Deuteronomy 24:6-22 -

Neighborly love and good will to be cultivated in detail.

One golden thread runs through all the varied precepts of this chapter. They are most interesting illustrations, one and all, of the spirit of humanity and of far-reaching wisdom which pervades the Mosaic Law. The following heading include the gist of the several injunctions here given, and show also their relation to each other.

1. Man's "inhumanity to man" is sternly restrained. No Israelite, however poor, is to be kidnapped and sold into foreign slavery ( Deuteronomy 24:7 ).

2. No one might be deprived of the machinery, tools, or implements on the use of which his daily bread depended, for a pledge ( Deuteronomy 24:6 ). It is doubtless to this humane regulation that we owe the ancient common law of this realm, that no man shall be distrained of the necessaries of his trade or profession as long as there are other things on which the distraint can be made.

3. A man's house is to be his castle. No one may enter it, even to fetch a pledge ( Deuteronomy 24:10 , Deuteronomy 24:11 ). The exception to this is in the case of leprosy, in which instance the priest had a right to enter a man's house to see into the state of things, i . e . home is to be inviolable save where the public security demands it otherwise. Hence a special caution is given to avoid anything which might bring such a plague upon them. The case of Miriam should be before their eyes ( Deuteronomy 24:8 , Deuteronomy 24:9 ).

4. If the poor man has pledged that in which he needs to sleep, it is to be restored to him before sundown ( Deuteronomy 24:13 ).

5. Hired servants were not to be oppressed, but were to have fair and even generous treatment ( Deuteronomy 24:14 , Deuteronomy 24:15 ).

6. The spirit of the checks upon blood-revenge, which are found in connection with the cities of refuge (see Homily thereon), is never to be violated, and no one is to suffer any civil penalty on account of another's sin. Justice is to operate always ( Deuteronomy 24:16 ).

7. No advantage is ever to be taken of the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. They who are deprived of earthly helpers on whom they might lean are to find their safeguard in the sentiments of honor and benevolence which pervade the people ( Deuteronomy 24:17 , Deuteronomy 24:18 ).

8. Not only is no wrong to be done to them, but their aid and comfort are to be specially studied, in the time of harvest, and in the gathering in of the olive and the grape ( Deuteronomy 24:19-22 ).

9. The reason for such cultivation of kindness to others is that God had been kind to them ( Deuteronomy 24:18 , Deuteronomy 24:22 ).

I. The requirements of God in the social relations of life are righteousness, justice, mercy, love, and good will to all.

II. God has fenced round the poor, the weak, the widow, and the fatherless with a special guard.

III. A wrong done by man to man is sin against God.

IV. The inspiring motive for our showing love to others is the love of God to us (cf. Micah 6:8 , Micah 6:9 ).

HOMILIES BY J. ORR