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CHAPTER 24:
This chapter continues the topic of purity and then circles back to the subject of the treatment of one’s neighbor in daily life. Verses 1-4: This is the passage which the Pharisees used in an attempt to trick Jesus during one of their many debates with Him. (Matthew 19:3-9) Jesus’ response in verse 8 actually explains this passage in Deuteronomy. While God never intended a marriage to end in divorce, there were many Israelite men who were, apparently, divorcing their wives for various reasons. Therefore Moses, in an attempt to keep the camp and the community pure before God, clarified in this passage the conditions that were acceptable for a bill of divorcement. As for the uncleanness that Moses references in verse 1, Biblical commentators and scholars differ on what exactly that refers to. We know it can’t be adultery or premarital unfaithfulness since those are punishable by death. (Deuteronomy 22:20-22) The only other logical answer is some other form of sexual impurity or indecency which would not merit the death penalty but is still severe enough to warrant a bill of divorcement. The woman is free to marry another man (v.2), but if he, too, divorces her because of some form of uncleanness or indecency, or if he dies, then she is not allowed to remarry her first husband. She is considered unclean and defiled. (v.4) That is the whole point of this section of the law. (Jeremiah 3:1) Verse 5: A newly married man's primary responsibility is to his home and his wife in the first year of the marriage. This increases the possibility – and the blessing – of children, thereby ensuring the growth of the nation and the stability of the whole community. (Deuteronomy 20:7) God places great importance on marriage and family, for this is the foundation of all society and a healthy, viable community. Verse 6: No Israelite is allowed to take his neighbor’s millstone as collateral for a loan. To do so would rob the borrower of his only means of sustenance and livelihood, thus making it impossible for him to pay back the loan. Verse 7: Any Israelite caught kidnapping and selling his brethren into slavery will be put to death. God abhors slavery, and to do such a thing is a great evil that would poison the whole community. This relates to the ongoing theme of Israel being delivered from bondage in Egypt, of which God reminds His chosen people frequently throughout Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Verses 8-9: Moses reminds the people of the uncleanness of leprosy, and that they need to do all that the law and the priests instruct them to do to remove the uncleanness from the camp. (Leviticus 13:2, 14:2) Verse 9 is also a reminder that God will sometimes use leprosy as a punishment for disobedience. (Numbers 12:10, 1 Corinthians 10:6) Verses 10-13: Moses gives clarification on the collateral that is used for loans among the Israelites. The lender is to respect the privacy and personal property of the borrower by not entering the latter’s house to collect on a loan. (v.10-11) The borrower is required to bring the payment to the lender. Nor is the lender allowed to keep the collateral overnight if that thing is required for shelter or sustenance; a cloak, for example. (v.12-13) (Exodus 22:26, Ezekiel 18:7) By obeying this commandment and showing mercy to the poor, the lender will demonstrate his righteousness in the eyes of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 6:25, Psalm 106:31, Daniel 4:27) Verses 14-15: While on the subject of oppression of the poor, Moses reminds the employers that they are required to pay their workers the appropriate wages at the end of each work day. This law applies to both Israelite employees and any hired foreigners that are living among them. To withhold the day’s wages is a sin in the eyes of God. (Leviticus 19:13, Jeremiah 22:13) Verses 16-18: Each man/woman is responsible for his/her own sin. Children will not be held accountable for the sins of their parents, and vice versa. (v.16) (2 Kings 14:6, 2 Chronicles 25:4, Jeremiah 31:29-30, Ezekiel 18:20) This doesn’t mean, however, that God will not allow the consequences of the sins of the fathers to be visited upon the sons, even to the third and fourth generations. This is made clear later in the OT when all of Israel is delivered into captivity in Babylon. God makes it clear to Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel that His righteous judgment and punishment is upon not only the first generation that committed the sins of apostasy, idolatry, and immorality, but also the successive generations as well who must endure the captivity and loss of their homeland because of the sins of their fathers and grandfathers. This point is also made clear in the sin of Adam and Eve. You and I today did not violate God’s law regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, yet we are still reaping the consequences of their sin of disobedience. However, you and I – and all of mankind since – are also still responsible for our own sins that we have committed of our own free will and choice