Ex. 23 False witness and report forbidden, Ex. 23:1. Right must not be wrested, Ex. 23:2. He commands man to do good to his enemies, Ex. 23:3–5. Bribes are forbidden, Ex. 23:8. The years of sowing appointed, and gathering, Ex. 23:10.

Thou shalt not raise, Heb. not take up, to wit, into thy mouth, as Ex. 20:7, either by the first raising, or further spreading of it; or not bear, or endure, as that word oft signifies; not hear it patiently, delightfully, readily, approvingly, as persons are very apt to do; but rather shalt…

Thou shalt not follow a multitude, either their counsel or example. But the Hebrew rabbin both here and in the following clause is by some rendered great men, men in power and authority, whom we are commanded not to follow. And as the word is thus used Job 32:9, Jer.

Heb. honour, i.e. respect, or prefer his cause when the richer man’s cause is more just: the meaning of this and the former verse is, there shall be no respect of persons, whether rich or poor, but an impartial consideration of the cause. See Lev. 19:15, Ps. 72:1–2.

So far shalt thou be from revenging his injuries, that thou shalt render good to him for them, whereby if thou dost not reconcile him, thou wilt procure peace to thyself, and honour to religion.

This translation depends upon this supposition, that the Hebrew verb azab, which is thrice used in this verse, signifies not only to leave, but also to help, or erect, or lift up, or strengthen, or restore; which signification of the verb may be proved, 1. From that use of it, Neh. 3:8, Neh.

i.e. Of the poor which is among thee, not of the poor Jews only, as some peradventure may conceive; for common right must be done even to the Gentiles. Compare Deut. 27:19.

Keep thee far, i.e. abstain from all occasions, degrees, or appearances of it. Compare Job 22:23, Prov. 4:14–15. A false matter, i.e. an unrighteous judgment; for he is speaking to the judges, as appears both by the foregoing and following verses.

Thou shalt take no gift, namely, from such whose causes are depending before thee; because if thou dost not sell justice for it, yet thou wilt both seem to do so, and be tempted to do so. Compare Deut. 16:19, 1 Sam. 8:3, Prov. 17:8, Prov. 17:23, Prov. 19:6.

The heart of a stranger, i.e. the disposition, dejection, and distress of his heart, which makes him an object of pity, not of malice or mischief.

Thou shalt let it rest, and lie still, i.e. from manuring, ploughing, tilling, and sowing, and reaping also, by comparing Lev. 25:3–5. And this God ordained not only for the reason here mentioned, the more comfortable provision of the poor, and for the cattle, but for other weighty reasons; as, 1.

This command is here repeated, lest any should think the weekly rest might cease when the whole year was consecrated to rest. There were three sorts of sabbaths to the Jews: 1. Of days. 2. Of years, to wit; the seventh year. 3.

Make no mention, to wit, with honour or delight, or without detestation; as fornication is not to be named among saints, Eph. 5:3. Or, not mention them in your worship, or in oaths, or in common discourse, and without special occasion, lest the frequent mention of them might keep up their memory,…

This may be either, 1. A precept, as it is generally understood, that none should ever come at those times without some offering or other, for the support of the Levites, and of the worship of God; but the determination of this, or what they would give, was left to their choice. Or, 2.

The feast of harvest, i.e. of wheat harvest, for barley harvest was before this time. This feast was otherwise called pentecost. Quest. How were these the first-fruits, when a sheaf was offered to God in the feast of the passover? Answ.

To wit, such as are of competent years, and health, and strength, and such as were at their own dispose; for that servants were not bound to this may seem probable, because none of these concerned were to appear before the Lord empty, or without an offering, but the generality of servants had not…

These clauses most understand of the passover, by comparing this place with its parallel, Ex. 34:25, where the passover is mentioned. But the words being here universal, by the laws of interpretation they ought to be universally understood, if they can bear that sense; which here they may, for both…

This seems to be a general rule, extending to all the fruits which the earth first produced; in every kind of which the very first are here enjoined to be offered unto God, before they should presume to eat any of them.

To wit, Christ, the Angel of the covenant, as may be gathered both from the following words, because pardon of sin, which is God’s prerogative, Mark 2:7, is here ascribed to him, and God’s name is in him, and by comparing other scriptures, as Ex. 32:34, Acts 7:38–39, 1 Cor. 10:9, Ex. 13:21, Ex.

He will not pardon your transgressions, i.e. he will severely punish you for them, by a common meiosis, as Ex. 20:7. Understand, if you continue obstinate in your sins. My name is in him, Heb. is in his inward parts, i.e.

All that I speak; all that I have already commanded, and shall further prescribe by him unto Moses.

Thou shalt not bow down nor serve them, i.e. give them neither outward worship with thy body, nor inward with thy mind, nor follow their example in the worship of idols. Them shalt overthrow them, i.e.

Thy bread and thy water, i.e. thy meat and thy drink, that they shall be able to nourish thee, and give thee comfort, which without my blessing they will never be able to do.

Here was a double mercy. God gave them strength both to conceive, and to retain the conception till the natural and proper time of bringing forth came.

My fear, i.e. a great terror, or a terror wrought by me. See Ex. 33:2, Josh. 24:12

Hornets, properly so called, as may be gathered from Josh. 24:12, Deut. 7:20. Hornets are of themselves very troublesome and mischievous; but these it is very probable were like those Egyptian flies, Ex. 8:21, of an extraordinary bigness and perniciousness.

Desolate, void of inhabitants in a great measure, because thy present number is not sufficient to occupy and manage their whole land.

Compare this place with Gen. 15:18, Num. 34:3. The sea of the Philistines, i.e. the Mediterranean or midland sea, upon whose coast the land of the Philistines lay. The desert, of Egypt or Arabia; whereof see Gen. 16:7, Ex. 15:22. The river, to wit, Euphrates, as it is expressed Deut. 1:7, Deut.

To worship them, as they made a covenant with Jehovah to worship him. The sense is, Thou shalt not engage thyself, either to the people or to their gods, but shalt root out both.

For if thou serve; or, for thou wilt serve; this will be the fruit of thy cohabitation with them, thou wilt thereby be drawn to idolatry. It will surely, or, and assuredly this will be a snare; an occasion of further sin and utter ruin.