6 Then his master H113 shall bring H5066 him unto the judges; H430 he shall also bring H5066 him to the door, H1817 or unto the door post; H4201 and his master H113 shall bore H7527 his ear H241 through with an aul; H4836 and he shall serve H5647 him for ever. H5769
Sacrifice H2077 and offering H4503 thou didst not desire; H2654 mine ears H241 hast thou opened: H3738 burnt offering H5930 and sin offering H2401 hast thou not required. H7592 Then said H559 I, Lo, I come: H935 in the volume H4039 of the book H5612 it is written H3789 of me, I delight H2654 to do H6213 thy will, H7522 O my God: H430 yea, thy law H8451 is within H8432 my heart. H4578
And it came to pass, when Samuel H8050 was old, H2204 that he made H7760 his sons H1121 judges H8199 over Israel. H3478 Now the name H8034 of his firstborn H1121 H1060 was Joel; H3100 and the name H8034 of his second, H4932 Abiah: H29 they were judges H8199 in Beersheba. H884
Then both H8147 the men, H582 between whom the controversy H7379 is, shall stand H5975 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 before H6440 the priests H3548 and the judges, H8199 which shall be in those days; H3117 And the judges H8199 shall make diligent H3190 inquisition: H1875 and, behold, if the witness H5707 be a false H8267 witness, H5707 and hath testified H6030 falsely H8267 against his brother; H251
And Moses H4872 said H559 unto the judges H8199 of Israel, H3478 Slay H2026 ye every H376 one H376 his men H582 that were joined H6775 unto Baalpeor. H1187 And, behold, one H376 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 came H935 and brought H7126 unto his brethren H251 a Midianitish woman H4084 in the sight H5869 of Moses, H4872 and in the sight H5869 of all the congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 who were weeping H1058 before the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150 And when Phinehas, H6372 the son H1121 of Eleazar, H499 the son H1121 of Aaron H175 the priest, H3548 saw H7200 it, he rose up H6965 from among H8432 the congregation, H5712 and took H3947 a javelin H7420 in his hand; H3027 And he went H935 after H310 the man H376 of Israel H3478 into the tent, H6898 and thrust H1856 both H8147 of them through, the man H376 of Israel, H3478 and the woman H802 through H413 her belly. H6897 So the plague H4046 was stayed H6113 from the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
If the thief H1590 be not H3808 found, H4672 then the master H1167 of the house H1004 shall be brought H7126 unto the judges, H430 to see whether he have put H7971 his hand H3027 unto his neighbour's H7453 goods. H4399 For all manner H1697 of trespass, H6588 whether it be for ox, H7794 for ass, H2543 for sheep, H7716 for raiment, H8008 or for any manner of lost thing, H9 which another challengeth H559 to be his, the cause H1697 of both parties H8147 shall come H935 before the judges; H430 and whom the judges H430 shall condemn, H7561 he shall pay H7999 double H8147 unto his neighbour. H7453
Moreover thou shalt provide H2372 out of all the people H5971 able H2428 men, H582 such as fear H3373 God, H430 men H582 of truth, H571 hating H8130 covetousness; H1215 and place H7760 such over them, to be rulers H8269 of thousands, H505 and rulers H8269 of hundreds, H3967 rulers H8269 of fifties, H2572 and rulers H8269 of tens: H6235 And let them judge H8199 the people H5971 at all seasons: H6256 and it shall be, that every great H1419 matter H1697 they shall bring H935 unto thee, but every small H6996 matter H1697 they shall judge: H8199 so shall it be easier H7043 for thyself, and they shall bear H5375 the burden with thee. If thou shalt do H6213 this thing, H1697 and God H430 command H6680 thee so, then thou shalt be able H3201 to endure, H5975 and all this people H5971 shall also go H935 to their place H4725 in peace. H7965 So Moses H4872 hearkened H8085 to the voice H6963 of his father in law, H2859 and did H6213 all that he had said. H559 And Moses H4872 chose H977 able H2428 men H582 out of all Israel, H3478 and made H5414 them heads H7218 over the people, H5971 rulers H8269 of thousands, H505 rulers H8269 of hundreds, H3967 rulers H8269 of fifties, H2572 and rulers H8269 of tens. H6235 And they judged H8199 the people H5971 at all seasons: H6256 the hard H7186 causes H1697 they brought H935 unto Moses, H4872 but every small H6996 matter H1697 H1992 they judged H8199 themselves.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 21
Commentary on Exodus 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 21
Ex 21:1-6. Laws for Menservants.
1. judgments—rules for regulating the procedure of judges and magistrates in the decision of cases and the trial of criminals. The government of the Israelites being a theocracy, those public authorities were the servants of the Divine Sovereign, and subject to His direction. Most of these laws here noticed were primitive usages, founded on principles of natural equity, and incorporated, with modifications and improvements, in the Mosaic code.
2-6. If thou buy an Hebrew servant—Every Israelite was free-born; but slavery was permitted under certain restrictions. An Hebrew might be made a slave through poverty, debt, or crime; but at the end of six years he was entitled to freedom, and his wife, if she had voluntarily shared his state of bondage, also obtained release. Should he, however, have married a female slave, she and the children, after the husband's liberation, remained the master's property; and if, through attachment to his family, the Hebrew chose to forfeit his privilege and abide as he was, a formal process was gone through in a public court, and a brand of servitude stamped on his ear (Ps 40:6) for life, or at least till the Jubilee (De 15:17).
Ex 21:7-36. Laws for Maidservants.
7-11. if a man sell his daughter—Hebrew girls might be redeemed for a reasonable sum. But in the event of her parents or friends being unable to pay the redemption money, her owner was not at liberty to sell her elsewhere. Should she have been betrothed to him or his son, and either change their minds, a maintenance must be provided for her suitable to her condition as his intended wife, or her freedom instantly granted.
23-25. eye for eye—The law which authorized retaliation (a principle acted upon by all primitive people) was a civil one. It was given to regulate the procedure of the public magistrate in determining the amount of compensation in every case of injury, but did not encourage feelings of private revenge. The later Jews, however, mistook it for a moral precept, and were corrected by our Lord (Mt 5:38-42).
28-36. If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die—For the purpose of sanctifying human blood, and representing all injuries affecting life in a serious light, an animal that occasioned death was to be killed or suffer punishment proportioned to the degree of damage it had caused. Punishments are still inflicted on this principle in Persia and other countries of the East; and among a rude people greater effect is thus produced in inspiring caution, and making them keep noxious animals under restraint, than a penalty imposed on the owners.
30. If there be laid on him a sum of money, &c.—Blood fines are common among the Arabs as they were once general throughout the East. This is the only case where a money compensation, instead of capital punishment, was expressly allowed in the Mosaic law.