Exodus 21-23

This is sometimes referred to as "The Book of the Covenant" because that is what it is called in Exodus 24:7-8, although that probably also includes Exodus 20. We need to remember that these regulations reflect “God’s ways in Israel’s days” (as one author puts it). These instructions are part of God’s covenant with this particular nation, Israel.

God is accommodating himself to their culture... These are case laws (notice the format of these regulations: “if this… then that”). This is simply acknowledging aspects of ordinary life and offering regulations for it… it’s not commanding these things to be this way. It is regulating life in their culture to bring about order (righteousness) and justice to their world, so that Israel can live as "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:4-6). Many of the regulations is these chapters provide legal wisdom by showing how the 10 commandments apply to specific situations.

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