23:2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to [do] evil; neither
shalt thou speak in a cause a to decline after many to
wrest [judgment]:
(a) Do that which is godly, though few favour it.
23:4 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou
shalt surely b bring it back to him again.
(b) If we are bound to do good to our enemies beast, how
much more to our enemy himself, (Mt 5:44).
23:5 If thou see the c ass of him that hateth thee lying under
his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt
surely help with him.
(c) If God commands us to help our enemy's donkey under his
burden, will he suffer us to cast down our brethren
with heavy burdens?
23:7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the d innocent and
righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
(d) Whether you are the magistrate or are commanded by the
magistrate.
23:9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the e
heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land
of Egypt.
(e) For since he is a stranger, his heart is sorrowful
enough.
23:13 And in all [things] that I have said unto you be
circumspect: and make f no mention of the name of other
gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.
(f) Neither by swearing by them, nor speaking of them,
(Ps 16:4, Eph 5:3).
23:15 Thou shalt keep the feast of g unleavened bread: (thou
shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded
thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it
thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before
me empty:)
(g) That is, Easter, in remembrance that the angel passed
over and spared the Israelites, when he slew the first
born of the Egyptians.
23:16 And the h feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy
labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the i
feast of ingathering, [which is] in the end of the year,
when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
(h) Which is Whit Sunday, in token that the law was given
50 days after they departed from Egypt.
(i) This is the feast of tabernacles, signifying that they
lived for 40 years in the tents or the tabernacles in
the wilderness.
23:18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with k
leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice
remain until the morning.
(k) No leavened bread will be in your house.
23:19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring
into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe
a kid in his l mother's milk.
(l) Meaning, that no fruit should be taken before just
time: and by this all cruel and wanton appetites are
controlled.
23:21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he
will not pardon your transgressions: for my m name [is]
in him.
(m) I will give him my authority, and he will govern you
in my name.
23:24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor
do after their works: but thou shalt n utterly overthrow
them, and quite break down their images.
(n) God commands his own to not only not worship idols,
but to destroy them.
23:25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless
thy o bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness
away from the midst of thee.
(o) That is, all things necessary for this present life.
23:27 I will send my p fear before thee, and will destroy all
the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all
thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.
(p) I will make them afraid of your coming and send my
angel to destroy them, as in (Ex 35:2).
23:31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the
sea q of the Philistines, and from the r desert unto
the s river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the
land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before
thee.
(q) Called the Sea of Syria.
(r) Of Arabia called desert.
(s) That is, Ephraim.
