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The ten-fold judgments.
A1 | 20: 21-26. GOD. His worship and idolatry.
B1 | 21:-22: 17. MAN. Servitude, murder, stealing, negligence.
A2 | 22: 18-20. GOD. Witchcraft, confusion and sacrifice.
B2 | 22: 21-28. MAN. Vexing, afflicting, strangers, widows, etc.
A3 | 22: 29-31. GOD. Offerings, fruits and firstborn.
B3 | 23: 1-9. MAN. False witness, bribery, oppression.
A4 | 23: 10-19-. GOD. Sabbaths and Feasts.
B4 | 23: -19. MAN. Humane treatment of animals.
A5 | 23: 20-25-. GOD. The angel, My name, gods.
B5 | 23: 25-33. MAN. Food, land, health, length of days.
Here we have a five-fold alternation, corresponding to the two tables of stone. This
amplification is not confined to Exodus. Psa. 119: 122 reads, "Be surety for Thy servant
for good, let not the proud oppress me". This verse is the subject of a Massoretic note*
which draws attention to the fact that every verse in Psa. 119: with the exception of
verse 122 contains one of ten words, all of which refer to the commandments of God.
These ten words are way, testimonies, precepts, commandment, word ('imrah), law,
judgment, righteousness, statute, word (dabar). The one exception uses the word
"surety" instead and points to the fact that the tabernacle with its offerings was appointed
when Israel failed, and looks forward to the new covenant of which Christ Himself is "the
surety for good".
The Judgments.
The word judgment (mishpat) is often translated "the manner of" as in 21: 9, "He
shall deal with her after the manner of daughters". The relation of the word to the service
of God may be gathered from II Kings 17: 26, "The nations which Thou hast removed,
and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land". The
king of Assyria commands that one of the captive priests shall be sent to teach the new
arrivals, and we read that he taught them "how they should fear the Lord" (verse 28). It
was a sorry business however, for in verse 33 we read that "they feared the Lord, and
served their own gods", which broke the very first words of the covenant (verses 34-41).
These judgments therefore, given to supplement and expand the "ten words", show "the
manner of the Lord", and His manner is "right":--
"Shall not the Judge (Shaphat) of all the earth do right?" (mishpat, Gen. 18: 25).
Let us now see a little more in detail this righteous dealing between God and man.
[NOTE: * - These notes occur in the margin of the Hebrew Bible and have reference to the
sacred text, with the intention that such information shall guard against any alteration or
corruption of the original. For illustration see page 82 of Appendix to The Companion Bible.]