When
a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be
charged with any related duty.1
He shall be free at home one year, to be happy with the wife whom he
has married.
No one shall take a mill or an upper millstone in pledge, for that would be taking a life in pledge.2
If someone is caught kidnaping another Israelite, enslaving or selling the Israelite, then that kidnaper shall die.3 So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
Guard against an outbreak of a leprous skin disease4 by being very careful; you shall carefully observe whatever the levitical priests instruct you, just as I have commanded them. Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on your journey out of Egypt.
When you make your neighbor a loan of any kind, you shall not go into the house to take the pledge. You shall wait outside, while the person to whom you are making the loan brings the pledge out to you.5 If the person is poor, you shall not sleep in the garment given you as the pledge. You shall give the pledge back by sunset, so that your neighbor may sleep in the cloak and bless you;6 and it will be to your credit before the Lord your God.
You shall not withhold the wages of poor and needy laborers, whether other Israelites or aliens who reside in your land in one of your towns. You shall pay them their wages daily before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them;7 otherwise they might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt.
Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their parents; only for their own crimes may persons be put to death.8
You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice; you shall not take a widow’s garment in pledge.9 Remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there;10 therefore I command you to do this.
When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow,11 so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings. When you beat your olive trees, do not strip what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow.12 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this.
1 As is chapter 20, new families are protected.
No one shall take a mill or an upper millstone in pledge, for that would be taking a life in pledge.2
If someone is caught kidnaping another Israelite, enslaving or selling the Israelite, then that kidnaper shall die.3 So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
Guard against an outbreak of a leprous skin disease4 by being very careful; you shall carefully observe whatever the levitical priests instruct you, just as I have commanded them. Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on your journey out of Egypt.
When you make your neighbor a loan of any kind, you shall not go into the house to take the pledge. You shall wait outside, while the person to whom you are making the loan brings the pledge out to you.5 If the person is poor, you shall not sleep in the garment given you as the pledge. You shall give the pledge back by sunset, so that your neighbor may sleep in the cloak and bless you;6 and it will be to your credit before the Lord your God.
You shall not withhold the wages of poor and needy laborers, whether other Israelites or aliens who reside in your land in one of your towns. You shall pay them their wages daily before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them;7 otherwise they might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt.
Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their parents; only for their own crimes may persons be put to death.8
You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice; you shall not take a widow’s garment in pledge.9 Remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there;10 therefore I command you to do this.
When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow,11 so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings. When you beat your olive trees, do not strip what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow.12 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this.
1 As is chapter 20, new families are protected.
2
Economic security is protected, even for those who may go back on a
pledge.
3
Slavery is prohibited in the case of kidnapping, at least for
Israelites. (Exodus 21:16 prohibited it for all people.) American
Puritans took a long time to start following this one.
4
The focus really seems to be jumping around – marriage to pledges
to kidnapping to leprosy!
5
Another statement protecting the rights of those making a pledge.
6
Quite incredible compassion for the poor here. Not followed today.
7
Again, incredible compassion for the poor that is not followed
today.
8
Justice requires that only criminals be killed for their crimes.
However, the principle seems not to be applied in the massacres after
war or the treatment of certain foreigners (see 23:3-8, 2014-18).
9
Widows, aliens, and orphans compassionately protected.
10
Empathy again called for.
11
Even more verses requiring compassion for the alien, orphan, and
widow. Again, these are not practiced today.
12
Fourth repetition of this list of the vulnerable in quick
succession.
Take-home: A striking array of commands are given to protect the rights and livelihood of the poor, the alien, the orphan and the widow.
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