in our lifetimes. Verses 17-18, 22 are a reminder to the judges to be fair and impartial when deciding cases that involve the foreigners and orphans. (Exodus 23:6) Lenders are not to take advantage of the widows when giving them a loan. As stated many times before, God reminds His people where they came from, that they were once enslaved and oppressed in a foreign land. Furthermore, because it was God who redeemed and delivered the Israelites from their oppression, He has every right to command them not to do the same to others. They, in turn, are obligated to obey this command because it was God who delivered them and redeemed them. (v.18, 22) Verses 19-21: The landowners are not to thoroughly harvest their fields or their vineyards so that nothing is left behind. They are to leave some of their crops for the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the foreigners that are living within the Israelite community. God ensures His blessing to those who also provide for the less fortunate, and this commandment is also linked to the Israelites’ bondage in Egypt. They are to be kind and generous because of how God delivered them from oppression and also because He has promised to always care and provide for all their basic needs in the promised land. If the nation as a whole remains obedient and faithful to God in their honor and worship of Him, then He will bless them abundantly. CHAPTER 25: Verses 1-3: Moses reminds the people that those who are judges must not only be fair and just (v.1), but the sentence and punishment must also fit the crime and be humane. (v.2-3) Every man and woman has dignity, regardless of his/her crime, and this has been a common theme throughout the Pentateuch. Moses commands that no more than forty stripes be given as punishment when the crime warrants it, lest “…thy brother should seem vile unto thee.” In other words, the dignity of the accused – as well as his human rights – must not be violated. (Job 18:3) Later on, when Christ appears on the scene for his earthly ministry, Jewish law has been amended to limit the flogging to only 39 lashes as an extra measure of ensuring that this commandment is never broken. (2 Corinthians 11:24) Verse 4: This is an oddly specific law, and it seems especially out of place given the topic of corporal punishment as well as the next section that deals with marriage and inheritance law. But, as we’ve already seen earlier in this book, some of these passages are a hodgepodge of legislation that isn’t always connected by a specific theme or topic. Moses often moves from one subject to the next without any discernible pattern or preamble, and this chapter is a good example of that. This particular law, however, can be connected to the theme of dignity that Moses addresses in the first three verses. Animals, too, have certain rights, and the point of this verse is that the Israelites are to treat their cattle and livestock humanely. (Proverbs 12:10, 1 Corinthians 9:9, 1 Timothy 5:18) Oxen, especially, were of the more expensive livestock in the ANE, and therefore only the wealthy of the community owned them. The owners would likely rent them to their neighbors during the harvest season in order to thresh grain, and that’s probably another reason for this particular commandment. The one borrowing his neighbor’s ox should treat the animal with kindness and respect, just as he would his own livestock. This is another way of loving one’s neighbor as oneself. Verses 5-10: This section is an example of two different values, or goals, within the law that could come into tension, and so further clarity is needed in order to settle such a conflict. In this case, the two values are the necessity of having a male heir in order to pass on one’s family name and the demand of the law for sexual purity within the Israelite community. In this scenario, Moses gives the example of two brothers that live in the same household, and one of them is married. The law states that a brother may not have sex with his sister-in-law, but if the husband dies before producing any children, how can the family name continue? Moses gives the condition whereby it will be acceptable for a man to take his brother’s widow as his wife in verse 5. If the two siblings are living in the same household, and only one of them is married, and if that one dies before fathering a son, the surviving brother may take his sister-in-law as his new wife. The firstborn son produced by that marriage will then take the name of the deceased brother. However, if the widow’s brother-in-law is unwilling to take her as his wife, he must undergo a public – and very humiliating – ritual in order to get out of his lawful obligation. (v.7-9) This is precisely what happened to Ruth and how Boaz was able to take her for his wife. (Ruth 4:7-10) It’s not clear from the text here in Deuteronomy – or in Ruth – the exact symbolism of the sandal and its removal, but the spitting in one’s face would make that man ceremonially unclean for seven days. (Numbers 12:14) He would also be forever marked as “…him that hath his shoe loosed…” by the entire community, a