Author: Beth Duncan

Exodus 22:1 “Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

I am a fan of rules and laws so that everyone knows what’s expected and how to conduct themselves, but I must admit that I am growing weary of this continued list of rules and laws. I want more of God. This is more of daily expectations so that we can all just get along, which, I suppose, is necessary if God is my focus.

Exodus 22:2 “If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; 

Google searches on Exodus 22 say that the focus of the book is restorative justice if civil and moral laws are broken as well as social responsibility for the vulnerable. Actually, in light of the times we are currently living in, these things sound incredibly important. Perhaps we should all pay more attention. 

Exodus 22:3 but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed. “Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft. 

Precious Savior, It’s easy to get frustrated when bogged down in the minutiae of daily life. Thank You for the reminder that restorative justice and care for the vulnerable are just as important today as they were when Exodus was written. Help us to live in a way that brings You glory and points others to You. Help us. Amen. 

Exodus 22:4 If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 21:31-32 This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.

Commentary points out that the price of a gored slave, thirty shekels of silver, is the same price,  thirty pieces of silver, that Judas was paid for handing over Jesus in the New Testament. Commentary is setting up an analogy, but this morning, that tidbit strikes me.

Exodus 21:33-34 “If anyone uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.

We are so focused in this life on being a big deal, being important, being the boss, the one in charge. But again and again in the New Testament, Jesus does the opposite. He doesn’t strive to be number one. He doesn’t strive to rule with power or force. He doesn’t put Himself above anyone. He came to serve, not to be served. 

Exodus 21:35 “If anyone’s bull injures someone else’s bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. 

Precious Savior, It is so easy to get caught up in rules and laws and the ways things have always been done. Help me to focus on Your life and Your ministry. Help me to love like You love, to serve like You serve. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 21:36 However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up, the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 21:26-27 “An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.

Commentary says of the verses above that if they didn’t teach the master humility, they at least taught him caution because if he injured his slave, he “might have deprived [himself] of all right to the future services of the slave….” I truly don’t think God sent these laws to teach slave holders to be more self-interested.

Exodus 21:28 “If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. 

And this, to me, is one of the main dangers of the sections of the Bible with so many laws. When God is reduced to laws and penalties, to actions and consequences, then it becomes about self-interest. “I don’t want to face this consequence, so I am not going to do this thing.” That has nothing to do with love or relationship or honoring Him.

Exodus 21:29 If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. 

Precious Savior, I know that laws and penalties are an important part of the equation of life, but it is not the only thing that matters in this life. Thank You for the birth of Your Son, Jesus. Thank You that love and relationship are part of the equation. Help me err on the side of love instead of self-interest. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 21:30 However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 21:18-19 “If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist and the victim does not die but is confined to bed, the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.

The legalese of these verses are used to set up the analogy used in the New Testament of being a slave for Christ. The series of penalties and punishments, commentary asserts, sets up that slaves are both people and property belonging to their master. 

Exodus 21:20-21 “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.

I truly struggle both with the legalese–which ignores the relationship, and the cultural reference of slavery, which ignores the humanity. And, honestly, at this stage in my faith journey, I think God is glad that I’ve identified where and why I’m struggling instead of shocked that I won’t just accept what “the experts” have told me. He knows my goal is a closer relationship with Him. That’s His goal, too.

Exodus 21:22 “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for my faith journey, for the fact that I am beginning to be able to articulate what bothers me and why, so I know where and how to dig in to move past it. Thank You that You want relationship with me as badly as I want relationship with You. Help me draw closer every day. Amen.

Exodus 21:23-25 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 21:13 However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate. 

Today’s scripture has got me thinking about the law and relationships. Exodus 21 is all about the law–what’s acceptable, what’s allowable, what the penalty is if these laws aren’t kept. However, Jesus is all about relationships. That’s not to say He doesn’t care about the law, but I think He cares more about His children than about strict adherence to the letter of the law. 

Exodus 21:14 But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately, that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.

