INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 22 In this chapter are various laws, concerning care of a neighbour's cattle gone astray or in distress, and of anything lost by him, Deuteronomy 22:1, forbidding one sex to wear the apparel, of another, Deuteronomy 22:5 and the taking away of the dam with the young foun... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALL NOT SEE THY BROTHER'S OX OR HIS SHEEP GO ASTRAY,.... Or "driven away" r; frightened and starved away from the herd or from the flock by a wolf or dog; and the ox and sheep are put for every other creature a man has, as camels, asses, c. which last sort is after mentioned and a brother mea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF THY BROTHER BE NOT NIGH UNTO THEE,.... Does not live in the same neighbourhood, but at some considerable distance; so that he cannot soon and easily be informed of his cattle, or they be sent to him: OR IF THOU KNOW HIM NOT; the owner of them, what is his name, or where he lives: THEN THOU... [ Continue Reading ]
IN LIKE MANNER SHALL THOU DO WITH HIS ASS,.... As with his ox or sheep when astray, and found, keep it until it is owned, and then restore it; this is expressly mentioned in Exodus 23:4 AND SO SHALT THOU DO WITH HIS RAIMENT; if that is lost and found, it must be restored to the owner, he describing... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALL NOT SEE THY BROTHER'S OX OR HIS ASS FALL DOWN BY THE WAY,.... And lie under his burden, not being able to rise with it of himself, nor with all the assistance about it, without further help: AND HIDE THYSELF FROM THEM; cover thine eyes, or turn them another way, and make as if thou didst... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WOMAN SHALL NOT WEAR THAT WHICH PERTAINETH UNTO A MAN,.... It being very unseemly and impudent, and contrary to the modesty of her sex; or there shall not be upon her any "instrument of a man" f, any utensil of his which he makes use of in his trade and business; as if she was employed in it, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
IF A BIRD'S NEST CHANCE TO BE BEFORE THEE IN ANY TREE, OR ON THE GROUND,.... Which are the usual places in which birds build their nests; and this, as Jarchi observes, excepts such nests that are prepared, that is, that are purposely made for fowls kept at home; and with which agrees the Jewish cano... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU SHALL IN ANY WISE LET THE DAM GO, AND TAKE THE YOUNG TO THEE,.... Or "in letting go, let go", or "in sending, send away" a; that is, willingly, certainly, entirely, frequently, always; so the Jewish canons b, "if anyone lets her go, and she returns, even four or five times, he is obliged t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU BUILDEST A NEW HOUSE,.... Which is to be understood of a house to dwell in, not of a granary, barn, or stable, or such like, and every house that is not four cubits square, as Maimonides observes f: THEN THOU SHALT MAKE A BATTLEMENT FOR THY ROOF; in the Talmud g it is asked, what is the m... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALL NOT SOW THY VINEYARDS WITH DIVERS SEEDS,.... As wheat and barley between the rows of the vines; and this is to be understood only of divers sorts of corn, and of divers sorts of herbs, but not of trees; hence we read of a fig tree in a vineyard, Luke 13:6, and this only respects what is s... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT PLOUGH WITH AN OX AND AN ASS TOGETHER,.... They might be used separately, but not together; nor was it uncommon in some countries for asses to be employed in ploughing as well as oxen. Pliny h makes mention of some fruitful land in Africa, which when it was dry weather could not be pl... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT WEAR A GARMENT OF DIVERS SORTS,.... The Jews say nothing is forbidden under the name of sorts but what is spun and wove, as it is said, "thou shalt not wear sheatnez", a thing that is carded, spun, and wove l; which Ainsworth translates "linsie woolsie", and is explained by what follo... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT MAKE THEE FRINGES,.... Though a different word is here used from that in Numbers 15:38, yet the same things are intended, and Onkelos translates both by one and the same word, and which is no other than a corruption of the Greek word used in Matthew 23:5. Though there have been some, whom... [ Continue Reading ]
IF ANY MAN TAKE A WIFE, AND GO IN UNTO HER, AND HATE HER. That is, marries a wife, and cohabits with her as man and wife, and after some time dislikes her, and is desirous of parting with her, and therefore takes the following wicked method to obtain it: this is to be understood of a virgin taken to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GIVE OCCASIONS OF SPEECH AGAINST HER,.... Among her neighbours, who by his behaviour towards her, and by what he says of her, will be led in all company and conversation to traduce her character, and speak of her as a very bad woman: AND BRING UP AN EVIL NAME UPON HER; take away her good name,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL THE FATHER AND THE MOTHER OF THE DAMSEL TAKE,.... Power from the court, according to the Targum of Jonathan; having leave and licence granted them to do what follows, these were to, and would, concern themselves in such an affair, partly for the credit and reputation of their child, and p... