Exodus 22:20-26

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 22:16-24

Here is, I. A law that he who debauched a young woman should be obliged to marry her, Exod. 22:16, 17. If she was betrothed to another, it was death to debauch her (Deut. 22:23, 24); but the law here mentioned respects her as single. But, if the father refused her to him, he was to give satisfaction in money for the injury and disgrace he had done her. This law puts an honour upon marriage and shows likewise how improper a thing it is that children should marry without their parents? consent:... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 22:25-31

Here is, I. A law against extortion in lending. 1. They must not receive use for money from any that borrowed for necessity (Exod. 22:25), as in that case, Neh. 5:5, 7. And such provision the law made for the preservation of estates to their families by the year of jubilee that a people who had little concern in trade could not be supposed to borrow money but for necessity, and therefore it is generally forbidden among themselves; but to a stranger, whom yet they might not oppress, they were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 22:20

He that sacrificeth unto any god ,.... To Elohim, to strange gods, to the idols of the people, as the Targum of Jonathan; to the Egyptian deities, to the gods of the Moabites, Amorites, Edomites, Canaanites, Philistines, or any other: Aben Ezra says the word Elohim comprehends angels; and by the exceptive clause it is plain it takes in all that had been, were, or ever would be the objects of idolatrous worship, especially the sun, moon, and stars, the principal objects of worship in those... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 22:21

Thou shall not vex a stranger ,.... One that is not born in the same country, but comes into another country to sojourn, as Jarchi; not a native of the place, but of another kingdom or country; a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, that is only in it for a time on trade and business, or through one providence or another; or else a proselyte is meant, not a proselyte of righteousness, who has embraced the true religion; but a proselyte of the gate, that takes upon him the commands of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 22:22

Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. Who have no friends, husband, or father to be on their side and protect them, and are weak and helpless to defend themselves, and therefore it must be barbarous to do them any injury, either to their persons or property; no one ought to be afflicted and distressed by another, either in body or mind, or substance, and especially such as have no helper, not any to assist them and sympathize with them; for this is a law for every man, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 22:23

If thou afflict them in any wise ,..... In any way, or by any means whatever; their minds, by reproaches, censures, insults, and their bodies by stripes, false imprisonment, &c.; and in their substance, by withholding from them what belongs to them, taking what they have, or cheating and defrauding them in any respect; or, "in afflicting afflict them" F5 ענה תענה "affligendo afflixeris", Pagninus, Piscator, Ainsworth, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius. ; afflict them much, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 22:24

And my wrath shall wax hot ,.... Against those that afflict them, being so devoid of humanity, compassion, and tenderness, and so guilty of oppression and injustice, which are aggravated by the circumstances of the persons they ill treat, and therefore the more provoking to God: and I will kill you with the sword ; with the sword of death, says the Targum of Jonathan; it designs one of God's sore judgments, the sword of an enemy; the meaning is, that when such evils should become... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 22:25

If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee , Such only need to borrow money, and to whom it should be freely lent, when it may be to the good of the borrower, and not any injury to the lender: this law, according to the Jewish writers, only respects Israelites, and not Gentiles; agreeably to which is Jarchi's note,"if thou lend, that is, not to a Gentile; and to which of my people? the poor, and to which of the poor? that is with thee:" thou shalt not be to him as an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 22:26

If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge ,.... So that it seems that the lender, though he might not impose usury on the borrower, or oblige him to pay interest for what he lent him, yet for the security of his money he might take his clothes, either his bed clothes or wearing apparel, or any instruments or goods of his; but when he did, he was bound to what follows: thou shalt deliver it to him by that the sun goeth down ; the reason of which appears in the next verse, with... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 22:20

Utterly destroyed - The word חרם cherem denotes a thing utterly and finally separated from God and devoted to destruction, without the possibility of redemption. read more

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