1 "Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them.
There follows, beginning here and ending with Chapter 23, a lengthy listing of regulations, called "judgments." These rules cover everything from relations with servants, the death of corrupters, usury, the treatment of strangers, how to settle arguments and penalties for just about every offense imaginable.
2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.
The literal sense of this passage was intended as a law governing how procedures of slavery were to be different for the Hebrews. However, the metaphysical interpretation of this passage, since the Hebrews personify forces of spiritual consciousness, is that when you call upon a spiritual force, and it manifests what you desire, you should allow that force to depart, for it’s work is done. The seventh year symbolizes completion and perfection.
3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him.
All spiritual forces that were brought into action by the influence of the one energy you called will return to their normal state after that energy departs from your consciousness.
4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's and he shall go out alone.
However, if you’ve called any separate forces yourself, then they shall be something you will be able to continue to employ or have to dismiss independently.
5 But if the slave plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,'
6 then his master shall bring him to the gods, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for life.
If the force in question is something that is needed toward a task of an eternal nature, and the environment it creates is beneficial (symbolized by the slave’s love for his master), then the individual should continue to employ it for the rest of his\her life. This eternal bond is symbolized by the earmark mentioned in the above passage.
7 "When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.
All daughters symbolize aspects of the soul. As such, they are treated differently then the forces of Spirit.
8 If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed; he shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt faithlessly with her.
Because she is an aspect of the soul, her behavior depends upon how she is treated by the individual. Also, she cannot be bartered away to someone else, or given to them, as can be done with spiritual forces.
9 If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter.
However, an aspect of the soul can be encouraged within a growing child. This is what is meant by “designating her for his son”. At this point, the person desiring to do this, must afford this aspect of the soul with the same respect that the divine (soul itself) is given. Only with this attitude can the aspect be effectively cultivated within another person.
10 If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights.
All aspects of the soul are to be honored equally, for they are all divine.
11 And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.
If any aspect of the soul is not cared for, it will depart from the consciousness of the individual of it’s own accord.
12 "Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.
This is self explanatory. All life is sacred, and should be respected.
13 But if he did not lie in wait for him, but the gods let him fall into his hand, then we will appoint for you a place to which he may flee.
Accidents do happen. The injunction listed in passage 12 applies only to premeditated murder, not to the accidental killing of someone else.
14 But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him treacherously, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
The mindset that it takes to enable one person to kill another is antithetical to the state of Divine Mind, so it cuts the killer off from Spirit and it’s benefits.
15 "Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.
The father and mother represent the mind and the heart. To oppose either of them leads to your own destruction.
One must understand that the original passages considered children and women to be property, without many rights. However, in today’s world, where child abuse of all forms occurs all too frequently, the literal interpretation of this passage should no longer apply, as it means that children have little to no means of defending themselves from ill treatment. Thus, while the spiritual interpretation is sound, and should be heeded, the literal interpretation should not be adhered to in cases where it involves physical life.
16 "Whoever steals a man, whether he sells him or is found in possession of him, shall be put to death.
Forcefully enslaving another person will ultimately lead to your own destruction. This is because it goes against the divine law of free will.
17 "Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.
Remember that the father and mother refer to the mind and heart. Corruption of either of these two leads to your own destruction.
18 "When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but keeps his bed,
19 then if the man rises again and walks abroad with his staff, he that struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed.
Anyone who inflicts harm on another person shall do their best to aid the other person in restoring their health and ability to earn a living.
20 "When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished.
It is wrong to harm another person, regardless of their status. The original passage was written in a time when slavery was widely practiced, and people could be considered property. However, times have changed and continue to change. People are equal, and all should be afforded the same respect under the law. Thus, punishment is life for life.
21 But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be punished; for the slave is his money.
This law no longer applies in today’s world. Punishment for harming a “slave” is the same as that of harming any other person. This is defined above.
22 "When men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no harm follows, the one who hurt her shall be fined, according as the woman's husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
In today’s world, this sort of thing is usually punishable with prison time. Additionally, the compensation is usually given to the woman (which is the proper way to handle it, as women are NOT the personal property of men, regardless of marriage).
23 If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life,
24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
This says that any harm befalling the mother should be visited upon those who have harmed her.
26 "When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free for the eye's sake.
The modern equivalent of this is the situation where injuries are sustained at work, that cause the individual to no longer be able to perform the functions of the job. At this point, the employer is responsible for compensating the individual for their injuries and inability to work. That is what “Worker’s Compensation” is in the United States.
27 If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free for the tooth's sake.
In today’s world, employers are required to compensate employees for injuries acquired on the job, but something like this is not likely to get you released from having to work…though it should at least get your medical bills and such paid for by your employer. As is implied a few passages above, where “judges” are mentioned, this sort of thing usually requires going to court, however.
28 "When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be clear.
If someone is unaware that their animal is violent, yet it attacks another person, the animal should be destroyed, but the owner should not be held accountable.
29 But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.
If a person is aware that any of their animals are dangerous, and ignores the problem, the he\she is to be held accountable for any harm caused by the animal.
30 If a ransom is laid on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is laid upon him.
The owner may pay a fine, instead of getting the death penalty.
31 If it gores a man's son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule.
32 If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
A modern version of this could be used as follows: The owner should be obligated to pay any expenses of loss of business and loss of an employee to the employer of the person, or the immediate family.
33 "When a man leaves a pit open, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or an ass falls into it,
34 the owner of the pit shall make it good; he shall give money to its owner, and the dead beast shall be his.
In the event that one person accidentally kills someone else’s pet, that person will buy the dead animal to compensate the owner for the loss.
35 "When one man's ox hurts another's, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide the price of it; and the dead beast also they shall divide.
36 Or if it is known that the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall pay ox for ox, and the dead beast shall be his.
The point of both these passages is that people are responsible for their animals.