Exodus Chapter 21 Discussion

Exodus Chapter 21.

This chapter starts out "Now these are the judgments which you shall set before them.." and goes on to list many scenarios where a judgment from a judge or magistrate may need to make decisions for the parties involved. These judgments were for the Israelites in that time period as they were being grown into a nation. It seems that God was setting down a civil judicial system concerning matters that would emerge or had emerged among the people. This chapter makes me think of when Moses tried to adjudicate matters among the people on his own and Jethro suggested that Moses set up adjudicators from the tribes to settle most matters, leaving Moses to attend to meeting with the LORD and leading the people as a whole.

God knew ahead of time that there would be a need for such judgments concerning the civil affairs of these chosen people. He must have wanted to establish His way of settling matters, disputes, and offences among the people before they encountered people from the surrounding areas and began to adopt these "foreigner's" civil laws. Very likely that these foreign tribes had judgments that were unjust and inhumane. God is interjecting a better way of civil jurisprudence for the Israelites to help preserve justice and order in these people and to markedly distinguish His chosen nation from those the Israelites will encounter and share territory with.

Although to some of us in our time would read these judgments and scratch our heads as to whether they are truly just or not. But for me, I will not question God's holy justice. I will just accept that He instructed the Israelites according to His good an perfect will. So, perhaps the lesson for me is not to necessarily understand these judgments or the scenarios that prompt the judgments or the culture of these days. Rather, the lesson to me is, do I truly believe these are God's Words and are therefore true and right and will I defend God's right to judge as He pleases despite these words.

Servitude is an arguable aspect when you consider the dependency of a job and the financial burden placed when its lost. This is not the same thing. When you remove that financial burden, that occupation is now a choice. There is no contractual requirement.

Don't forget, women are servants forever. In addition, you can purchase a woman from the father or guardian and force them to be your wife. The crazy part is, this still exists today in other cultures. They are not forced, but if declining means you are disowned and put on the street and a dishonor to your family... its a more difficult situation as it includes the financial burden as above, but it also includes an emotional component of losing communication to your family which cant be easily remedied.

The "great viewpoints" in this chapter was that it did provide more rights than before. If no one told them that they couldn't own a male slave for 10 years, they would have... Granted, that notion was lost at some point until slavery was abolished.

Hi Richard, I wonder whether you're referring to Exodus 4:10,11. These verses do seem to imply that God specifically creates some (in the womb) to have defective organs or other impediments. He is after all the Creator of all people & things & so has the right to do as He pleases. However, the question: why would God then create a new life with such physical or mental problems? Is it simply sufficient to say that 'He has every right to do so?"

Apart from the above, I see two other aspects to this dilemma: we are all born in corrupt sinful flesh. Even though an embryo cannot be classed as one having committed any sin, its very state, being formed out of the seed of sinful man & woman, already consigns it to an existence (whether in the womb or outside), into a sinful state. And secondly, the Ways & Plans of God are unknown to us. We don't know how God uses such people so afflicted in various ways; whether to glorify Him, to lead them to Himself, or to touch other lives through their infirmity. We usually see the suffering of the one afflicted & ask 'why has God allowed this to happen'?, yet we remain ignorant to the Purposes of God in doing so & for the one afflicted to still return praises to Him in spite of it all.

Here in Exodus chapter 4, we see Moses with a speech impediment; in John 9:1-3 (a man born blind); Mark 7:31-34 (deaf man & with a speech impediment); Acts 3:1-3 (lame man) are a few examples. Then we have babies born with disabilities from no fault of the parents, or maybe because of something ingested by the mother (e.g. Thalidomide when taken during pregnancy for anxiety & morning sickness). All these are the results from what we are as humans or what God has allowed for His Own reasons. What is more important is how we accept our lot in life, how we can be useful to others in some way, & whether through it we are reminded of our own weaknesses & sins & therefore run to the Saviour for spiritual healing & hope, & strength to live through each day.

when did people begin to write

I am enjoying reading the word.

I have had many Bibles, different translations .

The King James Version is the ONLY Bible I read.

Thank you .

God Bless

Bruce.

Yes I'm like you most when my first reaction to this chapter was that God condones slavery? But if I think of it as a Boss (Master) and employee (servants), it is more acceptable. Think about it, there was no capitalism back them. No jobs like we have today. What would people do back then for work?

Great viewpoints that others had where it kept society in check minimizing crime. Eye for an eye, etc.

To say that the God condones slavery is a lie.

Andreas, it was God indeed who gave these rules. The list begins in Exodus chapter 20 verse 1. If you find anything mentioned there troubling, we must remember that God gave these laws to not only deal with any sin that might come to His people, but also as a testimony to the nations around, who had no such laws from God.

Unfortunately, the laws in today's society bear little resemblance to those original laws given to Israel, though they are based on Judaeo-Christian laws, where law makers now generally go according to societal expectations, treatment of criminals as equal to law-abiding citizens, or even in fear of passing a sentence that may be erroneous. Some Christians readily accept such laws as good, others know that one day we will all have to stand before our Great Judge, even the judges of this earth will stand before Him, & give an answer to God about our lives & to those whom we have charge over.

Was it God who provide those detailed rules? Looks like more as if was some law enforcing people .

Hebrews did not have Hebrew slaves. Hebrew Maidservants and Menservants were PAID occupations. A girl's father was paid for her service to her boss's family. In turn, they provided her room & board and meals for free. It's not much different than if I hired a live-in maid. Except of course, a live-in maid would get her wages paid to her directly, but Hebrew girls back then didn't have much to spend money on, so their wages typically went to help provide for their family who they lived with until marriage.

