Exodus 22:1-4
1 4. Theft of ox or sheep; and burglary.... [ Continue Reading ]
1 4. Theft of ox or sheep; and burglary.... [ Continue Reading ]
If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it (so as to make profit by it), he is to repay fivefold for the ox, and fourfold for the sheep. Cf. (with differences) Ḥamm. § 8 (see p. 420). The ox is reckoned as of higher value than the sheep on account especially of its being useful in ag... [ Continue Reading ]
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) an... [ Continue Reading ]
2 3A. A thief caught breaking in by night may be killed without any guilt being incurred by his death, but not if the act take place by day. In the dark the householder would probably not be able to recognize the burglar, so as to bring him to justice, nor would he know whether he might not intend m... [ Continue Reading ]
If the stolen animal be not killed, or sold (_v._1), but still alive his possession, he only repays double, i.e. the stolen animal itself, and a second as a fine. The same principle of double restitution recurs _vv._7, 9; it was adopted also -in the laws of Manu (viii. 329), at least in the case of... [ Continue Reading ]
_a field_ i.e. a field of his own, from which he allows the cattle to stray into the field of a neighbour. _the best_ The Heb. as Genesis 47:6; Genesis 47:11, also of land. The verse contains difficulties, however; and two corrections have accordingly been proposed. (1) Why, as no malicious intentio... [ Continue Reading ]
Compensation to be paid for damage done by cattle being allowed negligently to stray (_v._5 if the text be sound); and by fire spreading accidentally (_v._6) to another man's field.... [ Continue Reading ]
Damage done by fire spreading accidentally to another man's field. In this case compensation according to the damage done in sufficient, as no blame, or malice, attaches to the person who kindled the fire. _break out_ lit. _go forth_(Numbers 21:28), i.e. spread from the place in which it originated... [ Continue Reading ]
Compensation for loss or damage in various cases of deposit. At the present day, among the Bedawin, a man going on a journey for instance will deposit money or goods with another for safety during his absence. Such a deposit is regarded by the Arabs as a sacred trust (Cook, p. 227; Doughty, i. 176,... [ Continue Reading ]
If a man receives money or any household article for safe custody, and it is stolen, the thief, if he can be discovered, is to repay twofold (_v._7); if the thief cannot be discovered, the man to whom the property was entrusted must be acquitted at a sanctuary of the suspicion which will then natura... [ Continue Reading ]
_stuff_ Heb. _kçlim_, plur. of _keli_, a very general term, including both household articles (Genesis 45:20; Joshua 7:11 -stuff," as here; Leviticus 13:49 -thing"), vessels (ch. Exodus 27:3; 2 Kings 4:3), jewels or ornaments (ch. Exodus 3:22), as also weapons or armour (Genesis 27:3; 1 Samuel 14:1,... [ Continue Reading ]
_unto God_ i.e. to the local sanctuary. On the term -God," here and _v._9, and the paraphrase -the judges" (marg.), see on Exodus 21:6 and Exodus 18:15. To judge by the analogy of _v._11, a denial on oath was sufficient for an acquittal. Comp. 1 Kings 8:31-32.... [ Continue Reading ]
Extension of the principle of _v._8 to _all_cases of suspected misappropriation of property, whether arising out of a -deposit," or not. _any manner of lost thing_ which is found, it is implied, suspiciously in the possession of another. _This is it_ viz. the thing that I have lost. _he whom_, &c... [ Continue Reading ]
_be hurt_ lit. _be broken_, i.e. be maimed or wounded: so _v._14, Ezekiel 34:4; Ezekiel 34:16; Zechariah 11:16; Leviticus 22:22. _or driven away_ better, _carried away_, viz. by raiders (Job 1:15; Job 1:17); 1 Chronicles 5:21 Heb., 2 Chronicles 14:15. The word co [ Continue Reading ]
Procedure to be followed, when the property deposited, and afterwards injured or lost, is an animal.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the oath of_ YAHWEH] 2 Samuel 21:7; 1 Kings 2:43. The person is whom the animal had been entrusted must swear solemnly that he has not appropriated it himself. _shall accept it_ viz. the oath. Both Burckhardt (_Bedouins_, i. 126 9) and Doughty (_Arab. Deserta_, i. 267), state that among the Arabs... [ Continue Reading ]
If, however, the animal be stolen, this might have been guarded against by greater care, and compensation must be made.... [ Continue Reading ]
If the animal be torn by wild beasts, the man entrusted with it has only to produce its torn flesh as evidence of the fact, and he need make no compensation. No reasonable precautions could guard against this most common misfortune to cattle in the East (cf. Genesis 31:39); and the fact that the rem... [ Continue Reading ]
Compensation for injury to a borrowed animal. If the owner is not with it, the borrower is responsible and must make restitution; if the owner is with it, it is presumed that he might have prevented any ill-usage or injury, and the borrower is not responsible. Cf. Ḥamm. §§ 245 6 (a _hired_animal).... [ Continue Reading ]
_barrow_(an animal)] No object is expressed in the Heb.: it must be understood from _vv._10 13. The sequel shews that an animal is intended. -Borrow" is lit. _ask_: so Exo 2 Kings 6:5. Cf. on Exodus 12:36 _be hurt_ lit. _broken_, as _v._10.... [ Continue Reading ]
