28 May 2014

EJ&T: Exodus 22:21-27: A few (more or less) good commandments

In the Every Jot and Tittle project, I am listing all of the Bible's commandments from Genesis to Revelation, in accordance with Jesus's words in Matthew 5:18-19. I have no idea how many commandments I'll find, but Jewish tradition claims there are 613. See here for a list of those that I've found so far.

  1. Don't oppress strangers.
  2. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Exodus 22:21

    Thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Exodus 23:9

    Oppress not the stranger. Jeremiah 7:6

  3. Be kind to widows and fatherless children. (Or God will kill you.)
  4. Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. Exodus 22:22-24

    Oppress not ... the fatherless, and the widow. Jeremiah 7:6

  5. If you lend money to poor people, don't charge them interest.
  6. If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. Exodus 22:25

    If thy brother be waxen poor ... Take thou no usury of him, or increase. ... Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. Leviticus 25:35-37

  7. If you loan money to your neighbor and take his clothes as collateral, return them before sundown. (Or God will hear about it.)
  8. If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious. Exodus 22:26-27

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