1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
2 And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.
3 Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.
4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.
5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.
6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.
7 And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.
8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;
9 Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house.
10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.
11 When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets:
12 Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her.
13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.
14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.
15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
16 For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.
17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;
18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.
1 If there be a controversy H7379 between men, H582 and they come H5066 unto judgment, H4941 that the judges may judge H8199 them; then they shall justify H6663 the righteous, H6662 and condemn H7561 the wicked. H7563
2 And it shall be, if the wicked man H7563 be worthy H1121 to be beaten, H5221 that the judge H8199 shall cause him to lie down, H5307 and to be beaten H5221 before his face, H6440 according H1767 to his fault, H7564 by a certain number. H4557
3 Forty H705 stripes H5221 he may give him, and not exceed: H3254 lest, if he should exceed, H3254 and beat H5221 him above these with many H7227 stripes, H4347 then thy brother H251 should seem vile H7034 H5869 unto thee.
4 Thou shalt not muzzle H2629 the ox H7794 when he treadeth out H1758 the corn.
5 If brethren H251 dwell H3427 together, H3162 and one H259 of them die, H4191 and have no child, H1121 the wife H802 of the dead H4191 shall not marry without H2351 unto a stranger: H376 H2114 her husband's brother H2993 shall go in H935 unto her, and take H3947 her to him to wife, H802 and perform the duty of an husband's brother H2992 unto her.
6 And it shall be, that the firstborn H1060 which she beareth H3205 shall succeed H6965 in the name H8034 of his brother H251 which is dead, H4191 that his name H8034 be not put out H4229 of Israel. H3478
7 And if the man H376 like H2654 not to take H3947 his brother's wife, H2994 then let his brother's wife H2994 go up H5927 to the gate H8179 unto the elders, H2205 and say, H559 My husband's brother H2993 refuseth H3985 to raise up H6965 unto his brother H251 a name H8034 in Israel, H3478 he will H14 not perform the duty of my husband's brother. H2992
8 Then the elders H2205 of his city H5892 shall call H7121 him, and speak H1696 unto him: and if he stand H5975 to it, and say, H559 I like H2654 not to take H3947 her;
9 Then shall his brother's wife H2994 come H5066 unto him in the presence H5869 of the elders, H2205 and loose H2502 his shoe H5275 from off his foot, H7272 and spit H3417 in his face, H6440 and shall answer H6030 and say, H559 So shall it be done H6213 unto that man H376 that will not build up H1129 his brother's H251 house. H1004
10 And his name H8034 shall be called H7121 in Israel, H3478 The house H1004 of him that hath his shoe H5275 loosed. H2502
11 When men H582 strive H5327 together H3162 one with another, H251 H376 and the wife H802 of the one H259 draweth near H7126 for to deliver H5337 her husband H376 out of the hand H3027 of him that smiteth H5221 him, and putteth forth H7971 her hand, H3027 and taketh H2388 him by the secrets: H4016
12 Then thou shalt cut off H7112 her hand, H3709 thine eye H5869 shall not pity H2347 her.
13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag H3599 divers weights, H68 H68 a great H1419 and a small. H6996
14 Thou shalt not have in thine house H1004 divers measures, H374 H374 a great H1419 and a small. H6996
15 But thou shalt have a perfect H8003 and just H6664 weight, H68 a perfect H8003 and just H6664 measure H374 shalt thou have: that thy days H3117 may be lengthened H748 in the land H127 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee.
16 For all that do H6213 such things, H428 and all that do H6213 unrighteously, H5766 are an abomination H8441 unto the LORD H3068 thy God. H430
17 Remember H2142 what Amalek H6002 did H6213 unto thee by the way, H1870 when ye were come forth H3318 out of Egypt; H4714
18 How he met H7136 thee by the way, H1870 and smote the hindmost H2179 of thee, even all that were feeble H2826 behind H310 thee, when thou wast faint H5889 and weary; H3023 and he feared H3373 not God. H430
19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath given thee rest H5117 from all thine enemies H341 round about, H5439 in the land H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee for an inheritance H5159 to possess H3423 it, that thou shalt blot out H4229 the remembrance H2143 of Amalek H6002 from under heaven; H8064 thou shalt not forget H7911 it.
1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, and `the judges' judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked;
2 and it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his wickedness, by number.
3 Forty stripes he may give him, he shall not exceed; lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.
4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out `the grain'.
5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her.
6 And it shall be, that the first-born that she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother that is dead, that his name be not blotted out of Israel.
7 And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother unto me.
8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand, and say, I like not to take her;
9 then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face; and she shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto the man that doth not build up his brother's house.
10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.
11 When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets;
12 then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall have no pity.
13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag diverse weights, a great and a small.