_it came for its hire_ and therefore, it is presumed, the owner was prepared to take the risk, so that compensation for injury is unnecessary. The sense expressed by the marg. is hardly likely: for if the cost of compensation in the possible case of injury or death were included in the hire, it woul... [ Continue Reading ]
_a_ MARRIAGE-PRICE] Heb. _môhar_, Arab, _mahr_; i.e. not a -dowry," but the price paid for the wife to her parents or family, according to ancient Hebrew custom (cf. Genesis 34:12; 1 Samuel 18:25). The same custom prevailed anciently, and prevails still, in many other parts of the world (see Post, _... [ Continue Reading ]
Compensation for the seduction of an unbetrothed maiden The unmarried and unbetrothed daughter counts as part of her father's property; by the loss of her virginity her value is diminished; her father consequently has a claim for compensation; and the seducer must pay the price sufficient to make th... [ Continue Reading ]
If, however, the father will not give her in marriage to her seducer, he must still pay him the usual MARRIAGE-PRICE that would be expected for a daughter. In Deuteronomy 22:28 the penalty for rape Isaiah 50 shekels of silver (about £7]), not quite twice the ordinary price of a slave (Exodus 21:32).... [ Continue Reading ]
Magic and divination were practised extensively in the ancient world, as indeed they are still among uncivilised peoples and among the uneducated even in civilised countries: we have particularly abundant information respecting the practice of them in Assyria (see briefly the writer's _Daniel_, in t... [ Continue Reading ]
Cf. Leviticus 18:23; Leviticus 20:15 f. (both H); Deuteronomy 27:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
Sacrifice by an Israelite to any god save Jehovah to be punished with the ban. Jehovah is a -jealous God" (Exodus 20:5), who does not tolerated the worship of any other god beside Himself. _utterly destroyed_ BANNED or DEVOTED. The -ban" (_ḥérem_) was an archaic institution, often alluded to in the... [ Continue Reading ]
_a_ SOJOURNER _shalt thou not wrong_…; _for ye were_ SOJOURNERS _in the land of Egypt_ The -sojourner" (_gêr_), or resident foreigner (see on Exodus 12:48; and cf. Exodus 2:22; Exodus 20:10), had at this time no legal status in Israel, and was thus liable in many ways to injustice and oppression. Wi... [ Continue Reading ]
21-27. A group of humanitarian laws. The _gêr_, or resident foreigner, the widow, and the orphan not to be oppressed, _vv._21 24; interest not to be taken from the poor, _v._25; a garment taken in pledge to be returned before nightfall, _vv._26 f.... [ Continue Reading ]
The helpless widow, and orphan, not to be oppressed. The widow, the orphan, and the -sojourner," as liable in various ways to suffer from rapacious judges, and hard-hearted moneyed men, are constantly commended to the philanthropic regard of the Israelite in Dt. (Deuteronomy 10:18; Deuteronomy 14:29... [ Continue Reading ]
_If thou afflict_ HIM _in any wise, and_ HE _cry at all unto me, I will surely hear_ HIS _cry_ so the Heb., making it probable that _vv._21b, 22 (which are moreover distinguished from the context by the plur. _ye_), 24 (which will naturally go with _v._22) are an addition to the original text. It is... [ Continue Reading ]
If the Israelite does this, Jehovah will treat him with a just retribution.... [ Continue Reading ]
Those who had shewn heartlessness towards widows and orphans will perish in battle (cf. Isaiah 9:17), and their wives and children will become widows and orphans themselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
Interest not to be taken on money lent to the poor. _as a creditor_ exacting and impatient: cf. 2 Kings 4:1; Psalms 109:11 (where the same word is rendered -extortioner"). _usury_ INTEREST. This was formerly the sense of -usury" (Lat. _usura_, something paid for the _use_of money); but the word is... [ Continue Reading ]
_garment_ MANTLE (Heb. _salmâh_), the large rectangular piece of cloth described in the note on Exodus 12:34; perhaps the only article that a poor man would have to offer as a pledge, as well as his only covering by night (_v._27). The mantle might be retained by the debtor, in order that he might s... [ Continue Reading ]
A garment taken in pledge to be returned before sun-down. Cf. Ḥamm. § 241. Comp. Deuteronomy 24:6; Deuteronomy 24:10-13, where other limitations are placed on the arbitrary power of the creditor. Loans on interest are forbidden, in Dt. (Deuteronomy 23:19 f.) not less than here (_v._25): but loans on... [ Continue Reading ]
_wherein_, &c. i.e. wherein _else_can he sleep? _gracious_ see on Exodus 34:6; and cf. Exodus 33:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
Reverence to be shewn to God, and to those in authority. _revile_ the word (_ḳâlal_) usually rendered _curse_(e.g. Exodus 21:17): here represented by _revile_, because of the syn. (_"ârar_) in _v._28b. _God_ The paraphrase _judges_(RVm.) is not here admissible; for though -to go to God" might mean... [ Continue Reading ]
A group of fundamental ceremonial injunctions. Jehovah's customary due from the first annual produce of the threshing-floor and the wine-press to be promptly paid: firstborn males, both of men and animals, to be given to Him; flesh torn of beasts not to be eaten. The laws are stated here tersely and... [ Continue Reading ]