Êxodo 21

Êxodo 21

Irving Jensen (Online) - Used by Permission View Chuck Swindoll's chart of Exodus, Summary Chart of The Book of Exodus DELIVERANCE FROM OPPRESSION PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP Redemption from Egypt Ex 1:1-18:27 Revelation from God Ex 19:1-40:38 Getting Israel Out of Egypt Getting Egypt Out of Israel! Narration Legislation Birth of Moses Ex 1-2 Call of Moses Ex 3-6 Conflict with Pharaoh Ex 7-10 Exodus from Egypt Ex 11-12 Red Sea Crossed Ex 13-15 Journey To Sinai Ex 16-18 Law Given Ex 19-24 Tent Plan Ex 25-31 Idol Worship Ex 32-34 Tent Built Ex 35-40 Subjection Redemption Instruction Suffering and Liberation of People of God Guidance of God Worship of God Moses and Burdens of Israel Pharaoh and Plagues Upon Egypt Red Sea Deliverance Wilderness Provision Sinai Instructions Bondage and Oppression Deliverance and Provision Law Pattern and Construction Israel in Egypt Ex 1:1-13:16 Israel to Sinai Ex 13:17-18:27 Israel at Sinai Ex 19:1-40:38 God's People Enduring Bondage God's Grace Revealed in Redemption God's Glory Manifested in Worship Egypt 430 Years (15% of Exodus) Wilderness 2 Months (30% of Exodus) Mt Sinai 11 Months (55% of Exodus) From Groaning To Glory! Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament - online Click for Excellent Map of Route of the Exodus Click another Exodus from Egypt Click for Events during the Sojourn at Kadesh-Barnea GENESIS EXODUS human effort and failure divine power and triumph word of promise work of fulfillment a people chosen a people called God’s electing mercy God’s electing manner revelation of nationality realization of nationality SUMMARY OF THE PENTATEUCH (from Believer's Study Bible) Exodus 21:1 "Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them. BGT Exodus 21:1 καὶ ταῦτα τὰ δικαιώματα ἃ παραθήσεις ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν NET Exodus 21:1 "These are the decisions that you will set before them: NLT Exodus 21:1 "These are the regulations you must present to Israel. ESV Exodus 21:1 "Now these are the rules that you shall set before them. LXE Exodus 21:1 And these are the ordinances which thou shalt set before them. KJV Exodus 21:1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. NIV Exodus 21:1 "These are the laws you are to set before them: ASV Exodus 21:1 Now these are the ordinances which thou shalt set before them. CSB Exodus 21:1 "These are the ordinances that you must set before them: the ordinances: Lev 18:5,26 19:37 20:22 Nu 35:24 36:13 De 5:1,31 6:20 1Ki 6:12 2Ch 19:10 Ne 9:13,14 10:29 Ps 147:19 Eze 20:11,25 Mal 4:4 which: Ex 19:7 24:3,4 De 4:5,8,14,45 6:20 Mt 28:20 1Th 4:1 Exodus 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Outline from Irving Jensen The Setting Promise Exodus 19:1–6 Preparation Exodus 19:7–15 Phenomena Exodus 19:16–25 The Laws Basic Laws Exodus 20:1–17 Laws in Detail Exodus 20:18–23:19 The Promises Exodus 23:20–33 The Response Exodus 24:1–18 See Summary of Purpose of Law in 4 Pictures PRESCRIPTIONS FOR PREPARATION OF GOD'S POSSESSION We are reminded of Jehovah's words to Israel in Exodus 19:5+ "Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine." They had now heard His voice directly in Exodus 20:1-17 (cf Dt 4:12, 33, 36, 5:22-28) and now they would hear His voice through His prophet and mediator Moses. Exodus 21:1-23:33 is essentially a unit wherein Jehovah gives Moses a "manual" which prescribes pious practices for God's possession so that they might manifest themselves among the pagan nations as a holy nation (Ex 19:6+) pointing to the one True and Living God. In Exodus 24:4 we read "Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD." Then in Exodus 24:7 Moses "took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”" First, by way of review, keep the overall structure of the book of Exodus in mind by looking at the chart above and noting the clear line of demarcation beginning in Exodus 19 and continuing to the end of Exodus 40. Second, notice the titles of the last half of the book - "Revelation from God," "Preparation for worship," "Getting Egypt out of Israel (Contrasted with "Getting Israel out of Egypt!"), "Legislation," "Instruction," "Worship of God," "Sinai Instructions," "God's Glory Manifested in Worship," "Mt Sinai 11 months." In summary, from Exodus 19-24 God presents the Law to Israel and one of the main purposes for the Law is to serve as a guide to the people of Israel as to how they live as a holy or set apart nation. The 10 Commandments are a summary and the detailed laws in Exodus 21-23 are in a sense an "exposition" of the 10 commandment. Third, keep the geographic context in mind. Where is Israel? At the foot or base of Mt Sinai where "the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night," (Ex 13:22+) had led them and where they would remain camped for the next 11 months. Actually, a more accurate description is that once the Tabernacle was constructed, the cloud remained over the Tent serving the same function which the divine cloud had served since Exodus 13:22 (Read Nu 9:15-23). If the cloud remained, Israel was to remain. If it moved, Israel was to move. And so during