1人H376若偷H1589牛H7794或羊H7716,無論是宰了H2873,是賣了H4376,他就要以五H2568牛H1241賠H7999一牛H7794,四H702羊H6629賠一羊H7716。 2人若遇見H4672賊H1590挖H4290窟窿,把賊打了H5221,以至於死H4191,就不能為他有流血的罪H1818。 3若太陽H8121已經出來H2224,就為他有流血的罪H1818。賊若被拿H4672,H4672,總要賠還H7999,H7999。若他一無所有,就要被賣H4376,頂他所偷的物H1591。 4若他H1591所偷的,或牛H7794,或驢H2543,或羊H7716,仍在他手下H3027存活H2416,他就要加倍H8147賠還H7999。 5人H376若在田H7704間或在葡萄園H3754裡放H7971牲畜H1165,任憑牲畜上別人H312的田裡H7704去吃H1197,就必拿自己田H7704間上好的H4315和葡萄園H3754上好的H4315賠還H7999。 6若點H3318火H784焚燒H4672荊棘H6975,以致將別人堆積的禾捆H1430,站著的禾稼H7054,或是田園H7704,都燒盡了H398,那點H1197火H1200的必要H7999賠還H7999。 7人H376若將銀錢H3701或家具H3627交付H5414鄰舍H7453看守H8104,這物從那人H376的家H1004被偷去H1589,若把賊H1590找到了H4672,賊要加倍H8147賠還H7999; 8若找不到H3808,H4672賊H1590,那家H1004主H1167必就近H7126審判官H430,要看看他H3027拿了H7971原主H7453的物件H4399沒有。 9兩個人的案件H1697,無論是為甚麼過犯H6588,或是為牛H7794,為驢H2543,為羊H7716,為衣裳H8008,或是為甚麼失掉之物H9,有一人說H559:這是我的,兩造H8147就要將案件H1697稟告H935審判官H430,審判官H430定H7561誰有罪,誰就要加倍H8147賠還H7999。 10人H376若將驢H2543,或牛H7794,或羊H7716,或別的牲畜H929,交付H5414鄰舍H7453看守H8104,牲畜或死H4191,或受傷H7665,或被趕去H7617,無人看見H7200, 11那看守的人要憑著耶和華H3068起誓H7621,手H3027裡未曾拿H7971鄰舍H7453的物H4399,本主H1167就要罷休H3947,看守的人不必賠還H7999。 12牲畜若從看守的那裡被偷去H1589,H1589,他就要賠還H7999本主H1167; 13若被野獸撕碎H2963,H2963,看守的要帶來H935當作證據H5707,所撕的H2966不必賠還H7999。 14人H376若向鄰舍H7453借H7592甚麼,所借的或受傷H7665,或死H4191,本主H1167沒有同在一處H5973,借的人總要H7999賠還H7999; 15若本主H1167同在一處,他就不必賠還H7999;若是雇的H7916,也不必賠還,本是為雇價H7939來的H935。 16人H376若引誘H6601沒有受聘H781的處女H1330,與他行淫H7901,他總要交出H4117聘禮H4117,娶他為妻H802。 17若女子的父親H1決H3985不肯H3985將女子給H5414他,他就要按處女H1330的聘禮H4119,交出H8254錢H3701來。 18行邪術的女人H3784,不可容他存活H2421。 19凡與獸H929淫合的H7901,總要H4191把他治死H4191。 20祭祀H2076別神H430,不H1115單單祭祀耶和華H3068的,那人必要滅絕H2763。 21不可虧負H3238寄居的H1616,也不可欺壓H3905他,因為你們在埃及H4714地H776也作過寄居的H1616。 22不可苦待H6031寡婦H490和孤兒H3490; 23若是H518苦待H6031他們一點H6031,他們向我一哀求H6817,H6817,我總要H8085聽H8085他們的哀聲H6818, 24並要發H2734烈怒H639,用刀H2719殺H2026你們,使你們的妻子H802為寡婦H490,兒女H1121為孤兒H3490。 25我民H5971中有貧窮人H6041與你同住,你若借H3867錢H3701給他,不可如放債的H5383向他取H7760利H5392。 26你即或H2254拿H2254鄰舍H7453的衣服H8008作當頭H2254,必在日H8121落H935以先H5704歸還H7725他; 27因他只有這一件當蓋頭H3682,是他蓋身H5785的衣服H8071,若是沒有,他拿甚麼睡覺H7901呢?他哀求H6817我,我就應允H8085,因為我是有恩惠的H2587。 28不可毀謗H7043神H430;也不可毀謗H779你百姓H5971的官長H5387。 29你要從你莊稼中的榖H4395和酒醡中滴出來的酒H1831拿來獻上,不可遲延H309。你要將頭生的H1060兒子H1121歸給H5414我。 30你牛H7794羊H6629頭生的,也要這樣H3651;七H7651天H3117當跟著母H517,第八H8066天H3117要歸給H5414我。 31你要在我面前為聖潔H6944的人H582。因此,田間H7704被野獸H2966撕裂牲畜的肉H1320,你們不可吃H398,要丟H7993給狗H3611吃。
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 Here are the laws,
I. Concerning theft, which are these: - 1. If a man steal any cattle (in which the wealth of those times chiefly consisted), and they be found in his custody, he must restore double,
Exod 22:4. Thus he must both satisfy for the wrong and suffer for the crime. But it was afterwards provided that if the thief were touched in conscience, and voluntarily confessed it, before it was discovered or enquired into by any other, then he should only make restitution of what he had stolen, and add to it a fifth part,
Lev 6:4,
Lev 6:5. 2. If he had killed or sold the sheep or ox he had stolen, and thereby persisted in his crime, he must restore
five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep (
Exod 22:1), more for an ox than for a sheep because the owner, besides all the other profit, lost the daily labour of his ox. This law teaches us that fraud and injustice, so far from enriching men, will impoverish them: if we unjustly get and keep that which is another's, it will not only waste itself, but it will consume that which is our own. 3. If he was not able to make restitution, he must be sold for a slave,
Exod 22:3. The court of judgment was to do it, and it is probable that the person robbed had the money. Thus with us, in some cases, felons are transported into plantations where alone Englishmen know what slavery is. 4. If a thief broke a house in the night, and was killed in the doing of it, his blood was upon his own head, and should not be required at the hand of him that shed it,
Exod 22:2. As he that does an unlawful act bears the blame of the mischief that follows to others, so likewise of that which follows to himself. A man's house is his castle, and God's law, as well as man's, sets a guard upon it; he that assaults it does so at his peril. Yet, if it was in the day-time that the thief was killed, he that killed him must be accountable for it (
