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Deuteronomy Chapter
Twenty-four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 24
This
chapter contains various laws concerning divorces
Deuteronomy 24:1;
the discharge of a newly married man from war and business
Deuteronomy 24:5;
about taking pledges
Deuteronomy 24:6;
man stealing
Deuteronomy 24:7;
the plague of leprosy
Deuteronomy 24:8;
and giving servants their hire in due time
Deuteronomy 24:14;
concerning doing justice in capital cases
and towards the stranger
fatherless
and widow
Deuteronomy 24:16;
and of charity to the poor
in allowing them the forgotten sheaf
and the
gleanings of their oliveyards and vineyards
Deuteronomy 24:19.
Deuteronomy 24:1 “When a man takes a wife and marries her
and it happens that
she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her
and he writes her a certificate of divorce
puts it in her hand
and sends
her out of his house
YLT
1`When a man doth take a
wife
and hath married her
and it hath been
if she doth not find grace in his
eyes (for he hath found in her nakedness of anything)
and he hath written for
her a writing of divorce
and given [it] into her hand
and sent her out of his
house
When a man hath taken a wife and married her
.... That is
when a man has made choice of a woman for his wife
and has obtained her
consent
and the consent of her parents; and has not only betrothed her
but
taken her home
and consummated the marriage:
and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes; is not
agreeable to him
he takes no delight in her person
nor pleasure in her
company and conversation; but
on the contrary
his affections are alienated
from her
and he cannot bear the sight of her:
because he hath found some uncleanness in her; something
that he disliked
and was disagreeable to him
and which made their continuance
together in the marriage state very uncomfortable; which led him on to be very
ill-natured
severe
and cruel to her; so that her life was exposed to danger
or at least become very uneasy; in which case a divorce was permitted
both for
the badness of the man's heart
and in favour of the woman
that she might be freed
from such rigorous usage. This word "uncleanness" does not signify
adultery
or any of the uncleannesses forbidden in Leviticus 18:6;
because that was punishable with death
when it could be proved; and where
there was only a suspicion of it
the husband might make use of the bitter
water: though the house of Shammai seem to take it in this sense; for they say
a man might not divorce his wife unless he found her in some unclean thing
something dishonest and wicked
and which they ground upon these words; but the
house of Hillell say
if she burnt his food
or spoiled it by over salting
or
over roasting it; and Akiba says
even if he found another woman more beautiful
than her or more agreeable to him. But neither his sense
nor that of the house
of Shammai
are approved of by the Jews in general
but that of the house of
HillellF13Misn. Gittin
c. 9. sect. 10. & Maimon. &
Bartenora in ib. ; and they suppose a man might divorce his wife for any ill
qualities of mind in her
or for any ill or impudent behaviour of hers; as if
her husband saw her go abroad with her head uncovered
and spinning in the
streets
and so showing her naked arms to men; or having her garments slit on
both sides; or washing in a bath with men
or where men use to wash
and
talking with every man
and joking with young men; or her voice is sonorous and
noisy; or any disease of body
as the leprosy
and the like; or any blemishes
as warts
are upon her; or any disagreeable smell that might arise from any
parts of the body
from sweat
or a stinking breathF14T. Bab.
Gittin
fol. 90. 1. 2. Misn. Cetubot
c. 7. sect. 6
7. & Maimon. &
Bartenora in ib. :
then let him write her a bill of divorcement; Jarchi says
this is a command upon him to divorce her
because she finds not favour in his
eyes; and so the JewsF15 generally understand it
and so they did in
the time of Christ
Matthew 19:7;
whereas it was no more than a permission
for reasons before given. A man might
not dismiss his wife by word of mouth
which might be done hastily
in a
passion
of which he might soon repent; but by writing
which was to be drawn
up in form; and
as the Targum of Jonathan
before the sanhedrim
in a court of
judicature
which required time
during which he might think more of it
and
either recede from his purpose before the case was finished
or do it upon
mature deliberation; and a firm resolution. The Jews sayF16Misn.
