SOME UNCLEANNESS] RV 'some unseemly thing.' The Heb. is literally 'nakedness of a thing,' an expression also used in Deuteronomy 23:14. The vagueness of the language gave rise to endless disputes among Jewish teachers. In the time of our Lord, opinion was divided between the school of Shammai who he... [ Continue Reading ]
LAWS REGARDING DIVORCE, PLEDGES, MAN-STEALING, LEPROSY, JUSTICE, AND GLEANING 1-4. The Law of Divorce. The right of the husband to divorce his wife is here acknowledged but is guarded against abuse. There must be some good reason for the separation; it must be done in a legal and formal manner: and... [ Continue Reading ]
The infinitude of the divine mercy is beautifully illustrated in Jeremiah 3:1, where God takes back those who have broken His covenant and have repented. His ways are higher than our ways (see also Hosea 1-3).... [ Continue Reading ]
See on Deuteronomy 20:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
On the nature of the Eastern hand-mill see on Exodus 11:5; Exodus 22:26; Exodus 22:27. The mill is an indispensable domestic utensil; and, as neither of the stones is of any use without the other, to take one away would inflict a cruel hardship. It would be to 'take a man's life,' i.e. his means of... [ Continue Reading ]
See Exodus 21:16. 8, 9. See Leviticus 13:14 Numbers 12. Miriam, though she was the sister of Moses, had to comply strictly with the laws regulating the separation and purification of lepers.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT GO INTO HIS HOUSE] The debtor must be allowed to select himself the article that he will give as a pledge for a loan. Whatever it be, the creditor must accept it, and not force his way into the house to see what is there and perhaps carry off something that the poor man cannot spare. If the man... [ Continue Reading ]
RIGHTEOUSNESS] In the Rabbinical language the word for 'alms' is 'righteousness.' To give alms is the righteous act _par excellence:_ see Matthew 6:1 and mg.... [ Continue Reading ]
Another humane principle of far reaching application.... [ Continue Reading ]
For an instance of the observance of this rule see 2 Kings 14:6, and cp. Ezekiel 18:2; Ezekiel 18:19; Ezekiel 18:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU BEATEST THINE OLIVE TREE] In gathering olives the fruit is brought to the ground either by shaking the boughs or beating them with a long palm branch. At the present time the trees are beaten on a certain day announced by a crier, after which the poor are allowed to glean what is left. A s... [ Continue Reading ]