Exodus 22

Chap. XXIII. ver. 2. Thou shalt not follow &c.] If thou art a judge, thou shalt not be influenced, either by the people, “the multitude;” or by the great, who are generally attended by “many” supporters; to pronounce a false or unjust judgment. Bp. Patrick, Dr. Wells.

Exodus 22:3

3. If the sun be risen &c.] It is remarkable that the laws of most nations have punished more severely an attack by night than by day. The Jewish law made it justifiable to kill a housebreaker, only in the case of a nocturnal attempt: the Athenian and Roman laws enacted the same: and by the English law, if a person

4. Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man &c.] If his cause be bad, let his poverty be what it will, thou mayest not countenance him in it. Bp. Sanderson.

Exodus 22:6

6.—If fire break out, &c.] It is a common custom in the East, to set the dry herbage on fire, before the descent of the autumnal rains; which fires, for want of care, often do great damage: on this account it is expressly provided in the law of Moses, that those who occasion them maliciously, or through great negligence, should be liable to make all damages good. Harmer.

6. Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor] As they were not to favour a man because he was poor, ver. 3, so much less might they wrong him, or forbear to do him right, because he wanted money to prosecute his cause. Bp. Patrick.

Exodus 22:7

7.—false matter:] False accusation, if the precept is addressed to persons in general: or false judgment, if it is addressed to judges, whom he seems to command not to “slay the innocent;” that is, not to pronounce a

Exodus 22:11

11.—an oath of the Lord] They shall be put to swear by the name of God. Bp. Hall. “An oath of the Lord” is an oath, wherein God is appealed to as the only witness, there being no need of this oath, where there was any other witness. He that had stolen was forced to forswear himself, if he would avoid discovery. Hence it is that theft and perjury are so often mentioned together in Scripture, one very often inferring the other. See Lev. xix. 11, 12; Prov. xxx. 8, 9; Zech. v. 3, 4. Bp. Kidder.

Divers laws and ordinances. Before CHRIS T 1491. c Deut. 22. 28. weigh. d Deut. 13. 13, 14, 15.

Exodus 22:18

18.—a witch] One who practises diabolical arts. Dr. Wells. A woman that pretends to the power of inverting the established order of nature. Bp. Kidder. The Hebrew word refers, in its original sense, to the pretended discovery of things hidden, or future, by magical means. Parkhurst.

Exodus 22:27

27. For that is his covering &c.] To the present time the Arabs use their clothes as a covering both by day and by night. The usual size of their garments is six yards long, and five or six feet broad, serving them for a complete dress in the day; and as they sleep in their raiments, as the Israelites did of old, it serves likewise for a bed and covering at night. Dr. Shaw.

Exodus 22:28

28.—the gods.] The judges or under magistrates. Bp. Patrick, Dr. Wells, &c. —the ruler of thy people.] The civil, the judiciary magistrate. He was not to be reviled, especially in the discharge of his office. Calmet. it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.