13 Thou shalt not kill. 14 Thou shalt not commit radultery. 15 Thou shalt not "steal. EXODUS. 16 Thou shalt not bear false 'witness against thy 17 Thou shalt not covet thy "neighbour's house, 7 Gen. 9. 6. r Rom. 13. 9. Matt. 19. 18. Eph. 4. 28. 1 Thes. 4, 6. 1. The fifth commandment concerns the duties we owe to our relations; that of children to their parents is the only duty specified; Honour thy father and thy mother, which includes, 1. A decent respect to their persons, an inward esteem of them, outwardly expressed upon all occasions in our conduct toward them; Fear them, (Lev. 19. 3;) Give them reverence, Heb. 12.9. The contrary to this is, mocking at them and despising them, Prov. 30. 17. 2. Obedience to their lawful commands; so it is expounded; (Eph. 6. 1-3,) Children obey your parents, come when they call you, go where they send you, do what they bid you, refrain from what they forbid you; and this, as children, cheerfully, and from a principle of love. Though you have said, "We will not," yet afterward repent and obey, Matt. 21. 29. 3. Submission to their rebukes, instructions, and corrections; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward, out of conscience toward God. 4. Disposing of themselves with the advice, direction, and consent of parents, nor alienating their property, but with their approbation. 5. Endeavouring in every thing to be the comfort of their parents and to make their old age easy to them; maintaining them if they stand in need of support, which our Saviour makes to be particularly intended in this commandment Matt. 15. 4-6. The reason annexed to this commandment is a promise; That thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee: having mentioned, in the preface to the commandments, his bringing them out of Egypt as a reason for their obedience, he here, in the beginning of the second table, mentions his bringing them into Canaan, as another reason; that good land they must have upon their thoughts, and in their eye, now that they were in the wilderness. They must also remember, when they were come to that land, that they were upon their good behaviour, and that, if they did not conduct themselves well, their days should be shortened in that land; both the days of particular persons who should be cut off from it, and the days of their nation, which should be removed out of it. long life in that good land is promised particularly to obedient But here a children. They that do their duty to their parents are most likely to have the comfort of that which their parents gather for them, and leave to them: they that support their parents shall find that God, the common Father, will support them. This promise is expounded, (Eph. 6. 3,) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. Those who, in conscience towards God, keep this and the rest of God's commandments, may be sure that it shall be well with them, and that they shall live as long on earth as Infinite Wisdom sees good for them, and that what they may seem to be cut short of on earth shall be abundantly made up in eternal life, the heavenly Canaan which God will give them. II. The sixth commandment concerns our own and our neighbour's life; (v. 13,)" Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not do any thing hurtful or injurious to the health, ease, and life of thy own body, or any other person's, unjustly." This is one of the laws of nature, and was strongly enforced by the precepts given to Noah and his sons, Gen. 9. 5, 6. It does not forbid killing in lawful war, or in our own necessary defence, or the magistrates' putting offenders to death, for those things tend to the preserving of life; but it forbids all malice and hatred to the person of any, (for he that hateth his brother is a murderer,) and all personal revenge arising therefrom; also all rash anger upon sudden provocations, and hurt said or done, or aimed to be done, in passion; of this our Saviour expounds this commandment, Matt. 5. 22. And, as that which is worst of all, it forbids persecution, laying wait for the blood of the innocent and excellent ones of the earth. III. The seventh commandment concerns our own and our neighbour's chastity; (v. 14,) Thou shalt not commit adultery: this is put before the sixth by our Saviour, (Mark 10. 19,) Do not commit adultery, do not kill; for our chastity should be as dear to us as our lives, and we should be as much afraid of that which defiles the body as of that which destroys it. This commandment forbids all acts of uncleanness, with all those fleshly lusts which produce those acts, and war against the soul, and all those practices which cherish and excite those fleshly lusts, as looking, in order to lust, which Christ tells us is forbidden in this commandment, Matt. 5. 