stigma that will follow him for the rest of his life. (v.10) Verses 11-12: If two men are in the midst of a fight, and the wife of one of them seizes the other man by the genitals in an effort to give her husband the upper hand, then her hand should be cut off as punishment. There are two standards in view here: 1) the possible injury to a man’s genitals, thus adversely affecting his ability to procreate and thereby preventing him from producing a male heir whereby his family name will be preserved; and 2) the general issue of modesty and moral decency. The woman should not be touching anyone’s private parts other than her husband’s, even if it is in his defense. This is the only law that requires physical mutilation as punishment. Verses 13-16: The Israelites are to have one standard of weights and measures, and are to deal honestly with not only their fellow Israelites but also any foreigners with whom they conduct business transactions. (Leviticus 19:35, Proverbs 11:1, 20:23, Ezekiel 45:10, Micah 6:11) To do otherwise is to invite God’s wrath and judgment. Verses 16-19: Moses reminds the Israelites of what the Amalekites did to them as they were fleeing Egypt. Verse 18 is information that had not previously been included in the earlier accounts of Israel’s encounters with this heathen people. (Exodus 17, Numbers 14) The Amalekites had actually killed the weakest of the Israelites during their march from Egypt, preying upon the stragglers at the rear of the crowd which were “…faint and weary…”. (v.18) This was an especially egregious sin against His chosen people in the eyes of God, as it violates His commandments to care for the poor, the weak, the elderly, and all others who are incapable of defending themselves. This has been a theme throughout the Pentateuch, and Moses reminds the people now of what they must do to the Amalekites once they have eliminated all other enemies in the promised land. (v.19) This also explains why King Saul’s disobedience cost him not only his kingship but also his eternal salvation. (1 Samuel 15:2-3, 22-23) God had pronounced final judgment against the Amalekites, ordering Saul to utterly wipe out the nation completely from the face of the earth, sparing not even their livestock. (Exodus 17:14) Yet Saul allowed the Amalekite king to live and the people to bring back spoils, including the livestock. It was up to Samuel to carry out God’s judgment by slaying the king who was the last of his people. CHAPTER 26: Chapters 26 is the closing passage of Moses’ second address to the people that began in chapter 12. The overall theme of this second sermon was that Israel keep “…the statutes and judgments…” (Deuteronomy 12:1) of the LORD their God, for that is the only way that they will successfully conquer and settle in the promised land. The focus of chapter 12 was the right and proper ways in which Israel should worship and honor God. Here in chapter 26, Moses returns to that theme, forming an appropriate bookend to his sermon. Verses 1-11: In chapter 16, the first fruits offering wasn’t mentioned in the list of holidays, and perhaps Moses was intentional in that regard, for he goes into great detail about the holiday here. Notice his use of the phrase “the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place His name there” in verse 2. This was the same reference to the tabernacle in Deuteronomy 12:5. God had instituted the firstfruits offering as a form of tithe and worship, a way for the people to recognize the true source of all their blessings, and to thank God for all that He has done for them in their daily lives. (Exodus 22:29, 23:16, 19, Numbers 18:13, Proverbs 3:9) What’s new in this passage is a declaration that is made in the presence of God and the high priest by the one bringing the offering. (v.5-10) It remembers God’s deliverance of the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt. (Exodus 12:37, 51, 13:3, 14, 16, Deuteronomy 5:15) Jacob is referred to as a Syrian in verse 5, confirming the lineage of Abraham. (Genesis 24:2-4, 25:20, Hosea 12:12) This prayer of thanksgiving recognizes the small size of Jacob’s family when he entered Egypt and God’s magnificent providence and blessing in the size of the nation that embarked on the exodus four hundred years later. (Genesis 46:27, Deuteronomy 10:22) It acknowledges the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham regarding “…a land that floweth with milk and honey.” (v.9) (Exodus 3:8, 17) It then concludes with a statement about the firstfruits of that promised land, again acknowledging God’s blessings and providence at the time of harvest. (v.10) Moses ends this section with another reminder that such offering and prayer of thanksgiving is the right and proper way of “…worship before the LORD thy God.” (v.10) He also commands the people to “…rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee…”. (Deuteronomy 12:7, 16:11, Ecclesiastes 3:12-13, 5:18) Everything that happens in our lives, as well as everything we have, is by the providence and hand of God alone. Acknowledging that, and rejoicing in it, and giving a portion back to