ואלה המשׁפטים
– ‘’ve ele há mishpatim’’ comes from the Hebrew word
‘’shaphat’’ to judge, govern, vindicate,
punish. These were normally judgments given by the
elders at the gates of the cities in ancient Israel to promote righteous
governance of YHVH’s people – The gate is where the elders of the city would go to meet, where
deals were made, and people would be judged, and restitution made where
necessary.
These
instructions were given on Mount Sinai, (Moshe spent a total of 80 days on
Mount Sinai with YHVH- Deut 9:9-18) Together with the giving of the 10 sayings they
contain the essence of the Torah to ensure that the Torah covenant
relationships would be honoured and protected. So great was the authority of
these righteous judgments that rejection of their rulings carried the death
penalty.
Legal Decisions by Priests and Judges
Deu 17:8 “When any matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, or between stroke and stroke – matters of strife within your gates – then you shall rise and go up to the place which יהוה your Elohim chooses, Deu 17:9 and shall come to the priests, the Lěwites, and to the judge who is in those days, and shall inquire. And they shall declare to you the word of right-ruling, Deu 17:10 and you shall do according to the word which they declare to you from that place which יהוה chooses. And you shall guard to do according to all that they instruct you. Deu 17:11 “Do according to the Torah in which they teach you, according to the right-ruling which they say to you. You do not turn to the right or to the left from the word which they declare to you. Deu 17:12 “And the man who acts arrogantly, so as not to listen to the priest who stands to serve there before יהוה your Elohim, or to the judge, that man shall die. So, you shall purge the evil from Yisra’ěl. Deu 17:13 “And let all the people hear and fear, and no longer do arrogantly.
Exo 21:1
“These are the right-rulings(ואלה המשׁפטים) which you are to set before them: תשׂים לפניהם׃
21:2 “When you buy a Hebrew servant, (עֶבֶד עִבְרִי), he serves six years, and in the seventh he goes out free, for naught.
Following the most important Torah portion” Yitro”- the giving of the Torah - there is possibly a veiled mystery in this Torah portion ‘’Mishpatim’’ that in the ‘’olam ha ze’’ or this present age, only a ‘’Hebrew slave’’ have been given the desire to embrace and obey all of the Torah. In the coming age ‘’olam ha ba’’ this small remnant of faithful Hebrew slaves will become part of the bride of Messiah and will receive immortal bodies when the Messiah returns. These ‘’Hebrew slaves’’ will rule and reign with Him for 1000 years. After the 1000 years have passed these faithful servants with a host of fellow believers will be ushered into the presence of YHVH for ever and ever – perfect, without spot or blemish - ‘’shemini atzaret’’ (when Rev 21 will go into fulfilment) the eighth day assembly. Jude vs 24,25.
Notice, that the gematria of the term eved ivri (עֶבֶד עִבְרִי), "Hebrew slave," is 358, which is the same value as that for ‘’Mashiach’’ and also of ‘’nachash’’ or ‘’serpent’’ – 1 Jn 3:8
Exo 21:3 “If he comes in by
himself, he goes out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go
out with him.
Exo 21:4 “If his master has given
him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children
are her master’s, and he goes out by himself.
Exo 21:5 “And if the servant truly
says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children, let me not go out
free,’
Exo 21:6 then his master shall bring him before Elohim, and shall bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl. And he shall serve him forever.
The prophet Isaiah foretells of the
similarity of the Hebrew slave and the Messiah:
Isa
50:5 The Master יהוה has
opened (Heb ‘’patach’’
to carve open) My
ear, and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away. Isa 50:6 I gave
My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked (Heb – scraped His face);out the beard, I did not
hide My face from humiliation and spitting.
Isa 50:7 And the Master יהוה helps Me, therefore I shall not be humiliated (confused). So I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I am not put to shame (disappointed).
Only a ‘’free man’’ could choose the life of a ‘’bond servant’’. You don’t have to be a bond servant, but you choose out of love for your Master and your family to be so. Like Paul – Rom 1:1 – The Roman centurion Mat 8:6-12. Used over 125 times in apostolic scriptures and 800 times in the Tenach (OT).
The Kingdom of YHVH belongs to His Bond servants - Mat 25:23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant. You were trustworthy over a little, I shall set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (see Jn 15:14-15)
Exo 21:7 “And when a man sells his
daughter to be a female servant, she does not go out as the male servants
do.
Exo 21:8 “If she is displeasing in
the eyes of her master who has engaged her to himself, then he shall let her be
ransomed. He shall have no authority to sell her to a foreign people, because
of him deceiving her.
Exo 21:9 “And if he has engaged
her to his son, he is to do to her as is the right of daughters.
Exo 21:10 “If he takes another wife,
her food, her covering, and her marriage rights are not to be diminished.
Exo 21:11 “And if he does not do these three for her, then she shall go out for naught, without silver.
Note as with the Hebrew male servant,
this female servant has dedicated her life to be a bond servant to her husband
master.
Modern society, of course, frowns upon such a practice. Yet tragically there are millions of vulnerable woman and children that are victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse more than at any other time in human history. The Torah legislates human kindness.