28. IV. The eighth commandment concerns our own and our neighbour's wealth, estate, and goods; (v. 15,) Thou shalt not steal though God had lately allowed and appointed them to spoil the Egyptians, in a way of just reprisal, yet he did not intend that it should be drawn into a precedent, and that they ( 214 ) The Impression made upon the People. the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, lest we die. us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with for God is come to prove you, and that his fear 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21 And the people stood afar off: and Moses should be allowed thus to spoil one another. This command t Ps. 52. 3, 5. Rev. 22. 15. u Hab. 2. 9. Rom. 7. 7. 1 Cor. 6. 10. Col. 3. 5. forbids us to rob ourselves of what we have, by sinful spending, or of the use and comfort of it, by sinful sparing; and to rob bour's rights, taking his goods from his person, or house, or field, forcibly or clandestinely, overreaching in bargains, not others, by removing the ancient land marks, invading our neighrestoring what is borrowed or found, withholding just debts, rents, or wages; and it forbids us, what is worst of all, to rob the public in the coin or revenue, or that which is dedicated to the service of religion. neighbour's good name; (v. 16,) Thou shalt not bear false witV. The ninth commandment concerns our own and our ness: this forbids, 1. Speaking falsely in any matter, lying, equivocating, and any way devising and designing to deceive our neighbour. 2. Speaking unjustly against our neighbour, to the prejudice of his reputation; and, 3. (which involves the guilt of both these offences,) Bearing false witness against him, laying to his charge things that he knows not, either judicially, upon oath, by which the third commandment, and the sixth or eighth, as well as this, are broken; or extrajudicially, in common converse, slandering, backbiting, talebearing, aggravating what is done amiss, and making it worse than it is, and any way endeavouring to raise our own reputation upon the ruin of our neighbour's. forbid all desire of doing that which will be an injury to our VI. The tenth commandment strikes at the root; (v. 17,) Thou shalt not covet. The foregoing commandments implicitly neighbour; this forbids all inordinate desire of having that which will be a gratification to ourselves. "Oh that such a man's house were mine! Such a man's wife mine! Such a man's estate mine! This is certainly the language of discontent at our own lot, and envy at our neighbour's; and these are the sins principally forbidden here. St. Paul, when the grace of God caused the scales to fall from his eyes, perceived that this law, Thou shalt not covet, forbids all those irregular appetites and desires which are the first-born of the corrupt nature, the first risings of the sin that dwelleth in us, and the first beginnings of all the sin that is committed by us: this is that lust which, when it came to his conscience in the power of it, had not he says, he had not known the evil of, if this commandment, showed it him, Rom. 7. 7. God give us all to see our face in the glass of this law, and to lay our hearts under the government of it! V. 18-21. Observe, never was any thing delivered with such awful pomp; every the people; they must have had stupid hearts indeed, if this drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. 24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy peace-offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. 25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. 26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon. 2 Chr. 7. 16. Matt. 18. 20. • build them with hewing. deter them from idolatry, for, soon after this, they worshipped the golden calf; let us therefore rest satisfied with the instructions given us by the scriptures and the ministry; for, if we believe not them, neither should we be persuaded though God should speak to us in thunder and lightning, as he did from mount Sinai; here that matter was determined. III. The encouragement Moses gave them, explaining the design of God in his terror; (v. 20,) Fear not, that is, "Think not that the thunder and fire are designed to consume you," which was the thing they feared, (v. 19,) lest we die; thunder and lightning constituted one of the plagues of Egypt; but Moses would not have them think it was sent to them on the same errand on which it was sent to the Egyptians: no, it was intended, 1. To prove them, to try how they would like dealing with God immediately, without a mediator, and so to convince them how admirably well God had chosen for them, in putting Moses into that office. Ever since Adam fled, upon hearing God's voice in the garden, sinful man could not bear either to speak to God, or hear from him immediately. 2. To keep them to their duty, and prevent their sinning against God. He encourages them, saying, Fear not, and yet tells them that God thus spake to them, that his fear might be before their face. We must not fear with amazement-with that fear which has torment, which only works upon the fancy for the present, which sets us a trembling, which genders to bondage, which betrays us to Satan, and alienates us from God; but we must always have in our minds a reverence of God's majesty, a dread of his displeasure, and an obedient regard to his sovereign authority over us; this fear will quicken us to our duty, and make us circumspect in our walking; thus stand in awe, and sin not, Ps. 4. 