DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links and a discussion forum 2013 December 22
Image 1: Forest Scene with Robbery
David Vinckboons (1576 - c. 1632)
Dutch Golden Age Baroque Style
Rockox House, Antwerp, Belgium
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
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Image 2: Shulamit and Mary (1810-1811)
Franz Pforr (1788-1812)
Nazarene Style of Romantic Art
Private Collection
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
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Image 3: The Fortune Teller (c. 1618)
Simon Vouet (1590-1649)
Baroque Style
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: The paintings above illustrate three key subjects in Exodus 22: robbery, virginity, and sorcery. They speak to the dignity of property, persons, and God. The first painting depicts violent theft. The second is a tribute to virginity. The third depicts a particular form of sorcery or magic called fortune-telling.
Exodus 22 deals mainly with matters of ownership, relationships, and influence within the community. A thief must repay five-fold or four-fold if he kills or sells the animal he stole. If he is stricken and dies while breaking and entering, no blood will be shed for him; but if he is killed later, the killer is guilty of murder. If the thief cannot repay, he will be sold to pay his debt. If a stolen beast is found in his possession, he must pay double for it. (1-4). If someone lets his animal graze in another's field or vineyard, he must make restitution from the best of his produce (5). If someone starts a fire which consumes stacked or standing grain he must make full restitution (6). In cases of breach of trust, the animal or goods which are stolen or lost must be repaid double by the thief (7-9). If an animal or article which is being held in trust is accidentally injured or damaged the trustee does not need to make restitution (10-13). Compensation is due to the owner of anything which is entrusted to another if it is injured or dies, unless the owner is with it at the time (14-15).
A man must marry a betrothed virgin whom he seduces, unless her father forbids the union, in which case the seducer must pay the bride-price (16-17).
A sorceress must be executed (18).
Bestiality is punishable by death (19).
Anyone who sacrifices to any god other than the LORD will be executed (20).
Sojourners, widows, and the fatherless must not be mistreated because the LORD will take deadly vengeance for them (21-24). No interest may be charged for a loan to an Israelite; and a cloak taken in pledge must be returned before sundown; otherwise God will hear his cry (25-27).
You must not curse God or the ruler of your people (28). Offerings from the harvest must be given promptly; and the firstborn of men and animals belong to the LORD (29-30). Israelites must be consecrated to the LORD and must not eat anything torn by the beasts of the field; it shall be thrown to the dogs (31).
Exodus 22
1 "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
2 If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him,
3 but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
4 If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.
5 "If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard.
6 "If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.
7 "If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man's house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.
8 If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property.
9 For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for a cloak, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, 'This is it,' the case of both parties shall come before God. The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.
10 "If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep safe, and it dies or is injured or is driven away, without anyone seeing it,
11 an oath by the LORD shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution.
12 But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner.
13 If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence. He shall not make restitution for what has been torn.
14 "If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is injured or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution.
15 If the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution; if it was hired, it came for its hiring fee.
16 "If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.
17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.
18 "You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
19 "Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.
20 "Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the LORD alone, shall be devoted to destruction.
21 "You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
22 You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.
23 If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry,
24 and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.
25 "If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.
26 If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down,
27 for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.
28 "You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
29 "You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me.
30 You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.
31 "You shall be consecrated to me. Therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.
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copyright 2013, Scott Souza
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