Book of the Covenant

Exodus 20:22-23:19 continues the Sinai covenant and provides additional laws. The stipulations or terms in this section are called the “Book of the Covenant” (Exodus 24:7).  These requirements were given by God but were now spoken through Moses. At Exodus 20:18-21, the Israelites asked Moses to speak to God directly after the people heard God’s voice from heaven and witnessed manifestations of God's glory and power in the thunder, the loud blast of the ram’s horn, the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain. The people said to Moses “You speak to us, and we will listen. But do not let God speak directly to us, or we will die!” (Exodus 20:19, NLT). God is transcendent (supreme), as shown by His speaking to the Israelites in a spiritual (or disembodied) voice from heaven at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:22).

God stated His basic laws – the Ten Commandments – at Exodus 20:1-17. Then, God told Moses how to apply the Ten Commandments to specific situations at Exodus 20:22-23:19 so that everybody would receive equal justice, kindness, and fairness in everyday life. The Book of the Covenant is not a collection of picky laws but case studies or case law from such topics as theft, seduction, giving, personal injury, kidnapping, gossip (false rumors), blaspheme, murder (intentional and unintentional), dishonoring parents, personal loans and interest, sorcery and occult practices (e.g., spells, magic), courtroom behavior, rape, bestiality, and idolatry. These requirements were largely expansions an explanation of the Ten Commandment. God was taking various potential life situations and teaching the Israelites how His Ten Commandments would work in their daily lives. The case studies listed did not cover every possible situation but gave practical examples of how to treat people justly. God is just (Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Thessalonians 1:6) and God loves righteousness and justice (see Psalm 33:5; Isaiah 61:8). The Book of the Covenant revealed that God expected His people to express His love, kindness, and fairness equally to all people (e.g., rich, poor, men, woman, foreigners, widows and orphans), property and even animals to assure His justice.

The Book of the Covenant is specifically noted for its fairness and social responsibility toward the widow, the poor, and the foreigner. God insisted that the widow, orphan, poor and powerless be well treated (see also James 1:27; James 2:2-7). In fact, the poor, the widow, the orphan, the alien, the powerless, and defenseless people are objects of God’s special concern and providential care (e.g., see Exodus 21:26-27; Exodus 23:6-12; Psalm 10:14, 17-18; Psalm  146:9; Isaiah 1:23; Zechariah 7:10; Malachi 3:5; Romans 15:26; Galatians 2:10).  Repeatedly throughout the Holy Scriptures, God denounced oppression of the widow, the fatherless, the alien, and the poor (e.g., see Deuteronomy 10:17-19; Isaiah 1:17, 23; Jeremiah 5:28; 1 John 3:16-18). God expected His people to protect the oppressed and the needy members of society. The Book of the Covenant demanded the Israelites to be kind to strangers and aliens, widows and orphans, and the poor (Exodus 22:21-27; Exodus 23:9; see also Deuteronomy 24:17-21). The widow, the orphan, and the alien were in a helpless and economically disadvantaged position. The rich, wealthy, and strong must not exploit and abuse widows, orphans, aliens, or the poor but give them the help they need (Exodus 22:21-22 see also e.g., Leviticus 25:35-38; Proverbs 28:8). God hears the cries of the afflicted and suffering (Exodus 22:23, 27). When the Israelites were in trouble, God helped and rescued them. Therefore, the Israelites were not to take advantage of others in difficulty and weakness. Also, God wanted to protect the especially tender relationship between mother and offspring (see Exodus 23:19; Leviticus 22:28; Deuteronomy 22:6-7).

