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Exodus Chapter
Twenty-two
New King James Version
(NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO
EXODUS 22
This chapter contains
various laws concerning theft, Exodus 22:1,
concerning damage done to fields and vineyards by beasts, and to corn in stacks
or standing, by fire, Exodus 22:5,
concerning anything or creature deposited in the hands of a neighbour, and they
be stolen or lost by one means or another, Exodus 22:7,
concerning anything borrowed, and it comes to any damage, Exodus 22:14,
concerning fornication, Exodus 22:16
concerning witchcraft, bestiality, and idolatry, Exodus 22:18
concerning oppression, and affliction of the stranger, fatherless, and widow, Exodus 22:21 concerning
taking usury and pledges, Exodus 22:25,
concerning irreverence to magistrates, Exodus 22:28,
concerning the offering of firstfruits to God, Exodus 22:29 and
the chapter is concluded with a prohibition of eating anything torn by beasts, Exodus 22:31
Exodus 22:1 “If
a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore
five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.
YLT 1`When a man doth steal an ox or sheep, and
hath slaughtered it or sold it, five of the herd he doth repay for the ox, and
four of the flock for the sheep.
If a man shall
steal an ox or a sheep,.... In which the substance of men chiefly lay in those times,
and particularly the people of Israel, who were now come out of Egypt, with
their flocks and herds, and these lying near together, were the more liable to
be stolen; and hence also the laws in the preceding chapter concerning oxen and
damages done by them, and oxen and sheep are only mentioned; perhaps chiefly
because used in sacrifice, as well as serviceable for other things; not but
that stealing other cattle and other things were criminal and forbidden, and to
be punished in proportion:
and kill it, or
sell it; either of which cases would plainly show that he took it away
with an intention to deprive the owner of it, and to convert it to his own use:
he shall
restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep; the reason of
this difference, five being obliged to be given for the one, and but four for
the other, is, because the one was more valuable than the other, as well as
more useful, and also more easily stolen, and therefore the greater mulct or
fine was laid upon the theft of it, to deter from it: the Targum of Jonathan
expresses the reason of the law thus; five for oxen, because the theft of them
hindered from ploughing, or made to cease from it; and for sheep but four,
because there was trouble in the theft of them, and there was no tillage or
agriculture by them: and Saadiah Gaon observes, that the damage that comes to
the owner of the ox is more than that by a lamb, because with it, the ox, he
ploughs, which is a creature that was used in those countries to be employed in
that service, as well as in treading out the corn: MaimonidesF21Moreh
Nevochim, par. 3. c. 41. accounts for it thus,"the restitution of the
theft of oxen is increased by one, because the theft of them is easy; sheep are
fed in flocks, and are easily kept and watched, and can scarcely be taken away
by theft but in the night; but oxen are fed scattered here and there, and
therefore cannot be so easily kept by the herdsmen; hence also their theft used
to be more common:'four fold restitution was in use with the ancient Persians,
with whom it was a rule,"whoever took any substance of another, in
retaliation they took fourfold from him, and if he restored it, he gave fourfold
of the sameF23Lib. Shed-dar, apud Hyde Relig. Vet. Pers. p. 472. .'
Exodus 22:2 2 If
the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there
shall be no guilt for his bloodshed.
YLT 2`If in the breaking through, the thief is
found, and he hath been smitten, and hath died, there is no blood for him;
If a thief be
found breaking up,.... An house, in order to steal money, jewels, household goods,
&c. or breaking through any fence, hedge, or wall of any enclosure, where
oxen, or sheep, or any other creatures are, in order to take them away: the
Targum of Jonathan is,"if in the hole of a wall (or window of it) a thief
be found;'that is, in the night, as appears from the following verse, "if
the sun", &c. to which this is opposed, as Aben Ezra observes; some
render it, with a digging instrumentF24במחתרת
"cum perfossorio", Pagninus; "cum instrumento perfosserio",
Tigurine version. ; and it is a Jewish canonF25Misn. Sanhedrin, c.
8. sect. 6. , that"if anyone enter with a digging instrument: he is
condemned on account of his end;'his design, which is apparent by the
instrument found upon him; for, as MaimonidesF26Comment. in ib.
observes,"it is well known, that if anyone enters with a digging
instrument, that he intends, if the master of the house opposes him to deliver
his goods out of his power, that he will kill him, and therefore it is lawful
to kill him; but it does not signify whether he enters with a digging
instrument, either by the way of the court, or roof;"
and be smitten
that he die be knocked down with a club, by the master of the house, or any
of his servants, or be run through with a sword, or be struck with any other
weapon, to hinder him from entrance and carrying off any of the goods of the
house, and the blow be mortal: there shall no blood be shed for him: as for a
man that is murdered; for to kill a man when breaking into a house, and, by all
appearance, with an intention to commit murder, if resisted, in defence of a
man's self, his life and property, was not to be reckoned murder, and so not
punishable with death: or, "no blood" shall be "unto him"F1אין לו דמים
"non ei sanguines", Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius. ; shall be imputed
to him, the man that kills the thief shall not be chargeable with his blood, or
suffer for shedding it; because his own life was risked, and it being at such a
time, could call none to his assistance, nor easily discern the person, nor
could know well where and whom he struck.
Exodus 22:3 3 If
the sun has risen on him, there shall be guilt for his bloodshed. He
should make full restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his
theft.
YLT 3if the sun hath risen upon him, blood [is]
for him, he doth certainly repay; if he have nothing, then he hath been sold
for his theft;
If the sun be
risen upon him,.... Either upon the thief, or upon the master of the house, or
the person that finds the thief and smites him that he dies; it matters not
which it is interpreted, it is true of both, for when it is risen on the one,
it is on the other:
there shall be blood shed for him; the person that kills
him shall die for it: the Targum of Jonathan is,"if it is as clear as the
sun (and so Jarchi), that not to kill any he entered, and he should kill him,
there is guilt of shedding innocent blood:'because coming at broad daylight,
and when the sun was up, it was a plain case he came not with a design to
murder, but only to steal; besides, being at such a time, the master of the
house could call for help and assistance, and take him; which is what is
suggested he should do, and not take away his life, but oblige him, if he had
got any of his goods, to restore them, as follows:
for he should
makes full restitution; by returning them and as much more, as the following verse
shows:
if he have
nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft, by the sanhedrim, or
court, of judicature: as the Targum of Jonathan, before whom he should be
brought, and the theft proved upon him, and unto the year of the remission or
release, as the same Targum; nor were such to be sold to strangers, or to serve
forever, for they were to be dismissed after six years, as JosephusF2Antiqu.
l. 16. c. 1. sect. 1. observes: and it is a canon with the JewsF3Maimon.
