The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 17
SECT. XVII.
NOw the Lord gives unto Moſes the Judicial or Political Laws, the civil Conſtitutions, Ordinances and Statutes (contained in the three next Chapters) according to which the Magiſtrates and Judges were to Govern the people. The chief Heads of which are as follow:
1. Concerning buying Men-Servants. A man might not buy an Iſraelite, but either firſt when he willingly ſold himſelf through extreme Poverty [ſee Deut. 15.12.Exod. Ch. 21. Levit. 25.39.] or when he was ſold againſt his Will by the Magiſtrate for Theft, which he was not able to make ſatisfaction for. Or 3ly, For Debt, which he was not able to pay; In ſuch a Caſe they and their Children might be ſold as Servants for ſatisfaction of the Debt, ſee 2 Kings 4.1. Math. 18.25. Now if it ſhould ſo happen that an Iſraelite became a Servant upon any of theſe accounts, here is a Law given concerning the time of his Service; namely, that he ſhould ſerve him that had bought him only ſix years, and that in the ſeventh he ſhould be ſet free for nothing, except the Year of Jubilee fell within the compaſs of theſe years, and in that Caſe, he ſhould be ſet free at that time, Lev. 25.40.41. Now the reaſon why the Lord would not have the Iſraelites ſerve any longer, is expreſſed Levit. 25.55. namely, becauſe they were his Servants, and ſo the Lord would teach the Jews to put a difference between his people, and others that were not his people. Furthermore the Lord Orders, That if the Servant came into Servitude unmarried, he ſhall ſo go out: if he were married, his Wife (if ſhe were an Iſraelite) ſhall go out free with him.(q)See Deut. 15.12. for only H…athens might be kept in Bondage, Lev. 25.44, 46. but with an Heb…ew-woman they could not do thus, as ap-appears, v. 7. But if his Maſter have given him a Wife in the time of his Service, viz. an Heathen Bond-woman, and ſhe have born him Sons and Daughters, in this caſe the man was to be ſet free alone, and his Wife and Children were to continue Servants to his Maſter. For the Children born of the Bondwoman are Bondmen, and Bondwomen alſo; as the example of Iſhmael whom Abraham begat of Hagar ſheweth, Gen. 21.9, 10. Yet no man by this Law was forced to leave his Wife; for by continuing in his former Service he might ſtill enjoy her. But the Lord Orders, That when himſelf was ſet free, he ſhould not think, under that pretence, to deprive his Maſter of her that was his lawful Servant, but ſhould rather endure the continuing of his own Bondage, than part from his Wife. And this liberty given to a Servant ſet free to go away, and leave his Wife behind him, was not an approbation of his forſaking of her, but at moſt only a part and branch of that ſcope wherein this people were left to themſelves for the hardneſs of their hearts, as our Saviour ſpeaks in another Caſe, Math. 19.8. And it was alſo a great fault in an Iſraelite if he married a Wife of another Nation and Religion; For ſuch Marriages were never pleaſing to God. But if the Servant ſhall declare that he loves his Maſter, his Wife, and his Children, and therefore he will not go free; Then his Maſter ſhall bring him to the Judges, (r)V. 6. before the Gods, [ſee Pſal. 82.1, 6.] that is, before the Magiſtrates.and prove it fairly and openly, that it was his Servants free and voluntary act to continue with him; And then he ſhall bring him to the door of his Houſe, and bore his Ear thorough with an Awl, to ſhew thereby, That he was made faſt to that Houſe, and tied to ſerve and obey the Maſter of it all his life, unleſs the Year of Jubilee fell in the mean time, and then all Hebrew Servants were abſolutely ſet free, together with their Children, [Lev. 25.40, 41.] Exod. 21. from 2. to 7.
