231 " You shall not bear a false report ; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness . 2 "You shall not follow e the masses in doing evil , nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice; 3 nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute . 4 " If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering away , you shall surely return it to him 5 " If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load , you shall refrain from leaving it to him, you shall surely release it with him. 6 " You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute . 7 " Keep far from a false charge , and do not kill the innocent or the righteous , for I will not acquit the guilty . 8 " You shall not take a bribe , for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just . 9 " You shall not oppress a stranger , since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger , for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt .
10 " You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield , 11 but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow , so that the needy of your people may eat ; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat . You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove . 12 " Six days you are to do your work , but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest , and the son of your female slave , as well as your stranger , may refresh themselves. 13 "Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard ; and do not mention the name of other gods , nor let them be heard from your mouth .
14 " Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me 15 "You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread ; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread , as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib , for in it you came out of Egypt . And none shall appear before Me empty-handed . 16 "Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field ; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 23:1-16
Commentary on Exodus 23:1-9
(Read Exodus 23:1-9)
In the law of Moses are very plain marks of sound moral feeling, and of true political wisdom. Every thing in it is suited to the desired and avowed object, the worship of one only God, and the separation of Israel from the pagan world. Neither parties, friends, witnesses, nor common opinions, must move us to lessen great faults, to aggravate small ones, excuse offenders, accuse the innocent, or misrepresent any thing.
Commentary on Exodus 23:10-19
(Read Exodus 23:10-19)
Every seventh year the land was to rest. They must not plough or sow it; what the earth produced of itself, should be eaten, and not laid up. This law seems to have been intended to teach dependence on Providence, and God's faithfulness in sending the larger increase while they kept his appointments. It was also typical of the heavenly rest, when all earthly labours, cares, and interests shall cease for ever. All respect to the gods of the heathen is strictly forbidden. Since idolatry was a sin to which the Israelites leaned, they must blot out the remembrance of the gods of the heathen. Solemn religious attendance on God, in the place which he should choose, is strictly required. They must come together before the Lord. What a good Master do we serve, who has made it our duty to rejoice before him! Let us devote with pleasure to the service of God that portion of our time which he requires, and count his sabbaths and ordinances to be a feast unto our souls. They were not to come empty-handed; so now, we must not come to worship God empty-hearted; our souls must be filled with holy desires toward him, and dedications of ourselves to him; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.