4. IV. The progress of their communion with God by the mediation of Moses, v. 21. While the people continued to stand afar off, conscious of guilt, and afraid of God's wrath, Moses drew near unto the thick darkness; he was made to draw near, so the word is: Moses of himself durst not have ventured into the thick darkness, if God had not called him, and encouraged him, and, as some of the rabbins suppose, sent an angel to take him by the hand, and lead him up. Thus it is said of the great Mediator, I will cause him to draw near, (Jer. 30. 21;) and by him it is that we also are introduced, Eph. 3. 12. V. 22-26. Moses being gone into the thick darkness where God was, God there spake in his hearing only privately and without terror, all that follows from hence to the end of ch. 23. which is mostly an exposition of the ten commandments; and he was to transmit it by word of mouth first, and afterward in writing, to the people. The laws in these verses related to God's worship. I. They are here forbidden to make images for worship; (v. 22, 23,) Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven; (such was his wonderful condescension, much more than for some mighty prince to talk familiarly with a company of poor beggars;) now ye shall not make gods of silver. This repetition of the second commandment comes in here, either, 1. As pointing to that which God had chiefly in view in giving them this law in this manner, that is, their peculiar addictedness to idolatry, and the peculiar sinfulness of that crime. Ten commandments God had given them, but Moses is ordered to inculcate upon them, especially the two first. They must not forget any of thern, but they must be sure to remember those. Or, 2. As pointing to that which might properly be inferred from God's speaking to them as he had done. He had given them sufficient demonstration of his presence among them; they needed not to make images of him, as if he were absent. Besides, they had only seen that he talked with them, they had seen no manner of similitude, so that they could not make any image of God; and his manifesting himself to them only by a voice, plainly showed them that they must not make any such image, but keep up their communion with God by his word, and not otherwise. Two arguments are here hinted against image worship. (1.) That thereby they would affront God, intimated in that, Ye shall not make with me gods: though they pretended to worship them but as representations of God, yet really they made them rivals with God, which he would not endure. (2.) That thereby they would abuse themselves, intimated in CHAPTER XXI. The laws recorded in this chapter relate to the fifth and sixth commandments; and though they are not accommodated to our constitution, especially in point of ser vitude, nor are the penalties annexed binding on us, yet they are of great use for the explanation of the moral law, and the rules of natural Justice. Here are several enlargements, I. Upon the fifth commandment, which concerns particular relations. 1. The duty of masters toward their servants; their men-servants, (v. 2-6,) and maid servants, v. 7-11. 2. The punishment of disobedient chil dren that strike their parents, (v. 15.) or curse them, v. 17. II. Upon the sixth commandinent, which forbids all violence offered to the person of a man. Here is, 1. Concerning murder, v. 12—14. 2. Man-stealing, . 16. 3. Assault and battery, 18, 19, 4. Correcting a servant, v, 20, 21. 5. Hurting a woman with child,. 22, 23. 6. The law of retaliation, v. 24, 25. 7. Maiming a servant, . 26, 27. 8. An ox goring, v. 28-32. 9. Damage by opening a pit, v. 33, 34. 10. Cattle fighting, v. 35, 36, OW these are the judgments which thou shalt Naset before them. 2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve; and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. a Deut. 6. 1. b Deut. 15. 12. Jer. 34. 8-17. that, “Ye shall not make unto you gods; while ye think by them to assist your devotion, ye will really corrupt it, and put a cheat upon yourselves." At first, it should seem, they made their images for worship of gold and silver, pretending, by the richness of those metals, to honour God, and, by the brightness of them, to affect themselves with his glory; but even in these they changed the truth of God into a lie, and so by degrees were justly given up to such strong delusions as to worship images of wood or stone. II. They are here directed in making altars for worship: it is meant of occasional altars, such as they reared now in the wilderness, before the tabernacle was erected, and afterward, upon special emergencies, for present use, such as Gideon built, (Judg. 6. 24,) Manoah, (Judg. 13. 19,) Samuel, (1 Sam. 7. 