Exodus 22:16-31
Care for the Vulnerable
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16If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife.
17If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay an amount comparable to the bridal price of a virgin.
18You must not allow a sorceress to live.
19Whoever lies with an animal must surely be put to death.
20If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.
21You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
22You must not mistreat any widow or orphan.
23If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry.
24My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.
25If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.
26If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset,
27because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.
28You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
29You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons.
30You shall do likewise with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to Me.
31You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs.
Berean Standard Bible
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These ordinances address intimate relationships, worship, and the treatment of people with little protection. A man who seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage must pay the prescribed bridal price; her father may refuse the marriage, but the payment is still due. The passage also assigns severe penalties to sorcery, sexual acts with animals, and sacrifice to other gods within Israel's covenant law.
Then the LORD tells Israel not to exploit a foreign resident. They know what it means to live as foreigners because they were foreigners in Egypt. Their history must shape the way they treat someone now living among them.
God forbids mistreatment of widows and orphans and promises to hear their cries. He warns that His judgment can leave the wrongdoers' own families bereaved. People who seem to have no defender are heard by the Lord Himself.
The poor borrower must not be made a source of interest income. If a neighbor's cloak is taken as collateral, it must be returned by sunset because it may be the person's only covering for sleep. God asks what else the neighbor will sleep in and declares that He hears because He is compassionate. A lender's claim cannot make a cold night irrelevant.
The final commands concern reverent speech, offerings, the firstborn, and holy living. Giving God the firstborn sons is read with His earlier requirement to redeem them (Exodus 13:11–16), not to sacrifice children. The people who belong to Him must honor Him in both worship and conduct.
The Lord's compassion supplies the reason for these practical duties. He hears the cry that a creditor or neighbor might ignore. Israel's holiness must be visible in the way it handles another person's need.
Questions
1 Why must Israel not exploit a foreign resident?
AnswerThey were foreigners in Egypt themselves. Their remembered experience should lead them to treat the resident among them with care.
2 What does God promise when a widow or orphan cries out under mistreatment?
AnswerHe will hear and judge those responsible. The absence of a human protector does not mean the person is unheard by God.
3 What limits are placed on lending to a poor neighbor?
AnswerNo interest is to be charged, and a cloak held as collateral must be returned by sunset. The borrower's need for warmth remains important.
4 How does God explain His concern for the neighbor without a covering?
AnswerHe says He will hear the person's cry because He is compassionate. His own character gives weight to the command.
What This Means for Us
A valid claim does not excuse indifference to a person's need. God makes the lender think about the neighbor trying to sleep without a cloak. When someone owes you money, time, or a task, consider their circumstances as well as the obligation.
Make compassion practical. Agree on a manageable arrangement, return something the person urgently needs, or help them find support without humiliating them. Remember the mercy you have received, and let it affect the terms you set for someone else.
Prayer
We pray: God who hears the cry of the vulnerable, keep us from exploiting the stranger, the widow, the fatherless, or the poor. Remember us as people rescued from bondage, and make that memory visible in our choices. Amen.
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