2. Concerning buying Women-Servants. If an Iſraelite, through extream Poverty, ſhould ſ…ll his Daughter under age, with intention that ſhe ſhould marry him that buys her; if He that buys Her ſhall afterwards diſmiſs Her without marrying of Her, it ſhall be upon better terms then he may diſmiſs an ordinary Servant. If ſhe pleaſe not her Maſter, ſo that he doth not betroth (s)Si exoſa fuit in oculis heri ſui, ita at non ducat eam. The true reading is, ſo that he doth not betroth her to himſelf. Dr. Willer.her to himſelf, then ſhall he ſuffer another, (viz. one of her friends) to redeem her, but he ſhall not have power to ſell her to a Stranger, ſeeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her, failing her in that which ſhe expected at his hands. And if he ſhall betroth her to his Son, he ſhall deal with her after the manner of Daughters; that is, he ſhall give her a Dowry convenient, and all other Priviledges of a free-woman. But if (having betrothed her to himſelf) he do not in diſlike caſt her off, but yet takes to himſelf another Wife beſides Her, however he ſhall not deny Her Food and Raiment, and C…njugal Converſation. (t)Debitum conjugale, 1 Cor. 7.3.If he perform none of theſe three things unto Her, viz. Neither to betroth her to himſelf, nor to his Son, nor ſuffer her to be redeemed, ſhe ſhall go out free without paying any thing at all, from verſ. 7. to 12.
3. He that ſmiteth a man willingly, and maliciouſly ſo that he dies, ſhall be ſurely put to death: but if he did not lie in wait for him, nor had any intention to kill him, but God by his ſecret Providence delivered (u)Quae putant homines caſu fieri providentia Dei fiunt. Where a man intendeth not to kill, and yet killeth, God may be ſaid to deliver him into his hand.him into his hand, ſo that he ſhew him unwittingly and unwillingly; then the Lord appointed a place whether he ſhould flee, viz. while they were in the Deſert, to the Altar of Burnt-Offering, which was in the outward Court of the Tabernacle, but when they came into Canaan to the Altar, and Cities of Refuge. But if a man came preſumptuouſly upon his Neighbour, to ſlay him with guile, he ſhall be taken from the Altar (if he flee thither) and put to death. See 1 Kings 2.25, v. 12, 13, 14.
4. He that ſmiteth his Father or Mother, and ſo likewiſe he that curſeth, or maliciouſly revileth his Father or Mother, ſhall be ſurely put to death,(x)See Prov. 30.17. Verſ. 15, 17.
5. He that ſtealeth a man,(y)See Deut. 24.7. and ſelleth him; or if he be found in his hands, he ſhall be ſurely put to death, verſ. 16.
6. If two men ſtrive together, and one ſmite the other with a Stone, or with his Fiſt, yet ſo as he preſently dies not, but only keeps his Bed, if he riſe again and walk abroad with his Staff; then he that ſmote him ſhall not be put to death, but he ſhall pay for the loſs of his time, and ſhall ſatisfie him for the damage he ſuſtained by being diſabled to go about his buſineſs, and employment ſo long, and ſhall take care that he be perfectly healed and cured, and ſhall pay for it, verſ. 18, 19.
7. If an Iſraelite ſhall ſo ſtrike his Man-Servant or Maid-Servant, (namely, ſuch as were Strangers (z)For Hebrew-Servants there is another Law given, Lev. 25.39.of another Nation, and bought with his money) that either of them die immediately under his hand, he ſhall be left to the wiſdom of the Judges to be puniſhed as they ſhall ſee cauſe. But if the Servant ſo ſtricken continue a day or two alive, it is to be preſumed(a)Si virgâ caſtigavit praeſumitur non eo animo percuſſiſſe ut occideret, at ſi telo aut gladio percuſſiſſet habitus erit homicida. Rivet. his Maſters intention was not to kill him, ſeeing he was purchaſed with his money, and no man would willingly be the occaſion of his own loſs. And if he die afterwards, the loſs of the Servant ſhall be deemed ſufficient puniſhment; His Maſter ſhall not be further puniſhed, ſeeing he had power to Chaſtiſe him (being bought with his money) and make him obey him by force, verſ. 20, 21.
