In The Word
Read: Exodus 21:1-32
Ordinances for the People
21 “Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them:
2 “If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall leave as a free man without a payment to you. 3 If he comes alone, he shall leave alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall leave with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall leave alone. 5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not leave as a free man,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.
7 “Now if a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to go free as the male slaves do. 8 If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a foreign people, because of his unfairness to her. 9 And if he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. 10 If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights. 11 But if he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go free for nothing, without payment of money.
Personal Injuries
12 “He who strikes someone so that he dies shall certainly be put to death. 13 Yet if he did not lie in wait for him, but God caused him to fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee. 14 If, however, someone is enraged against his neighbor, so as to kill him in a cunning way, you are to take him even from My altar, to be put to death.
15 “And one who strikes his father or his mother shall certainly be put to death.
16 “Now one who kidnaps someone, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall certainly be put to death.
17 “And one who curses his father or his mother shall certainly be put to death.
18 “Now if people have a quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with a fist, and he does not die but is confined to bed, 19 if he gets up and walks around outside on his staff, then he who struck him shall go unpunished; he shall only pay for his loss of time, and shall pay for his care until he is completely healed.
20 “And if someone strikes his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies at his hand, he shall be punished. 21 If, however, the slave survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; for the slave is his property.
22 “Now if people struggle with each other and strike a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, but there is no injury, the guilty person shall certainly be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide. 23 But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
26 “And if someone strikes the eye of his male or female slave and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free on account of the eye. 27 And if he knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let the slave go free on account of the tooth.
28 “Now if an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall certainly be stoned and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall go unpunished. 29 If, however, an ox was previously in the habit of goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. 30 If a ransom is demanded of him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is demanded of him. 31 Whether it gores a son or a daughter, it shall be done to him according to the same rule. 32 If the ox gores a male or female slave, the owner shall give his or her master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
After briefly discussing slavery, this chapter goes on to discuss the laws and punishment for murder. Israel understood the altar was a place of sacrifice and forgiveness. They knew that when they made a mistake, they could enter into the tabernacle, grab ahold of the horns at the altar, and be spared. However, this was intended for a person that committed the offence by mistake or error. Verse 14 says, “If a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to kill him with guild: you shall take him from my altar that he may die.”
Many Christians today have taken the altar in vain as well. These people willingly live a life contrary to God’s Word. Some even willingly avoid knowledge of God in order to justify their wicked works. They assume that at the time of punishment they will just come to the altar and beg to be spared.
God says these people will not be granted mercy but will be removed from the altar that they may die. Although the altar is a place of mercy and forgiveness for God’s children, not all that come are His children. John 14:15 says, “If you love me, keep my commands.” By keeping His commands, God will determine who His children are. This is why when Jesus spoke of eternal life He said, “Not everyone who says unto me, Lord, shall enter…. I never knew you; depart from me you who work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23). Will your lifestyle remove you from the altar?