Abadim. c. 1. sect. 3. , that,"an Hebrew servant whom the sanhedrim sell,
they do not sell him but to an Israelite, or to a proselyte of righteousness;'according
to the Targum of Jonathan, it seems as if he was to be sold to the person from
whom he stole, since it is,"he shall he sold to him;'but if not, however,
the price he was sold at was to be given to him for a recompence of his loss;
so says MaimonidesF4Hilchot Genubah, c. 3. sect. 11. ,"if he
have not goods, neither movable nor immovable the sanhedrim sell him, and give
the price to him that is injured, as it is said: "if he have
nothing", &c. and adds, a man is sold for his theft but not a womanF5So
Misn. Sotah, c. 3. sect, 8. :'from hence it appears that theft was not a
capital crime by the law of Moses: Draco is said to be the first who made it
so; but his law being thought by the Athenians to be too severe, was annulled
by themF6A. Gell Noct. Attic. l. 11. c. 18. : the law of the twelve
tables, with the Romans greatly agrees with the Mosaic laws about theft; these
permitted to kill a thief who should be taken in open theft, if either when he
committed the theft it was night or if in the daytime, and he defended himself
with weapons when about to be takenF7Ib. or, as elsewhere expressedF8Ib.
l. 20. c. 1. , an open thief was delivered to servitude to him who was robbed,
but nocturnal thief it was lawful to kill by the law of the twelve tables.
Exodus 22:4 4 If
the theft is certainly found alive in his hand, whether it is an ox or donkey
or sheep, he shall restore double.
YLT 4if the theft is certainly found in his hand
alive, whether ox, or ass, or sheep -- double he repayeth.
If the theft be
certainly found in his hand alive,.... Or, "in finding
be found"F9המצא תמצא
"inveniendo inventum fuerit", Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator. , be
plainly and evidently found upon him, before witnesses, as the Targum of
Jonathan; so that there is no doubt of the theft; and it is a clear case that
he had neither as yet killed nor sold the creature he had stolen, and to could
be had again directly, and without any damage well as it would appear by this
that he was not an old expert thief, and used to such practices, since he would
soon have made away with this theft in some way or another:
whether it be
ox, or ass, or sheep, or any other creature; and even, as Jarchi thinks, anything
else, as raiment, goods, &c.
he shall
restore double; two oxen for an ox, two asses for an ass, and two sheep for a
sheep: and, as the same commentator observes, two living ones, and not dead
ones, or the price of two living ones: so Solon made theft, by his law,
punishable with death, but with a double restitutionF11A. Gell, l.
11. c. 18. ; and the reason why here only a double restitution and not fourfold
is insisted on, as in Exodus 22:1 is,
because there the theft is persisted in, here not; but either the thief being
convicted in his own conscience of his evil, makes confession, or, however, the
creatures are found with alive, and so more useful being restored, and, being
had again sooner, the loss is not quite so great.
Exodus 22:5 5 “If
a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed, and lets loose his animal, and
it feeds in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his
own field and the best of his own vineyard.
YLT 5`When a man depastureth a field or vineyard,
and hath sent out his beast, and it hath pastured in the field of another, [of]
the best of his field, and the best of his vineyard, he doth repay.
If a man shall
cause a field or vineyard to be eaten,.... Which is not his
own, by putting cattle into it to feed upon it, as it is explained in the next
clause:
and shall put
in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; do damage in
one or both those two ways, either by his feet treading down the grass and
fruits of the earth, which the Rabbins, as Jarchi says, think, is meant by
putting in his beast; or with his beast eating up the same, which is intended
by the latter phrase:
of the best of
his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution for what
damage is done by his beast in his neighbour's field or vineyard; and this held
good of any garden or orchard injured in like manner; and it is a general rule
with the Jews, that when any damage is sustained, he that does the damage is
obliged to pay with the best the earth producesF12Misc. Bava Kama,
c. 1. sect. 1. , even though better than was the man's that suffered the loss,
that for the future he might be more careful of doing injury to anotherF13Bartenora
in Misn. Gittin, c. 5. sect. 1. .
Exodus 22:6 6 “If
fire breaks out and catches in thorns, so that stacked grain, standing grain,
or the field is consumed, he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.
YLT 6`When fire goeth forth, and hath found
thorns, and a stack, or the standing corn, or the field, hath been consumed, he
who causeth the burning doth certainly repay.
If fire break
out,.... Even though of itself, as Jarchi interprets it:
and catch in
thorns a thorn hedge or fence, with which cornfields might be en closed:
so that the
stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; whether it be
corn cut down, bound up in sheaves, and laid up in heaps or stacks, or whether
it be yet growing, and not fully ripe, at least not cut down, or any other
fruits of the field; if the fire that takes the thorns which are near them
should reach to those, and kindle upon them and destroy them:
he that
kindleth the fire, shall surely make restitution: that is, though he
kindles the fire upon his own ground, yet being careless of it, it breaks out
without his intention and design, and catches hold on a thorn hedge between him
and his neighbour's field, and so spreads itself to the corn there, whether
standing or in stacks, or to other fruits either lying or growing there; now,
though he did not kindle the fire in the corn, and among the stacks or heaps of
fruit in his neighbours field, yet, for his carelessness in not looking after the
fire he had kindled in his own field, he was to make good all the damages his
neighbour sustained hereby: the Jewish canons relating to this affair are
these;"if a man kindles a fire by the hands of a deaf man, or a fool, or a
child, he is free by human judgment, but he is bound by the judgment of heaven
(that is, to make restitution); if he kindles it by the hand of a knowing and
understanding man, he is bound; one brings fire and another
"afterwards" brings wood, he that brings the wood is bound; one brings
wood and another "afterwards" brings fire, he that brings the fire is
bound; "after that", another comes and blows the flame (or fire), he
is bound; "but if" the wind blows it they are all free; he that
kindles fire and it consumes wood or stones, or dust, he is bound, as it is
said, Exodus 22:6
"if fire break out", &c. if the fire passes over a fence four
cubits high, or a public road, or a river, he is freeF14Bartenora in
Misn. Gittin, c. 5. sect. 4. ;'those two things last mentioned, feeding on
another man's field and fire, with the ox and the pit, observed in the
preceding chapter, are with the Misnic doctorsF15Ib. c. 1. sect. 1.