8. If a Woman with child come in to help her Husband, or Friend, when another is fighting with Him, or to part them, and do caſually receive ſome hurt, and by that means miſcarries, yet ſo as neither the Woman, nor the Child, dies, or is maimed; in this caſe the party that was the cauſe of the Womans miſcarrying ſhall pay or ſuffer what the Womans Husband ſhall lay upon him, provided it be judged fit by the Judges, in whoſe power it ſhall be to determine, whether his demand be reaſonable or no. But if any great miſchief have happened either to the Mother or Child thereby, then Life ſhall go for Life, Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth, Hand for Hand, Foot for Foot, Burning for Burning, Wound for Wound, Stripe for Stripe So that this Law directs Magiſtrates, in the ordering of publick Puniſhments, to proceed according to the Law of Retaliation, *Lex Talionis permiſſa eſt duro populo, ſed charitas fidelium mitigatrix eſt hujus legis. Lippoman.and to puniſh thoſe who had voluntarily done any hurt to their Neighbours, according to the hurt they had done, and that Puniſhments ſhould be proportioned to the Faults, though not always in the ſame ſpecial kind of Suffering; but it gives no permiſſion to particular perſons to take a private Revenge themſelves. So our Saviour, Math. 5.39. having repeated this Law, adds, but I ſay to you, Reſiſt not evil; Whereby he enjoyns his Diſciples rather to bear patiently any wrong done unto them, then to be Judges and Avengers in their own Cauſe. Yet very probable it is, that it was in the Judges Power, in ſome Caſes, to allow a Change or Commutation of the Penalty, and inſtead thereof, to award a pecuniary Mulct, or Fine of Money, verſ. 22, 23, 24, 25.
9. If a man ſmite out the Eye, nay if he ſmite out only the Tooth of his Man-Servant or Maid-Servant, he ſhall let them go free (b)Injuriae peccatum beneficio eſt diſſolvendum.for that damage done them. The like is to be underſtood of maiming or laming any other parts of the Body, verſ. 26, 27.
10. If an Ox (c)And by proportion any other Beaſt that killeth, by puſhing wirh his Horns, or biting, &c,gore a Man or Woman, that they die, then the Ox ſhall be ſtoned, and his Fleſh ſhall not be eaten, but the Owner ſhall be quit. But if the Ox were wont to puſh with his horn in time paſt, and that hath been teſtified to his Owner, and he hath not kept him in, and ſo he hath killed a Man or Woman, the Ox ſhall be ſtoned, and the Owner put to death. Or if the Judges having examined all Circumſtances, do find cauſe to ſave his life, and to fine him, then he ſhall give for the ranſome of his life whatever is laid upon him. And this puniſhment ſhall be laid upon him; not only if his Ox have gored a Man or Woman of grown years, but alſo if a Boy or Girl be killed by him. But if the Ox gore a Man-Servant or Maid-Servant that are Aliens, the Owner of the Ox ſhall give unto the Man's or Maids Maſter thirty Shekels of Silver (the price at which our Saviour was valued, who became a Servant for our ſakes, Math. 26.15. and ſo ſhall be quit, verſ. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32.
11. If a man ſhall dig or open a Pit, viz. in the common or publick way, (d)For in the Fields, or private Grounds, Pits were to be kept open for the Cattel to drink at.and ſhall not cover it again, ſo that an Ox or an Aſs (e)There is the ſame reaſon of other Cattel, as of Sheep or Goats.fall therein, and die, then the Digger of the Pit ſhall make it good unto the Owner of the Ox or Aſs, viz. ſhall pay him ſo much as the Judge ſhall eſtimate the Beaſt at, and the dead Beaſt ſhall be his who opened the Pit, verſ. 33, 34.
12. If a man's Ox (which was not known before to be hurtful) hurt anothers, ſo that he die, then they ſhall ſell the live Ox, and divide the money he was ſold for between them, and the dead Ox ſhall in like manner be divided alſo. The reaſon of this Law ſeems to be, becauſe it could not be certainly known which of the Oxen firſt aſſaulted the other, the one of them not being known to puſh more than the other; and therefore it is juſt that both the live and dead Ox ſhould be equally divided. But if it be known that one of the Oxen hath uſed to puſh in time paſt, and his Owner hath not kept him in, he ſhall ſurely pay Ox for Ox, and the dead Ox ſhall be his, whoſe Ox did kill the other, verſ. 35, 36.