Him is not only right for the believer, but it is also commanded by God throughout scripture. Obedience is not optional for the child of God. Verses 12-15: This particular tithe is not to be offered until the third year after the Israelites have entered the promised land. (v.12) This tithe was first referenced in Deuteronomy 14:28-29. It’s to be distributed among the people, the priests, and any foreigners living within the nation rather than given to the LORD. (v.12) The phrasing of verse 12, as well as those in chapter 14, suggest that this special tithe is one time only and is to be given after the customary annual tithes and offerings have been brought to the tabernacle and given to God. (Leviticus 27:30, Numbers 18:24) Verses 13-15 are a prayer/declaration made before God by each member of the community after they have brought their portion to the city gates. Similar to the prayer in the first section of this chapter, this declaration states what the individual has done in accordance with God’s law regarding this tithe, and that he/she has obeyed the law and all its commandments. (v.13) (Psalm 119:141, 153, 176) The Israelite is also declaring that he/she has not used any portion of the offering in violation of God’s law. (v.14) The prayer closes with a request that God bless the nation and the land, and this is the first clear statement in the OT that God’s dwelling place is in heaven. (v.15) (Psalm 80:14, Isaiah 63:15, Zechariah 2:13) Verses 16-19: This closing statement from Moses sums up the whole of his second address: 1) God has commanded the Israelites to keep, honor, and obey all the statutes and judgments in His law (v.16); 2) the people have vowed to do so (v.17); and 3) God has proclaimed Israel to be a chosen nation set above all other nations on the earth (v.18-19). (Exodus 6:7, 19:5, Deuteronomy 7:6, 14:2, 28:9, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 2:9)
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This chapter continues the theme of purity by focusing on the holiness of God and His sanctuary, the tabernacle, as well as the purity of the whole camp since God is dwelling among His people.
Verses 1-6: This section describes all those who are forbidden membership in “…the congregation of the LORD.” Most commentators and Biblical scholars agree that that phrase refers to not just worship in the tabernacle and all the sacrifices and offerings related to it, but also the right of general citizenship, holding any public office, and marriage to any Israelite. Moses gives specific examples of those who are forever barred from the congregation: eunuchs (v.1), bastards (v.2), and any Ammonite or Moabite (v.3). Eunuchs: In the ANE, eunuchs were most often the result of pagan worship rituals or forced slavery. It’s important to note here that God, through Moses, is not necessarily making a moral judgment against such men by prohibiting them from full membership in the congregation of His chosen people. Rather, the point here is in regard to the purity and the sanctity of both the tabernacle and the congregation. Earlier, God had made it clear to Moses and the Israelites that no son of Aaron’s lineage is allowed to serve as priest who is blind, crippled, hunchbacked, has any major skin blemishes, or has had his genitalia mutilated in any way. (Leviticus 21:18-21) The same goes for any animal that is brought to the priest to offer up as a sacrifice to the Lord. (Leviticus 22:24) As with many other passages here in Deuteronomy, God is further clarifying or adding to His law for the Israelites, and now He is forbidding any eunuch from membership in the congregation of His chosen people because they are not whole or complete. The Moody Bible Commentary states it thusly: “Wholeness” was important in the Israelite worship system, so anything that did not conform to the “perfect” template (in this case a complete male body) was excluded. With something missing from his body he was no longer representative of a man made fully in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). This might seem harsh and unloving of God to exclude a man who very likely had no choice in his castration, since this was often done at an early age when boys were sold into slavery to the cultic priests of the pagan temples, or captured as slaves by a conquering foreign nation. But we must always keep in mind that God is a holy God, and He has every right to set whatever boundaries and restrictions He wants to regarding whom He allows to associate with His chosen people. More than that, however, He has absolute authority and sovereignty over His creation, and He may do with any of us as He so pleases. Bastards: Those of illegitimate birth are also excluded from Israelite membership and worship in the tabernacle. Since any unmarried individuals who had sexual intercourse are either put to death or required to get married, per the commands in the previous chapter, this passage is most likely referring to non-Israelite children born to cult prostitutes in the pagan temples. However, this may also include a child born of rape, a scenario that was also mentioned in the previous chapter. Since there isn’t much detail or clarification provided here, we can only presume one of two possibilities: 1) if the victim is unmarried, she rears the child alone until such times as a marriage is arranged and then her husband formally adopts the child as his own. Same thing applies if the woman is already married. 