Gittin
c. 2. sect. 2
3
4
5. many things of the witnesses before whom it was
to be written and sealed
and at what time
and upon what
and with what it was
to be written
and who were proper persons to write it or not
in a treatise of
theirs
called Gittin
or divorces. In the Hebrew text this bill is called
"a bill of cutting off"F17ספר כריתת "libellum excidii"
Montanus
Fagius;
"succisionis"
Munster; "abscissionis"
Tigurine version. ;
because the marriage was rescinded
and man and wife were cut off and separated
from one another for ever; of the form of such a bill; see Gill on Matthew 5:31
and give it in her hand; which was to be done
before witnesses
and which is one of the ten things requisite to a divorceF18See
Ainsworth in loc. ; though it made no difference whether it was delivered by
himself
or by a messenger; or whether to her
or to her deputy
appointed by
her before witnesses; or whether it was put into her hand
or in her bosom
so
be it that she was but possessed of it; with which agrees the Jewish
canon
"if he casts a bill to his wife
and she is within the house
or
within the court
she is divorced; if he casts it into her bosom
or into her
work basket
she is divorcedF19Misn. Gittin
c. 8. sect. 1. :"
and send her out of his house; which was a visible
token and public declaration of her divorce; besides
were she to be continued
in his house afterwards
it would give suspicion of cohabitation
which after a
divorce was not lawful.
Deuteronomy 24:2 2 when she has departed from his house
and goes and becomes
another man’s wife
YLT
2and she hath gone out of
his house
and hath gone and been another man's
And when she is departed out of his house
.... With her
bill of divorce
by which departure out of his house it is notified to all:
she may go and be other man's wife; it was
permitted her to marry another man
she being by her divorce freed from the law
of her former husband; and who indeed
in express words contained in the
divorce
gave her leave so to do; which ran thus
"thou art in thine own
hand
and hast power over thyself to go and marry any other man whom thou
pleasest; and let no man hinder thee in my name
from this day forward and for
ever; and
lo
thou art free to any man;'See Gill on Matthew 5:31.
Deuteronomy 24:3 3 if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate
of divorce
puts it in her hand
and sends her out of his house
or if
the latter husband dies who took her as his wife
YLT
3and the latter man hath
hated her
and written for her a writing of divorce
and given [it] into her
hand
and sent her out of his house
or when the latter man dieth
who hath
taken her to himself for a wife:
And if the latter husband hate her
.... Or less
loves her than another woman
and she is disliked by him as she was by her
former husband:
and write her a bill off divorcement
and giveth it into
her hand
and sendeth her out of his house: as he had by this law a
permission
in like manner as her former husband had; See Gill on Deuteronomy 24:1
or if her latter husband die
which took her to be his wife; and she
survives him; as she is then by death loosed from the law of an husband
she
may lawfully marry another man
but not her former husband
as follows.
Deuteronomy 24:4 4 then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to
be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination
before the Lord
and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
YLT
4`Her former husband who
sent her away is not able to turn back to take her to be to him for a wife
after that she hath become defiled; for an abomination it [is] before Jehovah
and thou dost not cause the land to sin which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee
-- an inheritance.
Her former husband which sent her away may not take her again to
be his wife
.... Though ever so desirous of it
and having heartily repented
that he had put her away: this is the punishment of his fickleness and
inconstancy
and was ordered to make men cautious how they put away their
wives; since when they had so done
and they had been married to another
they
could not enjoy them again even on the death of the second husband; yea
though
she was only espoused to him
and he had never lain with her
as Ben Melech
observes
it was forbidden the former husband to marry her; though if she had
only played the whore
according to the same writer
and othersF1Maimon.
