for granted. In Dt. the comprehensive term -brother," i.e. fellow-countryman, is employed, in accordance with the prevalent usage of that book (cf. Deuteronomy 15:2-3; Deuteronomy 15:7; Deuteronomy 15:9; Deuteronomy 15:... [ Continue Reading ]
An _enemy's_beast to be preserved from harm. These two injunctions breathe a spirit unusual in the OT. (cf., however, Leviticus 19:17-18), and reminding one of Matthew 5:44. They are repeated in Deuteronomy 22:1-4, in an expanded form, accommodating them to the spirit and point of view of Deuteronom... [ Continue Reading ]
_and wouldest forbear_, &c. This rend. (AV.) of the existing text is quite impossible: _-âzab_means to _leave, forsake_, &c., but never to -help." That of the marg. is much preferable: for the uncommon sense _let loose or release_, cf. Deuteronomy 32:36; Job 10:1. Ges., Di., Keil under, _thou shalt... [ Continue Reading ]
Cf. Deuteronomy 1:17; and, more generally, Leviticus 19:15 (H), Deuteronomy 16:19. As is well known, the maladministration of justice is, and always has been, a crying evil among Oriental nations; and the poor, especially, are rarely able to get their rights. Comp. allusions in the OT., Amos 5:12; I... [ Continue Reading ]
Justice to be administered impartially: bribes not to be taken; the poor and the _gêr_not to be oppressed. The verses form the continuation of _vv._1 3, _vv._1 3 dealing with fairness in bearing _witness_, and these verses with fairness in administering _justice_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_a false matter_ i.e., as the context shews, a case that can only be carried through with the help of false statements, and false witnesses. _slay thou not_ by false accusations, false witness, or an unjust sentence. The words are addressed indifferently to accuser, witness, and judge. Cf. Deuteron... [ Continue Reading ]
_gift_(twice)] BRIBE, as the same word is rendered in EVV. of 1 Samuel 8:3; Isaiah 33:15, and in RV. of Ezekiel 22:12. It is true, -gift" had this sense in Old English; but the Heb. word means distinctively a -bribe," and there are places in which the sense of -gift" is not clear. The same word (_sh... [ Continue Reading ]
The _gêr_, or foreigner -sojourning" in Israel, not to be -crushed." Identical, in great measure verbally, with Exodus 22:21: here, no doubt, directed specially against unfair judgement (cf. Deuteronomy 24:17 -Thou shalt not wrest the judgement of the _sojourner_," Exodus 27:19; Malachi 3:5). _stra... [ Continue Reading ]
The fallow year. In every seventh year the fields, vineyards, and olive-gardens are to remain uncultivated, such produce as they bear naturally being not gathered by the owners, but left to the poor. The terms in which the law is expressed leave it uncertain whether (as is generally supposed) a year... [ Continue Reading ]
The seventh year to be a fallow year, and the seventh day to be a day of rest. The motive, it may be noticed, is in each case a philanthropic one.... [ Continue Reading ]
_thou shalt_ LET IT DROP _and_ ABANDON IT] viz. the land, less probably the increase: RV. (substantially = AV.) is a paraphrase. The word rendered _let drop_means properly to _fling_or _throw down_(2 Kings 9:33, of Jezebel). In Deuteronomy 15:2-3 it is differently applied; and is used of _letting_a... [ Continue Reading ]
The sabbath, treated here as a day of cessation from (in particular) _field-labour_, designed with a humanitarian end. _thy work_ The word (_ma-ǎseh_), which is not the same as the one (_melâ"khâh_) rendered -work" in Exodus 20:10, though in itself a general one, seems rather from the context to sug... [ Continue Reading ]
God's commands to be honoured; and -other gods" not even to be mentioned, still less invoked in worship. The verse can hardly be in place in the midst of laws relating to sacred seasons. It reads like the conclusion, perhaps added by a compiler, either to the Book of the Covenant itself, or to one o... [ Continue Reading ]
Further ceremonial regulations (cf. Exodus 20:24-26; Exodus 22:29-31).... [ Continue Reading ]
The three annual pilgrimages, at which every male was to appear before God at a sanctuary. These pilgrimages were festivals which marked originally stages in the agricultural operations of the year: they were the occasions of thanksgiving to Jehovah, the Owner of the land, for the gifts of the soil... [ Continue Reading ]
_times_ Heb. _regâlîm_, lit. _feet_, i.e. _foot-beats_, fig. for -times"; so besides only Numbers 22:28; Numbers 22:32-33 (also E). In _v._17 the more ordinary Heb. word is used (_pe-âmîm_). _keep a_ PILGRIMAGE] The word (_ḥag_) means a feast accompanied by a pilgrimage (see on Exodus 10:9): there w... [ Continue Reading ]
15A. The _first_pilgrimage, the seven days" festival of _Maẓẓoth_or _Unleavened Cakes_. Cf. the parallel Exodus 34:18; and the later regulations in Deuteronomy 16:3-4; Deuteronomy 16:8; Leviticus 23:6-8 (P), 9 14 (H and P); Exodus 12:14-20 and Numbers 28:17-25 (both P). This feast celebrated the beg... [ Continue Reading ]
