Exodus 23

The Sinai covenant follows closely the pattern of treaties made in the ancient Near East. In those treaties, a great king made an agreement with smaller nations. The great king was called a suzerain (a powerful ruler). The smaller nations were called vassals (people or nations under his rule).

These treaties usually followed a clear structure:

1. The treaty began with an introduction. This section named the great king who was offering the covenant (20:1).

2. Next came a historical preamble (an introduction that explains past events). This section described what had already happened between the king and the people (20:2).

   In Exodus, God reminds Israel that he brought them out of slavery in Egypt. This shows why he has the right to make a covenant with them.

3. Then the treaty listed the stipulations (the required terms of the agreement). These explained what each side promised to do. In ancient treaties, the king promised protection from enemies and help in times of danger. The people promised loyalty and obedience.

   In Exodus, the basic terms of the covenant appear in 20:3–17. These verses include the Ten Commandments. The laws are explained further in chapters 21–23.

4. The treaty also explained where the written copy should be kept and when it should be read publicly (24:7; 25:16). This ensured that future generations would remember the covenant.

5. Ancient treaties called on the gods to witness the agreement. In Exodus, instead of calling on pagan gods, historical events and written records serve as witnesses (24:4). This shows that Israel’s covenant was different from pagan treaties.

6. Finally, treaties listed blessings and curses. Blessings would follow obedience. Curses would follow disobedience (23:20–33). This made it clear that the covenant had real consequences.

God used the familiar political treaty form of the ancient world. However, he removed pagan religious elements that were common at that time.

Through this covenant, God invited Israel into a formal relationship with himself as their king.

The Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament parallels this section of Exodus (Matthew 5:1–7:29). The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–12) correspond in some ways to the Ten Commandments.

Both passages describe how God’s people should live under his rule.

The statements in this section follow the usual case-law pattern used in ancient Near Eastern law codes (legal collections from the lands around Israel). This pattern begins with a possible situation introduced by the word “if.” The next part explains what should happen and begins with the word “then.”

In these chapters, some laws are grouped together. However, the text does not clearly separate personal, civil, and ceremonial laws. These types of laws appear side by side.

This shows that, for God, life is not divided into separate parts. All of life is lived in relationship with him. Every action shows whether a person is living in loving obedience to God or in resistance against him.

It is important to speak the truth, even when facing evil people, a crowd, or misguided motives (23:1, 2, 3, 7–8).

This call for justice includes a mixed list of covenant requirements. Most of these requirements deal with fairness and honesty in daily life. They show how God’s people should treat others with integrity.

God's character inspires people to act righteously (see 22:22–24, 27).

Renewal, rest, and refreshment are important (23:12). Just as humans and animals are to enjoy these in the weekly Sabbath, so the land is to be given rest every seven years (23:10–11; see study note on 20:8–11).

God commanded that every man in Israel must appear before him three times each year (23:17). They must appear at the tabernacle (also called the Tent of Meeting). While Israel camped around the Tent of Meeting in the wilderness, this command was not difficult to obey. The people lived close to the tabernacle.

Later, after Israel settled in the promised land, many people lived far from the Tent of Meeting and later from the temple in Jerusalem. Travel became longer and more demanding.

This command was likely meant to prevent the people from building local worship centers. If each region created its own place of worship, the nation could become divided.

Local shrines could also allow pagan influences (beliefs and practices from other religions) to enter the worship of Yahweh. By gathering at one central place, the people would remain united in their worship of the one true God.

Sadly, the people did not always carry out these commands carefully (see, for example, 2 Kings 23:21–23).

At the appointed time in the month of Abib: See 13:4–5; Leviticus 23:5–8; Deuteronomy 16:1–8.

• They celebrated the Feast of Harvest seven weeks after Passover. This was about the end of the barley harvest and the start of the wheat harvest (mid-May to mid-June). In later Judaism, this feast marked the giving of the covenant at Mount Sinai. This happened 50 days after the first Passover in Egypt (see Leviticus 23:15–21; Deuteronomy 16:9–12).

• They celebrated the Feast of the Ingathering on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar (mid-September to mid-October). This was after the grape harvest ended. This feast remembered the time in the wilderness when God provided for his people.

• Blood symbolized life (Leviticus 17:11–14; Deuteronomy 12:23). So, it must not mix with anything leaven, which was usually not included in offerings (see study note on Leviticus 2:11).

• They had to immediately burn the fat. This was considered the best part of the offering (see Leviticus 3:3–5).

The meaning of the command not to cook a young goat in its mother’s milk is not clear.

The Bible does not explain the reason for this law. Because it appears among other worship laws, some scholars think it may have been a pagan religious practice. Pagan means related to the worship of other gods.

If that is true, the command would warn Israel not to copy the worship practices of other nations.

an angel: Probably "the angel of the LORD," often representing God himself (see 3:2).

If the people obeyed the covenant rules, God promised to protect them from enemies and illness and give them land to own (23:22–23, 25–26, 27–31). These promises depended on complete loyalty to God (Yahweh). Worshiping the gods of the peoples expelled from the land would be an act of rebellion (23:21; 24, 32–33).

In Canaanite worship, people built holy pillars to represent the gods. Sometimes, they carved them to look like humans.

Pagan rites were carried out in an attempt to manipulate the forces of fertility and reproduction. God promised to give these gifts freely if the people would faithfully carry out the terms of their covenant with him.

I will: God, not Israel, would take the land. The land would be a gift from their Covenant Lord. Israel was being granted possession of it as long as they faithfully fulfilled the covenant.

• from the desert to the Euphrates: See Genesis 15:18; Numbers 34:2–12; Deuteronomy 11:24; 2 Chronicles 9:26.

• I will deliver the inhabitants: God promised the land to Abraham (Genesis 15:16). At that time, "the iniquity of the Amorites" was not yet complete. Now they were. God was not randomly taking land from the Amorites (that is, the Canaanites). He used the Israelites to judge their wickedness.

they cause you to sin against Me: God commanded Israel to destroy the Canaanites. There could be no peace agreement between a holy God and sin.

God had chosen Israel to carry his message (revelation, meaning what God makes known about himself) to the world. This message would one day lead to the coming of Jesus Christ in human form (the incarnation).

For this plan to continue, Israel had to remain faithful to God. If they returned to pagan worship (the worship of false gods), this plan would be broken.