"This chapter lists laws and stipulations about theft, crop protection, personal property, seduction, capital offenses, protecting the vulnerable, and respect for God."
Property Rights
“If a man steals an ox or sheep and kills or sells it, he shall make restitution of five oxen for an ox or four sheep for a sheep.
2 “If a thief is caught breaking in [after dark] and is struck [by the owner] so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him. 3 But if the sun has risen, there will be bloodguilt for him. The thief [if he lives] must make [full] restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold [as a slave to make restitution] for his theft. 4 If the animal that he stole is found alive in his possession, whether it is ox or donkey or sheep, he shall pay double [for it].
5 “If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed bare or lets his livestock loose so that it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.
6 “If fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes so that the stacked grain or standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.
7 “If a man gives his neighbor money or [other] goods to keep [for him while he is away] and it is stolen from the neighbor’s house, then, if the thief is caught, he shall pay double [for it]. 8 If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall appear before the judges [who act in God’s name], to determine whether or not he had stolen his neighbor’s goods. 9 For every offense involving property, whether it concerns ox, donkey, sheep, clothing, or any piece of lost property, which another identifies as his, the case of both parties shall come before the judges [who act in God’s name]. Whomever the judges pronounce guilty shall pay double to his neighbor.
10 “If a man gives his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any [other] animal to keep [for him], and it dies or is injured or taken away while no one is looking, 11 then an oath before the Lord shall be made by the two of them that he has not taken his neighbor’s property; and the owner of it shall accept his word and not require him to make restitution. 12 But if it is actually stolen from him [when in his care], he shall make restitution to its owner. 13 If it is torn to pieces [by some predator or by accident], let him bring the mangled carcass as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what was torn to pieces.
14 “And if a man borrows an animal from his neighbor, and it gets injured or dies while its owner is not with it, the borrower shall make full restitution. 15 But if the owner is with it [when the damage is done], the borrower shall not make restitution. If it was hired, the damage is included in [the price of] its fee.
- PEACE AND ORDER. God is a God of order, and not of chaos. Here, God continued to establish the nation of Israel, who will live in the promised land (Canaan) at God's appointed time. As slaves for 430 years, the Hebrew Israelites knew nothing about property rights-- they were the property. They had zero rights back in Egypt. Now, they had to be educated, so they can adhere to God's laws and ordinances. The laws were for the good of all people, it was to set rules and fairness, in every aspect of their lives. There is a legal term that says "ignorance of the law is no excuse." Everyone heard God's laws, and it was recorded for the next generations too. To understand in detail every law stated above, I read and studied from David Guzik's study guide and commentary, so very helpful! Follow this link: https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Exd/Exd-22.cfm
- ABOUT PROPERTIES AND POSSESSIONS. Everything that we have, everything that we are, comes from God. Knowing that God is the source of everything, and He is the provider who give us everything we need-- even gift us with things we don't deserve-- will help us not to covet to the point of stealing other people's stuffs.
"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?" Matthew 6:26
"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:31-33
Various Laws
16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry (marriage price) for her to be his wife. 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must [still] pay money equivalent to the dowry of virgins.
18 “You shall not allow a woman who practices sorcery to live.
19 “Whoever lies with an animal must be put to death.
20 “He who sacrifices to any god, other than to the Lord alone, shall be put under a ban (designated) for destruction (execution).
21 “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 You shall not harm or oppress any widow or fatherless child. 23 If you harm or oppress them in any way, and they cry at all to Me [for help], I will most certainly hear their cry; 24 and My wrath shall be kindled and burn; I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.
25 “If you lend money to any one of My people with you who is poor, you shall not act as a creditor (professional moneylender) to him; you shall not charge him interest. 26 If you ever take your [poor] neighbor’s robe in pledge, you must return it to him before sunset, 27 for that is his only covering; it is his clothing for his body. In what shall he sleep? And when he cries to Me [for help], I will hear him, for I am compassionate and gracious.
28 “You shall not curse God, nor curse the ruler of your people [since he administers God’s law].
29 “You shall not delay the offering from your harvest and your vintage. You shall give (consecrate, dedicate) to Me the firstborn of your sons. 30 You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep. It shall be with its mother for seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it [as an offering] to Me.
31 “You shall be [a]holy men to Me; therefore you shall not eat meat [from any animal] that has been torn to pieces [by predators] in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.
Footnotes: Exodus 22:31 The commandments given to Israel by the Lord were designed in part to separate them from the world and identify them as His chosen people.
