Latest Commentaries

Moses’s concern for compassion moves to the treatment of domestic animals. He now commands Israel not to muzzle the ox while he is threshing.

Moses instructs the Israelites on how to administer legal justice in the land. This law limits the number of lashes to be given to a criminal to forty.

Moses told the Israelites that they could eat from their neighbors’ vineyard or standing grain. They were, however, prohibited from gathering more fruits or grain than was necessary to meet their immediate need.

Moses commanded the Israelites to fulfill their vows in a timely manner. Failure to keep their vows will surely bring judgment on them.

Moses prohibited Israelites from charging interest on loans to fellow Israelites.

Moses prohibited the practice of cult prostitution. He also warned the Israelites against bringing the hire of a harlot or the wages of a male prostitute into God’s sanctuary.

Moses prohibited Israel from returning an escaped slave to his master.

Moses instructs the Israelites on how to remain pure in the battlefield because the Suzerain (Ruler) God is present with them to fight for them.

Moving from purity in marriage in the previous chapter, Moses now turned to purity in worship. To do this, he instructed the Israelites concerning who was allowed and who was not allowed in the assembly of the LORD.

In this last case, Moses prohibited a man from marrying a woman who was formerly his father’s wife and was possibly his stepmother.

Moses gave the law designed to protect an unengaged virgin who may have been a victim of rape.

Moses described what to do about sexual infidelity committed by a virgin who was engaged to be married.

Moses condemns adultery. If a man has sexual intercourse with a married woman, both of them shall die.

Moses described the steps to be taken when a husband falsely accused his wife of not having been a virgin at the time of marriage. He also described what to do if these accusations were true.

Moses prohibited the mixture of seed, plow animals, and clothes.

Moses told the Israelites to make a parapet on their roof whenever they build a new house in order to protect the life of his neighbor.

Moses trains the people to recognize the sanctity of life by encouraging them to care for a lower form of God’s creation—a mother bird along with its young. Though possibly designed to preserve a source of food supply, it serves as a principle to care for and preserve life, both human and animal.

Moses prohibited wearing clothes of the opposite sex.

Moses exhorted his fellow Israelites to help preserve his brother’s life by taking care of his brother’s property. Lost property was to be returned to his brother. This included his brother’s livestock, which was many Israelites’ livelihood.

Moses instructs the Israelites on how to handle the dead body of a person who has committed a capital offense and has been put to death