, the four fathers' fountains, or sources of damages.
Exodus 22:7 7 “If
a man delivers to his neighbor money or articles to keep, and it is stolen out
of the man’s house, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.
YLT 7`When a man doth give unto his neighbour
silver, or vessels to keep, and it hath been stolen out of the man's house; if
the thief is found, he repayeth double.
If a man shall
deliver unto his neighbour money or stock to keep,.... Without
any reward for keeping it, as the Targum of Jonathan; and so other Jewish
writersF16Jarchi in ver. 10. Bartenora in Misn. Shebuot, c. 6. sect.
5. understand this passage of such as keep a deposit freely, having nothing for
it; whether it be money or goods, gold, silver, jewels, raiment, household
stuff or any kind of vessels or instruments used in the house, or in trade; and
also cattle, as appears from Exodus 22:9.
and if it be
stolen out of the man's house; into whose custody it was delivered:
if the thief be
found, let him pay double: the worth of what is stolen, agreeably to
the law in Exodus 22:4 that
is, if it was found in his hands; but if he had disposed of it, then he was to
pay five fold or four fold, as in Exodus 22:1, and so
runs the Jewish canonF17Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 3. sect. 1. ,"if
anyone delivers to his neighbour a beast or vessels, and they are stolen or
lost, he shall make restitution; but if he will not swear, for they say, one
that keeps for nothing, may swear and be free; then if the thief should be
found he shall pay double; if he has killed or sold, he shall pay four fold or
five fold: to whom shall he pay? to him with whom the depositum is: if he
swears, and will not pay, and the thief is found, he shall pay double; if he
has killed or sold he shall pay four fold and five fold: to whom shall he pay?
to the owner of the depositum.'
Exodus 22:8 8 If
the thief is not found, then the master of the house shall be brought to the
judges to see whether he has put his hand into his neighbor’s goods.
YLT 8`If the thief is not found, then the master
of the house hath been brought near unto God, whether he hath not put forth his
hand against the work of his neighbour;
If the thief be
not found,.... And so no account can be given of the goods deposited, what
is become of them, and it becomes a doubtful case whether they have been stolen
or embezzled, and there is suspicion of the latter:
then the master
of the house shall be brought unto the judges: here called Elohim,
gods, because they were God's vicegerents, and represented him, and acted under
his power and authority; and who at this present were Moses, and those that
judged the people under him, and afterwards the seventy elders, and all such
who in succeeding times were judges in Israel, and bore the office of civil
magistrates; before these the master of the house, or the person who had any
goods committed to his care, and they were lost, was to be brought and put to
his oath, and upon it examined, in order to find out what was become of the
goods committed to him: to see whether he has put his hand to his neighbour's
goods: took them to himself, made use of them, or disposed of them to his own
advantage, and which was no other than a kind of theft.
Exodus 22:9 9 “For
any kind of trespass, whether it concerns an ox, a donkey, a sheep, or
clothing, or for any kind of lost thing which another claims to
be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and
whomever the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.
YLT 9for every matter of transgression, for ox,
for ass, for sheep, for raiment, for any lost thing of which it is said that it
is his; unto God cometh the matter of them both; he whom God doth condemn, he
repayeth double to his neighbour.
For all manner
of trespass,.... With respect to what is committed to a man's trust, and it
is lost to the owner of it, there must be somewhere or other a trespass
committed, either by the person into whose hands it was put, or by a thief that
has stolen it from him:
whether it be
for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing by which it
appears that either of these, or any other cattle not named, as well as money
and vessels, or household goods, or goods in trade, were sometimes, or might be
lodged in the hands of another as a depositum for safety or convenience; and
for which, or any other so deposited, and lost:
which another
challengeth to be his, or affirms that he put into the hands of his neighbour, to be
kept by him for him; "or who shall say this is he", or "he
is" the person into whose hands I put it, or this is "it"F18אשר יאמר כי
הוא זה "qui dixerit
quod illud hoc", Montanus; "quum dixerit illud ipsum esse",
Junius & Tremellius; "de qua dixerit aliquis illum ipsum esse",
Piscator; so Ainsworth. ; such and such were the thing or things I delivered to
him:
the cause of
both parties shall come before the judges; who were to hear what
each party had to say, and to examine the witnesses each of them brought, and
consider the nature of the evidence given, and to judge and determine:
and whom the
judges shall condemn; or "pronounce wicked"F19ירשיען
Vid. Ainsworth. , as having done a wicked thing; either the one as having
brought a false accusation against his neighbour, charging him with a depositum
he never had, or the other as having converted it to his own use:
he shall pay
double unto his neighbour; either the depositor, who pretended to be
so and was not, but brought a false charge against his neighbour, or a false
witness, as Jarchi, such as one was to pay double to the person charged
wrongfully; or, on the other hand, the person with whom the depositum was put,
if it appeared that he had acted a fraudulent part, and abused his trust, then
he was to pay double to the depositor.
Exodus 22:10 10 If
a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep,
and it dies, is hurt, or driven away, no one seeing it,
YLT 10`When a man doth give unto his neighbour an
ass, or ox, or sheep, or any beast to keep, and it hath died, or hath been
hurt, or taken captive, none seeing –
If a man
deliver to his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast to keep,.... And he
keeps it without a reward, as the Targum of Jonathan; but Jarchi and Aben Ezra
more rightly interpret this of one that keeps for hire, as herdsmen, shepherds,
&c. The Jews sayF20Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 7. sect. 8. there
are"four sorts of keepers; he that keeps for nought (or freely), he that
borrows, he that takes hire, and he that hires; he that keeps for nought swears
in all cases (and is free), he that borrows pays for all (that is lost or
stolen, &c.) he that takes hire, and he that hires, swear on account of
that which is torn, or carried away, or dies, and they pay for that which is
lost or stolen,'which are the cases after supposed:
and it die; either of the
above, or any other under the care of another; that is, dies of itself, not
being killed by any, and its death sudden, and not easily accounted for:
or be hurt; receive any
damage in any part, though it die not; or "be broken"F21נשבר "confractum", Pagninus, Montanus;
"fractum", Junius & Tremelius, Piscator, Drusius; so Ainsworth. ;
have any of its limbs or bones broken; or be torn by a wild beast, as the
Targum of Jonathan adds:
or driven away; from the
flock or herd by thieves or robbers, or rather carried captive by an enemy in
an hostile way, see Exodus 22:12,
no man seeing
it; die, or be hurt, or carried off; and so, as the above Targum
paraphrases it, there is no witness that sees and can bear witness, that is, to
any of the said things which have happened to it.
