Putting God first

Exodus 22

Welcome to the Daily Bible Chapter. My name is James Leroy Wilson and I invite you to join me as we discover new insights and new perspectives from a very old book.

Exodus 22

I’m reading Young’s Literal Translation (YLT) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

In a couple of instances the chapter states that a dispute or problem is to be brought before “God,” but the NRSV has footnotes saying “or before the judges.” I wonder how people have interpreted this verse if they didn’t know “judges” was a possible translation. Not knowing the original language, it seems to be the more sensible one; resolving disputes is why Moses, on the counsel of Jethro, instituted judges in the first place.

Up through verse 15 situations of tort and criminal law are handled with restitution. Verses 16 and 17 deals with sex during a time in which, as I understand it, preventive measures against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases were non-existent. It discourages immediate, impulsive sexual gratification, and demands responsibility. We are sexual beings in these bodies, but we are fundamentally spiritual beings.

Verse 18 doesn’t doesn’t permit witches or “female sorcerers” (NRSV) to live. I’d never proscribe witchcraft or persecute witches. They should be as free to experiment with the…