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Who knew that learning about goring oxen laws could be so interesting!  And don’t worry if you missed the last class, this week’s class begins with a bit of a review of the previous class.  Then we continue from Exodus Ch. 21 verse 26 and make it to verse 32.  Below are the relevant verses:

Exodus Ch. 21 (NIV)

26“An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. 27And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.

28“If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. 29If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. 30However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded.31This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. 32If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.

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Hold on for a ride.  This week tackle three difficult verses due to the vague and ambiguous language (in Hebrew at least).  We cover Exodus Ch. 21 verses 22 – 25.  Thank you for listening and if you’d have any thoughts or opinions you’d like to share you can do so in the comment area below.

Exodus 21 (NIV)

22“If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely^e but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. 23But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

Verse 22 in Hebrew:

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This week we cover Exodus 21:12 – 21:21.  There are more discussions on slavery, theft, murder, what to do with murderers,  manslaughter, and so much more! Thank you for listening… Below you will find the relevant verses:

Exodus 21 (NIV)

12“Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death. 13However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate. 14But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately, that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.

15“Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death.

16“Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

17“Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.

18“If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist and the victim does not die but is confined to bed, 19the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.

20“Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result,21but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.

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This week we cover Exodus 21:3 – 21:13.  The discussion includes further analysis of the Eved Ivri (Hebrew “Slave”) and Amah (“Female Maidserveant”).  Towards the end of class we begin discussing the theme regarding: What to do with murderers?

Here are the relevant verses from the beginning of Exodus Ch. 21:

1“These are the laws you are to set before them:

2“If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. 3If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. 4If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

5“But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ 6then his master must take him before the judges.a He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.

7“If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. 8If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself,b he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. 9If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. 10If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights. 11If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.

12“Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death. 13However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate.

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Puma Punko “Gate of the Sun”

This week the class returns from the winter break and we resume our Torah study.  This class covers finishes Exodus Ch. 20 and goes into the very beginning of Ch. 21.

Below are the relevant verses:

Exodus Ch. 20 (JPS 1917)

19And the LORD said unto Moses: Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel: Ye yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 20Ye shall not make with Me—gods of silver, or gods of gold, ye shall not make unto you. 21An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy peace-offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come unto thee and bless thee. 22And if thou make Me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast profaned it. 23Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon.

Chapter 21

1Now these are the ordinances which thou shalt set before them.
2If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve; and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

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After the Torah relates the Ten Commandments it relates back some narrative information, and that’s what we begin this weeks class with – covering Exodus 20:18-24 (NIV) or 15-21 (JPS).

Exodus 20 (JPS -1917)

15And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the horn, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off. 16And they said unto Moses: ‘Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.’ 17And Moses said unto the people: ‘Fear not; for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before you, that ye sin not.’ 18And the people stood afar off; but Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

19And the LORD said unto Moses: Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel: Ye yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 20Ye shall not make with Me—gods of silver, or gods of gold, ye shall not make unto you. 21An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy peace-offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come unto thee and bless thee.

Exodus 20 (NIV)

18When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

20Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

21The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

22Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: 23Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.

24“ ‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.

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This week we finally complete the TEN COMMANDMENTS… Hooray!!!  And we continue into the following verses in Exodus.  There is much to discuss regarding some of the issues “Do NOT Covet” and the following verses bring up.

Below are the relevant verses:

Exodus 20 (JPS -1917)

14Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

 15And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the horn, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off. 16And they said unto Moses: ‘Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.’ 17And Moses said unto the people: ‘Fear not; for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before you, that ye sin not.’

Exodus 20 (NIV)

18When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

20Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

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This class involves further discussion of the Ten Commandments, and specifically the last two:

• Do not act as a lying witness
• Do not covet your neighbor’s household:…

Exodus 20 (JPS)

13Thou shalt not murder.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

(d) Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 

14Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

Exodus 20 (NIV)

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Howdy folks!  In this class we continue discussing what it can mean “to bear false witness” and how we can apply this to our lives.  If you have any questions, comments, or disagreements – share your thoughts below.  Thanks!

Exodus 20 (JPS)

13Thou shalt not murder.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Exodus 20 (NIV):

13“You shall not murder.
14“You shall not commit adultery.
15“You shall not steal.
16“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

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We pick up from our last class and continue our discussion on “No Stealing”.  We talk about different forms of theft and how to prevent it.  And then we begin discussing the next part of the 8th or 9th commandment, depending on how your religion numbers them.

Exodus Ch. 20 (JPS)

13Thou shalt not murder.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Exodus Ch. 20 (NIV)

13“You shall not murder.

14“You shall not commit adultery.

15“You shall not steal.

16“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.