The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 161

asylnm. Ple.ces were e.ppoint~d, whither the especia.lly levellod e.ge.inst this form of the ~heddt>r of blood might flee, a.nd where be crimo, though the words of the present pA11!1Rg9 mig"ht be se.fe until his cause was tried before a.re general, and forbid the erimo altogether. Man-stealing, in the general sense, is now re- thr men of bis own city (Num. xxxv. 22-25), garded 88 e.n offence by the chief civilised nod Rfterwe.rds, if the judgment were in his states of Europe and America., e.nd is pun ishcd fe,·our. Some pe.rticular pa.rt of the camp was by confiscation of the stolen goods, e.nd some- probably me.de e.n esylwn in the wilderness. times by imprisonment of the rnen-sten lcrs. Ver. 17.-Ke that cnneth hill father, etc. Ver. 13.~ deliver him into hill hand. Blasphemy ag&inst God, end imprecations This does not seem to mee.n more then, "if he upon pa.rents, were the only two ems of the che.nr.c upon him without seeking him." God's tongue which the law expressly required to be providence does in fact bring e.bo11t the meet- punished with death (Lev. xxiv. HI). In later ings which men call e.ccidental. I will a.ppoint times analogy W88 held to require that " CW'll- thee a plaoe. When we first hee.r of the ing the ruler of the people " (Ex. xxii. 28) e.ctue..l e.ppointment, the number of the ple.ces should be raited with the so.me pcne..lty wa.s six-three on either side of Jorden. (See (2 Sam. xi.x. 22 ; 1 Kings ii. 8, 9, 46). The Jo,;h. uc. 7, 8; end compe.re Num. xxxv. severity of the sentence indicates that in 10-15, end Deut. xix. 2.) Thns there was God's sight such sins e.re of the deepest dye. lllwe:n, e. city of refuge e.t e. reasonable distance. Vers. 18, 19-Seuere a.uault. Asse.ult was Ver. 14.-Praaumptnonsly. Or" proudly," punisb&ble by the law in two ways. Ordin- "ftrrogantly." Thon ahalt take him from e.rily, the rule wa.s that of strict retaliation- mine altar. Sec the comment on ver. 12. " Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, he.nd for hand, Vers. 15-17.-0ther capiJ.DJ o.ffBflCeB. The foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for uusystematic character of the e.rre.ngement in wound, stripe for stripe" (vers. 24, 25; com- t.his che.pter is remarkably shown by this ps.re Lev. :u.iv. 20, end Deut. xix. 21). But interruption of the consideration of different where the ass&ult was severe, causing a man sorts of homicide, in order to introduce offences to take to his bed, e.nd ca.11 in the physician's of quite a different character, end those not a.id, something more was needed. The Rab- very closely e.llied to ea.eh other--il.g., 1. Strik- binice..l commentators tell us th&t in this case ing a parent ; 2. Kidnapping ; S. Cursing a he was e.rrested., end sent to prison until it parent. was ascertained whether the person hurt would die or no. If he died, the man was Ver. 15.-lle that amiteth hill father, etc. tried for murder ; if he recovered, a fine was To "SIDit.e" here is simply to "strike "-to imposed This was fixed at such a sum as offer the indignity of a blow-not to kill, which he.d a.lree.dy been me.de capital (ver.12), would at once compensate the injured man not in the case of pa.rents only, but in every for his loss of time e.nd defray the expense of case. The severity of the law is very remark- his cure. A similar principle is adopted able, and strongly emphasises the dignity and under our own law in many cases of civil authority of pa.rents. There is no pe.ra.llel to action it in any other known code, though of course \he patria pot.estas of the Boman fe.ther gave Ver. 18.-If men strive together. If there nim the power of punishing a. son who he.d is a qne.rrel e.nd a persone..J encounter. In our struck him, capite.Ily. own law this would reduce this offence, if Ver. 16.--lle that lltealeth a man. Kid- death ensued, to manslaughter. With a napping, or stealing men to make them slaves, stone, or with hill Ast. The use of either was a very ee.rly and very wide-spree.d crime. would show absence of premeditation, end of Josepb's brothers must be rege.rded as having any design to kill. A weapon would have to committed it (Gen. xxxvii. 28); and there be prepe.red beforehe.nd : a. stone might be are 1D811.Y traces of it in the remJl.ins of enti- readily caught up. q uity. (See Herod. iv 183; Strab. vii. p. 467 ; Ver. 19.-It he rise again and wa.lk upon Sueton. Od.arl. § 32; etc.) Most kidnapping his lltldf. If be recovered sufficiently to leave was of foreigners; and this wu a practice of his bed, end get a.bout with a stick to lean on, which the laws of states took no cognize.nce, his hurt was not to be brought up e.gainst the tLough a certain disrepute may have attached injurer, though be died soon afterwe.rds. :,, it.. But the kidnapping of a. fellow-country- Compensa.tion was to be received, and the wan was generally punished with severity. score rege.rded as wiped off At AtLens it was a capital offence. At Bome 11 made a. man infilJllous. We may gather Vers. 20, 21.-llomilide of sl.aves. In most frullJ Deut. :u.i\'. 7, that the Moea.ic la.w wu ancient states the sla,·e was the absolute vro- CII. XXI. 20-26.) TUE IlOOK OF EXODUS. 1139