In the ancient Hebrew culture, it was said ‘’when you buy a slave, you buy a master’’.
Only once the Hebrew family structure was established could a fair and just society be established. All healthy societies can only come from wholesome family values as taught in the Torah. Sadly, modern culture refuses to build on these Torah instructions regarding the family, the evidence is clearly seen in the disintegration of modern society. Praise YHVH righteous family and societal life will be established before Messiah returns – Acts 3:21
Exo 21:12 “He who strikes a man so
that he dies shall certainly be put to death.
Exo 21:13 “But if he did not lie
in wait, but Elohim delivered him into his hand, then I shall appoint for you a
place where he is to flee – Num35
Exo 21:14 “But when a man acts
presumptuously against his neighbour, to kill him by treachery, you are to take
him even from My slaughter-place to die.
Exo 21:15 “And he who strikes his
father or his mother shall certainly be put to death.
Exo 21:16 “And he who kidnaps a
man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall certainly be put to
death.
Exo 21:17 “And he who curses his
father or his mother shall certainly be put to death.
Exo 21:18 “And when men strive
together, and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist, and he does
not die but is confined to his bed,
Exo 21:19 if he rises again and
walks about outside with his staff, then he who struck him shall be innocent.
He only pays for lost time and sees to it that he is completely healed.
Exo 21:20 “And when a man strikes
his male or female servant with a rod, so that he dies under his hand, he shall
certainly be punished.
Exo 21:21 “But if he remains alive
a day or two, he is not punished; for he is his property.
Exo 21:22 “And when men strive and
they shall smite a pregnant woman, and her children come out, yet there is no
injury, he shall certainly be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband lays
upon him. And he shall give through the judges.
Exo 21:23 “But if there is injury,
then you shall give life for life,
Exo 21:24 eye for eye, tooth for
tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
Exo 21:25 burn for burn, wound for wound, lash for lash.
Yahshua did not change these laws, He
elevated them –
Retaliation
Mat 5:38 “You heard that it was
said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’j Exo_21:24. Footnote: jThis
was the principle for the judges to follow, while יהושע speaks in the next verse
of our personal conduct. Mat 5:39 but I say to you, do not resist
the wicked. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him
also.
Mat 5:40 “And he who wishes to sue
you and take away your inner garment, let him have your outer garment as
well. Mat 5:41 “And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him
two.
Mat 5:42 “Give to him who asks of
you, and from him who wishes to borrow from you, do not turn away.
Love Your EnemiesMat 5:43 “You heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your
neighbour Lev_19:18 and hate your enemy.’k Footnote: kHate your enemy was
“said,” not “written.” Mat 5:44 “But I say to you, love your
enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for
those insulting you and persecuting you,
Mat 5:45 so that you become sons
of your Father in the heavens. Because He makes His sun rise on the wicked and
on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.l Footnote:
l Luk_6:35, Act_14:16-17.
Mat 5:46 “For if you love those
loving you, what reward have you? Are the tax collectors not doing the same
too?
Mat 5:47 “And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Are the tax collectors not doing so too? Mat 5:48 “Therefore, be perfect,m as your Father in the heavens is perfect. Footnote: m Gen_17:1, Psa_119:1, 1Jn_2:5, Heb_6:1.
‘’ It is also wrong to think Yahshua means that there is no place for punishment or retribution in society. Yahshua here speaks to personal relationships, and not to the proper functions of government (elders) in restraining evil (Rom_13:1-4) . I must turn my cheek when I am personally insulted, but the government(elders) has a responsibility to restrain the evil man from physical assault.’’ Heb 10:28 Anyone who has disregarded the Torah of Mosheh dies (active present verb) without compassion on the witness of two or three witnesses. (‘’Disregards’’ – Gk - atheteō - S114 – ‘’to disesteem, neutralize or violate: - cast off, despise, disannul, frustrate, bring to nought, reject’’ Note this is NOT a past tense verb, it is an active, indefinite verb.)
Exo 21:26 “And when a man strikes
the eye of his male or female servant, and destroys it, he is to let him go
free for the sake of his eye.
Exo 21:27 “And if he knocks out
the tooth of his male or female servant, he is to let him go free for the sake
of his tooth.
Exo 21:28 “And when an ox gores a
man or a woman to death, then the ox shall certainly be stoned, and its flesh
is not eaten, and the owner of the ox is innocent.
Exo 21:29 “However, if the ox was
previously in the habit of goring, and its owner has been warned, and he has not
kept it confined, so that it has killed a man or a woman, the ox is stoned and
its owner also is put to death.
Exo 21:30 “If a sin-covering
is laid upon him, then he shall give the ransom of his life, whatever is laid
on him.
Exo 21:31 “Whether it has gored a
son or gored a daughter, according to this right-ruling it is done to
him.
Exo 21:32 “If the ox gores a male
or female servant, he is to give to their master thirty sheqels of silver, and
the ox is stoned.
Laws About Restitution
Exo 21:33 “And when a man opens a
pit, or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls
in it,
Exo 21:34 the owner of the pit is
to repay, he is to give silver to their owner, and the dead beast is
his.
