Read Deuteronomy 24:10-22 at Bible Gateway.
Previously: deuteronomy 24:10-26:15, do not covet
(Please review the teaching tools of scripture, especially the Hebrew paragraph divisions. The paragraphs marked by an “s” at their close are weak paragraphs, which indicate a change of facet but not a change of theme or topic. The paragraphs marked by a “p” at their close are strong paragraphs, which indicate the completion of a theme or topic.)
The Tenth Commandment, Do not covet, is explained in Deu 24:10-26:15. These are the Hebrew paragraph divisions in the first section:
Deu 24:10-13 {s} Do not covet the pledge
Deu 24:14-15 {s} Do not covet the wages of your hired men
Deu 24:16 {s} Do not covet revenge so that you put to death the innocent for the guilty
Deu 24:17-18 {s} Do not covet the pledge that belongs to the poor
Deu 24:19 {s} Do not covet the grain that is for the poor
Deu 24:20-22 {s} Do not covet the fruit that is for the poor
The common theme running through all of these paragraphs, except for the third one, is treating the disadvantaged with kindness, courtesy, and respect. Do not covet what is theirs, such as the pledge or their wages. And do not withhold what is due them, such as justice or the leftovers of your harvest.
Just because you have made a loan to your brother, you do not now have the right to intrude on his privacy or his home. He retains possession of all that was previously his, including his dignity, and his right to common courtesy. His pledge is only loaned to the lender until he repays the loan, and the lender is expected to return the pledge to him in exactly the same pristine condition that he received it.
The Lord repeats twice that we are to remember that we ourselves were once slaves, were once oppressed, and were once disadvantaged … therefore we are to remember to treat others who are disadvantaged with not only justice, not only courtesy, not only dignity … but with extra care and kindness.
The third paragraph seems to break the pattern:
“Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin.” Deu 24:16
In other words, we shall not covet revenge so much, that we put to death the innocent party in place of the guilty, just to slake our anger, grief, or bloodlust.
Did God break His own Torah, in that He allowed Himself to be put to death for our sakes? No … He offered Himself voluntarily; He was not forced.
Continued: deuteronomy 25:1-12, do not withhold what is justly due
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