& Bartenora in Misn. Sotah
c. 2. sect. 6.
she might return to him:
after that she is defiled; not by whoredom
for in
that case she was not forbidden
as it is interpreted
but by her being married
to another man; when she was defiled
not by him
or with respect to him
nor
with regard to any other man
whom she might lawfully marry after the decease
of her latter husband; but with respect to her first husband
being by her
divorce from him
and by her marriage to another
entirely alienated and
separated from him
and so prohibited to him; and thus R. Joseph Kimchi
interprets this defilement of prohibition
things prohibited being reckoned
unclean
or not lawful to be used:
for that is abomination before the Lord; for a man to
take his wife again
after she had been divorced by him
and married to another
man; and yet
such is the grace and goodness of God to his backsliding people
that he receives them when they return unto him their first husband
and
forsake other lovers
Jeremiah 3:1
and thou shalt not cause the land to sin which the Lord thy God
giveth thee for an inheritance; since if this was
allowed
that men might put away their wives
and take them again at pleasure
and change them as often as they thought fit
no order could be observed
and
the utmost confusion in families introduced
and lewdness encouraged
and which
would subject the land and the inhabitants of it to many evils and calamities
as the just punishment thereof.
Deuteronomy 24:5 5 “When a man has taken a new wife
he shall not go out
to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year
and
bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken.
YLT
5`When a man taketh a new
wife
he doth not go out into the host
and [one] doth not pass over unto him
for anything; free he is at his own house one year
and hath rejoiced his wife
whom he hath taken.
When a man hath taken a new wife
.... A wife he has lately
married
new to him
though a widow
as Jarchi observes; but the Targum of
Jonathan says a virgin; however this is opposed to his old wife
and divorced;
for this
as Jarchi and Ben Melech say
excepts the return of a divorced wife
who cannot be said to be a new one:
he shall not go out to war; this is to be understood
of a man that had not only betrothed
but married a wife; a man that had
betrothed a wife
and not married her
who went out to war
might return if he
would
Deuteronomy 20:7;
but one that had married a wife was not to go out to war:
neither shall be charged with any business; as betrothed
ones were; they
though they had a liberty of returning
yet they were to
provide food and drink for the army
and to prepare or mend the highways
as
Jarchi observes; but these were not obliged to such things
nor even to keep
watch on the walls of the city
or to pay taxes
as MaimonidesF2Hilchot
Melachim
c. 7. sect. 10
11. writes:
but he shall be free at home
one year; not only from all tributes and taxes
and everything relative to
the affairs of war
but from public offices and employments
which might
occasion absence from home. Jarchi remarks
that his house or home comprehends
his vineyard; and so he thinks that this respects his house and his vineyard
that if he had built a house and dedicated it
or planted a vineyard and made
it common
yet was not to remove from his house because of the necessities of
war:
and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken; or rejoice
with his wife which he hath taken
and solace themselves with love; and thereby
not only endear himself to her
but settle his affections on her
and be so
confirmed in conjugal love
that hereafter no jealousies may arise
or any
cause of divorce
which this law seems to be made to guard against. So it is
saidF3Arrian. Expedit Alex. l. 1.
that Alexander after the battle
of Granicus sent home to Macedonia his newly married soldiers
to winter with
their wives
and return at spring; which his master Aristotle had taught him
and as he was taught by a Jew.
Deuteronomy 24:6 6 “No man shall take the lower or the upper millstone in
pledge
for he takes one’s living in pledge.
YLT
6`None doth take in pledge
millstones
and rider
for life it [is] he is taking in pledge.
No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge
.... The first
word being of the dual number takes in both stones
wherefore Vatablus renders
the words
"ye shall not take for a pledge both the millstones
nor indeed
the uppermost;'which is the least; so far should they be from taking both
that
they were not allowed to take the uppermost
which was the shortest
meanest
and lightest; and indeed if anyone of them was taken
the other became useless
so that neither was to be taken:
for he taketh a man's life to pledge; or with which
his life is supported
and the life of his family; for if he has corn to supply
them with
yet if his mill or millstones are pawned
he cannot grind his corn
and so he and his family must starve: and in those times and countries they
did
as the Arabs do to this day
as Dr. ShawF4Travels
p. 231.
