Exodus 22:30

_LIKEWISE SHALT THOU DO WITH THINE OXEN, AND WITH THY SHEEP: SEVEN DAYS IT SHALL BE WITH HIS DAM; ON THE EIGHTH DAY THOU SHALT GIVE IT ME._ Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen (see the note at Leviticus 22:27)....

Verse Exodus 22:30. _SEVEN DAYS IT SHALL BE WITH HIS DAM_] For the _mother's_ _health_ it was necessary that the young one should suck so long; and prior to this time the process of nutrition in a young animal can scarcely be considered as completely formed. Among the Romans _lambs_ were not considered as pure or clean before the _eighth_ _day_; nor _calves_ before the _thirtieth_: Pecoris _faetus die octavo_ _purus est_, bovis _trigesimo_.-Plin. Hist. Nat., lib. viii....

The offering of firstfruits appears to have been a custom of primitive antiquity and was connected with the earliest acts of sacrifice. See Genesis 4:3. The references to it here and in Exodus 23:19 had probably been handed down from patriarchal times. The specific law relating to the firstborn of living creatures was brought out in a strong light in connection with the deliverance from Egypt Exodus 13:2, Exodus 13:12; compare Exodus 23:19; Leviticus 22

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

LIKEWISE SHALT THOU DO WITH THINE OXEN, AND WITH THY SHEEP,.... That is, with the firstborn, which were to be set apart to the Lord; and so the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, "the firstborn of thine oxen, and of thy sheep;'' for having spoken of the firstborn of men, the Scripture proceeds to speak of the firstborn of cattle, great and small, the separation of which was enjoined in one and the same precept, Exodus 13:2, SEVEN DAYS IT SHALL BE WITH HIS DAM; whether it be a calf or a lamb; before it was seven days old it was not to be taken from it, and given to the Lord: ON THE EIGHTH DAY THOU SHALL GIVE IT ME; that is, they might do it then, but not before; yet they were not obliged to bring it exactly on that day, but they might do it any time within the month, and at a month's end they were obliged to redeem it, that is, giv

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...

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...

ON THE EIGHTH DAY THOU SHALT GIVE IT ME— Though it might not be given _before_ the eighth day, it might be given _after._...

THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 22 IF A MAN SHALL STEAL AN OX, OR A SHEEP, AND KILL IT, OR SELL IT; HE SHALL PAY FIVE OXEN FOR AN OX, AND FOUR SHEEP FOR A SHEEP. (2) IF THE THIEF BE FOUND BREAKING IN, AND BE SMITTEN SO THAT HE DIETH, THERE SHALL BE NO BLOODGUILTINESS FOR HIM. (3) IF THE SUN BE RISEN UPON HIM, THERE SHALL BE BLOODGUILTINESS FOR HIM; HE SHALL MAKE RESTITUTION: IF HE HAVE NOTHING, THEN HE SHALL BE SOLD FOR HIS THEFT. (4) IF THE THEFT BE FOUND IN HIS HAND ALIVE, WHETHER IT BE OX, OR ASS, OR SHEEP; HE SHALL PAY DOUBLE. (5) If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall let his beast loose, and it feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution. (6) If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the shocks of grain, or the standing grain, or the field are consumed; he that kindled the f...