Exod. Ch. 22.13. If a man ſhall ſteal an Ox or Sheep, and kill it, or ſell it, he ſhall reſtore five Oxen for an Ox, and four *Sam. 12.6.Sheep for a Sheep. But if the Ox or Sheep be found in his hand alive, he ſhall only reſtore double; (f)Double Reſtitution was the ordinary penalty for Theft, except in the caſe here mentioned of Cattel ſtolen and killed, or ſold. Whereas 'tis ſaid, Prov. 6.31. He ſhall reſtore ſeven-fold, that is, he ſhall abundantly ſatisfie, as the phraſe is elſewhere uſed, not for a ſet quantity, but for the abundant or manifold doing of a thing. See Pſ. 79.12.that is, pay two for one. Becauſe of the great profit, uſe, and ſervice the Owners might have of this ſort of Cattel (particularly for Sacrifices to God) the damage was to be recompenſed five and four fold; and therefore this kind of theft was reſtrained with the greater penalty, Ch. 22. verſ. 1. & 4.
14. If a Thief be found breaking up, or digging through an Houſe in the Night, and he be ſmitten that he die, he that killed him ſhall not be put to death for it. But if the Sun be riſen, and ſo there be ſufficient light to know the party by, and to take him, and ſo to bring him to Judgment, then to kill him was to be eſteemed murder (except in a man's own juſt and neceſſary defence) and in ſuch caſe the Thief being taken ſhall ſurely pay, and make full reſtitution, if he be able. If he have nothing to pay, he ſhall be ſold for a Servant by the Magiſtrate, that by his price, ſatisfaction may be made to the perſon he hath wronged, verſ. 2, 3.
15. If a man ſhall put in his Beaſt, and ſhall feed in another man's Field or Vineyard; of the beſt of his own Field, and of the beſt of his own Vineyard, He ſhall make Reſtitution, verſ. 5.
16. If Fire break out and catch in Thorns, ſo that ſtacks of Corn, or ſtanding Corn, or the Trees, and Fruits of the Field be conſumed thereby, He that kindled the Fire ſhall ſurely make Reſtitution, verſ. 6.
17. If a man ſhall deliver to his Neighbour Money or Stuff to keep, and it be ſtolen out of his Houſe; if the Thief be found, he ſhall pay double. But if he be not, then the Maſter of the Houſe ſhall be brought unto the Judges to clear himſelf if he can, either by Witneſſes, or his own Oath, that the Goods left with him were indeed ſtolen from him, and that he himſelf made them not away, verſ. 7, 8.
18. Here a general Law is inſerted concerning the Power of the Magiſtrate, in deciding Controverſies of this nature. And it decrees, that for all manner of Treſpaſs, whether it be for Ox, Aſs, Sheep, Raiment, or any thing loſt (which another challengeth to be his) the Cauſe of both Parties ſhall come before the Judges, and whom the Judges ſhall condemn, he ſhall pay double to his Neighbour, verſ. 9.
19. If a man deliver to his Neighbour an Aſs or Ox, or any Beaſt to keep for him at a price, and it die, or be hurt, or driven away by a ſuddain Incurſion of Enemies,(g)Caſus fortuitus non imputatur depoſitorio. ſo that the Keeper cannot retreive it, neither knows what is become of it; in ſuch a Caſe an Oath (whereby God is called upon as a Witneſs) ſhall be between the Parties; and if the Keeper do ſwear that he hath not put his Hands to his Neighbour's Goods, neither knows what is become of them; then the Owner muſt reſt ſatisfied with that Oath, and he to whom the Cattel were intruſted ſhall not make them good. But if they be ſtolen from him, thorow his own negligence, he ſhall make them good to the Owner. And if any of them be torn in pieces, he may bring ſome part of them to witneſs it was ſo, and then he ſhall not make them good, v. 10, 11, 12, 13.