Edit. 2. relates
"most families grind their wheat and barley at home
having two portable millstones for that purpose; the uppermost whereof is
turned round by a small handle of wood or iron
that is placed in the rim;'and
these millstones being portable
might be the more easily taken for pledges
which is here forbidden
for the above reason; and this takes in any other
thing whatever
on which a man's living depends
or by which he gets his breadF5Misn.
Bava Metzia
c. 9. sect. 13. .
Deuteronomy 24:7 7 “If a man is found kidnapping any of his brethren of
the children of Israel
and mistreats him or sells him
then that kidnapper
shall die; and you shall put away the evil from among you.
YLT
7`When a man is found
stealing a person
of his brethren
of the sons of Israel
and hath tyrannized
over him
and sold him
then hath that thief died
and thou hast put away the
evil thing out of thy midst.
If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of
Israel
.... Whether grown up or little
male or female
an Israelite or
a proselyte
or a freed servant; all
as MaimonidesF6Hichot Genibah
c. 9. sect. 6. says
are included in this general word "brethren";
though Aben Ezra observes
that it is added
"of the children of
Israel"
for explanation
since an Edomite is called a
"brother". Now
a man must be "found" committing this fact;
that is
it must plainly appear
there must be full proof of it by witnesses
as Jarchi explains this word:
and maketh merchandise of him; or rather uses him as a
servant
and employs him in any service to the least profit and advantage by
him
even to the value of a farthing; yea
if he does but lean upon him
and he
supports him
though he is an old man that is stolen; this is serving a man's
self by him
as MaimonidesF7Ib. sect. 2.
which is what is
forbidden as distinct from selling him
as follows:
or selleth him: to others; and both these
according to the
above writerF8Ib. sect. 3.
using him for service
and selling him
are necessary to make him guilty of death; not the one without the other; but
reading them disjunctively
as we do
gives the better sense of the words:
then that thief shall die; by strangling with a
napkin
as the Targum of Jonathan; and so MaimonidesF9Hilchot
Genibah
c. 9. sect. 1. So R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed
fol. 67. 1. interprets it
of service. says
his death is by strangling:
and thou shall put evil away from among you; both him that
does evil
as the Targum of Jonathan
and the guilt of it by inflicting due
punishment for it; and so deter from such practices
and prevent evil coming
upon the body of the people
should such a sin be connived at; see Exodus 21:16.
Deuteronomy 24:8 8 “Take heed in an outbreak of leprosy
that you
carefully observe and do according to all that the priests
the Levites
shall
teach you; just as I commanded them
so you shall be careful to do.
YLT
8`Take heed
in the plague
of leprosy
to watch greatly
and to do according to all that the priests
the
Levites
teach you; as I have commanded them ye observe to do;
Take heed
in the plague of leprosy
.... Whether in the
bodies of men
or in houses
or in garments
not to hide and conceal it; or
as
Jarchi
weaken the signs of it
or cut out the bright spot; so the Targum of
Jonathan:
that thou observe diligently
and do according to all the priests
the Levites shall teach you: according to the laws and rules given in
such cases
whether they order to shut up persons
houses
or clothes
or
pronounce unclean or clean; in all things they were to do as they directed
which appeared to be agreeably to the said rules; for the judgment
management
and ordering of these things
belonged to the priests: of which see Leviticus 13:1
as I commanded them
so shall ye observe to do: which shows
the they were not to comply with their orders
and conform to them
any further
than they agreed with the commands of God
and the instructions he had given
them in the places referred to.
Deuteronomy 24:9 9 Remember what the Lord your God
did to Miriam on the way when you came out of Egypt!
YLT
9remember that which Jehovah
thy God hath done to Miriam in the way
in your coming out of Egypt.
Remember what the Lord thy God did unto Miriam
.... Who was
stricken with leprosy for speaking against Moses
and was shut up seven days;
and they are reminded of this instance
partly to warn them against
entertaining evil suspicions
and surmises of persons in power and authority
and speaking evil of them; and partly to expect that punishment would certainly
be inflicted on them
should they be guilty of the same crime; nor should they
think it hard
either to be smitten with leprosy
or to be shut up for it;
since Miriam
a prophetess
and the sister of Moses
was so used; and that when
by the way
after that ye were come out of Egypt: when upon
their journey
and were retarded in it
and obliged to stay at least seven days
before they could proceed on in it; see Numbers 12:14.