Exodus 22:11 11 then
an oath of the Lord
shall be between them both, that he has not put his hand into his neighbor’s
goods; and the owner of it shall accept that, and he shall not make it
good.
YLT 11an oath of Jehovah is between them both, that
he hath not put forth his hand against the work of his neighbour, and its owner
hath accepted, and he doth not repay;
Then shall an
oath of the Lord be between them both,.... Either by the one,
the keeper, for the satisfaction of the owner, or by them both; by the owner,
that he delivered such and such cattle to the keeper; and by the keeper, that
he was no ways concerned in the death, hurt, or carrying off of the same: and
this is called "the oath of the Lord", not only because in this law
required by him, but because sworn by him, or in his name, and made before him,
in his presence, who is hereby appealed unto; and who is called upon to take
vengeance on the person that takes the oath of perjury; and such an oath only
is a lawful one, men are to swear only by the Lord. But this oath was not
tendered to anyone:"if a man was suspected of an oath (i.e. of perjury)
they might not give him his oath, neither the oath of the law, nor the oath
from their words (the scribes), nor the oath of imposition (imposed by the wise
wen); and even though he that brought the action would have it, they might not
hearken unto him: if a man has swore falsely a rash oath, or an oath of
testimony, or an oath concerning anything deposited, or a vain oath, lo, he is
suspected of an oath, and so everyone that is rejected for witness on account
of any transgressionF23Maimon. Hilchot Toan Venitan, c. 2. sect.
1,2. .'The oath to be taken by the keeper, and who indeed seems to be the only
person that was to take one, was, "that he hath not put his hand unto his
neighbour's goods"; so as either to kill or maim, or drive away, or suffer
to be driven away, any of the cattle committed to his care, or that he had not
disposed of them to his own use and profit:
and the owner
of it shall accept thereof; of the oath, as the Targum of Jonathan and
Jarchi, and so be satisfied, and give no further trouble, such an oath being
for the confirmation of the thing, and to put an end to strife; or he shall
take the ass, ox, or sheep, as it was, and be content; but then, though he
might take the dead or maimed one, he could not take that which was driven or
carried away, wherefore the first sense, is best:
and he shall
not make it good; or pay for it to the owner what it was worth.
Exodus 22:12 12 But
if, in fact, it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to the owner of
it.
YLT 12but if it is certainly stolen from him, he
doth repay to its owner;
And if it be
stolen from him,.... Or "but if"F24כי
אם "si autem", Drusius. it was taken away
by theft; and that "from with him"F25מעמו
"e cum eo", Montanus. , as it may be literally rendered, from among
his own cattle, and they not taken; and he being present, pretending to have an
eye upon them and keep them, but was careless and negligent, at least, if he
did not connive at the theft:
he shall make
restitution to the owner thereof; for in such a case there
was ground for suspicion of fraud; however, there was apparent carelessness,
and it was but just he should make restitution, since he had hire or wages for
keeping it; which is the reason Aben Ezra gives for it, and is suggested by the
Targum of Jonathan; which adds to the former clause, by way of
explanation,"that which was with him to be kept for a reward.'
Exodus 22:13 13 If
it is torn to pieces by a beast, then he shall bring it as evidence, and
he shall not make good what was torn.
YLT 13if it is certainly torn, he bringeth it in --
a witness; the torn thing he doth not repay.
If it be torn
in pieces,.... By some wild beast, at least as pretended:
then let him bring it for witness; part of that which is
torn, that it may be witness for him that it was torn, as in Amos 3:12 as Aben
Ezra observes; and so the Jerusalem Targurn,"let him bring of the members
of it a witness,'which would make it a clear case that it had been so used; but
it is possible that the whole carcass might be carried off, and nothing remain
to be brought as a proof of it; wherefore the Targum of Jonathan is,"let
him bring witnesses;'and so some versions render itF26יבאהו עד "adducet eum
testem", Pagninus, Montanus; "adducat ille testem", Munster,
Fagius. ; and to this agrees Jarchi, whose note is,"let him bring
witnesses of its being torn by violence, and he is free,'such who saw it done;
but it is before supposed, that such cattle may be hurt, broken, or maimed, no
man seeing it, Exodus 22:10 and
therefore in such a case no witnesses could be brought, wherefore the first sense
seems best:
and he shall not make good that which was torn; or shall not
pay for it, pay the price of it, as much as it is worth. Here Jarchi
distinguishes,"there is that which is torn, for which a man pays, and
there is that which is torn, for which he does not pay; that which is torn by a
cat, or a fox, or a marten (a kind of weasel), he pays for, but that which is
torn by a wolf, a lion, or a bear, he does not pay for:'the reason of which is,
because it is thought the keeper might have preserved and delivered from the
former, and therefore was culpable, when it was not in his power to save from
the latter; and the Misnic doctors observe, that one wolf is not violence, but
two are; so that what is torn by one, the keeper is bound to pay for, but not what
is torn by more. But two dogs are not violence, unless they come from two
different quarters, and then they are: a single thief is violence, and so is a
lion, a bear, a leopard, a basilisk, and a serpent, and this only when they
come willingly, and of themselves; but if they (the cattle) are brought to
places where there are troops of wild beasts, and thieves, it is no violenceF1Misn.
Bava Metzia, c. 7. sect. 9. , and in such a case the keepers are liable to pay;
and so unless he makes use of staves, and calls in other shepherds to his
assistance, as MaimonidesF2Hilchot Shecirat, c. 3. sect. 6.
observes, when it is in his power to do it; and so at least might make an
attempt to save or rescue the cattle.