Exod 22:3), unless it was in the necessary defence of his own life. Note, We ought to be tender of the lives even of bad men; the magistrate must afford us redress, and we must not avenge ourselves.
II. Concerning trespass,
Exod 22:5. He that wilfully put his cattle into his neighbour's field must make restitution of the best of his own. Our law makes a much greater difference between this and other thefts than the law of Moses did. The Jews hence observed it as a general rule that restitution must always be made of the best, and that no man should keep any cattle that were likely to trespass upon his neighbours or do them any damage. We should be more careful not to do wrong than not to suffer wrong, because to suffer wrong is only an affliction, but to do wrong is a sin, and sin is always worse than affliction.
III. Concerning damage done by fire,
Exod 22:6. He that designed only the burning of thorns might become accessory to the burning of corn, and should not be held guiltless. Men of hot and eager spirits should take heed, lest, while they pretend only to pluck up the tares, they root out the wheat also. If the fire did mischief, he that kindled it must answer for it, though it could not be proved that he designed the mischief. Men must suffer for their carelessness, as well as for their malice. We must take heed of beginning strife; for, though it seem but little, we know not how great a matter it may kindle, the blame of which we must bear, if, with the madman, we cast fire-brands, arrows, and death, and pretend we mean no harm. It will make us very careful of ourselves, if we consider that we are accountable, not only for the hurt we do, but for the hurt we occasion through inadvertency.
7 These laws are,
I. Concerning trusts,
Exod 22:7-
Exod 22:13. If a man deliver goods, suppose to a carrier to be conveyed, or to a warehouse-keeper to be preserved, or cattle to a farmer to be fed, upon a valuable consideration, and if a special confidence be reposed in the person they are lodged with, in case these goods be stolen or lost, perish or be damaged, if it appear that it was not by any fault of the trustee, the owner must stand to the loss, otherwise he that has been false to this trust must be compelled to make satisfaction. The trustee must aver his innocence upon oath before the judges, if the case was such as afforded no other proof, and they were to determine the matter according as it appeared. This teaches us, 1. That we ought to be very careful of every thing we are entrusted with, as careful of it, though it be another's, as if it were our own. It is unjust and base, and that which all the world cries shame on, to betray a trust. 2. That there is such a general failing of truth and justice upon earth as gives too much occasion to suspect men's honesty whenever it is their interest to be dishonest. 3. That
an oath for confirmation is an end of strife, Hebre 6:16. It is called an
oath for the Lord (
Exod 22:11), because to him the appeal is made, not only as to a witness of truth, but as to an avenger of wrong and falsehood. Those that had offered injury to their neighbour by doing any unjust thing, yet, it might be hoped, had not so far debauched their consciences as to profane an oath of the Lord, and call the God of truth to be witness to a lie: perjury is a sin which natural conscience startles at as much as any other. The religion of an oath is very ancient, and a plain indication of the universal belief of a God, and a providence, and a judgment to come. 4. That magistracy is an ordinance of God, designed, among other intentions, to assist men both in discovering rights disputed and recovering rights denied; and great respect ought to be paid to the determination of the judges. 5. That there is no reason why a man should suffer for that which he could not help: masters should consider this, in dealing with their servants, and not rebuke that as a fault which was a mischance, and which they themselves, had they been in their servants' places, could not have prevented.
