Deuteronomy 22:1--25:19
see ............... return ... without fail <07200 07725> [Thou shalt.]
ignore ..... return ... without fail <05956 07725> [hide thyself.]
return <07725> [thou shalt restore.]
help ... get <06965> [thou shalt surely.]
woman ...... clothing ......... women's <0802 03627> [woman shall not.]
offensive <08441> [abomination.]
chicks ....... bird <0667> [young ones.]
take <03947> [thou shalt not]
be sure ... let .... go <07971> [But thou shalt.]
The extirpation of any species of birds, whether edible or birds of prey, is often attended with serious consequences, and is always productive of evil; to prevent which was the object of this law. Palestine is situated in a climate producing poisonous snakes and scorpions, and between deserts and mountains, from which it would be inundated by them, as well as with immense swarms of flies, locusts, and mice, if the birds which feed upon them were extirpated. In a moral point of view, it may have been intended to inculcate a spirit of mercy and kindness, and to prevent the exercise of cruelty even towards a sparrow; for he who is guilty of such cruelty will, if circumstances be favourable, be cruel to his fellow-creatures.
well <03190> [that it may.]
long <0748> [thou mayest.]
construct <06213> [then thou shalt.]
The eastern houses being built with flat roofs, which were used for various purposed, as walking, sleeping, etc., it was therefore necessary to have a sort of battlement, or balustrade, to prevent accidents, by people falling off.
roof <01406> [thy roof.]
avoid <07760> [thou bring.]
plant .................. plant <02232> [shalt not sow.]
[fruit of thy seed. Heb. fulness of thy seed.]
Two different species cannot associate comfortably together, nor pull pleasantly either in cart or plough; and the ass being lower than the ox, when yoked, he must bear the principal part of the weight.
tassels <01434> [fringes.]
corners <03671> [quarters. Heb. wings.]
never divorce <03201 07971> [he may not put.]
stone <05619 068> [stone her.]
done <06213> [she hath wrought.]
purge <01197> [shalt thou.]
stone <05619> [and ye shall stone.]
In these laws, the betrothed damsel was considered as the wife of the man to whom she was engaged, though they had not come together; and therefore the crime was adjudged adultery. But a charitable supposition is admitted in the damsel's favour, in case she was found in a solitary place.
violated <06031> [he hath humbled.]
purge <01197> [so thou shalt put.]
overpowered .... raped ...... rapist <02388 07901> [force her. or, take strong hold of her.]
<02399> [no sin.]
cried out <06817> [cried.]
violated <06031> [because he hath humbled.]
man .... marry <0376 03947> [a man shall.]
This is to be understood as referring to the case of a stepmother. A man in his old age may have married a young woman, and on his dying, his son by another, or a former wife, may desire to espouse her; which is here forbidden.
dishonor <01540> [discover.]
man <06481> [wounded.]
enter <0935> [shall not enter.]
It is evident that his law was not meant to exclude such Israelites either from the common benefits of civil society, or any essential religious advantages; but merely to lay them under a disgraceful distinction. This would tend to discourage parents from thus treating their children; a practice which was exceedingly common in those ages and countries. To this they were induced by the custom which prevailed, of employing such in the houses of the great and the courts of princes; so that they often rose to the highest posts of honour and authority. Some expositors therefore consider the phrase, "shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord," as meaning, that they should be incapable of bearing any office in that government which was placed over the people of God, who must thus enter a protest against this custom, and deliver selfish parents from this temptation.
Ammonite <05984> [Ammonite.]
These nations were subjected for their impiety, wickedness, and enmity to Israel, (ver. 4, 5,) to peculiar disgrace; and on this account were not permitted to hold any office among the Israelites. This did not, however, disqualify them from becoming proselytes; for Ruth, who was a Moabitess, was married to Boaz, and became one of the progenitors of our Lord.
meet <01697 06923> [Because they met.]
hired <07936> [because they hired.]
Lord .......... changed ......... Lord <03068> [Nevertheless.]
Lord .......... changed ......... Lord <03068> [because the.]
seek <01875> [Thou shalt.]
prosperity <02896> [prosperity. Heb. good.]
relative <0251> [he is thy.]
foreigner <01616> [because thou.]
enter ... assembly <0935 06951> [enter into.]
third generation <01755 07992> [third generation.]
evening <06153> [when evening.]
arrives <06437> [cometh on. Heb. turneth toward. wash himself.]
In such a vast camp as that of the Israelites, (See Notes on Nu ch. 1; 2,) and indeed, as Scheuchzer remarks, in every well regulated camp, cleanliness is considered as indispensably necessary.
relieve yourself outside <03427 02351> [wilt ease thyself. Heb. sittest down. cover that.]
walks <01980> [walketh.]
anything indecent <01697 06172> [unclean thing. Heb. nakedness of any thing.]
We cannot suppose that this law required the Israelites to entertain slaves who had robbed their masters, or left their service without cause; but such only as were cruelly treated, and fled to them for protection, especially from the neighbouring nations. To such they were commanded to afford shelter, and shew great kindness.
live <03427> [shall dwell.]
prefers <02896> [liketh him best. Heb. is good for him. thou shalt not.]
sacred prostitute <06948> [There shall be, etc.]
