A COMPASSIONATE AND HOLY PEOPLE
Key verse: 27b
NIV
Social Responsibility
16 “If a man seduces a virgin(A) who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price,(B) and she shall be his wife. 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.
18 “Do not allow a sorceress(C) to live.
19 “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal(D) is to be put to death.
20 “Whoever sacrifices to any god(E) other than the Lord must be destroyed.[a](F)
21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,(G) for you were foreigners(H) in Egypt.
22 “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.(I) 23 If you do and they cry out(J) to me, I will certainly hear their cry.(K) 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.(L)
25 “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.(M) 26 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,(N) return it by sunset, 27 because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?(O) When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.(P)
28 “Do not blaspheme God[b](Q) or curse(R) the ruler of your people.(S)
29 “Do not hold back offerings(T) from your granaries or your vats.[c]
“You must give me the firstborn of your sons.(U) 30 Do the same with your cattle and your sheep.(V) Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.(W)
31 “You are to be my holy people.(X) So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts;(Y) throw it to the dogs.
Footnotes
- Exodus 22:20 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
- Exodus 22:28 Or Do not revile the judges
- Exodus 22:29 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
Cross references
- Exodus 22:16 : Dt 22:28
- Exodus 22:16 : S Ge 34:12
- Exodus 22:18 : S Ex 7:11; Lev 19:26, 31; 20:27; Dt 18:11; 1Sa 28:3; 2Ch 33:6; Isa 57:3
- Exodus 22:19 : Lev 18:23; 20:15; Dt 27:21
- Exodus 22:20 : S Ex 20:23; 34:15; Lev 17:7; Nu 25:2; Dt 32:17; Ps 106:37
- Exodus 22:20 : Lev 27:29; Dt 13:5; 17:2-5; 18:20; 1Ki 18:40; 19:1; 2Ki 10:25; 23:20; 2Ch 15:13
- Exodus 22:21 : Ex 23:9; Lev 19:33; 24:22; Nu 15:14; Dt 1:16; 24:17; Eze 22:29
- Exodus 22:21 : Dt 10:19; 27:19; Zec 7:10; Mal 3:5
- Exodus 22:22 : ver 26; Dt 10:18; 24:6, 10, 12, 17; Job 22:6, 9; 24:3, 21; Ps 68:5; 146:9; Pr 23:10; Isa 1:17; Jer 7:5, 6; 21:12; 22:3; Eze 18:5-9, 12; Zec 7:9-10; Mal 3:5; Jas 1:27
- Exodus 22:23 : Lk 18:7
- Exodus 22:23 : Dt 10:18; 15:9; 24:15; Job 34:28; 35:9; Ps 10:14, 17; 12:5; 18:6; 34:15; Jas 5:4
- Exodus 22:24 : Ps 69:24; 109:9; La 5:3
- Exodus 22:25 : Lev 25:35-37; Dt 15:7-11; 23:20; Ne 5:7, 10; Ps 15:5; Eze 18:8
- Exodus 22:26 : S ver 22; Pr 20:16; Eze 33:15; Am 2:8
- Exodus 22:27 : Dt 24:13, 17; Job 22:6; 24:7; 29:11; 31:19-20; Eze 18:12, 16
- Exodus 22:27 : Ex 34:6; Dt 4:31; 2Ch 30:9; Ne 9:17; Ps 99:8; 103:8; 116:5; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jnh 4:2
- Exodus 22:28 : S Ex 20:7
- Exodus 22:28 : 2Sa 16:5, 9; 19:21; 1Ki 21:10; 2Ki 2:23; Ps 102:8
- Exodus 22:28 : Ecc 10:20; Ac 23:5*
- Exodus 22:29 : Ex 23:15, 16, 19; 34:20, 26; Lev 19:24; 23:10; Nu 18:13; 28:26; Dt 18:4; 26:2, 10; 1Sa 6:3; Ne 10:35; Pr 3:9; Mal 3:10
- Exodus 22:29 : S Ex 13:2; Nu 8:16-17; Lk 2:23
- Exodus 22:30 : Ex 34:19; Dt 15:19
- Exodus 22:30 : Ge 17:12; Lev 12:3; 22:27
- Exodus 22:31 : Ex 19:6; Lev 19:2; 22:31; Ezr 9:2
- Exodus 22:31 : Lev 7:24; 17:15; 22:8; Dt 14:21; Eze 4:14; 44:31
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Laws About Social Justice
16 (A)“If a man seduces a virgin[a] who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price[b] for her and make her his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, (B)he shall pay money equal to the (C)bride-price for virgins.