17,) and many others. We may suppose, now that the people of Israel were so much affected, as it appears they were, with this glorious discovery which God had made of himself to them, that many of them would incline, in this pang of devotion, to offer sacrifice to God; and, it being necessary to sacrifice that there be an altar, they are here appointed, 1. To make their altars very plain, either of earth or of unhewn stone, v. 24, 25. That they might not be tempted to think of a graven image, they must not so much as hew into shape the stones that they made their altars of, but pile them up as they were, in the rough. This rule being prescribed before the establishment of the ceremonial law, which appointed altars much more costly, intimates, that, after the period of that law, plainness should be accepted as the best ornament of the external services of religion, and that Gospel worship should not be performed with external pomp and gayety. The beauty of holiness needs no paint, nor do those do any service to the spouse of Christ that dress her in the attire of a harlot, as the church of Rome does: an altar of earth does best. 2. To make their altars very low, (v. 26,) so that they might not go up by steps to them. That the higher the altar was, and the nearer heaven, the more acceptable the sacrifice was, was a foolish fancy of the heathen, who therefore chose high places; in opposition to which, and to show that it is the elevation of the heart, not of the sacrifice, that God looks at, they were here ordered to make their altars low: we may suppose that the altars they reared in the wilderness, and other occasional altars, were designed only for the sacrifice of one beast at a time but the altar in Solomon's temple, which was to be made much longer and broader, that it might contain many sacrifices at once, was made ten cubits high, that the height might bear a decent proportion to the length and breadth; and to that it was requisite they should go up by steps, which yet, no doubt, were so contrived as to prevent the inconvenience here spoken of, the discovering of their nakedness thereon. III. They are here assured of God's gracious acceptance of their devotions, wherever they were paid according to his will; (v. 24,) In all places where I record my name, or where my name is recorded, that is, where I am worshipped in sincerity, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. Afterward God chose one particular place wherein to record his name; but that being taken away now under the Gospel, when men are encouraged to pray every where, this promise revives in its full extent, that, wherever God's people meet in his name to worship him, he will be in the midst of them: he will honour them with his presence, and reward them with the gifts of his grace; there he will come unto them, and will bless them, and more than this we need not desire for the beautifying of our solemn assemblies. NOTES TO CHAPTER XXI. V. 1-11. The first verse is the general title of the laws contained in this and the two following chapters; some of them relating to the religious worship of God, but most of them relating to matters between man and man. Their government being purely a Theocracy, that which in other states is to be settled by human prudence was directed among them by a divine appointment, so that the constitution of their government was peculiarly adapted to make them happy. These laws are called judgments, because they are framed in infinite wisdom and equity, and because their magistrates were to give judgment according to them. God delivered them privately to Moses, 3 If he came in *by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have borne him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. 5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges: he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever. 7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the men-servants do. 8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. 9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. 10 If he take him another wife, her food, her with his body. ↑ saying shall say. c Neb. 5. 5. d ver. 2, 3. 1 be evil in the eyes of. e Deut. 21. 14. f Mal. 2. 14, 15. g 1 Cor. 7. 5. Lev. 24. 17. Num. 35. 30, 31. Matt. 26. 52. Deut. 19. 4, 5. k Num. 35. 11. and he was to communicate them to the people. In the doubtful cases that had hitherto occurred, Moses had particularly inquired of God for them, as appeared, ch. 18. 