Deuteronomy 24:10 10 “When you lend your brother anything
you shall not go
into his house to get his pledge.
YLT
10`When thou liftest up on
thy brother a debt of anything
thou dost not go in unto his house to obtain
his pledge;
When thou dost lend thy brother anything
.... Any sum
of money he stands in need of
or demanded a debt of him
as Jarchi; money he
is indebted to thee
which is the sense of the Septuagint version; and he is
not able to pay it
but offers something: in pawn till he can pay it:
thou shall not go into his house to fetch his pledge; which would
be an exercise of too much power and authority
to go into a neighbour's house
and take what was liked; and besides
as no doubt he would take the best
so he
might take that which the poor man could not spare: and indeed
according to
the Jewish canonsF11Misn. Bava Metzia
c. 9. sect. 13.
he could
not take any pledge at all
but with the knowledge
and by the leave
of the
sanhedrim
or court of judicature.
Deuteronomy 24:11 11 You shall stand outside
and the man to whom you lend
shall bring the pledge out to you.
YLT
11at the outside thou dost
stand
and the man on whom thou art lifting [it] up is bringing out unto thee
the pledge at the outside.
Thou shall stand abroad
.... Without doors
in
the street
as the Targum of Jonathan
while the borrower or debtor looks out
and brings forth what he can best spare as a pledge:
and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge
abroad unto thee; now as
on the one hand
if the lender or creditor had been
allowed to go in and take what he pleased for a pledge
he would choose the
best; so
on the other hand
the borrower or debtor would be apt to bring the
worst
what was of the least value and use; wherefore the Jews made it a rule
that it should be of a middling sort
between both
lest it should be a
discouragement and hinderance to lend upon pledgesF12Misn. Gittin
c. 5. sect. 1. Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. .
Deuteronomy 24:12 12 And if the man is poor
you shall not keep his
pledge overnight.
YLT
12`And if he is a poor man
thou dost not lie down with his pledge;
And if the man be poor
.... Which may be thought
to be the case of everyone that gives pledges for a debt he owes
or a sum of
money he borrows; yet there might be a difference: some might be so very
destitute of goods and raiment in their houses
that whatever they parted with
was distressing to them
and they could not well do without it:
thou shalt not sleep with his pledge; nor keep it a
night; but deliver it to him
before he went to bed
and laid himself down to
sleep.
Deuteronomy 24:13 13 You shall in any case return the pledge to him again
when the sun goes down
that he may sleep in his own garment and bless you; and
it shall be righteousness to you before the Lord your God.
YLT
13thou dost certainly give
back to him the pledge at the going in of the sun
and he hath lain down in his
own raiment
and hath blessed thee; and to thee it is righteousness before
Jehovah thy God.
In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again
when the sun
goeth down
.... If it was a night covering
as Jarchi remarks; but if it was
his day clothes
he was to return it in the morning
when the sun arose; and
this was to be done every day
which resist occasion a great deal of trouble
and the pledge of little use; so that it seems as though they might as well be
without it as have it
and lend freely; but the Jews say
that there was an
advantage by it; for it is said in answer to such a question
"of what
profit is the pledge? by this means the debt is not released on the seventh
year
(when all other debts were released
Deuteronomy 15:1)
nor could the borrower dispose of his goods to his children
but payment was
made from the pledge after his deathF13Maimon Hilchot Milvah Velovah
c. 3. sect. 5. :'now this delivery of the pledge at sun setting was ordered:
that he may sleep in his own raiment; have his
night covering to sleep in
his pillow
and bolster
and bedding to lie on
and
bed clothes to cover him; and indeed the clothes they wore were made in such
form
as would serve for covering to sleep in at night
as well as to wear in
the day; and such is the clothing of the Arabs now
which they call
"hykes"."The usual size of them (Dr. Shaw saysF14Travels
p. 224. Ed. 2. )
is six yards long
and five or six feet broad
serving the
Arab for a complete dress in the day; and as they "sleep in their
raiment"
it serves likewise for his bed and covering by night:"
and bless thee: for using him so mercifully and kindly
as
to return him his pledge
which is so necessary to his comfortable repose in
the night; and not only will he praise him
and speak well of him for it
and
give him thanks; but will pray to God to bless him in soul
body
and estate
for such kindness shown him:
and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God; not his
justifying righteousness before God
for by the deeds of the law shall no flesh
living be justified in his sight; but it shall be owned and approved of as a
good and righteous action
and answerable to the intention of this law
which
is
that mercy should be shown to persons in distress; in which sense the word
"righteousness" is sometimes used
even for a merciful action
Psalm 112:9; so
alms is called δικαιοσυνη
"righteousness"
Matthew 6:1
in
some copies.
