Exodus Chapter 22 Verses 16-25

:16 “And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins. 18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. 19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. 20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed. 21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. 23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. 25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.” 

“And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.” 

In this day in which the majority of people ignore God’s laws regarding fornication, there would be an entirely different mindset towards fornication if the man knew that he is required to marry the maid he is enticing and lying with.  In addition, if he knew that he had to pay a dowry to the father according to the dowry of virgins, then he would be much less apt to commit fornication.

“Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.”  This speaks to us of God’s moral judgment of witchcraft.  This should be a warning to the multitudes of people who practice witchcraft today.   

“Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.”  God gave the death sentence to those who practice bestiality. 

“He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.”  Likewise, the death sentence is pronounced by God upon those who would worship or sacrifice to other gods. 

“Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.”  There were two phases to the children of Israel dwelling in the land of Egypt.  During the days of Joseph, the children of Israel were treated well in the land of Egypt.  After the death of Joseph and after another Pharaoh arose over Egypt, the children of Israel were evil entreated by the Egyptians.  Certainly, the above judgment was admonishing the children of Israel to treat the stranger in the same way that they wanted to be treated in the land of Egypt. 

“Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. 23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.”  The widows and the fatherless children are the most vulnerable and least able in any society.  The Lord admonished the children of Israel to not afflict either the widow or the fatherless child.  Failure to take heed to the commandment of God would incur the wrath of God against those who miss treated the widow or the fatherless child.   

‘If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.”  Lending to the poor was to be without usury. 

Verses 26-31 

:26 “If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: 27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious. 28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. 29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. 30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me. 31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.” 

“If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: 27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.”  This goes under the category, of “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” 

“Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.”  The use of the word, gods, here refers to the rulers of the people, i.e., those in authority.   

“Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. 30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.”  This is in harmony with the laws of tithing given to the children of Israel.  They were to give of the first ripe fruits, and of the liquors, of the oxen, and of the sheep.