15, but now God gave him statutes in general by which to determine particular cases, which likewise he must apply to other like cases that might happen, which, falling under the same reason, fell under the same rule. He begins with the laws concerning servants, commanding mercy and moderation toward them. The Israelites had lately been servants themselves; and now that they were become, not only their own masters, but masters of servants too, lest they should abuse their servants, as they themselves had been abused and ruled with rigour by the Egyptian task-masters, provision was made by these laws for the mild and gentle usage of servants. Note, If those who have had power over us, have been injurious to us, that will not in the least excuse us if we be in like manner injurious to those who are under our power, but will rather aggravate our crime, because, in that case, we may the more easily put our souls into their souls' stead. Here is, 1. A law concerning men-servants, sold, either by themselves, or their parents, through poverty, or by the judges, for their crimes; even those of the latter sort (if Hebrews) were to continue in slavery but seven years at the most, in which time it was taken for granted that they would sufficiently smart for their folly or offence. At the seven years' end, the servant should either go out free, (v. 2, 3,) or his servitude should from thenceforward be his choice, v. 5, 6. If he had a wife given him by his master, and children, he might either leave them and go out free himself, or, if he had such a kindness for them, that he would rather tarry with them in bondage than go out at liberty without them, he was to have his ear bored through to the doorpost, and serve till the death of his master, or the year of jubilee. By this law, God taught, (1.) The Hebrew servants generosity, and a noble love of liberty, for they were the Lord's freemen; a mark of disgrace must be put upon him who refused liberty when he might have it, though he refused it upon considerations otherwise laudable enough. Thus Christians, being bought with a price, and called unto liberty, must not be the servants of men, not of the lusts of men, 1 Cor. 7. 23. There is a free and princely spirit that much helps to uphold a Christian, Ps. 51. 12. He likewise taught, (2.) The Hebrew masters not to trample upon their poor servants, knowing, not only that they had been by birth upon a level with them, but that, in a few years, they would be so again. Thus Christian masters must look with respect on believing servants, Philem. 16. This law will be further useful to us, [1.] To illustrate the right God has to the children of believing parents, as such, and the place they have in his church. They are by baptism enrolled among his servants, because they are born in his house, for they are therefore born unto him, Ez. 16. 20. David owns himself God's servant, as he was the son of his handmaid, (Ps. 116. 16,) and therefore entitled to protection, Ps. 86. 16. [2.] To explain the obligation which the great Redeemer laid upon himself to prosecute the work of our salvation, for he says, (Ps. 40. 6,) Mine ears hast thou opened, which seems to allude to this law. He loved his Father, and his captive spouse, and the children that were given him, and would not go out free from his undertaking, but engaged to serve in it for ever, Is. 42. 1, 4. Much more reason have we thus to engage ourselves to serve God for ever ; we have all the reason in the world to love our Master and his work, and to have our ears bored to his door-posts, as those who desire not to go out free from his service, but to be found more and more free to it, and in it, Ps. 84. 10. raiment, and her duty of marriage shall he not diminish. 11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money. 12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. 13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. 14 But if a man come 'presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar," that he may die. 15 And he that smiteth his "father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. 16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth Phim, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. 17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. 18 And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: 19 If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for "the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed. / Num. 15, 30. m Deut. 19. 11-13. 1 Kings 2. 29–34. 1 Tim. 1. 9. o Rev. 18. 12, 13. p Deut. 24. 7. Sor, revileth. 7 Prov. 20. 20.30. 11, 17. Matt. 15. 4. lor, his neighbour. This ceasing. 2. Concerning maid-servants, whom their parents, through extreme poverty, had sold when they were very young, to such as they hoped would marry them when they grew up; if they did not, yet they must not sell them to strangers, but rather study how to make them amends for their disappointment; if they did, they must maintain them handsomely, v. 7-11. Thus did God provide for the comfort and reputation of the daughters of Israel, and has taught husbands to give honour to their wives, (be their extraction ever so mean,) as to the weaker vessels, 1 Pet. 3. 7. V. 12-21. Here is, 1. A law concerning murder; he had lately said, Thou shalt not kill; here he provides, (1.) For the punishing of wilful murder; (v. 12,) He that smiteth a man, whether upon a sudden passion, or in malice prepense, so that he die, the government must take care that the murderer be put to death, according to that ancient law, (Gen. 9. 