EXODUS, CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

20:1-17, The Decalogue (The Ten Commandments) stated fundamental duties to both God and man.

20:18-23:19, Then some civil and ceremonial laws were given, and were recorded in The Book Of The Covenant.

22:1 IF A MAN SHALL STEAL AN OX, OR A SHEEP, AND KILL IT, OR SELL IT; HE SHALL RESTORE FIVE OXEN FOR AN OX, AND FOUR SHEEP FOR A SHEEP.

A.If the animal were still alive, the thief was to restore double what he had stolen - Verse 4.

B.But it he killed or sold the animal (converted it to his own use), that would show persistence in continuing to do wrong, and he must repay much more. There is a graduation in punish-ment as the arrogance and brazenness of the crime increased.

C.The moral justice is seen in that his wrong desire to have what was his neighbor's would lead to the loss of his own.

22:2 IF A THIEF BE FOUND BREAKING UP (IN, NKJ), AND BE SMITTEN (STRUCK, NKJ) THAT HE DIE, [THERE SHALL] NO BLOOD [BE SHED] FOR HIM (THERE SHALL BE NO GUILT FOR HIS BLOODSHED, NKJ).

A.The avenger of blood would not be allowed to act in behalf of his slain relative if the theft were at night - cf Verse 3.

B.Perhaps the thought is that one who breaks in at night would be willing to commit murder if necessary.

22:3 IF THE SUN BE RISEN UPON HIM, [THERE SHALL BE] BLOOD [SHED] FOR HIM (THERE SHALL BE GUILT FOR HIS BLOODSHED, NKJ); [FOR] HE SHOULD MAKE FULL RESTITUTION; IF HE HAVE NOTHING, THEN HE SHALL BE SOLD FOR HIS THEFT.

A.In this case it is assumed that the thief would not murder.

B.So the avenger of blood would have the right to take the life of the slayer.

C.FULL RESTITUTION: If the thief is not killed, then his punish-ment would be to restore double - Verse 4.

D.If he could not do so, then he must be sold into slavery, and we assume the price he brought would be given to his victim.

22:4 IF THE THEFT BE CERTAINLY FOUND IN HIS HAND ALIVE, WHETHER IT BE OX, OR ASS, OR SHEEP; HE SHALL RESTORE DOUBLE.

A.Simple restoration would be insufficient: The owner's peace of mind had been disturbed, and he was without his property for a time; Also he probably lost time and money hunting the thief.

B.The double restoration was a penalty -- the thief would lose the amount he expected to gain.

22:5 IF A MAN SHALL CAUSE A FIELD OR VINEYARD TO BE EATEN, AND SHALL PUT IN HIS BEAST, AND SHALL 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.

**To purposely PUT IN the animal would be to act maliciously, and this required heavier penalty -- the BEST OF HIS OWN.

22:6 IF FIRE BREAK OUT, AND CATCH IN THORNS, SO THAT THE STACKS OF CORN, OR THE STANDING CORN, OR THE FIELD, BE CONSUMED [THERE-WITH]; HE THAT KINDLED THE FIRE SHALL SURELY MAKE RESTITUTION.

A.The fire would be considered to be an accident, so all that was required was simple reimbursement for the damages.

B.We would conclude that if the fire were purposely set, or if one were careless in burning weeds and his negligence caused the damage, then heavier judgment would come upon the guilty; and that if the animal in Verse 5 were to break loose without its owner's knowledge, then the lighter judgment would apply.

22:7 IF A MAN SHALL DELIVER UNTO HIS NEIGHBOR MONEY OR STUFF TO KEEP, AND IT BE STOLEN OUT OF THE MAN'S HOUSE; IF THE THIEF BE FOUND, LET HIM PAY DOUBLE.

22:8 IF THE THIEF BE NOT FOUND, THEN THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE SHALL BE BROUGHT UNTO THE JUDGES, [TO SEE] WHETHER HE HAVE PUT HIS HAND UNTO HIS NEIGHBOR'S GOODS.

