Exodus 23 Legal principles still around today

Exodus Chapter 23

The chapter starts with some legal guidance which is supposed to hold true even in the UK courts,-do not help the guilty by slanting your evidence. The oath in the British legal system is that "I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

Also do not automatically condemn the rich by showing favouritism to the poor and vice versa.

Some people may be shocked that the Bible says  do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. It is a command to think for yourself  – recognise if things are being done wrong and make a decision not to and to oppose if it is wrong.

There are laws in the Bible on how you should treat your enemy – if he is struggling help him, if you find something of his, give it back to him. 

How is one supposed to carry on a pointless feud when they behave like this??

Bribes are also forbidden in law cases – they distort vision and warp the words of the innocent.

There are some patterns for farming as well in this chapter

Every 7^th year do not plant crops or tend fields and vinyards, this would allow the soil to recover every so often. 

in medieval England there was a 4 year rotation with a field being untended every 4^th year. This stops the soil becoming depleted and gives a chance to re-build nutrients.

Every 7^th day is a day off – note this applies to everybody even slaves and foreigners

There are also 3 major festivals which each merit time off work – Passover, first fruits and harvest.

The end of the chapter is a promise and a warning – God will be with Israel and settle them in the promised land but they have to do as God says.