Exodus 22:14 14 “And
if a man borrows anything from his neighbor, and it becomes injured or
dies, the owner of it not being with it, he shall surely make it
good.
YLT 14`And when a man doth ask [anything] from his
neighbour, and it hath been hurt or hath died -- its owner not being with it --
he doth certainly repay;
And if a man
borrow ought of his neighbour,.... Any beast, as it
should seem, as an ox to plough with, an ass, horse, or camel to ride on, though
the Jewish writers carry it also to any kind of household stuff:
and if he be
hurt or die; if any damage comes to it, or it dies while it is in the
borrower's hands, and when employed in that work for which he borrowed it; the
Targum of Jonathan is,"and the vessel should be broke, or the beast
die:'and the owner thereof being not with it; at the time of its being hurt, or
of its death, and so could not be so well satisfied whether used well or not,
nor how the damage and death came to it:
he shall surely
make it good; pay the full price for it it is worth; which, though it may seem
hard, was necessary, in order to make men careful of things they borrowed, and
that lenders may not be losers for their kindness.
Exodus 22:15 15 If
its owner was with it, he shall not make it good; if it was
hired, it came for its hire.
YLT 15if its owner [is] with it, he doth not repay,
-- if it [is] a hired thing, it hath come for its hire.
But if the
owner thereof be with it,.... When it is hurt or dies; for in some cases the owner might
go along with his beast, being borrowed or hired to do work with it; or,
however, being upon the spot, must be satisfied that it was not ill used; and
it may be reasonably presumed he would do all he could to preserve it: and this
being the case:
he shall not
make it good; that is, the borrower, but the loss would lie upon the lender;
seeing this might have been the case if it had been at home, and not borrowed
or lent. The Jewish writers understand all this in a different manner, that if
the owner is not with it in the time of borrowing, though he is with it in the
time of its being hurt, or of its death, the borrower must pay; but if he was with
it in the time of borrowing, though not in the time of its receiving damage, or
of its death, the borrower was freeF3Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 8. sect.
1. Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. ; for, as Jarchi says, whether it be in that
work (for which he was borrowed), or in another work (it matters not), if he
was with it at the time of borrowing, there was no necessity of his being with
it at the time of its hurt or death. The reason of which, I must confess, I do
not understand; unless the meaning is, that it was necessary that the owner,
and the beast, should be both borrowed or hired together; and which indeed
seems to be the sense of the Misnah, or traditionF4Ibid. , which
runs thus,"if a man borrows a cow, and borrows or hires its owner with it;
or if he hires or borrows the owner, and after that borrows the cow, and it
dies, he is free, as it is said, Exodus 22:15 but if
he borrows the cow, and afterwards borrows or hires the owner, and it dies, he
is bound to pay, as it is said, Exodus 22:13 if his
owner is not with it, &c.'If it be an hired thing, it came for its hire;
that is, if the beast which was come to some damage, or was dead, was hired,
and not borrowed, then, whether the owner was with it or not at that time, he
could demand no more than hire, and the person that hired it was obliged to pay
that and no more; or if the owner himself was hired along with his beast, and
so was present when it received its damage, or its death, nothing more could
come to him than what he agreed for.
Exodus 22:16 16 “If
a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely
pay the bride-price for her to be his wife.
YLT 16`And when a man doth entice a virgin who [is]
not betrothed, and hath lain with her, he doth certainly endow her to himself
for a wife;
And if a man
entice a maid, that is not betrothed,.... For one might be
betrothed according to the custom of those times, and not be married, or the
nuptials consummated, and so be yet a maid or virgin; but being betrothed, it
made the case different, because such an one was as a wife to a man: but the
case here supposed is of a maid not betrothed, and also not forced, but
yielding to the solicitations of a man, as is implied by her being enticed;
which signifies his gaining upon her affections, and obtaining her consent by
expressing strong affection for her, and making large promises to her, and so
both by words and gestures prevailing with her to yield to his desire:
and lie with
her; in a way of carnal copulation; and such an action between two
single persons, by consent, is what is called simple fornication: if this was
done in a field, the maid was supposed to be forced, since there she might cry
out, and not be heard; but if in a city, she is supposed to be enticed, and
consent, since if she cried out she might be heard; this the Jewish writers
gather from Deuteronomy 22:23,
though the law there respects a betrothed damsel:
he shall surely
endow her to be his wife; give her a dowry in order to be his wife, or, however, such an
one as he would or must give if she became his wife, even one suitable to her
rank and dignity, whether he married her or not; for he was not obliged to it
whether he would or not, and in some cases could not if he would, as follows.
Exodus 22:17 17 If
her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to
the bride-price of virgins.
YLT 17if her father utterly refuse to give her to
him, money he doth weigh out according to the dowry of virgins.
If her father
utterly refuse to give her unto him,.... For wife, either
because of his character, family, or circumstances; or, however, being
disagreeable to him on one account or another, and therefore will by no means
agree to marry his daughter to him, and not only give him an absolute denial,
but resolutely persist in it: the Targum of Jonathan has it,"if it seems
not good to him;'if he do not like nor choose to marry her; and some add also,
if she herself do not approve of marrying him:
he shall pay
money according to the dowry of virgins; as virgins on marriage
have usually given them, according to their rank and dignity: here is no sum
fixed, but the Targum of Jonathan is,"he shall be mulcted in fifty shekels
of silver,'which is taken from Deuteronomy 22:29
though that seems to be not altogether a like case with this; for though it
respects a virgin not betrothed, as here, yet one that has been forced, and
therefore the man was obliged to marry her, and never put her away; and the mulct
or fine was to be paid to the damsel's father and not to her: the Septuagint
version here says, it was to be paid to the father.
Exodus 22:18 18 “You
shall not permit a sorceress to live.
YLT 18`A witch thou dost not keep alive.