22:9 FOR ALL MANNER OF TRESPASS, [WHETHER IT BE] FOR OX, FOR ASS, FOR SHEEP, FOR RAIMENT, [OR] FOR ANY MANNER OF LOST THING, WHICH [ANOTHER] CHALLENGETH TO BE HIS (CLAIMS TO BE HIS, NKJ), THE CAUSE OF BOTH PARTIES SHALL COME BEFORE THE JUDGES; [AND] WHOM THE JUDGES SHALL CONDEMN, HE SHALL PAY DOUBLE UNTO HIS NEIGHBOR.

**CHALLENGETH TO BE HIS: The one who deposited the property points to something and claims it, thus saying that the person to whom he entrusted the property still has it.

22:10 IF A MAN DELIVER UNTO HIS NEIGHBOR AN ASS, OR AN OX, OR A SHEEP, OR ANY BEAST, TO KEEP; AND IT DIE, OR BE HURT, OR DRIVEN AWAY, NO MAN SEEING [IT]:

22:11 [THEN] SHALL AN OATH OF THE LORD BE BETWEEN THEM BOTH, THAT HE HATH NOT PUT HIS HAND UNTO HIS NEIGHBOR'S GOODS; AND THE OWNER OF IT SHALL ACCEPT [THEREOF], AND HE SHALL NOT MAKE [IT] GOOD.

**The animal could DIE of natural causes, or be HURT by a wild beast or in an accident, or be DRIVEN AWAY by thieves, without anyone's seeing what happened. If the man responsible for the animal would swear that he did not cause the problem, then the owner suffered the loss.

22:12 AND IF IT BE STOLEN FROM HIM, HE SHALL MAKE RESTITUTION UNTO THE OWNER THEREOF.

**If there were no question that the animal was stolen, then the man had to pay, because he had not been responsible to prevent the theft.

22:13 IF IT BE TORN IN PIECES (TORN TO PIECES BY A BEAST, NKJ), [THEN] LET HIM BRING IT [FOR] WITNESS (FOR EVIDENCE, NKJ), [AND] HE SHALL NOT MAKE GOOD THAT WHICH WAS TORN.

**The torn remains were to be presented as evidence that a wild beast had broken in and caused the death, and that the man was not responsible.

22:14 AND IF A MAN BORROW [OUGHT] OF HIS NEIGHBOR, AND IT BE HURT, OR DIE, THE OWNER THEREOF [BEING] NOT WITH IT, HE SHALL SURELY MAKE [IT] GOOD.

**One who borrowed an animal which subsequently was injured or died, was required to make good the loss.

22:15 [BUT] IF THE OWNER THEREOF [BE] WITH IT, HE SHALL NOT MAKE [IT] GOOD: IF IT [BE] AN HIRED [THING], IT CAME FOR HIS HIRE.

A.IF THE OWNER THEREOF BE WITH IT: Apparently he would be there to use the animal in whatever work it was hired for.

B.IF IT BE AN HIRED THING: The lease money paid to the owner is understood to cover the risk of harm being done to it.

22:16 AND IF A MAN ENTICE A MAID (ENTICES A VIRGIN, NKJ) THAT IS NOT BETROTHED, AND LIE WITH HER, HE SHALL SURELY ENDOW (PAY THE BRIDE PRICE FOR, NKJ) HER TO BE HIS WIFE.

A.THAT IS NOT BETROTHED: He seduces a young woman who has never been married and is not engaged.

B.HE SHALL SURELY ENDOW HER TO BE HIS WIFE: It was their custom for a man to pay his wife's family a "bride price" before the wedding ceremony took place. Further details are given in Deu 22:28-29 (28 If a man find a damsel [that is] a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty [shekels] of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days).

22:17 IF HER FATHER UTTERLY REFUSE TO GIVE HER UNTO HIM, HE SHALL PAY MONEY ACCORDING TO THE DOWRY OF VIRGINS.

**He would be required to pay enough to compensate for her in-jury, and to prepare her for a dignified marriage to some other man. The amount required might be a matter for the court to decide.

22:18 THOU SHALT NOT SUFFER A WITCH TO LIVE.

**To make a league with evil powers was to rebel against God, and these blasphemers were to be put to death.

22:19 WHOSOEVER LIETH WITH A BEAST SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH.