20. If a man borrow ought of his Neighbour, and it be hurt or die, (the Owner thereof being not with it) he ſhall ſurely make it good. And the reaſon of this Law ſeems to be, to make them the more circumſpectly careful of things borrowed. But if the Owner thereof be with it (as ſometimes the Beaſt and its Owner might be hired together, and the Owner being by might ſee that the Miſchief which happened could not be prevented,) he ſhall not make it good. If it were hired, it came for its hire; that is, if it were not borrowed gratis, but hired, he that hired it ſhall be free, paying the conditioned hire, verſ. 14, 15.
21. If a man entice a Maid, who is not betrothed, and lie with her, he ſhall ſurely endow her; that is, he ſhall give her ſuch a Dower, or ſum of Money, as is uſed to be given with Maids of her condition, and ſo ſhall marry her. But if her Father utterly refuſe to give her unto him in marriage, He ſhall pay her ſo much as may ſerve to marry her to another of a ſuitable Condition to Her, verſ. 16, 17.
Further the Lord gives them theſe ſubſequent Laws.
22. Thou ſhalt not ſuffer a Witch, or Sorcereſs, (h)The Devil's Craft moſt prevails with womens weakneſs in that kind, though he prevails with ſome men alſo, Deut. 18.10.to live. The ſame is decreed concerning men that had familiar Spirits, Lev. 20.27. viz. That they ſhould be ſtoned, verſ. 18.
23. Whoſoever lieth with a Beaſt ſhall be ſurely put to death; [And the Beaſt alſo was to be put to death, Lev. 20.15.] verſ. 19.
24. He that Sacrificeth to any God, ſave to the Lord, the God of Iſrael, the only true God, ſhall be deſtroyed as a perſon execrable and accurſed, verſ. 20.
25. You ſhall neither vex a Stranger, nor oppreſs him, for you your ſelves were Strangers in the Land of Egypt, Lev. 19.33. verſ. 21.
26. You ſhall not afflict any Widow, or Fatherleſs Child. If thou afflict them in any wiſe, and they Cry unto Me (ſaith the Lord) I will ſurely hear their Cry, and my Wrath ſhall wax hot, and I will kill you with the Sword, and your Wives ſhall be Widdows, and your Children Fatherleſs, verſ. 22, 23, 24.
27. If thou lend money to any of my people (i)Unto Strangers they might lend upon Uſury, Deut. 23.10.that is poor by thee, thou ſhalt not be to him as an Ʋſurer, nor an exacting Creditor, neither ſhalt thou lay upon him Ʋſury; (k)The word is Neſheck, which ſignifies a biting Uſury.that is, a biting, conſuming Ʋſury. To ſuch as theſe our Saviour Commands us to lend freely, not expecting ſo much as the Principal, if they be not able to pay, much leſs the Ʋſe. See Luke 6.34, 35. verſ. 25.
28. If thou take ſuch of thy Neighbours Garments and Coverlids to pledge, which he uſeth to lie in by Night, and which he needeth to cover him, thou ſhalt reſtore them to him before the Sun goeth down. For if he Crieth unto Me (ſaith the Lord) I am gracious, I will hear him. So that this Prohibition ſeems to forbid, in effect, the taking any ſuch thing to pawn.(l)See Deut. 24.12. For it were in vain to take ſuch a thing for a Pawn, in the Morning, which, without paying the money, muſt be reſtored ere night, verſ. 26, 27.
29. Thou ſhalt not revile the Gods; *Pſal. 28.16. I have ſaid ye are Gods, but ye ſhall die like men. See Acts 23.5.that is, thoſe that fit in the place of Judgment, nor curſe the Ruler of thy people, verſ. 28.
30. Thou ſhalt not delay to offer the firſt of thy ripe Fruits, and of thy Liquors, (that is, thy Oil and Wine) unto the Lord. For it is fit that He that gives All ſhould be acknowledged as Lord of all, by having this Tribute paid unto Him, and that He ſhould be preſented firſt to procure his bleſſing upon the reſt. And the firſt-born of thy Sons thou ſhalt give to me (ſaith the Lord) or redeem him with five Shekels of Silver, which ſhall be given to the Prieſts my Servants, Numb. 18.16. The like ſhalt thou do with the firſt-born of thy Bullocks, and thy Sheep. Seven days ſhall they be with their damm; on the eighth day (m)Lev. 22.27.thou mayſt preſent them unto Me. Thus the Law preſcribed, yet doubtleſs when they ſaw cauſe they might keep them ſomething longer. So that they did not delay to bring them out of an unwillingneſs to give them to the Lord, verſ. 29, 30.