Deuteronomy 24:14 14 “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is
poor and needy
whether one of your brethren or one of the aliens who is
in your land within your gates.
YLT
14`Thou dost not oppress a
hireling
poor and needy
of thy brethren or of thy sojourner who is in thy
land within thy gates;
Thou shall not oppress an hired servant
.... That is
hired by the day
as appears by Deuteronomy 24:15;
though the law may include such as are hired by the week
or month
or year;
neither of whom are to be oppressed by any means
and chiefly by detaining
their wages; so the Jerusalem Targum explains the phrase
"ye shall not
detain by force the hire of the hired servant;'nor by fraud
as in James 5:4
that is poor and needy; and so cannot
bear the lest oppression of this kind
nor to have his wages detained from him
any time
and much less wholly to be defrauded of them:
whether he be of thy
brethren; an Israelite
and so a brother both by nation and religion:
or of thy strangers that are in thy land
within thy gates; Jarchi
interprets this
both of proselytes of righteousness
and of proselytes of the
gate; which latter are plainly described by this clause
and the former must be
included; for
if proselytes of the gate are not to be oppressed
much less
proselytes of righteousness
who were in all respects as Israelites
the same
law was to them both. Jarchi says
the phrase "in thy land" is
intended to comprehend the hire of beasts
and of vessels; and these in the
MisnahF15Bava Metzia
c. 9. sect. 12. are said to be comprehended in
this precept
as well as the hire of man.
Deuteronomy 24:15 15 Each
day you shall give him his wages
and not let the sun go down on it
for
he is poor and has set his heart on it; lest he cry out against you to
the Lord
and it be sin to you.
YLT
15in his day thou dost give
his hire
and the sun doth not go in upon it
for he [is] poor
and unto it he
is lifting up his soul
and he doth not cry against thee unto Jehovah
and it
hath been in thee -- sin.
At his day thou shalt give him his hire
.... At the
close of the day
when his work is done
the hire agreed for must be paid him;
and
by the same rule
all such that were hired by the week
month
or year
were to have their wages paid them at the day their time was up:
neither shall the sun go down upon it; it was to be
paid before sun setting
or at it; see Leviticus 19:13
for he is poor
and setteth his heart upon it; being poor
he cannot wait any longer for the payment of it; his personal and family wants
are such as require immediate payment; and besides
he has been eagerly
expecting it
and earnestly desiring it
that he may satisfy the craving
necessities of himself and family; and therefore it would be a great balk and
disappointment to him to have his wages detained:
lest he cry against thee to the Lord; having none
to apply unto but him
who is the patron of the poor and needy
not being able
to help himself
nor having interest in any to interpose on his behalf; and his
cry
and the cry of his hire too
enter into the ears of the Lord of hosts
and
is regarded by him
James 5:4
and it be sin unto thee: be imputed to him
the
guilt charged on him
and punishment inflicted for it.
Deuteronomy 24:16 16 “Fathers shall not be put to death for their
children
nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person
shall be put to death for his own sin.
YLT
16`Fathers are not put to
death for sons
and sons are not put to death for fathers -- each for his own
sin
they are put to death.