6,) Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. God, who, by his providence, gives and maintains life, thus, by his law, protects it; so that mercy showed to a wilful murderer is real cruelty to all mankind besides : such a one, God here says, shall be taken even from his altar, (v. 14,) to which he might flee for protection; and if God will not shelter him, let him flee to the pit, and let no man stay him. (2.) For the relief of such as were killed by accident, per infortunium-by misfortune, as our law expresses it, or chancemedley, when a man, in doing a lawful act, without intent of hurt to any, happens to kill another, or, as it is here described, God delivers him into his hand; for nothing comes to pass by chance; what seems to us purely casual, is ordered by the Divine Providence, for wise and holy ends, secret to us. In this case, God provided cities of refuge for the protection of those whose infelicity it was, but not their fault, to occasion the death of another, v. 13. With us, who know no avengers of blood but the magistrates, the law itself is a sufficient sanctuary for those whose minds are innocent, though their hands are guilty, and there needs no other. 2. Concerning rebellious children; it is here made a capital crime to be punished with death, for children, either, (1.) To strike their parents, (v. 15,) so as either to draw blood, or to make the place struck black and blue. Or, (2.) To curse their parents, (v. 17,) if they profaned any name of God in doing it, as the rabbins say. Note, The undutiful behaviour of children toward their parents is a very great provocation to God our common Father; and if men do not punish it, he will. Those are perfectly lost to all virtue, and abandoned to all wickedness, that have broken through the bonds of filial reverence and duty to such a degree as in word or action to abuse their own parents. What yoke will they bear, that have shaken off this? Let children take heed of entertaining in their minds any such thought or passions toward their parents as savour of unduti fulness and contempt; for the righteous God searches the heart. 3. Here is a law against man-stealing; (v. 16,) He that steals a man, woman, or child, with a design to sell them to the Gentiles, (for no Israelites would buy them,) was adjudged to death by this statute; which is ratified by the apostle, (1 Tim. 1. 10,) where men-stealers are reckoned among those wicked ones against whom laws must be made by Christian princes. 4. Care is here taken, that satisfaction be made for hurt done to a person, though death do not ensue, v. 18, 19. He that did the hurt must be accountable for damages, and pay, not only for the cure, but for the loss of time: to which the Jews add that he must likewise give some recompense, both for the pain and for the blemish, if there were any. 20 And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. 21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money. 22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow; he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. 26 And if a man smite 'the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free "for his eye's sake. 27 And if he smite out his man-servant's tooth, or his maid-servant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake. 28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die; then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit: 29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death. 30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then 5. Direction is given what should be done, if a servant died by his master's correction. This servant must not be an Israelite, but a Gentile slave, as the negroes to our planters; and it is supposed that he smite him with a rod, and not with any thing that was likely to give a mortal wound; yet, if he died under his hand, he should be punished for his cruelty, at the discretion of the judges, upon consideration of circumstances, v. 20. But if he continued a day or two after the correction given, the master was supposed to suffer enough by losing his servant, v. 21. Our law makes the death of a servant, by his master's reasonable beating of him, but chance-medley. Yet let all masters take heed of tyrannizing over their servants; the Gospel teaches them even to forbear, and moderate threatenings, (Eph. 6. 9,) considering, with holy Job, What shall I do, when God riseth up? Job 31. 13-15. V. 22-36. Observe here, I. The particular care which the law took of women with child, that no hurt should be done them, which might occasion their miscarrying. The law of nature obliges us to be very tender in that case, lest the tree and fruit be destroyed together, v. 22, 23. Women with child, who were thus taken under the special protection of the law of God, if they live in his fear, may still believe themselves under the special protection of the providence of God, and hope that they shall be saved in childbearing. On this occasion comes in that general law of retaliation, which our Saviour refers to, Matt. 5. 