Exodus 23:12

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 suggest work in the field: cf. v.16, where it is twice rendered -labours"; also Deuteronomy 14:29; Deuteronomy 16:15; Deuteronomy 24:19; Exodus 28:12; Exodus 28:12 (note in each case the context).

rest desist (from work), or keep sabbath (RVm.): see on Exodus 20:8.

and thine ass may rest] as Exodus 20:11. This is the word that expresses the positive idea of rest(Job 3:13; Job 3:17). (-Have rest" in RV. is intended for distinction from -rest" just before; but it is better to be express the distinction by giving a more exact rendering of shâbath.)

the son of thy bondwoman] i.e. a slave -born in the house" (cf. on Exodus 12:44), of parents who were themselves slaves intended, it must be supposed, to represent slaves in general (cf. Deuteronomy 5:14 end): as Di. remarks, most slaves were probably of this kind. Bertholet (Die Stellung der Isr. u. der Juden zu den Fremden, p. 55) and Bä. think -the son of thy concubine" to be meant (cf. the sense of "âmâhin Exodus 21:7 [see note]); but there seems no sufficient reason for this limitation.

the sojourner] the sojourner in thy employment (Exodus 20:10).

be refreshed properly, get breath: so Exodus 31:17; 2 Samuel 16:14 †.