Deuteronomy 23:22

23:15-25 It is honourable to shelter and protect the weak, provided they are not wicked. Proselytes and converts to the truth, should be treated with particular tenderness, that they may have no temptation to return to the world. We cannot honour God with our substance, unless it be honestly and honourably come by. It must not only be considered what we give, but how we got it. Where the borrower gets, or hopes to get, it is just that the lender should share the gain; but to him that borrows for necessary food, pity must be showed. That which is gone out of thy lips, as a solemn and deliberate vow, must not be recalled, but thou shalt keep and perform it punctually and fully. They were allowed to pluck and eat of the corn or grapes that grew by the road side; only they must not carry any away. This law intimated what great plenty of corn and wine they should have in Canaan. It provided for the support of poor travellers, and teaches us to be kind to such, teaches us to be ready to distribute, and not to think every thing lost that is given away. Yet it forbids us to abuse the kindness of friends, or to take advantage of what is allowed. Faithfulness to their engagements should mark the people of God; and they should never encroach upon others.

But if thou shalt forbear to vow,.... That a man might do, though there was ability; it was expected indeed that men should vow and bring freewill offerings in proportion to their ability; whether they were of the greater sort, of the herd and flock, or of fowls, or even of fine flour, these were acceptable to the Lord: but if they were not vowed and brought: it shall be no sin in thee; no charge of guilt be brought or punishment laid; it should not be reckoned a crime, nor be punishable in any respect, and especially where there was a willing mind and no ability; otherwise negligence, stubbornness, and ingratitude, are not well pleasing in the sight of God.

With the former the man at once puts his bride away; if her relatives repay him the bride-price he must be silent; if he speaks and the bride has really been guilty, they kill her; if she is innocent he is killed. A jury of matrons decides but the production required above Deuteronomy 22:17 is not demanded. With the Sharari the man returns the bride to her family. With the Terâbîn, if the man accuses his bride he has to flee before her relatives, and put himself under the protection of a strong man, who opens up communication with them. The bride’s representative applies for a ‘Minshâd’ decision ‘that thereby he may make white my honour which he has blackened,’ which is given only by the representatives of certain clans, to whom each party pays 1000 piasters. If the judge finds the charge false the man pays the father of the bride 100 lira, but if he accepts not the decision he is dishonoured and no one may protect him. If the bride is guilty, her punishment depends on her relatives, and compensation is made to the man, who can however still keep her. The innocent party receive back their 1000 piasters. 13–30. Six Laws on Cases of Unchastity Of these the first five prescribe the procedure in criminal cases:—1st. Of a Husband’s Charges against His Bride ( Deuteronomy 22:13-21 ); 2nd. Of Adultery ( Deuteronomy 22:22 ); 3rd. Of Dishonouring a Betrothed Virgin with her consent ( Deuteronomy 22:23 f.); 4th. Of the Same without her consent ( Deuteronomy 22:25-27 ); 5th.

[Reformed Biblical] Of divers seeds sown, #Deuteronomy 22:9 . Of ploughing with an ox and ass, #Deuteronomy 22:10 . Of garments of divers colours, #Deuteronomy 22:11 . Of fringes upon the four quarters of a garment, #Deuteronomy 22:12 . The punishment of him that slandereth his wife. #Deuteronomy 22:13-19 . Her punishment if the scandal be true, #Deuteronomy 22:20,21 . The punishment of adultery, #Deuteronomy 22:22-24 ; of rape, #Deuteronomy 22:25-27 ; of fornication, #Deuteronomy 22:28,29 . Against incest, #Deuteronomy 22:30 . ## Ver. 1. Thy brother; so called by communion not of religion, but of nature, as having one Father, even God, #Malachi 2:10 ; as appears, 1. Because the same law is given about their enemy’s ox, &c., ## #Exodus 23:4 . 2. Because else the obligation of this law had been uncertain, seeing men could not ordinarily tell whether the straying ox or sheep belonged to a Jew or to a stranger. 3. Because this was a duty of common justice and charity, which ## the law of nature taught even heathens, and it is absurd to think that the law of God delivered to the Jews should have less charity in it than the law of nature given to the Gentiles. Hide thyself from them, i.e. dissemble or pretend that thou dost not seen them; or neglect or pass them by as if thou hadst not seen them. ## Ver. 2. If thy brother be not nigh unto thee, which may make the duty more troublesome or chargeable. ## If thou know him not; which implies, that if they did know the owner, they should restore it to him.

1 Corinthians 9:8-10 a . μὴ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον κ . τ . λ .; “Am I saying these things as any man might do”—in accordance with human practice (as just seen in 7)?— κατὰ ἄνθρ ., in contrast with what ὁ νόμος λέγει ; cf. Galatians 3:15 ff. This dialectic use of μή , ἢ or ἢ καί , in a train of questions, is very Pauline; ἢ καὶ recommends the second alternative; cf. Romans 4:9 , Luke 12:41 .—“The law” is abolished as a means of obtaining salvation ( Romans 3:19 ff., etc.); it remains a revelation of truth and right ( Romans 7:12 ff.), and P. draws from it guidance for Christian conduct; cf. 1 Corinthians 14:34 , Romans 13:8 ff., and (comprehensively) Romans 8:4 . The ethics of the N.T. are those of the Old, enhanced by Christ (see Matthew 5:17 ff.). Paul speaks however here, somewhat distantly, of the “law of Moses ” ( cf. 1 Corinthians 9:20 f., 1 Corinthians 10:2 ); but of “the law of Christ ” in Galatians 6:2 ( cf. John 1:17 ; John 8:17 ; John 10:34 ; John 15:25 ).— Οὐ φιμώσεις κ . τ . λ ., “Thou shalt not muzzle a threshing ox,” cited to the same effect in 1 Timothy 5:18 ,— οὐ with fut[1305] reproducing the Heb. lo’ with impf[1306] of emphatic prohibition. Deuteronomy 25:4 , detached where it stands, belongs to a series of Mosaic commands enjoining humane treatment of animals, regarded as being in some sense a part of the sacred community: cf. Exodus 20:10 ; Exodus 23:12 ; Exodus 23:19 , Deuteronomy 22:4 ; Deuteronomy 22:6 f., Deuteronomy 22:10 .