these 11 months the cloud remained and Israel remained during which time the events of Exodus 19-40, the entire book of Leviticus and the first section of the book of Numbers 1-10:11 took place. Numbers 10:11 records "Now in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony." The divine cloud had been the symbol of God's power, presence, protection and guidance every day and every night for 11 months. The cloud had been the visible evidence to the sons of Israel that Jehovah was continually in their midst. Clearly this 11 month period was crucial in the formative period of the "newborn" nation of Israel and God was preparing His people with His instructions ("ordinances" in Ex 21:1-23:33) through His mediator Moses. These ordinances were moral, ceremonial and judicial ordinances in preparation for Israel's entrance into the promised land. If Israel would obey these laws, she would live as set apart nation, a holy nation. Fourth, the climax of God's giving of the laws is found in Exodus 24 when God cut a covenant with Israel based on the laws. After receiving the ordinances from Jehovah (Ex 21-23), Moses came down from Mt Sinai and recounted the law orally to the people who responded "All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do." (Ex 24:3). Then Moses wrote these down in the the BOOK OF THE COVENANT (Ex 24:4), sacrificed animals and collected the blood. Then he sprinkled blood on the altar (representing God) (Ex 24:6) read the book to the people, who for a second time affirmed “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” (Ex 24:7) Then in the final step of ratification of the Old Covenant, Moses sprinkled the people with blood, the blood speaking of the solemnity and binding nature of the covenant. Israel was now in effect "married" to Jehovah her Husband (Isa 54:5, Jer 31:32). Sadly, even after all of the spiritual evidence of Jehovah's presence, power, provision, protection and now His precepts, and their entering into this binding covenant, the sons of Israel quickly proved to be a faithless "bride"! And so we read the tragic events reflecting the nation's rebellion and disobedience in Exodus 32:1-5ff! Before we are too hard on Israel, we need to recall Paul's words that "these things happened as examples for us, so that (TERM OF PURPOSE) we would not crave evil things as they also craved...Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1 Cor 10:6,11). Paul's point is reading the Old Testament is valuable for our spiritual well-being! RECOMMENDATION: Now before you study the ordinances in Exodus 21-23 which are quite detailed, you need to keep the overall picture in mind so that you do not become bogged down in what appears to be tedious minutiae. And to help you get a good perspective let me suggest taking 8 minutes to watch the summary by Dr Gene Getz in his Video entitled "The Greatest Commandments". Dr Getz reminds us that the first 4 of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 relate to our relationship with God ("vertical") while the last 6 commandments relate to our relationship with each other ("horizontal"). Then in Exodus 21-23 he notes that God focuses primarily on the last 6 commandments spelling out specific details on how the sons of Israel were to interact with one another. Laws about Slaves Laws about Personal Injury Laws about Theft Laws about Crop Protection Laws about Seduction Law about Capital Offenses Laws about Protecting the Vulnerable Laws about Honesty and Justice One other point to keep in mind as you study the 10 Commandments and the detailed description of the ordinances is Jesus description of the Law in the New Testament (Mt 22:37-40) And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38“This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them - The word ordinances (regulations, rules, judgments) describes what is right in God's eyes and if followed leads to right behavior among men and blessing by God. The Hebrew noun mishpat in this context (Ex 21:1-23:33) refers variously to laws, regulations, prescriptions, specifications, and is presented as both spoken or written commands (ultimately Moses recorded all these ordinances not just the "Ten Commandments") which were to be obeyed, with some of the ordinances linked with prescribed penalties for non-compliance. Currid - The law given at Sinai is a definite advance over the Mesopotamian codes. In the latter there exists a notable lack of emphasis upon ethical and spiritual matters; Mesopotamian legal documents are quite humanistic. (Ibid) George Bush says ordinances "here signifying the statutes, judicial laws, or rules of judgment, by which their civil government was to be conducted, and according to which the magistrates were to give judgment in disputed cases or differences arising between man and man. As their government was a Theocracy their entire legislation was from God. No part of their code, whether civil or ecclesiastical, originated with themselves, or was left to be modified by the dictates of human prudence." And so Moses is instructed by Jehovah to set these divine ordinances before the sons of Israel, all the people. The Hebrew verb "set" (sum) is translated in Greek with the verb paratithemi which literally means to "place beside" or "place before," emphasizing that this divine revelation was to be Israel's ever present "compass" for life, always in their mind's eye (so to speak) (cf the same purpose of "phylacteries" or frontlets = toptaphoth" in Ex 13:16+, Dt 6:8, 11:18), ever guiding their steps and their "stops" (so to speak). The Hebrew word for before is panim emphasizing the same thought as "set" because it means face. The point is that Moses is to place these basic divine instructions in Ex 21:1-23:33 right in front of their face so that they could not miss God's desire for His special possession (Ex 19:5+) and might then live their lives with these ordinances always in view as Jehovah's guidelines for holy living. Israel's holy living would in turn serve to assure that she was a holy nation (Exodus 19:6+), a light of revelation (fulfilled in Israel's Messiah - Lk 2:32+) among the godless, idolatrous pagan nations, eer pointing them to the one Holy God. THOUGHT - Yahweh's purpose and goal for Israel is the very same purpose and goal for every believer today! God is still Holy. Nations are still unholy. God is calling us to be dynamic, Spirit filled lights to the world. He desires us as His holy nation to proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called us out of (SPIRITUAL) darkness (THE LOST WORLD, THE DOMAIN OF THE DEVIL - Col 1:13-14+, Acts 26:18+) into His marvelous light (JESUS - Jn 8:12). (1 Peter 2:9+) So it is no surprise that in one of the first commandments Jesus issued in His Sermon on the Mount was the call for His disciples to SHINE! “Let your light shine before men in such a way (SPIRIT INITIATED, SPIRIT EMPOWERED WORKS) that they may see your good works (Jn 15:5 works), and glorify (GIVE A PROPER OPINION OF) your (INVISIBLE) Father Who is in heaven. (Mt 5:16+). In short, our VISIBLE "good (God) works" are to point others to the supernatural Souce, our INVISIBLE Father Who (Jn 1:18+ - AND NOW THAT FUNCTION OF "EXPLAINING" HIM IS THE JOB OF EVERY DISCIPLE OF CHRIST WHO ARE NOW CALLED TO LIVE LIKE HE LIVED). Paul gave a parallel commandment in Philippians 2:14-16 calling for all saints, all disciples of Jesus, to "Do (present imperative [continually, habitually!] see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey - notice Paul has just described this Supernatural Source making this possible in Php 2:13NLT+ = God in us, the Spirit Who gives us both the DESIRE and POWER not to grumble. Otherwise it is IM-possible. Not grumbling is only HIM-possible!) all (THIS IS THE CATCH! NOT SOME THINGS BUT "ALL" THINGS - NO EXCEPTION CLAUSES!) things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that (TERM O PURPOSE) you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of (NO "HOLY HUDDLES"!) a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast (present tense) the Word of Life (THIS HOLY BEHAVIOR IS ONLY POSSIBLE BY RELYING ON THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE HOLY WORD! cf Jn 6:63), so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain." (Phil 2:14-15+) Ordinances (04941)(mishpat/mispat from shaphat = to judge, govern) is a masculine noun used over 400x in the OT and has general meanings including a judgment, a legal decision, a legal case, a claim, proper, rectitude. Vine writes that mishpat/mispat "has two main senses; the first deals with the act of sitting as a judge, hearing a case, and rendering a proper verdict. Eccl. 12:14 is one such occurrence. Mishpat can also refer to the “rights” belonging to someone (Ex 23:6). This second sense carries several nuances: the sphere in which things are in proper relationship to one’s claims (Ge 18:19—first occurrence); a judicial verdict (Dt. 17:9); the statement of the case for the accused (Nu 27:5); and an established ordinance (Exod. 21:1). (Vine's Expository Dictionary) The Septuagint (Lxx) translates mishpat in Ex 21:1 with the Greek noun dikaioma (from dikaióo = to justify <> díkaios = just, righteous <> dike = right) which refers to what God has declared to be right, so as to have the force of law; hence an ordinance. Simply stated dikaioma is what God He has established and in Exodus 21:1-23:33 declares as right (righteous) and just. The word just means honorable, fair in one's dealings and actions with others, and consistent with what is morally right. Exodus 21:2 "If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. BGT Exodus 21:2 ἐὰν κτήσῃ παῖδα Εβραῖον ἓξ ἔτη δουλεύσει σοι τῷ δὲ ἑβδόμῳ ἔτει ἀπελεύσεται ἐλεύθερος δωρεάν NET Exodus 21:2 "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years, but in the seventh year he will go out free without paying anything. NLT Exodus 21:2 "If you buy a Hebrew slave, he may serve for no more than six years. Set him free in the seventh year, and he will owe you nothing for his freedom. ESV Exodus 21:2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. LXE Exodus 21:2 If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years shall he serve thee, and in the seventh year he shall go forth free for nothing. KJV Exodus 