BibleProject | One Story That Leads to JesusSample

Today’s reading introduces laws about Israel’s civil life, some of which seem bizarre or unjust by modern standards. Keep in mind that God gives these instructions in a culture very different from our own. Seeing God’s commands in context helps us see how Yahweh invites people to standards of justice that far surpass those of their surrounding world.

The laws in today’s reading consistently place the needs of the weak above the desires of the powerful. Many ancient Near Eastern societies valued women like property or livestock, allowing men to use, abuse, or simply discard them. In that kind of context, Israel’s laws grant women a sort of dignity likely seen as extreme (or even offensive) at the time.

For example, while God allows Israelite men to marry war captives—a common practice then—he insists they respect these women, provide space to mourn, and treat them as wives with legal rights. Israel’s laws also protect wives from angry husbands making false accusations and demand justice for victims of sexual assault.

Other vulnerable groups also receive legal protections. The law requires Israelites to protect escaped enslaved people instead of returning them to their masters. And prohibitions against charging interest place a poor person’s need for resources over a rich person’s desire for profit.

God stands up for the weak and powerless, and his laws command the Israelites to do the same. Over and over, his instructions reveal deep value for all people, regardless of social status, and a desire for people to take care of each other and bless one another.

Reflection Questions

• Today’s reading corresponds to the sixth and seventh commandments. What have you learned about murder and adultery from these laws?
• Deuteronomy 22:1-4 explains the Israelites’ obligations to care for their neighbors’ property. How does this law shape your understanding of the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10?