The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 170

~he..mischief we ha~e c!ull8d. Thi&, al~s I cannot RlwRys be accomplished. Not always 1e _thorough healing -whether bodily, mental, or moral-pos&ible. So far l\S it ia possible we are bound to attempt it. (2) Justice obtains her highest satisfaction when the wrongdoer can be made to contribute to the undoing of his own wrong. This prin- ciple might be more acted on th11.n it is. 2. &rv<ints (vers. 20, 21 ; 26, 27). A master was not to be allowed to injure with impunity even a slave purchased with his "money." If the slave was wantonly murdered, the case would come under the law of murder. If he died under chastisement, the master was punished at discretion of the judges. If the slave was in any way maimed, he obtained his freedom. It has been remarked that this is the earliest certain trace of legislation for the protection of the slave. See below. 3. A woman with child (vers. 22-26). The injury here is indirect. The woman is hurt in interfering in the strife between two men. Yet the law holds the man who bas injured her responsible for his fault, and decrees that he shall pay heavy damages. If evil effects follow, he is to be punished under the }as talionis. II. !KJURIEB BY BEASTS. The distinction formerly observed as made by the law between voluntary and involuntary actions (vers. 13, 14) meets here with fresh illus- trations. 1. If an ox gore a man or a v.oman, and the gored person dies, the ox is to be stoned- testimony to the sacredness of human life (cf. Gen. ix. 6), but the owner shall be quit (ver. 2t:!). 2. If, however, the owner bad been previously warned of the dangerous habits of the animal, and had not kept it in, there devolved on him the entire responsibility of the fatal occurrence. (1) If the person gored was a free Israelite (male or female), the life of the owner of the ox was forfeited; but an opportunity was given him of redeeming it by payment of a ransom (vers. 29-32). (2) If the person gored was a slave, the owner of the ox had to compensate the owner of the slave for the loss of his servant. 'l'he price fi.xed was thirty shekels of silver (ver. 32). In either case the ox was to be stoned. Ill. INJURIES TO BEASTS. The same principles of equity apply here. 1. If an ox or- an ass fall into a pit which has been ca.relessly left uncovered, the owner of the pit is required to pay in full (vers. 33, 34). 2. If one man's ox kill another's, the loss is to fall equally on both owners (ver. 35). 3. If the owner of the ox was aware of its propensity to gore, and had not kept it in, he must, as before, bear the whole loss (ver. 36). The equity of this series of precepts is not more conspicuous than their humanity. 'l'he important lesson taught by these enactments is, that we cannot evade responsibility for our actions. Our actions abide with us. They cleave to us. We c.a.nnot shake ourselves rid of them. We are responsible, not only for the actions themselves, but for the consequences which flow from them-for the influences they set in motion. And we are responsible, not only for direct, but for indirect consequences (ver. 22). Involuntary acts are not imputed to us, but all voluntary ones a.re. We are responsible, as well for what we do not do (having the power to do it), as for what we actually perform. We are responsible for the effects of negligence and carelessness. These principles have wide application. They cover the whole range of conduct. They apply to the moral sphere as well as to the physical. They apply, not simply to de- finite acts, but to the entire influence exerted by our lives. What a responsibility is this! Only grace will enable us to bear its burden.-J. 0. , er. 20.-The servant dying under cl,astisement. This law has frequently been seized on as e. blot on the Mosaic legislation~as inculcating the odious doctrine which lies at the root of modem slave-systems, viz. that the slave is a mere "chattel," and as such, has no personal rights-is entitled to no protection of life or limb. The inter- pretation put on this particular clause is the more unfair, that it must be admitted to re opposed to the spirit and enactments of the law as a whole, taking, as this does, so exceptionally humane a view of the slave's position (see above); and i~, moreover, directly in the teeth of such clauses as those in the immediate context-" If a man i.mite the eye of a servant," etc. (vers. 26, 27). 'l'he enactment will appear in its right light if we view it with regard to the following considerations :-1. The law deals with !!la.very, not from the point of view of abstract right-from which point of view it could only be condemned-but ai; a recognised pa.rt of the then e.xillting COillititution of society. lt takes its existence for granted. It deals with it as statesmen have constantly to deal wit.b. iQStitutions and customs which they do not .wholly approve of, but which they en. nr. 20-2~.] Tim nooK OF r-:xonns. )7'.) ------------------------ - - - - - - - - --