The prohibition in the text, like many others, has no direct application to practices that were common among the Israelites at that time; but was intended to guard them against the enormities which were practised among the surrounding nations.
sacred prostitute <06948> [whore. or, sodomitess.]
sacred male prostitute <06945> [sodomite.]
pay <0868> [hire.]
male prostitute <03611> [dog.]
vow <05088> [any vow.]
lend ..... a foreigner <05237> [a stranger.]
Lord <03068> [that the.]
vow <04161> [That which.]
vowed <05087> [hast vowed.]
eat <0398> [thou mayest.]
pluck <06998> [then thou mayest.]
<03947> [hath taken.]
offensive <06172> [uncleanness. Heb. matter of nakedness. then let him.]
divorce <03748> [divorcement. Heb. cutting off.]
evict ..... house <07971 01004> [send her.]
go <01980> [she may go.]
first <07223> [Her former.]
land <0776> [thou shalt.]
man <0376> [a man.]
obligated <05674> [neither, etc. Heb. not any thing shall pass upon him. cheer up.]
take ....... as security ......... taking ..... as security <02254> [shall take.]
Small hand-mills, which ground at one time only a sufficient quantity for a day's consumption; hence they were forbidden to take either of the stones to pledge, because if they did, they would be deprived of the means of preparing their necessary food, and the family be without bread. On this account they are called in the text, a man's life. The same reason holds good against receiving in pledge, or distraining for debt, any instrument of labour, by which men earn their livelihood.
life <05315> [life.]
found <04672> [found.]
kidnapper <01590> [then that.]
purge <01197> [and thou shalt.]
Remember <02142> [Remember.]
Miriam <04813> [Miriam.]
<05383> [When.]
loan .... neighbor <07453 03972 04859 05383> [lend thy brother any thing. Heb. lend the loan of any thing to thy brother.]
return <07725> [deliver.]
sunset <08121> [the sun.]
garment <08008> [in his own raiment.]
The raiment here referred to was most likely the same as the {hyke} of the Arabs, a long kind of blanket, resembling a Highland plaid, generally about six yards in length, and five or six feet broad; in which they often carry their provisions, as well as wrap themselves in, in the day, and sleep in at night, it being their only substitute for a bed. How necessary, then, it was to restore the {hyke} to a poor man before the going down of the sun, that he might have something to repose on, will sufficiently appear from these considerations.
just deed <06666> [shall be.]
day <03117> [At his.]
life depends <05315 05375> [setteth his heart upon it. Heb. lifteth his soul unto it.]
cry out <07121> [lest he.]
pervert <05186> [pervert.]
take ..... as security for a loan <02254> [nor take.]
reap <07114> [When thou.]
resident foreigner <01616> [it shall be.]
bless <01288> [may bless.]
repeat ... procedure <0310 06286> [go over the boughs again. Heb. bough it after thee.]
grapes <01219> [gatherest.]
<0310> [afterward. Heb. after thee.]
more ....... more <03254> [not exceed.]
view <07034> [vile unto thee.]
That is, be beaten so cruelly, that, by retaining the marks, he become contemptible in the eyes of his brethren. Amendment, and not this, was the object of the punishment. We should hate and despise the sin, but not the sinner.
muzzle <02629> [shalt not.]
In Judea, as well as in Egypt, Greece, and Italy, they made use of beeves to tread out the corn; and the same mode of threshing still obtains in Arabia, Barbary, and other eastern countries, to the present day. The sheaves lie open and expanded on the threshing floors, and the cattle continually move round them, and thus tread out the grain. The natives of Aleppo still religiously observe the ancient humane practice, inculcated by this law, of permitting the oxen to remain unmuzzled when treading out the corn.
muzzle <02629> [muzzle.]
<01778> [treadeth out. Heb. thresheth.]
brothers <0251> [brethren.]
husband's brother .............. brother-in-law <02993 02992> [husband's brother. or, next kinsman.]
first son <01060> [the first-born.]
name ......... name <08034> [that his name.]
[brother's wife. or, next kinsman's wife. go up.]
want ... marry <02654 03947> [I like not.]
sandal <05275 02502> [loose his shoe.]
Pulling off the shoe seems to express his being degraded to the situation of slaves, who generally went barefoot; and spitting in or rather before, (biphney) his face, was a mark of the utmost ignominy.
spit <03417> [spit.]
done <06213> [So shall.]
two men ............... involved ..... husband <0376 05337> [to deliver her husband.]
bag <03599> [in thy bag.]
stone weights <068> [divers weights. Heb. a stone and a stone.]
{Aivenw„aiven;} because weights were anciently made of stone. Hence the expression, a stone weight, which is still in use, though the matter of which it is made be lead or iron, and the name itself shews us that a stone of a certain weight was formerly used.
different measuring containers <0374> [divers measures. Heb. an ephah and an ephah.]
{Aiphah w„aiphah;} for this was the cost common measure among the Israelites, by which all the others were made and adjusted. They are not only forbidden to use divers weights and measures, one large or heavy to buy with, and another small and light to sell with, but they were not even allowed to keep such in the house. It is observable also, that these too common but dishonest actions are branded as "an abomination to the Lord," equally with idolatry, and other scandalous crimes.
life <03117> [that thy days.]
acts <06213> [all that do.]
unafraid <03373> [feared.]
Lord <03068> [when the.]
wipe out ............ forget <04229 07911> [thou shalt.]