**This crime against nature was said to have been practiced in Egypt; Perhaps some Israelites had been drawn into this.

22:20 HE THAT SACRIFICETH UNTO [ANY] GOD, SAVE UNTO THE LORD ONLY, HE SHALL BE UTTERLY DESTROYED.

**Death was the penalty for idolatry among the Israelites.

22:21 THOU SHALT NEITHER VEX A STRANGER, NOR OPPRESS HIM: FOR YE WERE STRANGERS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT.

A.VEX A STRANGER, NOR OPPRESS HIM: Mistreat/abuse a foreigner.

B.FOR YE WERE STRANGERS: By experience they knew what it was to be a stranger, so they should have had tender feelings here.

22:22 YE SHALL NOT AFFLICT ANY WIDOW, OR FATHERLESS CHILD.

22:23 IF THOU AFFLICT THEM IN ANY WISE, AND THEY CRY AT ALL UNTO ME, I WILL SURELY HEAR THEIR CRY;

22:24 AND MY WRATH SHALL WAX HOT, AND I WILL KILL YOU WITH THE SWORD; AND YOUR WIVES SHALL BE WIDOWS, AND YOUR CHILDREN FATHERLESS.

A.I WILL KILL YOU: God later allowed this to happen when Nebu-chadnezzar destroyed the people of Jerusalem - Cf Jeremiah.

B.YOUR WIVES...YOUR CHILDREN: They will be subjected to the same troubles you brought on other widows (Verses 22-23).

22:25 IF THOU LEND MONEY TO [ANY OF] MY PEOPLE [THAT IS] POOR BY THEE (POOR AMONG YOU, NKJ), THOU SHALT NOT BE TO HIM AS AN USURER, NEITHER SHALT THOU LAY UPON HIM USURY (CHARGE HIM INTEREST, NKJ).

**In Scripture, USURY means interest, not excessive interest.

22:26 IF THOU AT ALL TAKE THY NEIGHBOR'S RAIMENT TO PLEDGE, THOU SHALT DELIVER IT UNTO HIM BY THAT (BEFORE, NKJ) THE SUN GOETH DOWN:

22:27 FOR THAT [IS] HIS COVERING ONLY (ONLY COVERING, NKJ), IT [IS] HIS RAIMENT FOR HIS SKIN: WHEREIN SHALL HE SLEEP? AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, WHEN HE CRIETH UNTO ME, THAT I WILL HEAR; FOR I [AM] GRACIOUS.

**Since there could have been no value in taking the raiment for an hour or so, or even for a full day, we assume the case was that although the raiment was pledged for some time, the owner was allowed the use of it every night.

22:28 THOU SHALT NOT REVILE THE GODS, NOR CURSE THE RULER OF THY PEOPLE.

**REVILE THE GODS: There is a question as to whether this refers to Deity, or to the judges of the people.

22:29 THOU SHALT NOT DELAY [TO OFFER] THE FIRST OF THY RIPE FRUITS, AND OF THY LIQUORS (JUICES, NKJ): THE FIRSTBORN OF THY SONS SHALT THOU GIVE UNTO ME.

**Compare Pro 3:9, ("Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase").

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.

22:31 AND YE SHALL BE HOLY MEN UNTO ME: NEITHER SHALL YE EAT [ANY] FLESH [THAT IS] TORN OF BEASTS IN THE FIELD; YE SHALL CAST IT TO THE DOGS.

A.YE SHALL BE HOLY MEN: They were not to be as other people, but to be a holy nation. Their separateness was indicated by laws which were to keep them free from uncleanness in meat and drink; One of those laws is then given.

B.FLESH THAT IS TORN OF BEASTS: The blood would not be properly drained, leaving the flesh unclean. Also the beast which TORE it would likely be unclean, and its uncleanness would be im-parted to the meat by its touch.

C.CAST IT TO THE DOGS: Dogs were not tamed and kept as pets, but were used as scavengers - 1Ki 21:23-24 ("23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. 24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat"). They were considered to be so unclean that they could be fed anything.

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