# Overview Exodus Chapter 21 presents a set of laws given by #God to #Moses for the #Israelites, focusing primarily on issues of justice and social order within the community. This chapter provides regulations concerning Hebrew servants, outlining the conditions under which they serve and gain freedom, thus establishing a sense of justice and compassion for those in servitude. It begins with instructions on how a Hebrew servant is to be treated, emphasizing their release in the seventh year, which reflects the theme of liberation that permeates the #Exodus narrative. This section underscores the importance of fair and humane treatment, aligning with the broader biblical theme of justice and mercy. The chapter also addresses laws regarding personal injury and property, including guidelines for restitution. It covers cases such as physical harm leading to death or injury, where the principle of "an eye for an eye" is introduced, illustrating the concept of proportional justice. Furthermore, the laws extend to scenarios involving animals, particularly if an ox gores a person, highlighting the responsibility of owners for their animals' actions. These statutes collectively aim to maintain social harmony and uphold moral responsibility within the community. The regulations in this chapter serve as a reminder of the #covenant relationship between #God and #Israel, where obedience to divine law is central to the community's well-being and righteousness. ## Theological Insights Exodus 21 is a continuation of the divine revelation given to #Moses on Mount #Sinai, following the delivery of the #TenCommandments in [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 20]]. This chapter provides detailed ordinances that govern social and moral behavior among the #Israelites, reflecting the holiness and justice of #God. 1. **God's Justice and Social Order**: The laws in Exodus 21 underscore God's commitment to justice and the establishment of a moral society. These ordinances address various aspects of daily life, including servitude, personal injury, and property rights, demonstrating God's concern for fair treatment and the welfare of all individuals, particularly the vulnerable, such as servants (Exodus 21:2-11). 2. **Servanthood and Freedom**: The laws concerning Hebrew servants (Exodus 21:2-6) reflect a balance between servitude and freedom, emphasizing the dignity of each person. The provision for the release of a servant in the seventh year points to the importance of #Sabbath rest and liberation, echoing the #Jubilee principles in [[Leviticus/Leviticus Chapter 25]]. 3. **Value of Human Life**: The ordinances regarding personal injury (Exodus 21:12-27) highlight the sanctity and value of human life. The principle of lex talionis, "eye for eye, tooth for tooth," serves as a measure for just retribution, emphasizing equitable justice rather than vengeance, pointing ultimately to the justice fulfilled in #Christ's sacrificial atonement. 4. **Protection of the Vulnerable**: The laws provide specific protections for women (Exodus 21:7-11) and servants, indicating God's care for those who might otherwise be subject to exploitation. This reflects the broader biblical theme of God's concern for orphans, widows, and the oppressed, as reiterated in [[Deuteronomy/Deuteronomy Chapter 10]]. 5. **God's Sovereignty and Covenant Relationship**: By giving these laws, God establishes His sovereignty over Israel and reaffirms their covenant relationship. The ordinances serve as guidelines for living as God's chosen people, reflecting His holiness and setting #Israel apart from other nations, as emphasized in [[Leviticus/Leviticus Chapter 19]]. 6. **Foreshadowing of Christ's Fulfillment**: The laws point forward to Jesus Christ, who perfectly fulfills the law and prophets ([[Matthew/Matthew Chapter 5]]). Through His life and teachings, Jesus transcends the limitations of these ordinances, offering a new covenant based on grace and truth, as highlighted in [[John/John Chapter 1]]. These insights reveal the depth of God's law as not only a legal code but a reflection of His character and His redemptive plan for humanity, culminating in the work of [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]]. The ordinances in Exodus 21, therefore, serve as a foundation for understanding God's justice, mercy, and the call to holiness for His people. ## Thematic Connections ### Divine Justice and Social Order Exodus 21 reveals God's concern for establishing a just and orderly society among the #Israelites. The detailed laws concerning servants, personal injuries, and property protection emphasize the importance of justice in community life. This theme can be connected to other biblical laws and instructions to Israel found in books like [[Leviticus/Leviticus Chapter 19]], which focuses on holiness and justice, and [[Deuteronomy/Deuteronomy Chapter 16]], which outlines principles for judges and justice in society. These laws reflect God's desire for a society where righteousness and justice prevail, aligning with the character of God as seen in [[Psalms/Psalms Chapter 89|Psalm 89:14]]. ### Sanctity of Human Life The laws concerning personal injuries and crimes against individuals underscore the sanctity of human life, reflecting the biblical principle that life is sacred and made in the image of God (see [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 1|Genesis 1:27]]). Exodus 21:12-14, which deals with cases of murder and manslaughter, echoes the commandment "You shall not murder" from [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 20|Exodus 20:13]]. This theme is further developed in the law of