Thou shall not
suffer a witch to live. Such that had familiar spirits, and conversed with them, and by
means thereof got knowledge of many things relating to persons, at least pretending
they did; and who did or seemed to do many strange and surprising feats, as
even to raise the spirits of departed persons, to converse with them and gain
knowledge by them, though in reality they did not, and could not do such
things, but used some juggling tricks to deceive the people, and in which they
might be assisted by evil spirits; as appears from the case of the witch of
Endor, who was surprised at the appearance of Samuel, it being out of the
ordinary course of her art and practice really to bring up the spirit of a man
deceased, whatever pretensions might be made to it; however, such being
deceivers of the people, and leading them into unwarrantable practices, and off
of a dependence on God and his providence, and from seeking to him, and asking
counsel of him, they are by this law condemned to death, such an one was not to
be suffered to live; not that it was lawful for anybody to kill her, or that
any private person might or must do it that knew her, or took her to be a
witch; but she was to be had before a court of judicature and tried there, and,
if found guilty, to be put to death by the civil magistrate: so Jarchi's note
is,"but she shall die by the house of judgment;'or the sanhedrim; for
these words are spoken to Moses the chief judge, and to those that were under
him, and succeeded him and them; though the Targum of Jonathan prefaces them
thus:"and my people, the children of Israel, thou shalt not, &c.'and
though only a witch is mentioned, or this is only expressed in the feminine gender,
because a multitude of this sort of people were found among women, as Ben
Melech observes, and so Aben Ezra; yet wizards, or men that dealt with familiar
spirits, are included; and it may be reasonably concluded from hence, that if
women, who generally have more mercy and compassion shown them, yet were not
suffered to live when found criminal in this way, then much less men: and this
law is thought by some to follow upon the other, concerning enticing and lying
with a virgin not betrothed; because such sort of persons were made use of to
entice and decoy maids to gratify the lusts of men.
Exodus 22:19 19 “Whoever
lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.
YLT 19`Whoever lieth with a beast is certainly put
to death.
In like manner as a man
and woman, by carnal copulation; this is a crime so detestable and abominable,
so shocking and dishonourable to human nature, that one would think it could
never be committed by any of the human species, and that there was no occasion
for making a law against it; but, such is the depravity and corruption of
mankind, that divine wisdom saw it necessary, and, to deter from it, made it
death, as follows; such an one
shall surely be
put to death; no mercy shown him, no pardon or respite given him by the civil
magistrate: according to the Targum of Jonathan, the death of such a person was
by stoning, for it paraphrases the words,"he shall be killed with the
casting of stones.'
Exodus 22:20 20 “He
who sacrifices to any god, except to the Lord only, he shall
be utterly destroyed.
YLT 20`He who is sacrificing to a god, save to Jehovah
alone, is devoted.
He that
sacrificeth unto any god,.... To Elohim, to strange gods, to the
idols of the people, as the Targum of Jonathan; to the Egyptian deities, to the
gods of the Moabites, Amorites, Edomites, Canaanites, Philistines, or any other:
Aben Ezra says the word Elohim comprehends angels; and by the exceptive clause
it is plain it takes in all that had been, were, or ever would be the objects
of idolatrous worship, especially the sun, moon, and stars, the principal
objects of worship in those days:
save unto the
Lord only; the true and living God; Jehovah, the self-existent, immutable,
and eternal Being; the Creator of all things, the possessor of heaven and
earth, the most high God, and the only one: sacrificing takes in all the acts
of service performed to an idol as to the true God, as offering incense,
pouring out a libation, as well as slaying and burning an animal as Jarchi
observes: he shall be utterly destroyed; be accursed, anathematized, devoted to
destruction, as the word used signifies: the Targum of Jonathan is,"he
shall be killed with the sword, and his goods consumed,'not only lose his life
but his substance, and so be destroyed in body and estate.
Exodus 22:21 21 “You shall neither
mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of
Egypt.
YLT 21`And a sojourner thou dost not oppress, nor
crush him, for sojourners ye have been in the land of Egypt.
Thou shall not
vex a stranger,.... One that is not born in the same country, but comes into
another country to sojourn, as Jarchi; not a native of the place, but of
another kingdom or country; a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, that is
only in it for a time on trade and business, or through one providence or
another; or else a proselyte is meant, not a proselyte of righteousness, who
has embraced the true religion; but a proselyte of the gate, that takes upon
him the commands of the sons of Noah; or, as Aben Ezra here expresses it, who
takes upon him not to serve idols; such were allowed to dwell among the
Israelites, and they were to carry it friendly and kindly to them, and
"not vex" them, nor irritate them with words, as the Targum of
Jonathan, and so Jarchi; by calling them names, Gentiles, uncircumcised
persons, and the like; upbraiding them with their country, ignorance, and
manner of life; they were not to say to a proselyte, as Ben Melech observes,
remember thy former works; or, if the son of a proselyte, remember thy father's
works:
nor oppress him; by taking his
goods, as the above Targum, and so Jarchi; by refusing to assist him with
advice or otherwise, to trade with him, or to give him lodging, and furnish him
with the necessaries of life:
for ye were
strangers in the land of Egypt: out of which they were but just come, and
therefore such a reason must be very striking and moving upon them: the Targum
of Jonathan prefaces it,"and my people, the house of Israel, remember that
ye were strangers, &c.'this they could not have forgot in so short a time,
and the remembrance of this should move their compassion to strangers
hereafter, when they came to settle in their own land; and therefore, as they
would that men should have done to them when in such circumstances, the same
they should do to others; and besides, the remembrance of this would serve to
abate their pride and vanity, and their overbearing disposition.
Exodus 22:22 22 “You
shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child.
YLT 22`Any widow or orphan ye do not afflict;
Ye shall not
afflict any widow or fatherless child. Who have no friends,
husband, or father to be on their side and protect them, and are weak and
helpless to defend themselves, and therefore it must be barbarous to do them
any injury, either to their persons or property; no one ought to be afflicted
and distressed by another, either in body or mind, or substance, and especially
such as have no helper, not any to assist them and sympathize with them; for
this is a law for every man, as Jarchi observes, is binding upon all; only the
Scripture speaks of these, because of their weakness, and because they are more
frequently afflicted than others, cruel and unmerciful men taking the advantage
of their inability to defend themselves.