31. Ye ſhall be a holy people unto Me, (ſaith the Lord) ye ſhall not eat any Fleſh that is torn of Beaſts in the Field, but ye ſhall caſt it to Dogs. This was injoyned them, to teach them not only to abhor to eat the fleſh of Beaſts thus killed, but to abhor all Rapine and Cruelty, as ſins moſt odious in the ſight of God, verſ. 31.
32. Thou ſhalt not raiſe, nor readily receive, Exod. Ch. 23.nor maliciouſly ſpread a falſe Report againſt thy Neighbour, nor joyn nor combine with the Wicked to be an unrighteous Witneſs, and ſo to carry on their wicked deſign, and enterprize. Thou ſhalt not follow the multitude to do evil, neither ſhalt thou ſo ſpeak in a Cauſe as to decline after the mighty (n)Rabbim ſignifies the mighty as well as the many.to wreſt Judgment. Neither ſhalt thou countenance a poor man in his Cauſe, any further than the merit and deſert of it requires. For Right is to be regarded in Judgment, and not either Poverty or Riches. Thou ſhalt not wreſt nor overthrow the Right of the Poor in his Suit. Thou ſhalt not ſtrive againſt the Evidence of Truth, to condemn the Poor in a juſt Cauſe, or acquit him when his Cauſe is bad and unjuſt. Keep thy ſelf far from a falſe matter; that is, if thou be a Judge be marvellous ſhy either to admit of a falſe Teſtimony from others, or to give falſe Judgment thy ſelf; eſpecially againſt the life of a man. The Innocent and the Righteous ſee thou ſlay not; For God is a juſt God, and will not juſtifie ſuch wicked Judges. And thou ſhalt take no Gift or Bribe. For Gifts blind the eyes of the wiſe (that is, of thoſe that ſeemed to be ſo,) making them judge otherwiſe than they ſhould do, (being byaſſed by the love of lucre) and make thoſe that ſhould be righteous in Judgment to paſs a perverſe Sentence. Neither ſhalt thou in Judgment, or otherwiſe, oppreſs a Stranger. For ye know the heart of a Stranger, and how it uſeth to be affected, having been your ſelves Strangers in the Land of Egypt, Chap. 23.1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9.
33. If thou meet with thy Enemies(o)Ut hac ratione odientis animum tibi concilies. This Law ſhews us how we ſhould do good to our Enemies. It was no Precept of the Law, but the Phariſees corrupt gloſs, That they ſhould love their Friends and hate their Enemies. Ox or his Aſs going aſtray, thou ſhalt ſurely bring it back to him, and ſo any other thing of his that is loſt] Deut. 22.3.] If thou ſhalt ſee the Aſs of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, or any other of his Cattel endangered, wouldſt thou forbear to help him? (p)Num deſines ſublevare, vel juvare eum? Minime. Vatab.Surely thou ſhalt help with him; that is, ſet to thine helping hand with thine Enemy, to relieve his Aſs, and raiſe him up again, that ſo thou mayſt thereby oblige him, and diſpoſe him to be reconciled to thee, verſ. 4, 5.
34. Six years thou ſhalt ſow thy Land, and gather in the Fruits thereof, but the ſeventh year (q)The fruits of the ſixth year were by God's promiſe ſo abundant, that they ſerved almoſt for three years for the 6th, 7th, and good part of the 8th. See Notes on Lev. 25.20.thou ſhalt let it reſt, and lie ſtill, and neither plow it, nor ſow it, that the poor of thy people may eat with thee; namely, that which ſhall grow in the ſeventh year of it ſelf, without any humane labour, by the eſpecial bleſſing of God. (See Lev. 25.6, 7.) and the remainder the Beaſts of the Field ſhall eat. And ſo thou ſhalt deal alſo with thy Vineyard and Oliveyard. So that the fruit of Trees, and what-ever the Earth brought forth of its ſelf, this ſeventh year (viz. of the grains ſcattered in the former Harveſt) was to be indifferently common to all, verſ. 10, 11.
