Exodus 22:22-24

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

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

Adam Clarke

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

Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child - It is remarkable that offenses against this law are not left to the discretion of the judges to be punished; God reserves the punishment to himself, and by this he strongly shows his abhorrence of the crime. It is no common crime, and shall not be punished in a common way; the wrath of God shall wax hot against him who in any wise afflicts or wrongs a widow or a fatherless child: and we may rest assured that he who helps either does a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 22:1-31

Exodus 21:33 If a man shall open a pit. Rather, "If a man shall uncover a cistern." Cisterns, very necessary in Palestine, were usually closed by a flat-stone, or a number of planks. To obtain water from them, they had to be uncovered; but it was the duty of the man who uncovered them, to replace the covering when his wants were satisfied. Or dig a pit and not cover it . A man who was making a cistern might neglect to cover it while it was in course of construction, or even... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 22:16-28

The severity and the tenderness of God. The miscellaneous laws thrown together, without any clear logical sequence or indeed any manifest connection, in the latter part of this chapter, may, generally speaking, be grouped under the two heads of instances of the Divine severity, and instances of the Divine tenderness. Here, as in so many places, "mercy and truth meet together—righteousness and peace kiss each other." God is as merciful to the weak and helpless as severe towards the bold and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 22:16-31

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 22:21-29

Jehovah's proteges and representatives. I. JEHOVAH 'S PROTEGES ( Exodus 22:21-28 ). These are the stranger, the fatherless, the widow, and the poor generally—all of whom the Israelites are forbidden to "afflict." The ground of Jehovah's interest in them is his own character—"for I am gracious" ( Exodus 22:27 ). In him, however little they may sometimes think of it or feel it, they have a constant Friend, a great invisible Protector. They are (in the sense of Roman law)... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 22:22

Ye shall not afflict . The word translated "afflict" is of wide signification. including ill-usage of all kinds. "Oppress," and even "vex," are stronger terms. read more

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