38, An eye for an eye. Now, I. The execution of this law is not hereby put into the hands of private persons, as if every man might avenge himself; which would introduce universal confusion, and make men like the fishes of the sea. The tradition of the elders seems to have put this corrupt gloss upon it; in opposition to which, our Saviour commands us to forgive injuries, and not to meditate revenge, Matt. 5. 39. 2. God often executes it in the course of his providence, making the punishment, in many cases, to answer to the sin, as Judg. 1. 7. Is. 33. 1. Hab. 2. 13. Matt. 26. 52. 3. Magistrates ought to have an eye to this rule, in punishing offenders, and doing right to those that are injured. Consideration must be had of the nature, quality, and degree, of the wrong done, that reparation may be made to the party injured, and others deterred from doing the like; either an eye shall go for an eye, or the forfeited eye shall be redeemed by a sum of money. Note, He that does wrong must expect, one way or other, to receive according to the wrong he has done, Col. 3. 25. God sometimes brings men's violent dealings upon their own heads, (Ps. 7. 16;) and magistrates are in this the ministers of his justice, that they are avengers, (Rom. 13. 4,) and they shall not bear the sword in vain. II. The care God took of servants; if their masters maimed them, though it was only striking out a tooth, that should be their discharge, v. 26, 27. This was intended, 1. To prevent their being abused; masters would be careful not to offer them any violence, lest they should lose their service. 2. To comfort them, if they were abused; the loss of a limb should be the gaining of their liberty, which would do something toward balancing both the pain and disgrace they underwent. Nay, III. Does God take care for oxen? Yes, it appears, by the VOL. I.-28 he shall give for the "ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him. 31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him. 32 If the ox shall push a man-servant or maidservant, he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. 33 And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; 34 The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his. 35 And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead or also they shall divide. 36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own. CHAPTER XXII. The laws of this chapter relate, I. To the eighth commandment, concerning theft, (v. 1-4;) Trespass by cattle. (v. 5;) Damage by fire, (v. 6;) Trusts, (v. 7 13) Borrowing cattle, (v. 14, 15,) or money, v. 25-27. II. To the seventh com mandment. Against fornication, (v. 16, 17;) Bestiality, v. 19. III. To the first table, forbidding witchcraft, (v. 18;) Idolatry, v. 20; Commanding to offer the first fruits, v. 29, 30. IV. To the poor, v. 21-24. V. To the civil government, v. 28. VI. To the peculiarity of the Jewish nation, v. 31. following laws in this chapter, that he does, for our sakes, 1 Cor. 9. 9, 10. The Israelites are here directed what to do. 1. In case of hurt done by oxen, or any other brute creature; for the law, doubtless, was designed to extend to all parallel cases. (1.) As an instance of God's care of the life of man, (though forfeited a thousand times into the hands of divine justice,) and in token of his detestation of the sin of murder; if an ox killed any man, woman, or child, the ox was to be stoned, v. 28. And because the greatest honour of the inferior creatures is to be serviceable to man, the criminal is denied that honour, his flesh shall not be eaten. Thus God would keep up in the minds of his people a rooted abhorrence of the sin of murder, and every thing that was barbarous. (2.) To make men careful that none of their cattle might do hurt, but that, by all means possible, mischief might be prevented; if the owner of the beast knew that he was mischievous he must answer for the hurt done, and, according as the circumstances of the case proved him to be more or less accessary, he must either be put to death, or ransom his life with a sum of money, v. 29–32. Some of our ancient books make this felony, by the common law of England, and give this reason, "The owner, by suffering his beast to go at liberty, when he knew it to be mischievous shows that he was very willing that hurt should be done.' Note, It is not enough for us not to do mischief ourselves, but we must take care that no mischief be done by those whom it is in our power to restrain, whether man or beast. 2. In case of hurt done to oxen, or other cattle. If they fall into a pit, and perish there, he that opened the pit must make good the loss, v. 33, 34. Note, We must take heed, not only of doing that which will be hurtful, but of doing that which may be so. It is not enough not to design and devise mischief, but we must contrive to prevent mischief; else we become accessary to our neighbours' damage: mischief done in malice is the great trangression; but mischief done through negligence, and for want of due care and consideration, is not without fault, but ought to be reflected upon with regret, according as the degree of the mischief is: especially we must be careful that we do nothing to make ourselves accessary to the sins of others, by laying an occasion of offence in our brother's way, Rom. 14. 