2) The child is forever forbidden from full membership in the Israelite community, including the worship of God in the tabernacle, thus denying him/her any way of salvation in this current dispensation of the law, even though both of his/her parents are Israelites. Given what we already know thus far from the texts of the Pentateuch, I am inclined to accept option #1 as the correct answer, but it is very possible that option #2 is also correct. The phrase “…even to his tenth generation…” is an old Hebrew idiom which means “forever”. This verse is not saying that those of the eleventh generation will be allowed to worship God in the tabernacle and be accepted with full membership privileges and rights in the Israelite congregation. The Ammonites and Moabites: Because of their treatment of Israel when they came out of Egypt, God is denying these two nations any membership among – or even any peaceful alliance with – His chosen people forever. (Nehemiah 13:1-2) It’s also because they hired Balaam to curse Israel, something God did not allow and, instead, turned into a blessing of His chosen people. (Numbers 22:5-6) It is also possible that this prohibition is due to the fact that both these nations are the descendants of the incestuous union of Lot with his two daughters. This would tie in well with the theme of purity and holiness of both the previous chapter and this one. Verses 7-8: The Edomites and Egyptians, however, are permitted to join the Israelites in their worship in the tabernacle provided, of course, that they convert to the Hebrew faith and belief in God and are willing to obey and honor His law. God reminds the Israelites that they were once strangers in Egypt, and therefore they are to be kind to the Egyptian or Edomite that is now a stranger among them. (Exodus 22:21, 23:9, Leviticus 19:34, Deuteronomy 10:19) Furthermore, the offspring of any marriage of an Israelite to an Egyptian or Edomite is eligible for full membership in the congregation of Israel starting with the third generation. (v.8) There is a notable exception to this law in the form of King David who was a descendant of Ruth, a Moabitess. The Moody Bible Commentary offers the following possibility as a way of explanation for this exception: “The simplest view is that we have here an example of “faith” trumping “law.” Ruth demonstrated great faith in the God of Israel, especially during the dark period of the judges, and was graciously allowed to be included into the Israelite community as well as the messianic line.” It’s important to note here that God is making clear to His chosen people that only the foreigner that believes in Him and accepts Him as the one, true God of all creation will be accepted into the congregation of Israel with all rights and privileges thereof. And, in the case of Ruth, her faith in God was so great that He graciously made an exception, again proving that God is absolutely sovereign over all, and He is allowed to make exceptions to these types of laws as He sees fit. Contradictions such as this are an example of some of the more difficult and complex theological issues that we find in scripture, but that doesn’t mean that God’s word contradicts itself in any way. Instead, we ought to treat these examples as an avenue of deeper study of the Bible and of God Himself; a way by which we can grow in our faith by tackling such issues and learning more about OT theology and God’s chosen people at this time in history. Verses 9-14: This section deals with the soldiers of Israel’s army when they go out on a military campaign against their enemies. Because God is present among His people, the entire camp must make sure to remain pure and undefiled, including the soldiers themselves. If there is any man that is unclean because of a seminal emission while he is asleep at night, he is to follow the proper ritual for cleansing himself outside the camp the following day. (v.10-11) (Leviticus 15:16) Additionally, all soldiers are to have a shovel extension on their weapon or person that allows them to dig a hole anytime they need to empty their bowels. This is to be done outside the camp, and the feces is to be covered up afterwards. (v.12-13) The reason for these laws is because the presence of God within the camp is what assures victory for the Israelites. (v.14) (Leviticus 26:12, Deuteronomy 7:21) Because God is holy, the camp must also be holy, and that means it must remain undefiled. Any deviation will cause God to remove His presence from the camp. Verses 15-16: Any servant or slave that is a runaway, meaning he has fled his master before the appointed time of release of service, and who is found by another will not be returned to his original master. This law applies to both the foreign slave/master and the