Exodus 22:26

_IF THOU AT ALL TAKE THY NEIGHBOUR'S RAIMENT TO PLEDGE, THOU SHALT DELIVER IT UNTO HIM BY THAT THE SUN GOETH DOWN:_ If thou at all ... From the nature of the case, this is the description of poor man. No Orientals undress; but, merely throwing off their turbans and some of their heavy outer garments, they sleep in the clothes which they wear during the day. The bed of the poor is usually nothing else than a mat; and in winter they cover themselves with a cloak-a practice which forms the ground or reason of the humane and merciful law respecting the pawned coat....

Verse Exodus 22:26. _IF THOU - TAKE THY NEIGHBOUR'S RAIMENT TO PLEDGE_] It seems strange that any pledge should be taken which must be so _speedily_ restored; but it is very likely that the pledge was restored by _night_ only, and that he who pledged it brought it back to his creditor next morning. The opinion of the rabbins is, that whatever a man needed for the support of life, he had the use of it when absolutely necessary, though it was pledged. Thus he had the use of his working tools by day, but he brought them to his creditor in the evening. His _hyke_, which serves an Arab as a _plaid_ does a Highlander, (Exodus 12:34), was probably the _raiment_ here referred to: it is a sort of coarse blanket, about six yards long, and five or six feet broad, which an Arab always car...

The law regarding pledges is expanded, Deuteronomy 24:6, Deuteronomy 24:10....

EXPOSITION II. LAWS CONNECTED WITH RIGHTS OF PROPERTY (verses 33-36). From the consideration of injuries to the person, the legislator proceeds to treat of injuries to property, and, as he has been speaking of cattle under the one head, places cattle in the fore-front of the other. In this chapter two enactments only are made—one providing compensation in the case of a man' s cattle being killed by falling into the pit, or well, of a neighbour (verses 33, 34); and the other making provision for the case of one man' s cattle killing the cattle of another (verses 35, 36) EXODUS 21:33 IF A MAN SHALL OPEN A PIT. Rather, "If a man shall uncover a cistern." Cisterns, very necessary in Palestine, were usually closed by a

IF THOU AT ALL TAKE THY NEIGHBOUR'S RAIMENT TO PLEDGE,.... So that it seems that the lender, though he might not impose usury on the borrower, or oblige him to pay interest for what he lent him, yet for the security of his money he might take his clothes, either his bed clothes or wearing apparel, or any instruments or goods of his; but when he did, he was bound to what follows: THOU SHALT DELIVER IT TO HIM BY THAT THE SUN GOETH DOWN; the reason of which appears in the next verse, with respect to his bed clothes, should that be the pledge: but Jarchi interprets it, not of his nocturnal clothes, but of his apparel in the daytime, and paraphrases it thus, "all the day thou shalt restore it to him until the setting of the sun; and when the sun is set, thou shalt return and take it until the morning of the morrow comes; the Scripture speaks of the covering of the day, of which there is no...

CHAPTER 22 FURTHER JUDGMENTS _ 1. Concerning theft (Exodus 22:1)_ 2. Concerning neglect in case of fire (Exodus 22:6) 3. Concerning dishonesty (Exodus 22:7) 4. Concerning immoralities and forbidden things (Exodus 22:16) 5. Concerning oppression (Exodus 22:21) 6. Concerning offerings to God (Exodus 22:29) These laws need no further comment; they are good and just. The wisdom of them is the wisdom from above. We call atte

EXODUS 22:18 E. VARIOUS ORDINANCES. From this point up to Exodus 23:9 we have to do with miscellaneous laws, differing in the main both in form and substance from the Judgments, and therefore here regarded as belonging to the Book of the Covenant. But they may have come independently of either code. The death penalty for a sorceress (Exodus 22:18) sounds unduly severe, and this law may be taken as a classical instance of the progressive nature of revelation. Conditions change, and conscience gains light: hence Hebrew laws must not, it is at last perceived, bind Christian men, unless ratified afresh by the conscience. For lack of this perception witches were executed up to...

RAIMENT. mantle. Raiment by day, and sole covering at night. Compare Exodus 12:34.Deuteronomy 24:12; Deuteronomy 24:13.Judges 4:18; Amos 2:8....

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) and the JUDGEMENTS: the JUDGEMENTS (see on Exodus 21:1) are the provisions relating to civil and criminal law, prescribing what is to be done when particular cases arise, and comprised in...

IF THOU AT ALL TAKE THY NEIGHBOUR'S RAIMENT TO PLEDGE— This law extends to every thing of daily use, or whereupon livelihood depends. See Deuteronomy 24:6 from the 12th and 13th verses of which chapter, as well as from the reason of the law, it appears that it refers to the poor. The _raiment_ here mentioned, was that kind of loose garment whereof we spoke in the note on ch. Exodus 12:34 and which, as Dr. Shaw there observes, was commonly used for sleeping in. _Note;_ When we lie warm ourselves, let us remember such as want clothes to cover them; and never add affliction to the needy, but study how to relieve it....