14 Thou shalt not have in thy house diverse measures, a great and a small.
15 A perfect and just weight shalt thou have; a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
16 For all that do such things, `even' all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto Jehovah thy God.
17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way as ye came forth out of Egypt;
18 how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
19 Therefore it shall be, when Jehovah thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget.
1 `When there is a strife between men, and they have come nigh unto the judgment, and they have judged, and declared righteous the righteous, and declared wrong the wrong-doer,
2 then it hath come to pass, if the wrong-doer is to be smitten, that the judge hath caused him to fall down, and `one' hath smitten him in his presence, according to the sufficiency of his wrong-doing, by number;
3 forty `times' he doth smite him -- he is not adding, lest, he is adding to smite him above these -- many stripes, and thy brother is lightly esteemed in thine eyes.
4 `Thou dost not muzzle an ox in its threshing.
5 `When brethren dwell together, and one of them hath died, and hath no son, the wife of the dead is not without to a strange man; her husband's brother doth go in unto her, and hath taken her to him for a wife, and doth perform the duty of her husband's brother;
6 and it hath been, the first-born which she beareth doth rise for the name of his dead brother, and his name is not wiped away out of Israel.
7 `And if the man doth not delight to take his brother's wife, then hath his brother's wife gone up to the gate, unto the elders, and said, My husband's brother is refusing to raise up to his brother a name in Israel; he hath not been willing to perform the duty of my husband's brother;
8 and the elders of his city have called for him, and spoken unto him, and he hath stood and said, I have no desire to take her;
9 `Then hath his brother's wife drawn nigh unto him, before the eyes of the elders, and drawn his shoe from off his foot, and spat in his face, and answered and said, Thus it is done to the man who doth not build up the house of his brother;
10 and his name hath been called in Israel -- The house of him whose shoe is drawn off.
11 `When men strive together, one with another, and the wife of the one hath drawn near to deliver her husband out of the hand of his smiter, and hath put forth her hand, and laid hold on his secrets,
12 then thou hast cut off her hand, thine eye doth not spare.
13 `Thou hast not in thy bag a stone and a stone, a great and a small.
14 Thou hast not in thy house an ephah and an ephah, a great and a small.
15 Thou hast a stone complete and just, thou hast an ephah complete and just, so that they prolong thy days on the ground which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee;
16 for the abomination of Jehovah thy God `is' any one doing these things, any one doing iniquity.
17 `Remember that which Amalek hath done to thee in the way, in your going out from Egypt,
18 that he hath met thee in the way, and smiteth in all those feeble behind thee (and thou wearied and fatigued), and is not fearing God.
19 And it hath been, in Jehovah thy God's giving rest to thee, from all thine enemies round about, in the land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee -- an inheritance to possess it -- thou dost blot out the rememberance of Amalek from under the heavens -- thou dost not forget.
1 If there be a controversy between men, and they resort to judgment, and they judge [their case]; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
2 And it shall be if the wicked man have deserved to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and be beaten before his face, according to the measure of his wickedness with a certain number [of stripes].
3 With forty [stripes] shall they beat him; they shall not exceed, lest, if they continue to beat him with many stripes above these, thy brother become despicable in thine eyes.
4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out [the corn].
5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no son, the wife of the dead shall not marry a stranger abroad: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him as wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her.
6 And it shall be, that the firstborn that she beareth shall stand in the name of his brother who is dead, that his name be not blotted out from Israel.
7 But if the man like not to take his brother's wife, his brother's wife shall go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel: he will not perform for me the duty of a husband's brother.
8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak unto him; and if he stand to it and say, I like not to take her;
9 then shall his brother's wife come near to him before the eyes of the elders, and draw his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto the man that will not build up his brother's house.
10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe drawn off.
11 When men fight together one with another, and the wife of the one come near to rescue her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and stretch out her hand, and seize him by his secret parts,
12 thou shalt cut off her hand; thine eye shall not spare.
13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.
14 Thou shalt not have in thy house divers ephahs, a great and a small.
15 A perfect and just weight shalt thou have; a perfect and just ephah shalt thou have; that thy days may be prolonged in the land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
16 For every one that doeth such things, every one that doeth unrighteousness, is an abomination to Jehovah thy God.
17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee on the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt;
18 how he met thee on the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all the feeble that lagged behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary, and he feared not God.
19 And it shall be, when Jehovah thy God shall have given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens; thou shalt not forget it.
1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come to judgment, and [the judges] judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked;
2 and it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his wickedness, by number.
3 Forty stripes he may give him, he shall not exceed; lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then your brother should seem vile to you.
4 You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out [the grain].
5 If brothers dwell together, and one of them die, and have no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside to a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in to her, and take her to him as wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.
6 It shall be, that the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed in the name of his brother who is dead, that his name not be blotted out of Israel.
7 If the man doesn't want to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother to me.
8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak to him: and if he stand, and say, I don't want to take her;
9 then his brother's wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face; and she shall answer and say, So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother's house.
10 His name shall be called in Israel, The house of him who has his shoe untied.
11 When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draws near to deliver her husband out of the hand of him who strikes him, and puts forth her hand, and takes him by the secrets;
12 then you shall cut off her hand, your eye shall have no pity.
13 You shall not have in your bag diverse weights, a great and a small.
14 You shall not have in your house diverse measures, a great and a small.
15 A perfect and just weight shall you have; a perfect and just measure shall you have: that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.