The Book of the Covenant also included the so-called law of retaliation (lex talionis) (Exodus 21:23-25; see also Leviticus 24:17-20; Deuteronomy 19:21). This requirement was meant to limit the punishment to fit the crime. An actual eye or tooth was never exacted. Jesus Christ objected to an extremist use of this judicial principle to excuse private, personal vengeance (see Matthew 5:43-48). By invoking the law of love, Jesus Christ corrected the popular misunderstanding of the law of retaliation and provided the Law’s originally meaning or intent (Leviticus 19:17-18, 34; see also 1 John 2:9). As Jesus Christ reminded, God’s people are not to retaliate or seek revenge of their enemies but love all people, including their enemies (Matthew 5:38-42, 44; see also Exodus 23:4-5; Deuteronomy 22:1-4; Proverbs 25:21). Instead, God’s people must leave punishment and judgment to God and God’s appointed authorities (Exodus 21:6; Exodus 22:8-9, 28; Exodus 22:28; Romans 13:1-7; Hebrews 10:30) and we must love one another, including our enemies (see Romans 13:8-14; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8). Avenging people is God’s prerogative, not ours (Deuteronomy 32:35-36). When we are wronged, Jesus Christ encouraged all people to love, forgive and do good to those who wrong us and not seek revenge (Matthew 19:19; Matthew 22:29; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; John 13:34; Hebrews 13:15-16). Believers in Jesus Christ are never called to retaliate but are called to love one another and forgive everyone, including our enemies (see Matthew 18:21-35; Galatians 5:14). All believers in Jesus Christ are “to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:16, NIV). The Book of the Covenant reveals God’s instructions to wholeheartedly love and honor Him, love one another, respect people’s property, and not do such evils as gossiping, murdering, exploiting, stealing, harming animals, coveting, and mistreating people. We should act fairly and justly with all people — friends and enemies alike (see also 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Peter 3:9).

Apostle Paul:  Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. . . . Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:9-10, 14-21 (NIV)

However, these various laws in the Ten Commandment and the Book of the Covenant did not change people’s hearts nor declare one righteous (see Romans 3:21-4:25). But, these commandments and laws did help to control Israel’s conduct and give order to the nation. The Holy Bible reveals that God loves order and not chaos and confusion. Even more, these various laws in the Book of the Covenant reflected God’s holy character and nature the unchanging moral principles expressed in the Ten Commandments. When obeyed, these various laws protected the people from violence, gossip (slander), extortion, oppression, sorcery, witchcraft, and mistreatment. Justice was to be fair for all people (Exodus 23:2-3). One of the most dangerous and disastrous periods in Israel’s history was the period of the Judges when “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (see Judges 17:6; Judges 18:1; Judges 19:1; Judges 21:25). The enforcement of good laws does not guarantee a perfect society, but it does promote order and prevent anarchy and chaos.

Keep on loving each other as brothers (and sisters). Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. . . . Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:1-3, 15-16 (NIV)

If we truly love God with all our hearts, we will have no desire to hurt and harm others but to reach out to all people in need, even our enemies (Matthew 22:34-40; see also Luke 10:30-37). The true and living God (Yahweh) wanted to be first in the people’s hearts and lives. God’s people were not to worship, seek after, or even speak of other gods (Exodus 20:23; Exodus 23:13, 24; see also Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:6, 27; Deuteronomy 18:10-12). But if God is not first place in our hearts and lives (Matthew 6:33), we will exploit and abuse people and destroy God’s earth by misuse of earth’s resources. Throughout Israel’s history, the early Christian history and today, God has repeatedly sent His messengers (prophets) to command the people to stop sinning, doing evil, and disobeying God. If the Israelites obeyed the Book of the Covenant, the Covenant Lord agreed to protect them from enemies (Exodus 23:22-23) and from illness (Exodus 23:25-26) and give them a land to possess (Exodus 23:27-31). These covenant promises were contingent upon absolute loyalty to the Covenant Lord.

The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said . . . . “I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. . . . Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours, and then come here and stand before Me in My Temple and chant, “We are safe!”—only to go right back to all those evils again? Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears My Name, has become a den of thieves? Surely I see all the evil going on there. I, the Lord, have spoken! . . . . When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them. This is what I told them: ‘Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’ But My people would not listen to Me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward. From the day your ancestors left Egypt until now, I have continued to send My servants, the prophets—day in and day out. But My people have not listened to Me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful—even worse than their ancestors.” Jeremiah 7:1, 5-6, 9-11, 22-26 (NLT)

References

Life Application Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005.

NLT Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2008.

Ryrie Study Bible. Chicago, IL: Moody, 1995.

Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008.

Wiersbe, Warren. With the Word Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991.

Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1989.