21:2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. NIV Exodus 21:2 "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. ASV Exodus 21:2 If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. CSB Exodus 21:2 "When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything. NKJ Exodus 21:2 "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. NRS Exodus 21:2 When you buy a male Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, but in the seventh he shall go out a free person, without debt. YLT Exodus 21:2 'When thou buyest a Hebrew servant -- six years he doth serve, and in the seventh he goeth out as a freeman for nought; an Hebrew: Ex 12:44 22:3 Ge 27:28,36 Lev 25:39-41,44 2Ki 4:1 Ne 5:1-5,8 Mt 18:25 1Co 6:20 but on the seventh: Lev 25:40-43,45 De 15:1,12-15,18 31:10 Jer 34:8-17 Exodus 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries John Currid explains "The reason why slavery laws appear so early in the Book of the Covenant is that Israel had just come out of bondage in Egypt. This experience was still fresh in their minds, and God used the opportunity to show them how they were to be distinct from the Egyptians even in the matter of slavery. And Israelite laws of slavery strongly contrast with the harsh rules of other ancient Near-Eastern cultures; slaves in Israel were very well treated. They were carefully protected by the Torah; they could not be oppressed; they had rights to Sabbath rest and national festivals. Slaves often became part of the family, with rights and positions of trust....The type of slavery we are seeing in this section is a form of indenture—that is, an Israelite sells himself or a family member into slavery to repay a debt incurred through poverty or theft." (EPSC-Ex) George Bush on buy...slave - it does not by any means necessarily convey the idea of Hebrew servants’ being bought and sold as goods and chattels, as they are under the system of modern slavery, especially in our own country. Here, as the service among the Hebrews was for the most part voluntary, the ‘buying an Hebrew servant’ may as legitimately imply the buying him from himself, that is, buying his services, as any other mode of purchase. Indeed, as there is no positive proof that Hebrew servants were ever made such or kept in that condition by force, against their own consent, except as a punishment for crime, the decided presumption is, that such is the kind of ‘buying’ here spoken of. If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years - Jehovah is not commanding slavery, but does give instructions to be followed if one bought a Hebrew slave from other Hebrews. The Hebrew verb abad (key word in Ex 21- uses 7x) is translated in the Septuagint with douleuo which in the NT describes one whose will is subjected to the will of his master. The first use of abad in Exodus is of Moses calling himself a "servant" of Yahweh. Notice also that while the word slave is used here, this word does not convey the same sense as when the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt. A distinction is being made here between the status of slave and indentured servant. (see Lev 25:39 below). If a master actually struck a slave and injured him, that slave was to be set free (Ex. 21:26-27). Serve (05647)(abad) means to work (Ge 2:5, 15), to serve (be enslaved or held in bondage used in Ex 6:6+; Lev 25:38, 39 Lxx = Lxx = douleuo)(Ge 14:4, 15:13, 14 - Lxx = douleuo). It is interesting that abad means labor (as when Israel was in Egyptian bondage - Ex 1:13,14) but abad is later translated worship after redemption Ex 3:12, Ex 7:16, 8:1, 8:20, 9:1, et al where Lxx = latreuo). God told Abraham that his descendants would "serve" the people of a strange land 400 years (Ge 15:13), meaning, "to be enslaved by." Ābad is often used toward God: "you shall worship God at this mountain." (Ex. 3:12). The word is frequently used with another verb: "“You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him" (Deut. 6:13), or "It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul," (Dt. 11:13). All nations are commanded: "Serve the Lord with gladness …" (Ps 100:2). In the reign of Messiah, "all nations shall serve him" (Ps 72:11). The verb and the noun may be used together as in Nu 8:11" Abad in Exodus - Ex 4:10; Ex 5:15; Ex 5:16; Ex 5:21; Ex 7:10; Ex 7:20; Ex 8:3; Ex 8:4; Ex 8:9; Ex 8:11; Ex 8:21; Ex 8:24; Ex 8:29; Ex 8:31; Ex 9:14; Ex 9:20; Ex 9:21; Ex 9:30; Ex 9:34; Ex 10:1; Ex 10:6; Ex 10:7; Ex 11:3; Ex 11:8; Ex 12:30; Ex 12:44; Ex 13:3; Ex 13:14; Ex 14:5; Ex 14:31; Ex 20:2; Ex 20:10; Ex 20:17; Ex 21:2; Ex 21:5; Ex 21:7; Ex 21:20; Ex 21:26; Ex 21:27; Ex 21:32; Ex 32:13; But on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment - A Hebrew owner could not hold a Hebrew as his servant forever, but had to release him in the seventh year of service. The slave did not have to pay a price to gain his freedom. It was analogous to the Sabbath in that the Hebrew slave could now experience "rest" from his servitude to another Hebrew. The seventh year is known as a sabbatical year. See the additional rules below in Dt 15:12-18 (additional truths are in bold font). Related Resource: What is a sabbatical year? G Campbell