35. Yet in this ſeventh, or Sabbatical Year, they were not to think themſelves exempted from the peculiar ſanctifying of the Seventh-day-Sabbath, but were bound religiouſly to keep it, in this as well as in other years. And the Lord adds this reaſon for it, That thine Ox and thine Aſs may reſt, and that the ſlave born in thy Houſe, and thy purchaſed Stranger, or hired Servant may reſt alſo, and be refreſhed as well as thy ſelf, verſ. 12.
36. The Lord further ſays, In all things that I have ſaid unto you be Circumſpect, and make no mention of the Names of other Gods, with any approbation of them, nor let their Names be heard out of your Mouths, ſo as to ſwear by them, or to any to ſuch purpoſe, verſ. 13.
37. Three ſolemn Anniverſary Feaſts ſhalt thou keep unto Me, ſaith the Lord, viz. The Feaſt of the Paſsover, (r)See Exod. 13.3.34.18. Deut. 16.13, 14, 16.of Pentecoſt, or Weeks, (s)Exod. 34.22.and the Feaſt of Tabernacles or Booths, or in-gathering of all thy Fruits, not only of Corn (which was before inned) but of Wine and Oil, &c. At which three Feaſts all thy Males (t)Though the Males only were obliged to attend at theſe Feaſts, yet the Women might, if they pleaſed, go up with them alſo. And doubtleſs ſome of them did. See 1 Sam. 12.19.(that are able) from 20 years old to 60, ſhall appear before Me in the place (u)Luke 2.41. The place where they met was firſt the Tabernacle, then the Temple.which I ſhall chooſe. And none ſhall appear before Me empty; that is, without ſome Gift or Offering, verſ. 14, 15, 16, 17.
38. Ye ſhall not offer the bloud of my Sacrifice, viz. of the Paſchal Lamb with leaven; that is, having any leavened bread in your houſes, nor eating any ſuch bread with it; neither ſhall ye leave the fat, (x)Adeps recens ſtatim adolendus erat, quia facile corrumpitur; & ne Sacerdotes comederent quod Dei erat. De Agno Paſchali nihil pra…ter adipem Deo offerebatur, quippe is totus excepto adipe ab offerentibus erat comedendus. Vide 2 Chron. 35.12, 14.or any part of the Lamb until the Morning. See Exod. 34.25. verſ. 18.
39. The Firſt-fruits of thy Land thou ſhalt bring into the Houſe of the Lord thy God, viz. firſt to the Tabernacle, then to the Temple. See Deut. 26. from 1. to 12. verſ. 19.
40. Thou ſhalt not ſeeth a Kid in its Mothers milk; (y)Videtur crudelitatem ſapere ſi lac matris quod datum ei eſt pro nutrimento, adhibeatur ad conſumptionem. Lyranus.that is, thou ſhalt not be ſo cruel as to ſeeth a Kid in the milk of its Dam, and ſo make that which was given to it for its nouriſhment to be a means to waſt and conſume it. Or thou ſhalt not imitate the Iſhmaelites, who, through over-much delicacy, uſe to ſeeth a Kid in the Dams Milk.(z)Non coques haedum dum adhuc pendet ab ubere matris ſuae, & illius lacte eget, nempe primo ſeptiduo a partu. Sunt qui ſentiunt hujuſmodi praeceptorum non eſſe nimis anxie indagandam rationem. Multa quippe a Deo ſapienter eſſe inſtituta quorum cauſae vel ſapientiſſimos mortalium latent. Nam quid humanae mentis acits ad immortalis & aeternae mentis conſilium. Muis. In lacte matris ſuae] dum ſcil. adhuc eget lacte matris ſuae, ut ejus Caro corroberetur, & cibo idoneus reddatur, nempe primo ſeptiduo a partu. Vide c. 22. 39. Piſc.
Exod. 21. whole Chapter.
Exod. 22. whole Chapter.
Exod. 23. from 1. to verſ. 20.