Exodus 22:23 23 If
you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely
hear their cry;
YLT 23if thou dost really afflict him, surely if he
at all cry unto Me, I certainly hear his cry;
If thou afflict
them in any wise,..... In any way, or by any means whatever; their minds, by
reproaches, censures, insults, and their bodies by stripes, false imprisonment,
&c. and in their substance, by withholding from them what belongs to them,
taking what they have, or cheating and defrauding them in any respect; or,
"in afflicting afflict them"F5ענה
תענה "affligendo afflixeris", Pagninus,
Piscator, Ainsworth, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius. ; afflict them much,
and continue to do so:
and they cry at
all unto me; in prayer, as the Targum of Jonathan; or, "in crying
cry"F6צעק יצעק
"clamando clamaverit", Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator, Ainsworth. ; cry
vehemently, or importunately, and with constancy, or rather, cry ever so
little:
I will surely
hear their cry; the voice of their prayer, as the same Targum; or, "in
hearing I will hear"F7שמע אשמע "audiendo audiam", Pagninus, Montanus,
Piscator, Ainsworth. ; will certainly take notice of their cries, and return an
answer to them, by appearing on their side, and avenging their injuries; for
God is the Father of the fatherless, and the husband of the widow, and the
Judge of them both: the manner of speaking or form of expression is the same in
all these clauses, the words being doubled.
Exodus 22:24 24 and
My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall
be widows, and your children fatherless.
YLT 24and Mine anger hath burned, and I have slain
you by the sword, and your wives have been widows, and your sons orphans.
And my wrath
shall wax hot,.... Against those that afflict them, being so devoid of
humanity, compassion, and tenderness, and so guilty of oppression and
injustice, which are aggravated by the circumstances of the persons they ill
treat, and therefore the more provoking to God:
and I will kill
you with the sword; with the sword of death, says the Targum of Jonathan; it designs
one of God's sore judgments, the sword of an enemy; the meaning is, that when
such evils should become frequent among them, God would suffer a neighbouring
nation to break in upon them in an hostile way, and put them to the sword;
hence it follows:
and your wives
shall be widows, and your children fatherless; be in the same
circumstances with those they have injured, and therefore should consider not
only the destruction that would come upon themselves, being cutoff by the
sword, but the case of their families; and how, could they be sensible of it,
they would like to have their wives and children used as they have used the
widows and fatherless.
Exodus 22:25 25 “If
you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you
shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest.
YLT 25`If thou dost lend My poor people with thee
money, thou art not to him as a usurer; thou dost not lay on him usury;
If thou lend
money to any of my people that is poor by thee, Such only need to borrow
money, and to whom it should be freely lent, when it may be to the good of the
borrower, and not any injury to the lender: this law, according to the Jewish
writers, only respects Israelites, and not Gentiles; agreeably to which is
Jarchi's note,"if thou lend, that is, not to a Gentile; and to which of my
people? the poor, and to which of the poor? that is with thee:"
thou shalt not
be to him as an usurer; that will not lend without usury, nor without an exorbitant
interest, and deals very hardly with the borrower if he is not punctual in the
payment of it; the Israelites were not only not to be usurers, but they were
not to be like them; they were not to require anything for lending a poor man a
little money; as not any settled interest, so neither were they to take any
previous gift or reward later, see Luke 6:34.
neither shalt
thou lay upon him usury; or oblige him to give interest for money borrowed: it is in the
plural, number, "neither shall ye lay"; and Aben Ezra observes, that
the lender, scribe, and witness, all transgress this law; that is, when a man
lends money on interest, and a bond is made by the scribe for it, and this
signed by witnesses, all are guilty of the breach of it: yea, some Jewish
writersF8Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 5. sect. 11. Maimon. & Bartenora
in ib. say, not only those, but whoever is a surety or bondsman for the
payment, and even the borrower himself; see Gill on Psalm 15:5.
Exodus 22:26 26 If
you ever take your neighbor’s garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him
before the sun goes down.
YLT 26if thou dost at all take in pledge the
garment of thy neighbour, during the going in of the sun thou dost return it to
him:
If thou at all
take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge,.... So that it seems
that the lender, though he might not impose usury on the borrower, or oblige
him to pay interest for what he lent him, yet for the security of his money he
might take his clothes, either his bed clothes or wearing apparel, or any
instruments or goods of his; but when he did, he was bound to what follows:
thou shalt
deliver it to him by that the sun goeth down; the reason of which
appears in the next verse, with respect to his bed clothes, should that be the
pledge: but Jarchi interprets it, not of his nocturnal clothes, but of his
apparel in the daytime, and paraphrases it thus,"all the day thou shalt
restore it to him until the setting of the sun; and when the sun is set, thou
shalt return and take it until the morning of the morrow comes; the Scripture
speaks of the covering of the day, of which there is no need at night;'but rather
night clothes are meant by what follows.
Exodus 22:27 27 For
that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What
will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am
gracious.
YLT 27for it alone is his covering, it [is] his
garment for his skin; wherein doth he lie down? and it hath come to pass, when
he doth cry unto Me, that I have heard, for I [am] gracious.
For that is his
covering only,.... All that he has to cover him, the only covering he has when
he lies down to sleep; and therefore should be restored to him by the time of
sunset, at which time he returns from his labour; and after some refreshment
retires to his bed for rest, when his covering will be necessary:
it is his
raiment for his skin; which is next to his skin, and covers his naked body, as it is
when he lies down to sleep; and therefore if not returned, he must lie naked
without any covering, which to deprive him of would be cruel: Jarchi interprets
this covering of his shirt, but it rather means his bed clothes: the Septuagint
version calls it the clothes of his shame, what cover and hide the shame of
nakedness:
wherein shall
he sleep? what shall he have to sleep in if this is detained from him?
nothing at all; or it may be read without an interrogation, wherein he should
sleep, or was used to sleep:
and it shall
come to pass, when he crieth unto me; and complains of ill
usage, that he has nothing to cover him in the night season, when he lies down
to sleep, which is very uncomfortable, as well as unhealthful and dangerous:
that I will
hear; his cry and complaint, take notice of it, and resent the usage
of him:
for I am
gracious; or merciful; and therefore everything cruel and uncompassionate
is disagreeable, and even abominable to him, and he will take care in his
providence that the injured person shall be redressed and the injurer punished.
Exodus 22:28 28 “You
shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
YLT 28`God thou dost not revile, and a prince among
thy people thou dost not curse.
Thou shalt not
revile the gods,.... Meaning not the idols of the Gentiles, which they reckon
gods, and worship as such; which is the sense of Philo, and some others,
particularly JosephusF9Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 10. Contr. Apion.