16 For all who do such things, [even] all who do unrighteously, are an abomination to Yahweh your God.
17 Remember what Amalek did to you by the way as you came forth out of Egypt;
18 how he met you by the way, and struck the hindmost of you, all who were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he didn't fear God.
19 Therefore it shall be, when Yahweh your God has given you rest from all your enemies round about, in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it, that you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky; you shall not forget.
1 If there is an argument between men and they go to law with one another, let the judges give their decision for the upright, and against the wrongdoer.
2 And if the wrongdoer is to undergo punishment by whipping, the judge will give orders for him to go down on his face and be whipped before him, the number of the blows being in relation to his crime.
3 He may be given forty blows, not more; for if more are given, your brother may be shamed before you.
4 Do not keep the ox from taking the grain when he is crushing it.
5 If brothers are living together and one of them, at his death, has no son, the wife of the dead man is not to be married outside the family to another man: let her husband's brother go in to her and make her his wife, doing as it is right for a brother-in-law to do.
6 Then the first male child she has will take the rights of the brother who is dead, so that his name may not come to an end in Israel.
7 But if the man says he will not take his brother's wife, then let the wife go to the responsible men of the town, and say, My husband's brother will not keep his brother's name living in Israel; he will not do what it is right for a husband's brother to do.
8 Then the responsible men of the town will send for the man, and have talk with him: and if he still says, I will not take her;
9 Then his brother's wife is to come to him, before the responsible men of the town, and take his shoe off his foot, and put shame on him, and say, So let it be done to the man who will not take care of his brother's name.
10 And his family will be named in Israel, The house of him whose shoe has been taken off.
11 If two men are fighting, and the wife of one of them, coming to the help of her husband, takes the other by the private parts;
12 Her hand is to be cut off; have no pity on her.
13 Do not have in your bag different weights, a great and a small;
14 Or in your house different measures, a great and a small.
15 But have a true weight and a true measure: so that your life may be long in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
16 For all who do such things, and all whose ways are not upright, are disgusting to the Lord your God.
17 Keep in mind what Amalek did to you on your way from Egypt;
18 How, meeting you on the way, he made an attack on you when you were tired and without strength, cutting off all the feeble ones at the end of your line; and the fear of God was not in him.
19 So when the Lord your God has given you rest from all who are against you on every side, in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage, see to it that the memory of Amalek is cut off from the earth; keep this in mind.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 25
Commentary on Deuteronomy 25 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 25
De 25:1-19. Stripes Must Not Exceed Forty.
2, 3. if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten—In judicial sentences, which awarded punishment short of capital, scourging, like the Egyptian bastinado, was the most common form in which they were executed. The Mosaic law, however, introduced two important restrictions; namely: (1) The punishment should be inflicted in presence of the judge instead of being inflicted in private by some heartless official; and (2) The maximum amount of it should be limited to forty stripes, instead of being awarded according to the arbitrary will or passion of the magistrate. The Egyptian, like Turkish and Chinese rulers, often applied the stick till they caused death or lameness for life. Of what the scourge consisted at first we are not informed; but in later times, when the Jews were exceedingly scrupulous in adhering to the letter of the law and, for fear of miscalculation, were desirous of keeping within the prescribed limit, it was formed of three cords, terminating in leathern thongs, and thirteen strokes of this counted as thirty-nine stripes (2Co 11:24).
4. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn—In Judea, as in modern Syria and Egypt, the larger grains were beaten out by the feet of oxen, which, yoked together, day after day trod round the wide open spaces which form the threshing-floors. The animals were allowed freely to pick up a mouthful, when they chose to do so: a wise as well as humane regulation, introduced by the law of Moses (compare 1Co 9:9; 1Ti 5:17, 18).
5-10. the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother … shall take her to him to wife—This usage existed before the age of Moses (Ge 38:8). But the Mosaic law rendered the custom obligatory (Mt 22:25) on younger brothers, or the nearest kinsman, to marry the widow (Ru 4:4), by associating the natural desire of perpetuating a brother's name with the preservation of property in the Hebrew families and tribes. If the younger brother declined to comply with the law, the widow brought her claim before the authorities of the place at a public assembly (the gate of the city); and he having declared his refusal, she was ordered to loose the thong of his shoe—a sign of degradation—following up that act by spitting on the ground—the strongest expression of ignominy and contempt among Eastern people. The shoe was kept by the magistrate as an evidence of the transaction, and the parties separated.
13-16. Thou shalt not have … divers weights—Weights were anciently made of stone and are frequently used still by Eastern shopkeepers and traders, who take them out of the bag and put them in the balance. The man who is not cheated by the trader and his bag of divers weights must be blessed with more acuteness than most of his fellows [Roberts]. (Compare Pr 16:11; 20:10).
17-19. Remember what Amalek did—This cold-blooded and dastardly atrocity is not narrated in the previous history (Ex 17:14). It was an unprovoked outrage on the laws of nature and humanity, as well as a daring defiance of that God who had so signally shown His favor towards Israel (see on 1 Samuel 15; 27. 8; 30).