Exodus 23:12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 23:10-19

Here is, I. The institution of the sabbatical year, Exod. 23:10, 11. Every seventh year the land was to rest; they must not plough nor sow it at the beginning of the year, and then they could not expect any great harvest at the end of the year: but what the earth did produce of itself should be eaten from hand to mouth, and not laid up. Now this was designed, 1. To show what a plentiful land that was into which God was bringing them?that so numerous a people could have rich maintenance out of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 23:12

Six days thou shalt do thy work ,.... That is, they might do what work they would on the six days of the week: and on the seventh day thou shall rest ; from all the work and labour done on other days, and give up themselves to religious exercises: that thine ox and thine ass may rest ; and so every other beast, as horses, camels, &c.; and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed ; the former, the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi, interprets, of one... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 23:12

Six days thou shalt do thy work - Though they were thus bound to keep the sabbatical year, yet they must not neglect the seventh day's rest or weekly Sabbath; for that was of perpetual obligation, and was paramount to all others. That the sanctification of the Sabbath was of great consequence in the sight of God, we may learn from the various repetitions of this law; and we may observe that it has still for its object, not only the benefit of the soul, but the health and comfort of the body... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 23:12

Verse 12 12.Six days thou shalt do thy work. In this passage the incidental use of the Sabbath is again referred to, although it is no inherent part of its original institution, viz., that by its means the family also and the cattle shall be benefited. There is no impropriety in reckoning this amongst the other blessings which enhance the value of the Sabbath, although it is a portion of the Second Table. And we know that this rude people required to be attracted by every possible means to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 23:1-19

THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT .— Continued . MISCELLANEOUS LAWS — continued . The same want of logical arrangement appears in this chapter as in the preceding one. The first nine verses contain some twelve laws, of which not more than two that are consecutive can be said to be on the same subject. There is perhaps in the section a predominant idea of warning against sins and errors connected with the trial of causes before a court, but Exodus 23:4 and Exodus 23:5 , at... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 23:1-33

1 . That he will send an angel before them to be their guide, director, and helper ( Exodus 23:20 - 23). 2 . That he will be the enemy of their enemies ( Exodus 23:22 ), striking terror into them miraculously ( Exodus 23:27 ), and subjecting them to other scourges also ( Exodus 23:28 ). 3 . That he will drive out their enemies "by little and little" ( Exodus 23:30 ), not ceasing until he has destroyed them ( Exodus 23:23 ). 4 . That he will give them the entire... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 23:10-20

Sabbaths and feasts. I. SABBATHS . 1 . The Sabbatic year ( Exodus 23:10 , Exodus 23:11 ). Every seventh year the land was to lie fallow, and what it spontaneously produced was to be a provision for the poor, and for the beasts of the field. There was connected with the ordinance a special promise of unusual fertility in the sixth year—of such plenty as would make the nation independent of a harvest in the seventh (Le Exodus 25:21 , Exodus 25:22 ). The Sabbatic year was ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 23:12

Law of the Sabbath, repeated . Nothing is here added to the teaching of the Fourth Commandment; but its merciful character is especially brought out. Men are called on to observe it, in order that their cattle may obtain rest, and their servants, together with the stranger that is within their gates, may find refreshment. It is to be borne in mind that the foreign population of Palestine was mostly held to hard service. (See 2 Chronicles 2:17 , 2 Chronicles 2:18 .) Exodus 23:13 ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 23:12

The rest of the Sabbath. In the fourth commandment it is the main object of the Sabbath that is put prominently forward. It is a day to be "kept holy"—a day which God has "blessed and hallowed." Here, on the contrary, our attention is called to its secondary object—it is for " rest " and " refreshment ." Perhaps men of the classes who are in easy circumstances do not sufficiently realise the intense relief that is furnished by the Sunday rest to the classes below them, to the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Exodus 23:10-12

This is the first mention of the Sabbatical year; the law for it is given at length in Leviticus 25:2. Both the Sabbatical year and the weekly Sabbath are here spoken of exclusively in their relation to the poor, as bearing testimony to the equality of the people in their covenant with Yahweh. In the first of these institutions, the proprietor of the soil gave up his rights for the year to the whole community of living creatures, not excepting the beasts: in the latter, the master gave up his... read more

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