Exodus 21 - Introduction
_LAWS CONCERNING SERVANTS, MAN-SLAUGHTER, CURSING OF PARENTS, RETALIATION, DAMAGE DONE BY AN OX,_ &C. _Before Christ 1491._... [ Continue Reading ]
_LAWS CONCERNING SERVANTS, MAN-SLAUGHTER, CURSING OF PARENTS, RETALIATION, DAMAGE DONE BY AN OX,_ &C. _Before Christ 1491._... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THESE ARE THE JUDGMENTS— The subsequent divine laws are delivered in an irregular and interrupted method; most probably, because they were written down by Moses one after another, and delivered by him to the people of Israel just as he received them from Jehovah himself; and perhaps also, becaus... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THOU BUY AN HEBREW SERVANT, &C.— The laws respecting male and female Hebrew servants, or slaves, are here delivered first; no doubt, to impress the just feelings of humanity towards them. Tertullian elegantly calls these laws _the precepts of humanity;_ a just denomination, if we consider the dis... [ Continue Reading ]
IF HE CAME IN BY HIMSELF, &C.— That is, single, he shall so depart; if _married,_ his wife also was to depart in freedom with him. Leviticus 25:41. The case was to be different if he married while in servitude; when, _if his master gave him a wife,_ a slave like himself, and not of the Hebrew race,—... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN HIS MASTER SHALL BRING HIM UNTO THE JUDGES— If the servant refused to be free, he was to be brought to the _judges,_ אלהים _elohim, gods,_ in the original; magistrates being so called, as the visible representatives of God upon earth. Psalms 1:6. John 10:34.Romans 13:1. The LXX render it προς τ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF A MAN SELL HIS DAUGHTER TO BE A MAIDSERVANT— It appears very plainly from the account given in Leviticus, that the law laid down in the former verses held good with regard to female as well as to male-servants; and consequently, what follows must be considered as an exempt or particular case:... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL HE LET HER BE REDEEMED— This might more properly be rendered, after many of the versions, _he shall redeem_ or _deliver her:_ he shall set her free. What is rendered, _to a strange people,_ might properly be read, _to another family,_ which is the true meaning of the expression. (Leviticus 22:... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT SMITETH A MAN, &C.— See Genesis 9:6. It appears from Leviticus 17:16 that this law was not confined to the murder of _Israelites,_ but extended to strangers, and all men in general; contrary to the shameful glosses of some of the Rabbis.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT GOD DELIVER HIM INTO HIS HAND— As God is the Lord of life and death, whose providence is over all his works, the Scripture teaches us to ascribe to him all such events, as, in common phrase, are called _accidental._ See Deuteronomy 19:5. Of the _cities of refuge_ we shall have occasion to speak... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT TAKE HIM FROM MINE ALTAR— God is a God of justice, and will never suffer his sanctuary to screen and protect the guilty. See Deuteronomy 19:11. 1 Kings 2:28; 1 Kings 2:46.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE THAT SMITETH HIS FATHER, OR HIS MOTHER, &C.— Of so great importance is obedience to parents, that God was pleased not only to enjoin it by a positive law, but even to adjudge those to death who were notoriously defective in it. The reason of which severity seems to be this; that those must be... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE THAT STEALETH A MAN, &C.— See Deuteronomy 24:7. This crime was death both by the Athenian and Roman laws. It is difficult to say, why this law is placed between those respecting striking and cursing parents. Some suppose that children, stolen in youth, might, upon returning to their own count... [ Continue Reading ]
IF A MAN SMITE HIS SERVANT, &C.— The equity of these laws is apparent to every reader, though the Jewish Rabbis have done all they could to restrict and render them unworthy the Divine Lawgiver. The law here refers undoubtedly to servants in general, not to Hebrew ones only; cruelty to whom is forbi... [ Continue Reading ]
NOTWITHSTANDING, IF HE CONTINUE A DAY OR TWO, &C.— As it might be presumed, that, in this case, the death of the slave was not absolutely owing to the wounds he received, the master was to be thought sufficiently punished by the loss which he sustained in this part of his property; _for he is his mo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YET NO MISCHIEF FOLLOW— The literal translation of this in the Hebrew is, and _there shall not be death;_ which is much more proper than our version.... [ Continue Reading ]
EYE FOR EYE, TOOTH FOR TOOTH, &C.— See Leviticus 24:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF AN OX GORE A MAN OR A WOMAN— The Hebrew word שׁור _shor,_ might, perhaps, with more propriety, be rendered _a bull;_ the LXX have it ταυρος. The Romans used to mark mischievous _bulls_ by twisting hay about their horns. Horace alludes to this, when he says, _foenum habet in cornu, longe fuge, He... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THERE BE LAID ON HIM A SUM OF MONEY— A ransom was allowed in this case. As the law might sometimes prove too rigorous, the judges were to determine that ransom which was usually given to the heirs and relations of the person killed: _thirty shekels of silver,_ Exodus 21:32 which was somewhat more... [ Continue Reading ]
IF A MAN SHALL OPEN A PIT— We have had frequent occasion, in our notes on the Book of Genesis, to mention these _pits_ which were usually dug in this country; and which, being dug in common or public ground, there was great need of caution with respect to them. REFLECTIONS.—_Note;_ 1. The care that... [ Continue Reading ]