Israelite slave/master. The servant is to remain free to choose a new master. The implication here is that the servant or slave has been mistreated and abused, for that is the primary reason that he or she would flee before the time of service is complete. This is indicated by the last phrase of verse 16: “…thou shalt not oppress him.” (Proverbs 22:22) This commandment is contrary to the standard practices of the nations of the ANE, again demonstrating the distinct separateness of God’s chosen people among the heathen peoples of the promised land. Verses 17-18: Purity in human sexuality is of upmost importance to God, and he states once again, clearly and explicitly, that adultery and homosexuality among His chosen people is forbidden. (Genesis 19:4-5, Leviticus 18:22, 19:29, 20:13, Deuteronomy 22:21, 2 Kings 23:7) There are no exceptions to this law, and no further clarity is required. The command in verse 17 is as simple and direct as Adam’s statement in Genesis 2:24. Sex is to be enjoyed between one man and one woman only and within the covenant of marriage only. Period! Anything outside of that – adultery, polygamy, homosexuality, orgies, or sex between an unmarried couple – is strictly forbidden by God which He makes very clear to the Israelites throughout the Pentateuch. The apostle Paul makes it clear in his epistles that the same applies to all believers today. (Romans 1:27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Timothy 1:9-10) God has never been vague or equivocal on this issue, quite the opposite in fact. He has made it clear in His word that human sexuality is something holy and sacred between a married couple, each of the opposite sex. Any pastor, reverend, bishop, clergyman, or church that preaches and teaches anything other than this command and prohibition is a liar and a heretic and should be marked and avoided as such. The term “dog” in scripture is most often used to refer to gentiles, male prostitutes, or homosexuals, the latter two of which is the case here in verse 18. (Matthew 7:6, Philippians 3:2, Revelation 22:14-15) The command in this verse refers to the tithe of profit from the prostitution of male and female whores – of which some of the men were also sodomite prostitutes – in the pagan rituals and cultic practices of the heathen nations of the promised land. To bring that money into the house of God is an abomination and strictly forbidden by God. Verses 19-20: The Israelites are forbidden from charging interest on any loans to one another. (v.19) (Exodus 22:25, Leviticus 25:35, Nehemiah 5:2, Psalm 15:5) To the foreigners however, they are allowed to charge interest on a loan. (v.20) (Deuteronomy 15:3) Verses 21-23: While on the topic of money and lending, Moses reminds the people of the seriousness of vows and freewill offerings made to the LORD. (Numbers 30:2, Job 22:27, Psalm 61:8, 66:13-14, Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, Matthew 5:33) They are to keep their vows by doing whatever they promised to God. (v.23) Failure to do so is a sin in the eyes of the Lord, and will be dealt with accordingly. (v.21) It’s better to have not made the vow at all than to make it and not follow through with it. (v.22) Verses 24-25: The Israelites are allowed to eat of their neighbor’s crops, but they may not harvest any of them to save for later. This commandment is another way of God’s provision for the poor and destitute among His chosen people. It’s also an example of God’s promise to bless the Israelites when they conquer and settle the promised land. There will be such an abundance of crops that there will be more than enough food to not only feed the poor but also for the landowner to sell for a profit at the market. Therefore, the landowners are not to be stingy by forbidding any of their neighbors to freely eat of their crops and vineyards. CHAPTER 14:
Moses now revisits the laws of personal holiness, the difference between clean and unclean. Verses 1-2: Many Canaanite funeral rituals involved cutting oneself or shaving one’s head. (Leviticus 19:28, 21:1, 1 Kings 18:28) Egyptian custom and tradition required one’s body to be completely shaven. (Genesis 41:14) Moses reminds the people that they are holy, chosen by God and separated unto Him, and as such they are not to practice any of these abominations. (Leviticus 20:26, Deuteronomy 7:6, Romans 12:1) Verses 3-21: These are a review of what modern Jews refer to now as “kosher laws”. The Moody Bible Commentary puts it this way: “Holiness is a major focus in this passage…and it encompasses a wide variety of domains: spiritual, ritual, symbolic, and physical. The emphasis here is on the outward display of an internal condition in that what the Israelites ate was to reflect a clear fixed picture of external holiness.” (Ezekiel 4:14) There are three different categories of animals: land, sea, and air. Regarding the land animals (v.4-8), those that have divided hooves and chew the cud were acceptable to eat. These included domesticated livestock – such as oxen, sheep, and goats – as well as wild game like deer, gazelles, and mountain goats and sheep. But those