II. Concerning loans,
Exod 22:14,
Exod 22:15. If a man (suppose) lent his team to his neighbour, if the owner was with it, or was to receive profit for the loan of it, whatever harm befel the cattle the owner must stand to the loss of: but if the owner was so kind to the borrower as to lend it to him gratis, and put such a confidence in him as to trust it from under his own eye, then, if any harm happened, the borrower must make it good. Let us learn hence to be very careful not to abuse any thing that is lent us; it is not only unjust, but base and disingenuous, inasmuch as it is rendering evil for good; we should much rather choose to lose ourselves than that any should sustain loss by their kindness to us.
Alas, master! for it was borrowed, 2Kgs 6:5.
16 Here is, I. A law that he who debauched a young woman should be obliged to marry her,
Exod 22:16,
Exod 22:17. If she was betrothed to another, it was death to debauch her (
Deut 22:23,
Deut 22:24); but the law here mentioned respects her as single. But, if the father refused her to him, he was to give satisfaction in money for the injury and disgrace he had done her. This law puts an honour upon marriage and shows likewise how improper a thing it is that children should marry without their parents' consent: even here, where the divine law appointed the marriage, both as a punishment to him that had done wrong and a recompence to her that had suffered wrong, yet there was an express reservation for the father's power; if he denied his consent, it must be no marriage.
II. A law which makes witchcraft a capital crime,
Exod 22:18. Witchcraft not only gives that honour to the devil which is due to God alone, but bids defiance to the divine Providence, wages war with God's government, and puts his work into the devil's hand, expecting him to do good and evil, and so making him indeed
the god of this world; justly therefore was it punished with death, especially among a people that were blessed with a divine revelation, and cared for by divine Providence above any people under the sun. By our law, consulting, covenanting with, invocating, or employing, any evil spirit, to any intent whatsoever, and exercising any enchantment, charm, or sorcery, whereby hurt shall be done to any person whatsoever, is made felony, without benefit of clergy; also pretending to tell where goods lost or stolen may be found, or the like, is an iniquity punishable by the judge, and the second offence with death. The justice of our law herein is supported by the law of God recorded here.
III. Unnatural abominations are here made capital; such beasts in the shape of men as are guilty of them are unfit to live (
Exod 22:19):
Whosoever lies with a beast shall die. IV. Idolatry is also made capital,
Exod 22:20. God having declared himself jealous in this matter, the civil powers must be jealous in it too, and utterly destroy those persons, families, and places of Israel, that worshipped any god, save the Lord: this law might have prevented the woeful apostasies of the Jewish nation in after times, if those that should have executed it had not been ringleaders in the breach of it.
V. A caution against oppression. Because those who were empowered to punish other crimes were themselves most in danger of this, God takes the punishing of it into his own hands.
1. Strangers must not be abused (
Exod 22:21), not wronged in judgment by the magistrates, not imposed upon in contracts, nor must any advantage be taken of their ignorance or necessity; no, nor must they be taunted, trampled upon, treated with contempt, or upbraided with being strangers; for all these were vexations, and would discourage strangers from coming to live among them, or would strengthen their prejudices against their religion, to which, by all kind and gentle methods, they should endeavour to proselyte them. The reason given why they should be kind to strangers is,
You were strangers in Egypt, and knew what it was to be vexed and oppressed there, Note, (1.) Humanity is one of the laws of religion, and obliges us particularly to be tender of those that lie most under disadvantages and discouragements, and to extend our compassionate concern to strangers, and those to whom we are not under the obligations of alliance or acquaintance. Those that are strangers to us are known to God, and he preserves them,
Pss 146:9. (2.) Those that profess religion should study to oblige strangers, that they may thereby recommend religion to their good opinion, and take heed of doing any thing that may tempt them to think ill of it or its professors,
1Pet 2:12. (3.) Those that have themselves been in poverty and distress, if Providence enrich and enlarge them, ought to show a particular tenderness towards those that are now in such circumstances as they were in formerly, doing now by them as they then wished to be done by.
