LINK: Exodus 21
BACKGROUND
Exodus 20:22 - 24:11 are an elaboration of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) of Exodus 20:1-17. It involves specific civil and religious ordinances. It is often called "the Book of the Covenant" based on Exodus 24:7.
Here is a brief outline of these ordinances:
20:22-26 were ordinances regarding worship and reiterate the first and second commandment.
21:1-11 were ordinances regarding the rights of male and female slaves. You may have observed that females were treated very differently than males! We have already learned in our reading in Genesis that female slaves were often concubines or second wives (Genesis 16:3; 22:24; 30:3, 9; 36:12, Judges 8:31; 9:18). Exodus 21:8 speaks of being "redeemed" if the female slave was not pleasing. This meant that a relative could free her by paying off the debt which forced her into slavery (Leviticus 25:47-55).
21:12-17 were ordinances involving criminal offenses that required the death penalty: premeditated murder (reiterating the sixth commandment); physical violence and verbal abuse against parents (both reiterating the fifth commandment); and kidnapping. Cities of refuge were for unintentional deaths and will be discussed in more detail in Numbers and Deuteronomy.
21:18-27 were ordinances concerning physical injuries that did not involve the death penalty.
21:28-36 were ordinances concerning injury through negligence.
No REFLECTION and APPLICATION today since we are in the middle of a section that goes until Exodus 24.
PRAYER
LORD, I praise You as the ultimate Lawgiver and Judge. Thank You that all Your ways are just. We acknowledge and submit to Your righteous judgment in our lives. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
2 comments:
I really like the concept of restitution. If someone is injured but not killed as a result of a fight, the guilty party must pay for the loss of time and take care of the injured one until he is healed. "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" would be difficult (and I'm not advocating it), but I imagine there would be a lot less crime if these were the consequences. Can you imagine in our society putting to death those who curse or strike their parents?
I am going to pray through this prayer after I leave this comment!
I have recently been walking with women through painful marriages where porn was a BIG issue. Jesus gave a pretty clear explanation of adultery. Why is it so ignored by so many, and why do they condemn the woman when she has had enough? Just thoughts on a Monday morning many years after I wrote this post.
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