18 (D)“You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
19 (E)“Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.
20 (F)“Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.[c]
21 (G)“You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 22 (H)You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. 23 If you do mistreat them, and they (I)cry out to me, I will surely (J)hear their cry, 24 and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and (K)your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.
25 (L)“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. 26 (M)If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, 27 for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he (N)cries to me, I will hear, for I am (O)compassionate.
28 (P)“You shall not revile God, nor (Q)curse a ruler of your people.
29 “You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. (R)The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me. 30 (S)You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: (T)seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.
31 (U)“You shall be consecrated to me. Therefore (V)you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; (W)you shall throw it to the dogs.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 22:16 Or a girl of marriageable age; also verse 17
- Exodus 22:16 Or engagement present; also verse 17
- Exodus 22:20 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction)
Cross references
- Exodus 22:16 : Deut. 22:28, 29
- Exodus 22:17 : [See ver. 16 above]; Deut. 22:28, 29
- Exodus 22:17 : Gen. 34:12; 1 Sam. 18:25
- Exodus 22:18 : Lev. 19:26, 31; 20:27; Deut. 18:10, 11; 1 Sam. 28:3, 9
- Exodus 22:19 : Lev. 18:23; 20:15; Deut. 27:21
- Exodus 22:20 : [Num. 25:2, 7, 8; Josh. 23:16]; See Deut. 13:1-15; 17:2-5
- Exodus 22:21 : ch. 23:9; Lev. 19:33; Deut. 10:18, 19; Jer. 7:6; Zech. 7:10; Mal. 3:5
- Exodus 22:22 : Deut. 24:17; 27:19; Ps. 94:6; Isa. 1:17, 23; 10:2; Ezek. 22:7; Zech. 7:10; James 1:27
- Exodus 22:23 : Job 34:28; Luke 18:7
- Exodus 22:23 : Ps. 18:6; 145:19; [James 5:4]
- Exodus 22:24 : Ps. 109:9; Lam. 5:3
- Exodus 22:25 : Lev. 25:35-37; Deut. 23:19, 20; Neh. 5:7; Ps. 15:5; Prov. 28:8; Ezek. 18:8, 13, 17; 22:12
- Exodus 22:26 : Deut. 24:13, 17; Prov. 20:16; Ezek. 18:7, 16; Amos 2:8; [Prov. 22:27]
- Exodus 22:27 : [See ver. 23 above]; Job 34:28; Luke 18:7
- Exodus 22:27 : ch. 34:6; 2 Chr. 30:9; Neh. 9:17
- Exodus 22:28 : Cited Acts 23:5; [2 Sam. 19:21; Eccles. 10:20; Jude 8]
- Exodus 22:28 : Cited Acts 23:5; [2 Sam. 19:21; Eccles. 10:20; Jude 8]
- Exodus 22:29 : See ch. 13:2
- Exodus 22:30 : Deut. 15:19
- Exodus 22:30 : Lev. 22:27
- Exodus 22:31 : ch. 19:6; Lev. 11:44, 45
- Exodus 22:31 : Lev. 22:8; Ezek. 4:14; 44:31
- Exodus 22:31 : [Matt. 7:6]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. ...for I am compassionate (16-27)
While slaves in Egypt, Israeli society was oppressed under a 'might makes right' worldview. People did as they pleased, following the godless culture and influences of Egypt. The weak and powerless suffered. God's people are to grow in God's attributes, including his compassion. He expects his people to protect young girls, not oppress foreigners, or take advantage of widows, the fatherless, or the poor. The chief value of God's society is not tolerance, but compassion and holiness.
2. You are to be my holy people (28-31)
God is holy. Being God's people integrates acknowledgment of God in every area of life. This includes governing, giving offerings regularly, and remembering God's grace of deliverance from Egypt by consecrating the firstborn (13:2). No longer slaves who eat whatever can be found, God's holy people are to bear his image.
Prayer: Father, thank you for calling me to grow in your compassion and holiness. Help me love you and love my neighbor practically.
One Word: God is compassionate and holy