animals such as pigs, camels, rabbits, and the hyrax (a small rodent similar to a woodchuck), are forbidden. (Isaiah 65:4, 66:3, 17, Mark 5:12-13) As with the original laws spelled out in Leviticus, there is no other reason given for why the cloven hoof and/or chewing cud is the deciding factor between what is kosher and non-kosher except, simply, God says so. As for the sea creatures, those with fins and scales are acceptable to eat. (v.9) (Leviticus 11:9) Anything else is not. (v.10) The birds which are forbidden is the most detailed of all the lists (v.12-19) The primary deciding factor seems to be those fowl that are birds-of-prey or feed on other dead animals. Eagles, hawks, owls, vultures, ravens – as well as flying rodents such as bats – are all forbidden for the Israelites to consume. The fact that bats are known for drinking the blood of their prey is probably another reason that animal is specifically forbidden as a source of food. Any animal which is found dead, and the cause of death cannot be adequately determined, is forbidden by God for the Israelites to eat. (v.21) (Leviticus 17:15, 22:8, Ezekiel 44:31) It may, however, be given to any strangers living amongst them or even sold to foreigners for profit. This, again, is probably more for health reasons than anything else, especially if the cause of death is due to disease or sickness. And, again, there is a reminder not to boil a young goat in his mother’s milk. (Exodus 23:19, 34:26) (Refer back to my commentary of Exodus 23 for the notes regarding this commandment.) Verses 22-26: God places special emphasis on tithes and the offerings of firstfruits. As already laid out in the Levitical law, the purpose of these is twofold: 1) to provide for the priests and the other Levites who are serving God daily in the tabernacle; and 2) as a form of worship of God. Moses reminds the people to not fail in keeping these statutes and ordinances (v.22-23), for to do so is to “…learn to fear the LORD thy God always.” (Leviticus 27:30, Deuteronomy 12:6, 17, Nehemiah 10:37) He has just spent several chapters explaining how God is the source of all life and blessings for the children of Israel, and, therefore, He deserves the best of their flocks, their harvests, and all their other material blessings. And, of course, the same truth applies to us today. Tithing is how we give back to God as worship and recognition of the true source of all that we are blessed with daily. Not only that, but the Israelites were to bring their tithes and offerings to the place where God had chosen for the tabernacle. (v.24) To bring them anywhere else is sin and a violation of the law. However, if that location is too far for someone to travel with their livestock or harvest before those offerings spoil (v.25), then he/she is to sell those offerings and bring the money instead to the tabernacle to purchase an animal or crops for the tithe and offering. (v.26) (Deuteronomy 12:5, 21) Verses 27-29: Every three years, the people are to bring all of the tithe of their livestock and crops at the time of harvest to the gates of their cities to share with the Levites, the orphans, the widows, and any foreigners living among them. (v.29) (Deuteronomy 26:12, Amos 4:4) God cares and provides for all of His creation, from the poorest and weakest of us to even the smallest sparrow. (Matthew 10:29-31) This commandment is repeated often throughout His law, and He expects the Israelites to follow and obey it after they conquer and settle in the promised land. CHAPTER 15: Verses 1-11: Moses continues his theme of caring for the poor and destitute. The Sabbath year (v.1) was first mentioned in Exodus 23:10-11 and then expounded upon in more detail in Leviticus 25. But those passages only referred to the treatment of the land when it came to the planting and harvesting of crops, as well as the law pertaining to every fiftieth year which is referred to as the Year of Jubilee. Here in Deuteronomy 15 Moses gives new legislation regarding the Sabbath year as it pertains to the practice of borrowing and lending as well as indentured servitude. All debts are to be forgiven by the creditor in the seventh year (v.2), except for that which was lent to a foreigner. (v.3) The only time there would be an exception to this rule for fellow Israelites is when there is no one among them who is poor or destitute. (v.4) God promises His chosen people that if they “…carefully hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God…” (v.5) and obey all of his statutes and judgments, then He “…shall greatly bless thee…” in the promised land. (v.4) These verses make clear that if the Israelites are careful and consistent in obeying all of God’s law and worshiping Him alone, then He will bless them so abundantly that there will never be anyone among them who is poor. In fact, the Israelites would be so greatly blessed that it would be they who would be lending to the other nations around them, but they wouldn’t be borrowing from any of them. (v.6) In this manner, the children of Israel would be ruling over all other nations and people and would be enslaved to