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Covet or leave it: True path to contentment (Deuteronomy 24:17–25:19)
Nine-fold path or mishmash?
One way to view Deuteronomy is that much of it (Deut. 6:1–26:15) is a systematic explanation of each of the Ten Commandments.1 By that approach, Deut. 24:17–26:15 seems to cover the Tenth Commandment, rather than being a collection of disjointed sayings.
Ki Tetze covers eight topics, and the next Torah passage Ki Tavo picks up the ninth (first fruits). In this study we’ll cover seven of topics, skipping the straight-forward instruction, “You shall have fair and just weight” (Deut. 25:13–16):
In this study
Do not distort justice (Deut. 24:17–18)A proper balance of charity and work (Deut. 24:19–22)Err on the side of mercy in meting out justice (Deut. 25:1–3)Of oxen and men (Deut. 25:4)Protect Godly legacy (Deut. 25:5–10)Why this wife’s underhanded move to save her husband was so bad (Deut. 25:11–12)Refuse to honor nations who attack the weak (Deut. 25:17–19)
Do not distort justice (Deut. 24:17–18)
“You shall not pervert justice”
One of the things that we’ve already seen is that Heaven’s reputation for impartiality in judgment is there. So when the people of God distort justice, they distort the Holy One’s character in the eyes of the world?
This particular instruction focuses on the Torah’s common triumvirate of the oppressed: fatherless children, widows and foreigners (Ex. 22:22; 23:9; Lev. 19:33; 16:19; 27:19).
The Hebrew word natah (H5186) is translated as pervert, as in perverting justice.2 God warns us, don’t נָטָה natah justice for foreigners and fatherless.
To drill down the meaning a little further, it means to stretch, pull out of shape or bend.3 It’s not OK to stretch the law and bend to do something it wasn’t meant to do or say something it didn’t say either as a way to defraud the poor and vulnerable or to defraud the wealthy by using the vulnerable as an excuse.
Are you going to take advantage of “fish out of water”?
If you ever traveled to a foreign country where you don’t understand the language, the legal system, the customs, you are almost helpless. You have to put yourself in the hands of someone who can knows the language and knows what is right and wrong in that country.
I remember the first time my wife and I traveled to South Korea, we were at the airport, trying to get through customs. The customs agent was physically directing us to go towards a certain place. Our Korean handler, the one who were there to help us, was having an argument with the customs official. Without him there, we would have been totally lost trying to figure out what was going on and where we were really supposed to go.
So in this case, you’re dealing with people are not familiar with your particular system. Think of the fatherless, who don’t have a father to help guide them through life, and to fend off anyone trying to take the child in the wrong direction. It falls to the extended family, neighbors, the community to bring forth justice,
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By Hallel FellowshipNine-fold path or mishmash?
One way to view Deuteronomy is that much of it (Deut. 6:1–26:15) is a systematic explanation of each of the Ten Commandments.1 By that approach, Deut. 24:17–26:15 seems to cover the Tenth Commandment, rather than being a collection of disjointed sayings.
Ki Tetze covers eight topics, and the next Torah passage Ki Tavo picks up the ninth (first fruits). In this study we’ll cover seven of topics, skipping the straight-forward instruction, “You shall have fair and just weight” (Deut. 25:13–16):
In this study
Do not distort justice (Deut. 24:17–18)A proper balance of charity and work (Deut. 24:19–22)Err on the side of mercy in meting out justice (Deut. 25:1–3)Of oxen and men (Deut. 25:4)Protect Godly legacy (Deut. 25:5–10)Why this wife’s underhanded move to save her husband was so bad (Deut. 25:11–12)Refuse to honor nations who attack the weak (Deut. 25:17–19)
Do not distort justice (Deut. 24:17–18)
“You shall not pervert justice”
One of the things that we’ve already seen is that Heaven’s reputation for impartiality in judgment is there. So when the people of God distort justice, they distort the Holy One’s character in the eyes of the world?
This particular instruction focuses on the Torah’s common triumvirate of the oppressed: fatherless children, widows and foreigners (Ex. 22:22; 23:9; Lev. 19:33; 16:19; 27:19).
The Hebrew word natah (H5186) is translated as pervert, as in perverting justice.2 God warns us, don’t נָטָה natah justice for foreigners and fatherless.
To drill down the meaning a little further, it means to stretch, pull out of shape or bend.3 It’s not OK to stretch the law and bend to do something it wasn’t meant to do or say something it didn’t say either as a way to defraud the poor and vulnerable or to defraud the wealthy by using the vulnerable as an excuse.
Are you going to take advantage of “fish out of water”?
If you ever traveled to a foreign country where you don’t understand the language, the legal system, the customs, you are almost helpless. You have to put yourself in the hands of someone who can knows the language and knows what is right and wrong in that country.
I remember the first time my wife and I traveled to South Korea, we were at the airport, trying to get through customs. The customs agent was physically directing us to go towards a certain place. Our Korean handler, the one who were there to help us, was having an argument with the customs official. Without him there, we would have been totally lost trying to figure out what was going on and where we were really supposed to go.
So in this case, you’re dealing with people are not familiar with your particular system. Think of the fatherless, who don’t have a father to help guide them through life, and to fend off anyone trying to take the child in the wrong direction. It falls to the extended family, neighbors, the community to bring forth justice,