16A. The _second_pilgrimage, the Feast of _Harvest_, celebrating the completion of the wheat harvest (Exodus 34:22), in June, and marked by the offering of firstfruits from the ripened grain (in Exodus 34:22 -the firstfruits of _wheat harvest_" takes the place of -the firstfruits of _thy labours_" h... [ Continue Reading ]
Every male to appear before (see on _v._15) Jehovah three times in the year. The substantial identity with _v._14, coupled with the different word for -times," makes it probable that the verse has been introduced here from Exodus 34:23 _the Lord_God] i.e. _the Lord_, JEHOVAH. The title -Lord" is an... [ Continue Reading ]
Two regulations respecting sacrifice, designed to guard a sacrifice against contamination by anything corrupt or tainted. 18A. Jehovah's sacrifices not to be offered with leavened bread. Cf. the " Exodus 34:25; Leviticus 2:11; Leviticus 6:17; and the note on ch. Exodus 12:8. -In the earliest times b... [ Continue Reading ]
19A. Firstfruits to be brought to Jehovah's house. _the first of the_ FIRSTRIPE FRUITS] -Firstripe fruits" (_bikkurim_) seems to be used here in the wider sense noticed on _v._16; and it is said either (Ges.) that the _earliest_, or (Kn., Ke.) that the _first_(i.e. the _choicest, best_: _rçshîth_as... [ Continue Reading ]
_an angel_ such as guided and protected the patriarchs (Genesis 24:7; Genesis 31:11; Genesis 48:16); cf. Exodus 14:19 (on Exodus 32:34; Exodus 33:2, see the notes), Numbers 20:16. It is true, the expression here used is - _an_angel" (so Numbers 20:16: contrast ch.... [ Continue Reading ]
An angel is to guide Israel on its journey to Canaan: his instructions must be received with the same respect and fear as those of Jehovah Himself; for Jehovah will Himself be speaking in him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Hortatory epilogue. The laws which Israel is to observe have been defined: and now Jehovah declares what He will do for His people if it is obedient to His voice (_v._22): He will give it prosperity, freedom from sickness and long life, success in its contests with the nations of Canaan, and extensi... [ Continue Reading ]
A warning against disobedience. _hearken unto his voice_ Cf. Exodus 15:26; Exodus 19:5. BE NOT REBELLIOUS (or DEFIANT) AGAINST HIM] Numbers 20:24; Psalms 78:40 _al._ my name The manifestation of My being. The -name" is almost objective reality; it is almost a personal manifestation of Jehovah (_D... [ Continue Reading ]
Obedience to God's commands will be, as ever, the guarantee of His effectual help. _all that I speak_ viz. through the angel. His speech is identical with Jehovah's. 23 25A. Generally regarded as an expansion of the original text: as Di. points out, the warning against idolatry _in_Canaan is not o... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Amorite_, &c. see on Exodus 3:8. _cut them off_ Exodus 9:15; 1 Kings 13:34 (D 2 [196]). A rare word. [196] Deuteronomic passages in Josh., Jud., Kings.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not bow down to …, nor serve them_ as Exodus 20:5. _nor do after their works_ Cf. Leviticus 18:3. _overthrow_ properly, _tear down_(viz. their images). _pillars_ so RV. always, AV. sometimes wrongly _images_; RVm. _obelisks_; best, perhaps, STANDING-STONES: Heb. _maẓẓçbôth_. The _maẓẓç... [ Continue Reading ]
25A. The positive complement of _v._24: Jehovah is to be the object of Israel's worship. 25B, 26. The blessings which will follow upon Israel's obedience: abundance of food, freedom from sickness, fertility of flocks and herds, and long life. 25B. _and he shall bless_ read with LXX., Vulg., Di., &... [ Continue Reading ]
_my terror_ a terror greater than ordinary causes would seem capable of producing, and so attributed directly to God: what we should call a _panic_. Cf. the -terror" (not the Heb. word used here), and -trembling," -of God," in the same sense, in Genesis 35:5; 1 Samuel 14:15 (RVm.); and Zechariah 14:... [ Continue Reading ]
Jehovah will further help Israel effectually to drive out the nations of Canaan.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the hornet_ so Deuteronomy 7:20; Joshua 24:12 (E). The writer imagines swarms of this terrible insect employed to clear the Canaanites away before Israel, and expel them even from their hiding-places (see Dt. _l.c._). _the Hivite_, &c. see on Exodus 3:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
The expulsion of the Canaanites will however be gradual: it will not be completed till the Israelites are numerous enough to fill effectually the territory vacated by them. Hence, with verbal variations, Deuteronomy 7:22. The representation is in striking contrast to the idealized pictures of rapid... [ Continue Reading ]