no one as long as they continued to obey and honor God alone. (Deuteronomy 28:12, 44) This is an extremely profound and prophetic statement by Moses! God was fully prepared at this time in history to give His chosen people rule and dominion over the entire world! If they continued to obey all the statutes and judgments of His law, and cleave to Him alone in worship and honor, the nation of Israel would be so abundantly blessed that they would have such power over all other nations as they had never known before! As if the law of the Sabbath year was not clear enough, Moses clearly states that God commands every Israelite to give freely of whatever he/she has to any of their brethren that is poor and destitute among them. (v.7-8) No one is to harden his/her heart and turn a blind eye to a fellow Israelite who is in need. (Exodus 23:6, Leviticus 25:35, Deuteronomy 24:12, 1 John 3:17) Nor is any lender to deny a loan just because the Sabbath year is close. (v.9) He is to lend freely and willingly, even if there is no profit for himself in it. (v.10) God will reward His generosity and obedience. “While the practice of debt remission may seem unfair to the lender (especially if he were to lend out money close to the Sabbath year), several points can be made in defense of the practice. The overall theme of this passage focuses on God’s blessing the people, so it seems inevitable that God would richly bless the lender for his obedience, even if it made no financial sense to forgive a loan made so close to the Sabbath year. These verses also focus on the moral (not financial) principle behind the command to forgive loans. They were, in essence, debtors to God and morally responsible to likewise forgive debts to others.” (The Moody Bible Commentary) Verse 11 seems, at first, to contradict verse 4. The point that Moses is making in verse 4 is that the only time the people may not honor the rule of the Sabbath year is the time in which there is no one among them who is poor and needy. Here in verse 11 he confirms that that time will never come. No matter how abundantly God might bless His chosen people, the presence of sin in the world means that there will always be those who are orphaned or widowed or who suffer the consequences of their own sinful choices. Therefore, the people are always to be kind and generous to the downtrodden and the less fortunate who are living among them. (Matthew 26:11, Mark 14:7, John 12:8) Verses 12-18: This section is a review of the law of indentured servitude, first introduced in Exodus 21. (Exodus 21:2, Jeremiah 34:14) In keeping with the theme of this chapter, Moses is reminding the people to not begrudge their servants their freedom in the Sabbath year. Just as the lenders are to forgive their debtors willingly and cheerfully every seven years, so are the masters to release their slaves just as willingly and cheerfully. Not only that, the masters are to give generously to their former slaves from the abundance of what God has blessed them so that the newly freed servants are not suddenly poor and destitute. (v.14) The reason for this is given in verse 15: the Israelites are to always remember where they came from, and how God freed them from their bondage and slavery in Egypt. Therefore, they are to treat their own slaves with the kindness and generosity that the Egyptians never showed to them. But if the servant does not desire to be free, and instead chooses to remain with his or her master, then the master will pierce the servant’s ear, and that servant belongs to him for the rest of his/her life. (v.16-17) (Exodus 21:5-6) Just as the lenders are not to deny a loan request that comes right before a Sabbath year, so the masters are not to resent freeing their slaves every seven years. (v.18) Moses reminds them that six years of servitude from a slave is worth twice that time and labor of a single paid day laborer. The reason for this is, presumably, that the slave is such by choice, and that he/she is happy and willing to serve his/her master because the master, remembering what his ancestors endured in Egypt as a forced and mistreated slave, will treat his servant kindly and generously. These verses again prove that God’s word does not condone slavery in any way as we understand the term today, or even as it was commonly known in the ANE. Verses 19-23: It’s not entirely clear why Moses returns to the topic of the sanctification of the firstborn males of the animals. One possibility is that it relates to this chapter’s theme regarding the economic loss to the animal’s owner since God forbids the owner to use that firstborn male for any work or profit. (v.19) Instead, the man and his household are to sacrifice the animal in the tabernacle in accordance with the law. (v.20) This is followed by another reminder that only the perfect lamb, goat, or bullock is to be sacrificed to the LORD. (v.21) (Leviticus 22:19, Deuteronomy 17:1) All others may be killed and eaten within one’s home (v.22), but only after the blood has been properly drained. (v.23) (Deuteronomy 12:15-16, 22) |
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