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE DAMSEL'S FATHER SHALL SAY UNTO THE ELDERS,.... Not her mother; hence we learn, says Jarchi, that a woman has not power (or is not allowed) to speak before men; that is, in public see 1 Corinthians 14:34 and it was most proper for a father to appear in court for her, and defend her; and if sh... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, LO, HE HATH GIVEN OCCASION OF SPEECH AGAINST HER,.... In the neighbourhood where they dwell; has been the cause of persons speaking reproachfully of her, as one of ill fame: SAYING, L FOUND NOT THY DAUGHTER A MAID; so that it seems he said this not only to his neighbours, and before a court of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE ELDERS OF THAT CITY SHALL TAKE THE MAN, AND CHASTISE HIM. Not with words, but blows. Jarchi interprets it of beating, and so does the Talmud x; and both the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan render it, "shall beat him;'' that is, with the beating or scourging of forty stripes, save one. x T... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL AMERCE HIM IN AN HUNDRED SHEKELS OF SILVER,.... Which was about twelve pounds of our money; this was double the dowry he would have been obliged to have given her, if he had put her away; which he might have done with less trouble, and with a greater certainty of being rid of her; but... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF THIS THING BE TRUE,.... Which the husband of the damsel laid to her charge, that she was no virgin when married to him, and she had committed whoredom, of which there was plain proof: AND THE TOKENS OF VIRGINITY BE NOT FOUND FOR THE DAMSEL; by her parents, or those who had the care of her; o... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THEY SHALL BRING OUT THE DAMSEL TO THE DOOR OF HER FATHER'S HOUSE,.... For his greater disgrace, and as a sort of punishment for his neglect of her education, not taking care to instruct her, and bring her up in a better manner: AND THE MEN OF HER CITY SHALL STONE HER WITH STONES, THAT SHE DIE... [ Continue Reading ]
IF A MAN BE FOUND LYING WITH A WOMAN MARRIED TO AN HUSBAND,..... This law respects adultery, and is the same with that in Leviticus 20:10 THEN THEY SHALL BOTH OF THEM DIE; with the strangling of a napkin, as the Targum of Jonathan, which is the death such persons were put to; and is always meant w... [ Continue Reading ]
IF A DAMSEL THAT IS A VIRGIN BE BETROTHED UNTO AN HUSBAND,.... But not married, not as yet brought home to her husband's house, and the marriage consummated; for the Jews distinguish between being betrothed or espoused, and married; and generally there was some time between the one and the other. An... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN YE SHALL BRING THEM BOTH OUT UNTO THE GATE OF THE CITY,.... Where the fact was committed; the Targum of Jonathan is, "to the gate of the court of judicature, which is in that city:'' AND YE SHALL STONE THEM WITH STONES, THAT THEY DIE; a man that lay with a married woman, he and she were to be... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF A MAN FIND A BETROTHED DAMSEL IN THE FIELD,.... Alone, and where she might cry out, and none hear, nor were any to help her: AND A MAN FORCE HER, AND LIE WITH HER; or "take fast and strong hold on her" b; so that she is not able to get out of his hands, and make her escape, he being stronger... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT UNTO THE DAMSEL THOU SHALT DO NOTHING,.... Neither fine her, nor beat her, and much less punish her with death: THERE IS IN THE DAMSEL NO SIN WORTHY OF DEATH; because what was done to her was done without her will and consent, and was what she was forced to submit unto; but the Targum of Jonath... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE FOUND HER IN THE FIELD,.... Which is a circumstance in her favour, from which it might he presumed that she was forced, and did not consent; for had the sin been committed by agreement, they would doubtless have betook themselves to another place: and the betrothed damsel cried as it might be... [ Continue Reading ]
IF A MAN FIND A DAMSEL THAT IS A VIRGIN, WHICH IS NOT BETROTHED,.... That is, meets with one in a field, which is not espoused to a man; and the man is supposed to be an unmarried man, as appears by what follows: AND LAY HOLD ON HER, AND LIE WITH HER, she yielding to it, and so is not expressive of... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE MAN THAT LAY WITH HER SHALL GIVE UNTO THE DAMSEL'S FATHER FIFTY SHEKELS OF SILVER,.] For the abuse of his daughter and besides this was obliged to give her her dowry also, as Philo d says, which is commonly said to be fifty more: AND SHE SHALL BE HIS WIFE; if her father and she agreed to i... [ Continue Reading ]
A MAN SHALL NOT TAKE HIS FATHER'S WIFE,.... Not marry her, whether his own mother, or a stepmother; or even, as Aben Ezra thinks, anyone that was deflowered by his father. Jarchi interprets it of his father's brother's wife, which he was obliged to marry by virtue of the law in Deuteronomy 25:5 NOR... [ Continue Reading ]