1. 2. c. 33. , who, to curry favour with the Roman emperors given to idolatry,
has from hence inserted the following among the laws given to Moses;"let
no man blaspheme the gods, which other cities think are such, nor rob strange
sacred places, nor receive a gift dedicated to any deity;'but this cannot be
the sense of the text, being contrary to Deuteronomy 12:2
nor can it be thought that care should be taken, lest the honour of the Heathen
deities should be detracted from; but civil magistrates, the judges of the
land, and the like, are meant, who are powers ordained of God, are in his
stead, and represent him, and therefore respect should be shown them; nor
should they be treated with any degree of slight and contempt, which may discourage
and intimidate them, and deter them from the execution of their office: the
Targum of Jonathan interprets them of judges very rightly, agreeably to Psalm 82:1 and so
Aben Ezra says,"they are the judges and the priests, the sons of Levi,
with whom the law is:"
nor curse the
ruler of thy people whether civil or ecclesiastic; the last mentioned Jewish writer
intend of the king, who is the supreme ruler in things civil, and ought to be
honoured and loved, served and obeyed, and not hated and cursed, no, not
secretly, not in the bedchamber, nor in the thought of the heart, since not
only the thing is criminal but dangerous; it is much if it is not discovered, and
then ruin follows upon it, Ecclesiastes 10:20.
The Apostle Paul applies it to the high priest among the Jews, who was the
ruler in sacred things, Acts 23:5 and may
be applicable to the prince of the sanhedrim, or chief in the grand court of
judicature; and even to all dignified persons, who ought not to be spoken ill
of, and to be abused in the execution of their office, and especially when they
perform well.
Exodus 22:29 29 “You
shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices.
The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.
YLT 29`Thy fulness and thy liquids thou dost not
delay; the first-born of thy sons thou dost give to Me;
Thou shall not
delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits,.... Which, according to
MaimonidesF11Hilchot Biccurim, c. 2. sect. 2. , were of seven kinds
only; for he says,"they do not bring the firstfruits, but of the seven
kinds, said in the praise of the land, (the land of Canaan), Deuteronomy 8:8 and
they are wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates;'and how
much of these were to be offered is not fixed by the law, but were left to the
generosity of the people: the above mentioned writer asksF12Hilchot
Trumot, c. 3. sect. 2. ,"what measure do the wise men set? a good eye (or
a bountiful man) brings one of forty (or the fortieth part of his fruits); a
middling one (one that is neither liberal nor niggardly) brings one of fifty
(or the fiftieth part); and an evil one (a covetous man) one of sixty (or the
sixtieth part), but never less than that.'Now this was not to be delayed, but
to be brought as soon and as early as could be: the Jewish writers seem to understand
this of postponing things, or inverting the order of them, bringing that first
which should be last, and that last which should be first; so Jarchi interprets
it,"thou shall not change the order of their separation, to postpone that
which should be first, and to put before that which should be last; for the
first oblation should not be brought before the firstfruits, and the tithes
before the first oblation.'And thus runs one of their canons or traditionsF13Misn.
Trumot, c. 3. sect. 6. ,"if anyone brings the first oblation before the
firstfruits, the first tithe before the first oblation, the second tithe before
the first, it is as if he transgressed a negative precept: "thou shalt not
delay or postpone", &c. Exodus 22:29 '
And of thy
liquors: and these, according to MaimonidesF14, were only the
firstfruits of liquors of olives and grapes:
the firstborn
of thy sons thou shall give unto me; which is a repetition of
the law. See Gill on Exodus 13:2.
Exodus 22:30 30 Likewise
you shall do with your oxen and your sheep. It shall be with its mother
seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.
YLT 30so thou dost to thine ox, to thy sheep; seven
days it is with its dam, on the eighth day thou dost give it to Me.
Likewise shalt
thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep,.... That is, with the
firstborn, which were to be set apart to the Lord; and so the Targum of
Jonathan paraphrases it,"the firstborn of thine oxen, and of thy
sheep;'for having spoken of the firstborn of men, the Scripture proceeds to
speak of the firstborn of cattle, great and small, the separation of which was
enjoined in one and the same precept, Exodus 13:2,
seven days it
shall be with his dam; whether it be a calf or a lamb; before it was seven days old it
was not to be taken from it, and given to the Lord:
on the eighth
day thou shall give it me; that is, they might do it then, but not
before; yet they were not obliged to bring it exactly on that day, but they
might do it any time within the month, and at a month's end they were obliged
to redeem it, that is, give the priest the sum of five shekels for it, Numbers 18:16. The
Jewish canon runs thusF14Misn. Becorot, c. 4. sect. 1. ;"how
long are Israelites bound for the bringing of the firstborn, i.e. before they
offer it to the priest? in small cattle thirty days, in large cattle fifty
days.'
Exodus 22:31 31 “And you shall be holy men
to Me: you shall not eat meat torn by beasts in the field; you shall
throw it to the dogs.
YLT 31`And ye are holy men to Me, and flesh torn in
the field ye do not eat, to a dog ye do cast it.
And ye shall be
holy men unto me,.... They were so by God's act of election, not special and
particular, but general and national; choosing and separating them to be an
holy people to him, above all the people on the face of the earth, and in a
ceremonial sense they observing laws and appointments of God of this kind;
which is the sense here intended, as appears by what follows: all men, and so these
Israelites, ought to be holy in a moral sense, and some are holy in a spiritual
and evangelical sense, being made holy by the Spirit of God; of these the
Apostle Peter speaks, in allusion to this, and such like passages, 1 Peter 2:9.
neither shall
ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; or in the
house, as Jarchi notes; but the Scripture, as he observes, speaks of the place
where it is more usual for beasts to tear, and so Aben Ezra; otherwise what is
torn elsewhere, or by whatsoever accident it is bruised and maimed, was not to
be eaten: ye shall cast it to the dogs: for even a stranger was not to eat of
it, or if he did he was unclean, and was obliged to wash his clothes, and bathe
himself, Leviticus 17:15 and
yet Jarchi interprets this figuratively of such as are like dogs, meaning the
Gentiles, whom the Jews used to call so, see Matthew 15:26. An
Heathen poet gives instructions perfectly agreeable to this law;"do not
(says he) eat flesh fed upon by beasts, but leave the remains to the swift dogsF15 μηδε τι θηροβορον &c.
Phocylides, ver. 136, 137. .'
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》