Gods Law...No matter what we do or say an eggs an egg evils evil WeAll need Gods Laws,We need His guidance we cannot do or change evil on our own Simple put We need God, so stop complaining n start applying His Laws to our life daily. Ask Gods help.....we should thrust All Gods Word not some as it suit our purposes May God BlessUsAll

Well I think its pretty clear based on what it says in 21-21, which clearly states "he IS his money" that this is not a willing relationship dynamic. not to mention the fact that physical harm to this "servant" is permitted as long as the person lives on for just another day or two. anyone who seeks to justify or defend this is simply lying to themselves and its shameful.

Servants was not slaves. They got room and board and maybe even some pay. Some were maids, cooks, housekeepers etc. I was born in a sharecroppers cabin. Dad planted and took care of the owners farm. We payed no rent and was given a share of the profits of the crops. I guess we were servants in that way.

Matthew 5:38 repeats verse 24. I just looked up the word "tooth" and found this.

The word slavery is not in the Bible.

@Sed B where in the bible does it give this explanation or definition of "Servant"

The Judgments are explained in Deuteronomy. Sold servants were poor people who had borrowed money and could not repay it. They'd work 6 years to repay the debt, owners could sell them to another owner. Finally, the poor would be set free even if debt was not repaid fully and with lavishly gifts from the former "employer". This was done to avoid usury and eliminate poverty from Israel altogether.

I have to admit I am extremely disappointed in this passage in The Bible, it sounds as if slavery is confirmed to be God's will. I'm fully aware that this is not only speaking to people of color , find it disturbing to read

The ten commandments, is the representation of God's character, No one, is free from obeying it, it is one requirement in obtaining salvation. The other is, the testimony of Jesus Christ who said, he is the son of God. The covenant between man and God our father are his ten commandments. Further, in the new testament, 1Cor. Chap. 6 verses 9-11 testifies of this. Jesus came to fulfill the law.

If these would be the Laws in our Countries today, how much less crime and evil would be! It doesn't mean we have to bring everyone to judgment for every little thing; but smaller matters could be dealt with by neighborhoods and communities, there would be definite boundaries that would make people think twice. Add to that, when all Nations a made disciples and have God's Spirit, how much better!

Yes the Ten Commandments are in the New Testament as he should be today as Jesus said he did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill the law to show that no man can uphold the law and that's why we have to have him our savior it is impossible for a human being to uphold the Commandments of God and this is what he was trying to teach the people for they had Harden their hearts

What was the manner of Jesus- it is written that Jesus according to His manner, He kept Sabbath Mark.2:27 What was the manner of Paul Acts.17:2; And Paul further says to each one of us 1.Cor.11:1- Follow me as I follow Christ? Do we follow this.... The 4th commandment ??? Simple question for Everyone.... " Whether 10 Commandments exist in new Testament ? Yes or No ? Psalms 111:7,8,

To Randy. The Law was given for Israel to be a sign for guidance to the Nations, to lead them away from their heathen ways and idols, to come to know the true God, and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. There is nowhere ANY people, in ANY time, who has a Law so holy and just! Everything written was for our instruction, to love the LORD and believe in His Son Jesus the Anointed unto eternal life.

quote " ..... this is the word law of man in the Bible, not God's actual words ..... " unquote; so Randy, where does one STOP with this 'not God' idea ..... ? There must be LOTS more of the Bible that isn't His word; just what parts are they?

God is the same today as he's always been even in the old testament he is the only one that can keep us covered with the blood of jesus trust in him and you will be ok.

Something else to consider is that the passage clearly indicates that the husband should be compensated for damages incurred, which implies a monetary loss. A male child would be viewed as a future worker a female child could either provide future labor or be sold. If the woman is so close to her due date that she is able to deliver a live, healthy child, what loss has the husband sustained?

Randy, in some ways we worse than the people of that time because we have knowledge. Christ has come and been crucified, resurrected, and acended to heaven. But look at the way man treat each other today with more than 7 billion people on the planet. The Incredible pain from hatred, war though sometimes necessary, greed, poverty, mostly for power and worldly list. Also, those laws were not the laws of man but God. They are the laws of God given by Moses 2 Peter 1:20, 21 says, "knowing this first that no prophecy of of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. V21 "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved-or-inspired by the Holy Ghost ". God bless us all and in the understanding of his Word. Glory be to Jehovah in the highest through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen!

Those who are pro-choice argue that this passage describes a miscarriage and is, therefore, clear evidence that a fetus was not considered to be a human being. Pro-life advocates disagree, claiming that the passage relates to a premature birth where the baby is born alive. What the pro-lifers fail to acknowledge is that, in Biblical times, a baby born prematurely would have had very little chance of survival, so the distinction between a miscarriage and a premature live birth would seem to be largely academic.

A somewhat gruesome chapter a listing of man 's laws, at the time. Thankfully we have, for the most part, moved beyond these laws and into a somewhat kinder and understanding world. At least in the western world. Some more acient and backward do hold this as gospel truth and to follow. But killing is not an answer to much of anything. The only understandable killing is in war, and then only to defend the faith and way of life. Remember, this is the word law of man in the bible, not Gods actual words in writing, like in other areas of the text.

I believe in God. Unfortunately,our society has become extremely corrupted! The teenagers do not respect themselves, much less their elders... Our world definitely needs the help of God. He is the only power that can save our lives.