The fathers shall not be put to death for the children
.... By the
civil magistrates
for sins committed by them of a capital nature
and which
are worthy of death:
neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers; for sins
committed by them that deserve it:
every man shall be put to death for his own sin: which is but
just and reasonable; see Ezekiel 18:4; which
is no contradiction to Exodus 20:5; that
respects what God himself would do
this what Israel
or the civil magistrates
in it
should do; this is a command on Israel
as Aben Ezra observes; that the
declaration of the sovereign Being
who is not bound by any law. Jarchi
interprets these words differently
as that the one should not be put to death
by the testimony of the other; and it is a rule with the Jews
"that an
oath of witness is taken of men
and not of women; of those that are not akin
and not of those that are nearly relatedF16Misn. Shebuot
c. 4.
sect. 1. :'on which one of the commentators observesF17Bartenora in
ib. that such that are near akin are not fit to bear testimony
because it is
written
"the father shall not be put to death for the children";
that is
for the testimony of the children. Jarchi indeed mentions the other
sense
for the sins of the children
which has been given
and is undoubtedly
the true sense of the text. The Targum of Jonathan gives both;"fathers
should not be put to death
neither by the testimony
nor for the sins of the
children; and children shall not be put to death
neither by the testimony
nor
for the sins of fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin by
proper witnesses.'
Deuteronomy 24:17 17 “You shall not pervert justice due the stranger or the
fatherless
nor take a widow’s garment as a pledge.
YLT
17`Thou dost not turn aside
the judgment of a fatherless sojourner
nor take in pledge the garment of a
widow;
Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger
nor of
the fatherless
.... Who are unable to defend themselves
and have but few
if
any
to take their part; and therefore particular care should be taken by
judges and civil magistrates to do them justice
or God will require it of
them:
nor take a widow's raiment to pledge; nor anything
else
as her ox or cow
Job 24:3; according
to the Jewish canonsF18Misn. Bava Metzia
c. 9. sect. 13.
of a
widow
whether she is poor or rich
a pledge is not taken; the reason given for
which is
that it would raise an ill suspicion
and cause an evil report of her
among her neighboursF19Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Bava Metzia
c. 9. sect. 13. ; and which is suggested by the Targum of Jonathan"neither
shall any of you take for a pledge the raiment of a widow
lest wicked
neighbours should arise
and bring an evil report upon her
when ye return the
pledge unto her.'But no doubt a poor widow is meant
and the design of the law
is mercy to her
and that she might not be distressed by taking that from her
she needed.
Deuteronomy 24:18 18 But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt
and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do
this thing.
YLT
18and thou hast remembered
that a servant thou hast been in Egypt
and Jehovah thy God doth ransom thee
from thence; therefore I am commanding thee to do this thing.
But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt
.... The
remembrance of which may cause sympathy with persons in distress; particularly
the stranger
the fatherless
and the widow:
and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence; the Targum of
Jonathan
"the Word of the Lord thy God;'which
as it was an act of great
kindness and mercy in God to them
taught them
and laid them under obligation
to show favour to their fellow creatures in distress:
therefore I command thee to do this thing: not to
pervert the judgment of the stranger and fatherless
nor take a widow's raiment
for a pledge; and it may be carried further into the context
and respect the
laws about the pledge of the poor man
and giving the hired servant his wages
in due time.
Deuteronomy 24:19 19 “When you reap your harvest in your field
and forget
a sheaf in the field
you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the
stranger
the fatherless
and the widow
that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
YLT
19`When thou reapest thy
harvest in thy field
and hast forgotten a sheaf in a field
thou dost not turn
back to take it; to the sojourner
to the fatherless
and to the widow
it is;
so that Jehovah thy God doth bless thee in all the work of thy hands.
When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field
.... Whether
barley harvest or wheat harvest
when either of them are ripe for cutting
mowing
or reaping
and are cutting down:
and hast forgot a sheaf in the field; Jarchi says
the phrase "in the field" is to include standing corn
some of which
is forgotten in cutting down
and so is subject to this law as well as a sheaf;
and a sheaf claimed by this name is one that is forgotten both by the workman
and the owner; if by the one and not by the other
it could not be so called.