cities of refuge in [[Numbers/Numbers Chapter 35]], which provides protection for accidental killers, illustrating God's provision for justice and mercy. ### Protection of the Vulnerable The chapter includes laws to protect servants and vulnerable members of society, such as women and children, reflecting God's concern for the marginalized. This theme is consistent with other biblical teachings, such as the care for widows and orphans in [[Deuteronomy/Deuteronomy Chapter 10]] and the prophetic call for justice and kindness in [[Micah/Micah Chapter 6|Micah 6:8]]. These connections emphasize that God's law seeks to protect those who might otherwise be exploited or oppressed. ### Responsibility and Restitution The laws about property and restitution in Exodus 21 highlight the biblical principle of responsibility and making amends for wrongs. This theme is seen in the broader biblical narrative concerning the need for repentance and restitution, as seen in stories like that of Zacchaeus in [[Luke/Luke Chapter 19]], who sought to repay those he had wronged. The principle of restitution also echoes the Levitical laws on offerings and reparations found in [[Leviticus/Leviticus Chapter 6]]. ### Covenant Community Ethics The chapter contributes to the overall theme of covenant community ethics by outlining how God's people are to live in relation to one another. These societal laws are part of the covenant established between God and Israel, beginning with the Ten Commandments in [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 20]]. This theme is part of a wider biblical narrative where God's covenant people are called to live distinctively, as echoed in the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, such as in [[Matthew/Matthew Chapter 5]]. ## Prophetic Fulfillments ### The Law and Covenant Exodus 21 contains laws that were part of the #MosaicCovenant, which God established with the people of #Israel. This covenant and its laws were foundational to Israel's relationship with God and foreshadowed the coming New Covenant in Jesus Christ. In [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 31|Jeremiah 31:31-34]], God promises a new covenant, not like the one made with the ancestors when He took them out of #Egypt. This new covenant is fulfilled in Jesus, as described in [[Hebrews/Hebrews Chapter 8|Hebrews 8:8-13]], where it is explained that Jesus' sacrifice and priesthood establish a better covenant based on better promises. ### Servitude and Redemption The laws concerning servitude in Exodus 21 can be seen as a foreshadowing of spiritual truths fulfilled in the New Testament. The release of servants in the seventh year (Exodus 21:2) anticipates the concept of redemption and freedom found in Christ. Just as servants were to be set free, Jesus proclaims liberty to the captives and sets free those who are oppressed, as mentioned in [[Luke/Luke Chapter 4|Luke 4:18]]. This reflects the ultimate spiritual release and redemption through Christ’s work. ### The Sanctity of Life Exodus 21 emphasizes the sanctity of life, with laws concerning injury and compensation (Exodus 21:12-27). This reflects God's value of human life and justice, concepts that are fulfilled in the teachings of Jesus, who calls for love and justice in human relationships. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in [[Matthew/Matthew Chapter 5|Matthew 5:21-26]] expands on the principles behind these laws, emphasizing reconciliation and righteousness that surpasses mere legal compliance. ### The Ultimate Judge The laws in Exodus 21, which include provisions for judgment and restitution, point to God’s perfect justice. These laws foreshadow the coming of Jesus, who in the New Testament is revealed as the ultimate judge and lawgiver. In [[John/John Chapter 5|John 5:22]], it is declared that the Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son, indicating that Christ is the fulfillment of divine justice and the one who will administer it perfectly in the fullness of time. ### A People Set Apart The laws given in Exodus 21 are part of God’s design to set #Israel apart as a holy nation. This concept is fulfilled spiritually in the New Testament, where believers in Christ are described as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation in [[1 Peter/1 Peter Chapter 2|1 Peter 2:9]]. This fulfillment highlights the continuity of God’s plan to create a people dedicated to His purposes, realized through the community of believers in Jesus. ## Verses - **Exodus 21:1** - "These are the regulations you must present to Israel." - **Exodus 21:2** - "If you buy a Hebrew slave, he may serve for no more than six years. Set him free in the seventh year, and he will owe you nothing for his freedom." - See also [[Leviticus/Leviticus Chapter 25]] regarding Jubilee and release. - **Exodus 21:3** - "If he was single when he became your slave, he shall leave single. But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife must be freed with him." - **Exodus 21:4** - "If his master gave him a wife while he was a slave, and they had sons or daughters, then only the man will be free in the seventh year, but his wife and children will still belong to his master." - **Exodus 21:5** - "But the slave may declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I don’t want to go free.’" - **Exodus 21:6** - "If he does this, his master must present him before God. Then his master must take him to the door or doorpost and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will serve his master for life." - **Exodus 21:7** - "When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are." - **Exodus 21:8** - "If she