Exodus 20-22

What I Noticed Today (Exodus 20-22)

Exodus 20

In chapter 20, God gives Moses the Ten Commandments.

In verses 1-17, God delivers the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel:

• God begins by reminding the people who He is and what He has done: He is their Lord, the One who redeemed them from slavery by bringing them out of Egypt.
• Do not have other Gods besides Me.
• Do not make an idol in any form and worship it, for I am a jealous God. Those who hate God will be punished, but He loves those who keep His commandments.
• Do not misuse the name of the Lord.
• Remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy. Work for six days, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord.
• Honor your father and mother.
• Do not murder.
• Do not commit adultery.
• Do not steal.
• Do not give false testimony.
• Do not covet your neighbor’s property.

In verses 18-21, the people respond in fear:

• The people saw the lightning and smoke, and heard the thunder and the trumpet and trembled in fear that God would kill them.
• Moses reassured the people that God has come to test them, that they would fear Him and not sin.

In verses 22-26, God gives Moses additional statutes governing worship:

• God tells Moses to speak to the Israelites.
  • They are not to make gods of silver or gold.
  • They are to make an earthen altar and sacrifice their burnt and fellowship offerings on it.
  • If you make a stone altar, you must not use cut stones.
  • You must not go up to My altar on steps and thus expose your nakedness to Me.
  • If they obey, God will come to them and bless them wherever they are.

Exodus 21

In Chapter 21, God gives Moses statutes to give to the people regarding male and female slaves, and personal injury:

In verses 1-11, God gives Moses laws about slaves:

• When you buy a Hebrew slave, he or she is to serve for six years and is then to be set free.
• The master must give provisions to the servant when he is released.
• If he arrives alone, he leaves alone. If he arrives with a wife, he must leave with his wife.
• If the master gives the man a wife and she bears children, the children belong to the master, and he must leave alone.
• But, if the slave declares he does not want to leave, the master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve the master for life.
• If a man sells his daughter as a slave, she must not leave as males do.
• If she is displeasing to her master, he must allow her to be redeemed.
• He must not sell her to a foreigner.
• If the master chooses her as a wife for his son, he must deal with her like a daughter.
• If he takes an additional wife, he must not reduce the provisions or marital rights of the first wife.
• If the master does not do these things, she may leave free of charge, without any payment of money.

In verses 12-36, God gives Moses laws regarding death penalty crimes and personal injury:

• Verses 12-17 describe four crimes that required the death penalty:
  • Premeditated murder (vv. 12, 14).
  • Physical violence against one’s father or mother (v. 15).
  • Kidnapping (v. 16).
  • Cursing (or verbal abuse) of one’s parents (v. 17).
  • A provision was made for causing accidental death in the form of a city of refuge (v. 13).
• Verses 18-27 describe laws regarding lesser crimes of personal injury:
  • A person injured in a fight, whether or not it was premeditated, was to be compensated for their lost time at work and provide for his complete recovery (vv. 18-19).
  • A master must be punished if he beats a slave, and the slave dies (v. 20).
  • If two men get in a fight and a pregnant woman gets hit and delivers prematurely, the man must pay compensation based on the degree of injury to the woman and the baby. The compensation must be appropriate and equitable based on the injury (eye-for-eye).
  • When a man strikes a male or female slave in the eye, and they lose the eye, the slave must be set free as compensation for the loss — the same penalty for a lost tooth.
• In verses 28-36, God gives Moses laws regarding negligence:
  • If an ox gores a man or woman, the ox is to be stoned, and its meat may not be eaten, but the owner is innocent (v. 28).
  • If, however, the ox has a habit of goring and the owner does not restrain it, and it gores someone, the ox must be stoned and its owner put to death (v. 29).
  • The owner may pay a redemption price of whatever is demanded of him by the dead person’s relatives and avoid the death penalty (v. 30).
  • If the ox gores a male or female slave, the redemption price is 30 shekels of silver, and the ox must be stoned (v. 32).
  • If a man digs a pit and does not cover it and an animal falls in, he must pay the owner of the animal for the loss, but the dead animal becomes his (vv. 33-34).
  • If a man’s ox injures another man’s ox and it dies, they must sell the living ox and divide the proceeds and divide the dead animal. If the ox had a habit of goring and was not restrained, then the owner must compensate the other for their loss, and the dead animal will become his (vv. 35-36).

Exodus 22

In Chapter 22, God details for Moses six more categories of laws or statutes that the people must obey:

In verses 1-4, laws concerning theft:

• If a man steals an ox or sheep and butchers or sells it, he must repay for the ox five cattle, and four sheep for the sheep.
• If a thief is caught in the act of breaking in at night and is killed, no one is guilty of bloodshed. However, if the thief breaks in after sunrise, there is guilt for bloodshed.
• A thief must make restitution for whatever was stolen. If he is unable to make restitution, he is to be sold (as a means of repaying the debt).
• If what was stolen is found alive in his presence, he must repay double.

In verses 5-6, laws concerning crop protection:

• If a man allows animals to graze in another’s field, he must repay with the best of his field.
• If a fire gets out of control and damages a crop, the one who started the fire must make full restitution for the loss.

In verses 7-15, laws concerning personal property:

• If a man gives money or goods to a neighbor for safekeeping and the money or goods are stolen, the thief must repay double. If the thief is not caught, the neighbor must appear before judges to determine if they stole the property. If guilty, they must repay double.

• If a man gives an animal to a neighbor to care for, but the animal is injured, dies, or is stolen, the one must appear before the Lord and take an oath swearing they had not taken the other’s property. If the animal is stolen, he must make restitution, but if wild animals kill the animal, no restitution is required.
• If a man borrows an animal from a neighbor and the animal is injured or dies while the owner is present, no restitution is needed. If the owner is not there, restitution must be made.
• If the animal is rented and is injured or dies, no restitution is needed because the rental price covers its loss.

In verses 16-17, laws concerning seduction:

• If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and has sex with her, he must pay the bride-price for her to be his wife.
• If the father refuses to give her to the man to be his wife, he must still pay the bride-price.

In verses 18-20, laws concerning capital offenses:

• You must not allow a sorceress to live.
• Whoever has sexual intercourse with an animal must be put to death.
• Whoever sacrifices to any gods other than the Lord must be put to death.

In verses 21-27, laws concerning protecting the vulnerable:

• You must not exploit a foreigner or oppress him.
• You must not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.
• If you lend money to My people, you must not charge interest.
• If you take a person’s cloak as collateral for a loan, you must return it to him before nightfall.

In verses 28-31, laws concerning respect for God:

• You must not blaspheme God or curse a leader among your people.
• You must not hold back offerings from your harvest or your vats.
• Give Me the firstborn of your sons, and your cattle, and flocks on the eighth day.

• Be my Holy people. Do not eat the meat of a mauled animal; give it to the dogs.

Some thoughts for additional consideration:

• God separated the Israelites from the rest of the world to be His people. He entered into a covenant relationship with them, like a marriage, in which both parties promised to be faithful to the other. For the Israelites to worship other gods was like adultery in marriage.
• God provided the Ten Commandments and the other statutes not to provide a path to righteousness and salvation, but to make them realize they lived in sin and must be saved by faith in God alone.

What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.

Tomorrow: Exodus 23-25