13. If cattle fight, and one kill another, the owners shall equally share in the loss, v. 35. Only, if the beast that had done the harm was known to the owner to have been mischievous, he shall answer for the damage, because he ought either to have killed him, or kept him up, v. 36. The determinations of these cases carry with them the evidence of their own equity, and give such rules of justice as were then, and are still, in use, for the deciding of similar controversies that arise between man and man. But I conjecture that these cases might be specified, rather than others, (though some of them seem minute,) because they were then cases in fact actually depending before Moses; for, in the wilderness where they lay closely encamped, and had their flocks and herds among them, such mischiefs as these last mentioned were likely enough to occur. That which we are taught by these laws, is, that we be very careful to do no wrong, either directly or indirectly; but that, if we have done wrong, we must be very willing to make satisfaction, and desirous that nobody may lose by us. ( 217 ) 2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten, that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. 3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double. 5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution. 6 If fire break out and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution. 7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double. 8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges,to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods. 9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any b Job 24. 14. Joel 2. 9. Matt. 24. 43. c Num. 35. 27. d Jer. 16. 18. Rev. 18. 6. NOTES TO CHAPTER XXII. V. 1-6. Here are the laws, 1. 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, v. 4. Thus he must both satisfy for the wrong, and suffer for the crime. But it was afterward provided, that, if the thief were touched in conscience, and voluntarily confessed it, before it was discovered or inquired 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, 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, (v. 1;) more for an ox than for a sheep, because the owner, beside 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, v. 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, v. 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 it at his peril. Yet if it were in the daytime that the thief was killed, he that killed him must be accountable for it, (v. 3,) unless it were in the necessary defence of his own life. Note, We ought to be tender of the lives even of bad men; the magistrate must right us, and we must not avenge ourselves. 2. Concerning trespass, v. 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. 3. Concerning damage done by fire, v. 6. He that designed only the burning of thorns, might become accessary 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, which we must bear the blame of, if, with the madman, we cast firebrands, arrows, and death, and pretend that 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. V. 7-15. These laws are, 1. Concerning trusts, v. 7-13. 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 manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour. 10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it; 11 Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good. 12 And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof. 13 If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn. 14 And if a man borrow aught of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it; he shall surely make it good. 15 But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire. 16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto e c. 21. 34. f Deut. 25. 1. 2 Chr. 19. 10. g Heb. 6, 16. h Deut. 22. 28, 29. 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 his 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 intrusted 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 end of strife, Heb. 6. 16. It is called an oath for the Lord, (v. 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. is an 2. Concerning loans, v. 14, 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 befell the cattle, the owner must stand to the loss of: but if the owner were so kind to the borrower, as to lend it 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 kinkness to us; Alas! master, for it was borrowed, 2 Kings 6, 5. V. 16-24. Here is, 1. A law, that he who debauched a young woman should be obliged to marry her, v. 16, 17. If she was betrothed to another, it was death to debauch her, (Deut. 22. 23, 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 recompense 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.. 2. A law which makes witchcraft a capital crime, v. 18. Witchcraft not only gives that honour to the devil which is due |