And, honestly, I think relationships are harder. It’s easy to uphold the law, to be sure you are doing exactly what the law says. Relationships can be harder, messier. The law is black and white. Relationships involve all different shades in between. 

Exodus 21:15-16 “Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death. “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that while the law is important, people and relationships are the priority. Help us to invest time and effort in those relationships so that we can shine Your light for others. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 21:17 “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 21:9 If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. 

Yesterday’s impotent anger at the verses and commentary encouraged me to keep digging, keep searching, so I reached out to a friend who has much more education in Biblical studies to try to move past the anger, as that’s not where God wants me to stay.

Exodus 21:10 If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights. 

My friend shared a quote by Peter Enns, “God lets His children tell the story.” Exodus 21 was written by a certain group, in a certain situation, at a certain time and place in history. God doesn’t change, but people certainly do. If God lets His children tell the story, then our humanity–good and bad–is going to creep into our telling. But as long as we are focused on God, He can use it and use us to shine His light.

Exodus 21:11 If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.

Precious Savior, Thank You for the nudge to keep digging, keep searching when scripture makes me so angry. Thank You for the rock solid knowledge that You are the God of love, not division, not hierarchy, not patriarchy. Help me, daily, to draw a little closer to You so I can keep telling Your story as I understand it. Amen.

Exodus 21:12 “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 21:5 “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ 

Commentary has just said of the previous verses that if a slave comes in by himself and gets married and has children while in servitude (meaning the master provided the wife), he cannot take his wife and children with him. They belong to the master. Then, of verse 5, commentary says that such a declaration as “I love my master” would be made “in light of the master’s goodness and his blessings for the servant.”

Exodus 21:6 then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.

How does that even make sense? Verse 5 goes on to say “I love my master and my wife and children…” (emphasis mine). That doesn’t sound like he’s caught up in the goodness and blessings of the master. It sounds like he doesn’t want to lose his wife and children and his only option, since they are considered the master’s property, is for him to stay. 

Exodus 21:7 “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. 

Precious Savior, These verses infuriate me. The commentary infuriates me. That women, for so long, were only seen as property, infuriates me. That even to this day, women and people of color and immigrants are not seen as people in the same way that white men are infuriates me. And the anger feels so impotent. Help me to know what to do with that anger so that I can love like You love. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 21:8 If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 20:22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: 

Yesterday I wrote about intermediaries. Today’s focus is on interpretation, “the action of explaining the meaning of something” (Google Dictionary). Intermediaries of God’s word are in the business of offering their interpretations of said word. That’s the gig.  

Exodus 20:23 Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.

And while I suppose it’s possible that an intermediary’s goal with Biblical interpretation would be solely making money, it seems unlikely that that would be the truth for most intermediaries. I think, I hope, most intermediaries are like me–earnestly sitting with God’s word, trying to figure out what He is calling us to do. 

Exodus 20:24 “ ‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. 

Precious Savior, I have found every different life stage I am in when I read and study Your word influences my interpretation of what You are trying to say. I imagine that must be true for all who read and study and write about Your word. Help me, as I sit and study, to draw closer to You. Help me to shine Your light for all to see. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 20:25-26 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 20:18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 

Today’s reading has me thinking about intermediaries – those who stand in the middle and act as a bridge from one person to another. Biblical intermediaries include religious persons, devotional writers, even translators of the Word. If you are reading this, I am currently acting as an intermediary for you as I am giving my thoughts on His Word.

Exodus 20:19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

For me, it’s important to hear what others have to say about God and His word, what they think it means, their interpretations, and ideas. However, for me, it’s important that I spend time in His word, too, so that I can test other’s ideas against my own, against my idea of who God is, who Jesus is, what they mean and stand for, how They love me and others, what They are calling me to do in this life. 

Exodus 20:20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that I can’t just rely on intermediaries when it comes to my relationship with You. I need to spend time with You, spend time in Your Word, read and write,  study and ponder. That is the only way that I can draw closer to You. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 20:21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

Have a blessed day.