- MORALITY. What does it mean to be moral or ethical? It is "concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character." To serve God and be God's children, means to be like our Father, righteous, noble, honorable, and upright. We cannot do that on our own, but we can do that by God's help and guidance through reading/abiding in His Word (that is Jesus), through constant praying, with the help of the Holy Spirit. God's laws are perfect and they are high standard. God loves us so much that He wants us to be conformed by His image, and not the enemy-- which is deceptive, selfish and destructive. If the Israelites will not follow and disobey God, despite the consequences, then they have chosen who to serve and obey-- the evil one through their evil and selfish desires. That's why one must humble and submit themselves before God.
- GOD CARES FOR ORPHANS AND WIDOWS. God loves the unlovable and the uncared for, and that gives me comfort and assurance. Many people like me feel unloved despite not being an orphan or a widow, that's why God's love is so great. When you know that God loves and accepts you, that He sent His Son Jesus to sacrifice for all our sins, you are assured, you are secured. Because you are loved, you can love others too (with God's love), even the unlovable, even your enemies/adversaries. (We love, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19)
"The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin." Psalm 146:9
"Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute."
Psalm 82:3
* Study Guide Commentary from David Guzik:
A. Laws regarding personal property and restitution.
B. Moral and ceremonial laws.
B. Moral and ceremonial laws.
b. He shall restore: The Mosaic Law did not send a person to jail because of theft. Instead, the thief was required to restore what he stole, plus an additional penalty.
ii. This can be regarded as a positive approach to the punishment of criminals, putting them to productive restitution and compensating the victims of their theft. These principles are often ignored in the modern administration of justice.
iii. They are also, as a principle, ignored in many Christian lives. “This chapter is full of restitution, of which there is far too little in ordinary Christian life. We try to make amends for injury done to another by an extraordinary amount of civility; but we are reluctant in so many words to frankly confess that we have done wrong, and make proper reparation for the act or speech.” (Meyer)
a. If a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed: Some claim this passage did not prohibit pre-marital sex; but it did prohibit (or at least strongly discourage) it in practice, because it required a man to either marry or provide for a woman he had pre-marital sex with.
b. He shall surely pay the bride-price for her to be his wife: This law emphasized the principle that there is no such thing as casual sex. Both Old and New Testaments state that sexual relations carry lasting consequences (1 Corinthians 6:15-16).
ii. This law encouraged both men and women to value the virginity of a woman. “Since a man has taken a girl without paying bride-price, bride-price he must pay, for who else will pay it now?” (Cole) It’s not that the virginity of men was worthless or ignored; yet the law encouraged greater care and preservation for the virginity of women until marriage and the advantageous circumstances for child raising.
a. A sorceress: Among the ancients, the practice of sorcery had two associations. First, contact with dark or demonic powers or persons. Second, altered states through drugs and potions. There was understood to be a connection between drug taking and occultist practices.
v. “It is clearly against the will of God that in this life men should hold any communication with the spirit world, save that of direct fellowship with Himself, through His Son, by the Holy Spirit.” (Morgan)
a. You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him: A good measure of our moral character is found in how we treat a stranger. People often find it easy to treat their own flesh and blood well, but God commands us to have a concern for others – including the stranger.
a. You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child: The widow and fatherless child were the weakest and most vulnerable members of society. In an unrestrained, survival-of-the-fittest society, they would be the first to suffer abuse and destruction. God here commanded that at the very least, they not be afflicted.
c. And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear: God promised to hear the prayer of the poor man when he cried out to the Lord. God’s general sympathy for the poor is reflected in the fact that Jesus came from a poor family. When He was dedicated in the temple, shortly after His birth, the sacrifice was that of a poor family: two birds (Luke 2:24).
c. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me: According to Exodus 13:11-12, this command was to be obeyed when the came into the land of Canaan. Much of the Mosaic Law didn’t make sense for Israel in the wilderness, and was given to prepare them for life in Canaan.
i. Had they obeyed and trusted God the way they should have, they were at this point only a little more than a year away from Canaan. Because of unbelief and disobedience, they were some 40 years from Canaan, but they didn’t know that at this giving of the law.
d. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me: This was done through redemption, the giving of money to substitute for the son (Exodus 34:19-20). Money was also substituted for the firstborn among unclean animals, but the firstborn among clean animals was sacrificed to the Lord.
i. This law regarding the given of the firstborn to God was important because:
· Since the firstborn was always regarded as best, it was a demonstrated way to give the best to God.
· It reminded Israel that God regarded them as His firstborn, His favored people
· It reminded Israel that God spared their firstborn when He judged the firstborn of Egypt
Reference and credits to https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Exd/Exd-22.cfm ©2013 David Guzik
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