2. Widows and fatherless must not be abused (
Exod 22:22):
You shall not afflict them, that is, You shall comfort and assist them, and be ready upon all occasions to show them kindness. In making just demands from them, their condition must be considered, who have lost those that should deal for them, and protect them; they are supposed to be unversed in business, destitute of advice, timorous, and of a tender spirit, and therefore must be treated with kindness and compassion; no advantage must be taken against them, nor any hardship put upon them, from which a husband or a father would have sheltered them. For, (1.) God takes particular cognizance of their case,
Exod 22:23. Having no one else to complain and appeal to, they will
cry unto God, and he will be sure
to hear them; for his law and his providence are guardians to the widows and fatherless, and if men do not pity them, and will not hear them, he will. Note, It is a great comfort to those who are injured and oppressed by men that they have a God to go to who will do more than
give them the hearing; and it ought to be a terror to those who are oppressive that they have the cry of the poor against them, which God will hear. Nay, (2.) He will severely reckon with those that do oppress them. Though they escape punishments from men, God's righteous judgments will pursue and overtake them,
Exod 22:24. Men that have a sense of justice and honour will espouse the injured cause of the weak and helpless; and shall not the righteous God do it? Observe the equity of the sentence here passed upon those that oppress the widows and fatherless: their wives shall become widows, and their children fatherless; and the Lord is known by these judgments, which he sometimes executes still.
25 Here is, I. A law against extortion in lending. 1. They must not receive use for money from any that borrowed for necessity (
Exod 22:25), as in that case,
Neh 5:5,
Neh 5:7. And such provision the law made for the preservation of estates to their families by the year of jubilee that a people who had little concern in trade could not be supposed to borrow money but for necessity, and therefore it is generally forbidden among themselves; but to a stranger, whom yet they might not oppress, they were allowed to lend upon usury: this law, therefore, in the strictness of it, seems to have been peculiar to the Jewish state; but, in the equity of it, it obliges us to show mercy to those of whom we might take advantage, and to be content to share, in loss as well as profit, with those we lend to, if Providence cross them; and, upon this condition, it seems as lawful to receive interest for my money, which another takes pains with and improves, but runs the hazard of, in trade, as it is to receive rent for my land, which another takes pains with and improves, but runs the hazard of, in husbandry. 2. They must not take a poor man's bed-clothes in pawn; but, if they did, must restore them by bed-time,
Exod 22:26,
Exod 22:27. Those who lie soft and warm themselves should consider the hard and cold lodgings of many poor people, and not do any thing to make bad worse, or to add affliction to the afflicted.
II. A law against the contempt of authority (
Exod 22:28):
Thou shalt not revile the gods, that is, the
judges and
magistrates, for their executing these laws; they must do their duty, whoever suffer by it. Magistrates ought not to fear the reproach of men, nor their revilings, but to despise them as long as they keep a good conscience; but those that do revile them for their being a terror to evil works and workers reflect upon God himself, and will have a great deal to answer for another day. We find those under a black character, and a heavy doom, that
despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities, Jude 1:8. Princes and magistrates are our fathers, whom the fifth commandment obliges us to honour and forbids us to revile. St. Paul applies this law to himself, and owns that he ought not to
speak evil of the ruler of his people; no, not though the ruler was then his most unrighteous persecutor,
Acts 23:5; see
Qoh 10:20.
III. A law concerning the offering of their first-fruits to God,
Exod 22:29,
Exod 22:30. It was appointed before (ch. 13), and it is here repeated:
The firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me; and much more reason have we to give ourselves, and all we have, to God, who
spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. The first ripe of their corn they must not delay to offer. There is danger, if we delay our duty, lest we wholly omit it; and by slipping the first opportunity, in expectation of another, we suffer Satan to cheat us of all our time. Let not young people delay to offer to God the first-fruits of their time and strength, lest their delays come, at last, to be denials, through the deceitfulness of sin, and the more convenient season they promise themselves never arrive. Yet it is provided that the firstlings of their cattle should not be dedicated to God till they were past seven days old, for then they began to be good for something. Note, God is the first and best, and therefore must have the first and best.
IV. A distinction put between the Jews and all other people:
You shall be holy men unto me; and one mark of that honourable distinction is appointed in their diet, which was, that they should not
eat any flesh that was torn of beasts (
Exod 22:31), not only because it was unwholesome, but because it was paltry, and base, and covetous, and a thing below those who were holy men unto God, to eat the leavings of the beasts of prey. We that are sanctified to God must not be curious in our diet; but we must be conscientious, not feeding ourselves without fear, but eating and drinking by rule, the rule of sobriety, to the glory of God.