# 01 2025 Dev. Ex.21: “The Commandments Details” Read all of chapter twenty one first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Ex.21 Chapter 21 expands on the fifth and sixth commandments. This is based on the culture of the time; parents are to be respected, people were bought and sold as slaves, murder and accidents are covered. There is no slavery in our country today however, there is exploitation, sexual, economic and physical (discrimination). In fact there has been a large increase of this kind of slavery. But for working people these two rules also touch upon the relationship of employers to employees.
Vs.1-6 “if you buy a Hebrew servant…” The rules were different, they had been slaves once and had no rights whatsoever but if one had bought a Hebrew servant, after six years of service he was free to go with his wife and children. But if he choses to stay with his master, that would be for life. Servitude often was to pay a debt or demanded by a judge for some indiscretion. Before this time Moses did all the judging and often asked God to adjudicate a difficult cases.
V.7-11 “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do.” They have intrinsic value that is in high demand and is subject to abuse. But if the owner was not happy with her she may be redeemed. If she was not redeemed, the owner must continue to care for her, even if he buys another woman. If he does not provide for her she goes free. Today’s standards would consider that misogynistic but it was for their protection. In those days women could not be independent, often, their only option would be to sell their bodies.
Vs.12-36 “Personal injuries. Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.” But if one dies by accident if “God lets it happen…” they are to flee to a place of refuge. Once they were in the land, cities of refuge were set up. “Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death. Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death. Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.” Those who are aggressive will be held responsible and will pay restitution. Even if one beat a slave the owner responsible must compensate the slave/servant for the damage. Pregnant women are protected.
“But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.” What that means is that; “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.” (Mathew Henry’s Commentary.) The punishment must be appropriate for the crime. Commuting the death sentence of murders violate any normal standard today and certainly God’s standard, and is a complete adulteration of justice, promoting more violence as we are experiencing right now.
Owners of livestock are responsible for any damage caused if the animal is not penned up. That goes for us as well. The issue here is accountability, we trust God and we expect accountability to be practiced in this land. May God bless you, your family, all people of this country and the free countries of the world in this New Year.
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Heavenhigh 