Exo 21:35 “And when the ox of a
man smites the ox of his neighbour and it dies, then they shall sell the live
ox and divide the silver from it, and also divide the dead ox.
Exo 21:36 “Or if it was known that
the ox was previously in the habit of goring, and its owner has not kept it
confined, he shall certainly repay ox for ox, while the dead beast is
his.
Exo 22:1
“When a man steals an ox or a sheep, and shall slaughter it or sell it, he
repays five cattle for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.
Exo 22:2 “If the thief is found
breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there is no guilt for his
bloodshed.
Exo 22:3 “If the sun has risen on
him, there is guilt for his bloodshed, he shall certainly repay. If he has not
the means, then he shall be sold for his theft.
Exo 22:4 “If the theft is indeed
found alive in his hand, whether it is an ox or donkey or sheep, he repays
double.
Exo 22:5 “When a man lets a field
or vineyard be grazed bare, and lets loose his livestock, and it feeds
in another man’s field, he repays from the best of his own field and the best
of his own vineyard.
Exo 22:6 “When fire breaks out and
spreads to thorn bushes, so that stacked grain, or standing grain, or the field
is consumed, he who kindled the fire shall certainly repay.
Exo 22:7 “When a man gives silver
or goods to his neighbour to guard, and it is stolen out of the man’s house, if
the thief is found, he repays double.
Exo 22:8 “If the thief is not
found, then the master of the house shall be brought before Elohim to see
whether he has put his hand into his neighbour’s goods.
Exo 22:9 “For every matter of
transgression, for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for garment, or for whatever is
lost which another claims to be his, let the matter of them both come before
Elohim. And whomever Elohim declares wrong repays double to his
neighbour.
Exo 22:10 “When a man gives to his
neighbour a donkey, or ox, or sheep, or any beast to watch over, and it dies,
or is injured, or is driven away while no one is looking,
Exo 22:11 let an oath of יהוה be between them both, that he has not put his hand into his
neighbour’s goods. And the owner of it shall accept that, and he does not
repay.
Exo 22:12 “But if it is indeed
stolen from him, he repays to its owner.
Exo 22:13 “If it is torn to
pieces, then let him bring it for evidence, he does not repay what was
torn.
Exo 22:14 “And when a man borrows
from his neighbour, and it is injured or dies while the owner of it is not
present, he shall certainly repay.
Exo 22:15 “But if its owner was
with it, he does not repay. If it was hired, he is entitled to the hire.
Laws About Social Justice
Exo 22:16 “And when a man entices
a maiden who is not engaged, and lies with her, he shall certainly pay the
bride-price for her to be his wife.
Exo 22:17 “If her father absolutely
refuses to give her to him, he pays according to the bride-price of
maidens.
Exo 22:18 “Do not allow a
practiser of witchcraft to live.
Exo 22:19 “Anyone lying with a
beast shall certainly be put to death.
Exo 22:20 “He who slaughters to an
elohim, except to יהוה only, is put under the ban.
Exo 22:21 “Do not tread down a
sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of
Mitsrayim.
Exo 22:22 “Do not afflict any
widow or fatherless child.
Exo 22:23 “If you do afflict them at all – if they cry out to Me at all, I shall certainly hear their cry,
Salvation
for Foreigners
Isa
56:1 Thus
said יהוה,
“Guard right-ruling, and do righteousness, for near is My deliverance to come,
and My righteousness to be revealed. Isa 56:2 “Blessed is the man
who does this, and the son of man who becomes strong in it, guarding the
Sabbath lest he profane it, and guarding his hand from doing any evil. Isa
56:3 “And let not the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to יהוה speak, saying, ‘יהוה has certainly separated me
from His people,’ nor let the eunuch say, ‘Look I am a dry tree.’ ” Isa
56:4 For thus said יהוה,
“To the eunuchs who guard My Sabbaths, and have chosen what pleases Me, and are
holding onto My covenant: Isa 56:5 to them I shall give in My house
and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters –
I give them an everlasting name that is not cut off. (Deut 23:1)Isa 56:6 “Also the sons of the foreigner
who join themselves to יהוה, to
serve Him, and to love the Name of יהוה, to be His servants, all who guard the Sabbath, and not profane
it, and are holding onto My covenant – Isa 56:7 them I shall bring
to My set-apart mountain, and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their
ascending offerings and their slaughterings are accepted on My slaughter-place,
for My house is called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” Isa
56:8 The Master יהוה,
who gathers the outcasts of Yisra’ěl, declares, “I gather still others
to him besides those who are gathered to him.”
Hos
8:11 “Since Ephrayim has made many slaughter-places for sin, they have
been slaughter-places for sinning to him.
Hos 8:12 “I have written for him numerous matters of My Torah – they were regarded as strange.
Praise
YHVH there is a growing remnant that do not consider such Torah portions as
strange but essential in our conduct before Messiah returns – This conduct may
well be established by the 144 000 end time witnesses – Rev 7 and Rev 17
before Yahshua’s return - Act 3:21 whom heaven needs to receive until the times of
restoration of all matters, of which Elohim spoke through the mouth of
all His set-apart prophets since of old.
Blessed are you YHVH,
our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and
have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of
the Torah – Amein.