The canon runs thusF20Misn. Peah
c. 5. sect. 7.
"a sheaf
which the workmen forget
and not the owner
or the owner forgets
and not the
workman
before which the poor stand
or is covered with straw or stubble
is
not a forgotten sheaf.'And about this they have various other rules;"a
sheaf that is near the gate (of a field)
or to an heap (of sheaves)
or to
oxen
or to instruments
and left
the house of Shammai say it is not to be
reckoned a forgotten sheaf; but the house of Hillell say it is;--two sheaves
are reckoned forgotten
three are not; a sheaf in which there are two seahs
(about a peck and a half)
and they leave it
it is not reckoned forgottenF21Misn.
Peah
c. 6. sect. 2
5
6. :"
thou shall not go again to fetch it; which supposes a
remembrance of it
or some intelligence about it when at home
and after the
field has been cleared
and all carried in but this sheaf; then the owner might
not go nor send to fetch it: the beginnings of the rows
they say
show when a
sheaf is forgotten
or not; particularly the adverse sheaf
or that over
against it
shows itF23Ib. sect. 3
4. ; so Jarchi:
it shall be for the stranger; or proselyte; the
proselyte of righteousness; of this there is no doubt
but it seems to be for
the proselyte of the gate also:
for the fatherless and for the widow; which of them
soever should first find it:
that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine
hands; in the culture of their ground the next year
and give them
large and fruitful crops; they either purposely leaving the sheaf for the poor
or however suffer them to take it unmolested when found by them. The Targum of
Jonathan is
"that the word of the Lord thy God may bless thee"
&c.
Deuteronomy 24:20 20 When you beat your olive trees
you shall not go over
the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger
the fatherless
and the widow.
YLT
20`When thou beatest thine
olive
thou dost not examine the branch behind thee; to the sojourner
to the
fatherless
and to the widow
it is.
When thou beatest thine olive tree
.... With sticks and
staves
to get off the olives when ripe:
thou shall not go over the boughs again; to beat off
some few that may remain; they were not nicely to examine the boughs over
again
whether there were any left or not:
it shall be for the stranger
for the fatherless
and for the
widow; who might come into their oliveyards after the trees had been
beaten
and gather what were left.
Deuteronomy 24:21 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard
you shall
not glean it afterward; it shall be for the stranger
the fatherless
and the widow.
YLT
21`When thou cuttest thy
vineyard
thou dost not glean behind thee; to the sojourner
to the fatherless
and to the widow
it is;
When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard
.... Which was
done much about the same time that the olives were gathered
and both after
wheat harvest
about the latter end of June
or beginning of July; for they
were more forward in those hot countries:
thou shall not glean it afterwards; go over the
vines a second time
to pick off every berry or bunch that escaped them at
first gathering:
it shall be for the stranger
for the fatherless
and for the
widow; as the forgotten sheaf
and the olive berries left; these are
all supposed to be poor persons
otherwise no doubt there were strangers
and
fatherless persons
and widows
in good circumstances; who
as they needed not
so neither would give themselves the trouble
but think it beneath them to go
into fields
oliveyards
and vineyards
to gather what was left by the owners.
These laws were made in favour of the poor
that mercy and kindness might be
showed to them
and that they might have a taste of all the fruits of the
earth.
Deuteronomy 24:22 22 And you shall remember that you were a slave in the
land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing.
YLT
22and thou hast remembered
that a servant thou hast been in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding
thee to do this thing.
And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of
Egypt
.... When they would have been glad to have enjoyed the like
favours
as small as they might seem to be
even to glean in their fields
vineyards
and oliveyards:
therefore I command thee to do this thing; to suffer the
poor to take the forgotten sheaf
and to come into their oliveyards and
vineyards
and gather what olives and grapes remained after the first beating
of the one
and the ingathering of the other.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》