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altar of earth" (ver. 24), or if of stones, of such as were in the conditionin which they
had been found in the earth. Moreover, as the altar indicated that place on earth
whereGod would appear for the purpose of blessing Israel, it was only to be reared
where God recordedHis name, that is, where He appointed it. In other words, their
worship was to be regulated by Hismanifestation in grace, and not by their own choice
or preferences. For grace lies at the foundationof all praise and prayer.
The sacrifices and worship of Israel were not to procure grace; grace had been the
originating causeof their worship. And so it ever is. "We love Him, because He first
loved us," and the gift of His dearSon to us sinners is free and unconditional on the
part of the Father, and makes our return unto Himpossible. And because this grace is
free, it becomes man all the more to serve God with holyreverence, which should
show itself even in outward demeanor (ver. 26).
"The judgments" next communicated to Moses determined, first, the civil and social
position of all inIsrael relatively to each other (Exodus 21:1; 23:12), and then their
religious position relatively to theLord (23: 13-19)."
The Divine legislation begins, as assuredly none other ever did, not at the topmost but
at the lowestrung of society. It declares in the first place the personal rights of such
individuals as are in a state ofdependence - male (21:2-6) and female slaves (vers. 7-
11). This is done not only with a sacredregard for the rights of the person, but with a
delicacy, kindness, and strictness beyond any codeever framed on this subject. If
slavery was still tolerated, as a thing existent, its real principle, that ofmaking men
chattels and property, was struck at the root, and the institution became, by
itssafeguards and provisions, quite other from what it has been among any nation,
whether ancient ormodern.
Then follow "judgments" guarding life (vers. 12-14), with crimes against which, the
maltreatment andthe cursing of parents (vers. 15, 17), and man-stealing (ver. 16), are
put on a level. It is the sanctityof life, in itself, in its origin, and in its free possession,
which is here in question, and the punishmentawarded to such crimes is neither
intended as warning nor as correction, but strictly as punishment,that is, as retribution.
From the protection of life, the law passes to that of the body against allinjuries,
whether by man (vers. 18-27)or by beast (vers. 28-32). The principle here is, so far
aspossible, compensation, coupled with punishment in grave offenses.
Next, the safety of property is secured. But before entering upon it, the Divine law,
Divine also inthis, protects also the life of a beast. (Exodus 21:33-36) Property is dealt
with under variousaspects. First, we have the theft of cattle - most important to guard
against among an agriculturalpeople - a different kind of protection being wisely
allowed to owners by day and by night (22:1-4).Then, damage to fields or their
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