Deep Dive

Exodus 23:12

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For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the son of your maidservant may be refreshed, as well as the foreign resident.

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Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 12

This chapter continues and concludes the acts that passed in the first session (if I may so call it) upon mount Sinai. Here are, I. Some laws of universal obligation, relating especially to the ninth commandment, against bearing false witness (Exo 23:1), and giving false judgment (Exo 23:2, Exo 23:3, Exo 23:6-8). Also a law of doing good to our enemies (Exo 23:4, Exo 23:5), and not oppressing strangers (Exo 23:9). II. Some laws peculiar to the Jews. The sabbatical year (Exo 23:10, Exo 23:11), the three annual feasts (Exo 23:14-17), with some laws pertaining thereto. III. Gracious promises of the completing of the mercy God had begun for them, upon condition of their obedience. That God would conduct them through the wilderness (Exo 23:20-24), that he would prosper all they had (Exo 23:25, Exo 23:26), that he would put them in possession of Canaan (Exo 23:27-31). But they must not mingle themselves with the nations (Exo 23:32, Exo 23:33).

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Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 12

שֵׁשׁ (shêsh, H8337) — six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ord. sixth יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application מַעֲשֶׂה (maʻăseh, H4639) — an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication,… שְׁבִיעִי (shᵉbîyʻîy, H7637) — seventh שָׁבַת (shâbath, H7673) — to repose, i.e. desist from exertion; used in many implied relations (causative,… שׁוֹר (shôwr, H7794) — a bullock (as a traveller) חֲמוֹר (chămôwr, H2543) — a male ass (from its dun red) נוּחַ (nûwach, H5117) — to rest, i.e. settle down; used in a great variety of applications, literal and… בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… אָמָה (ʼâmâh, H519) — a maidservant or female slave גֵּר (gêr, H1616) — properly, a guest; by implication, a foreigner נָפַשׁ (nâphash, H5314) — to breathe; passively, to be breathed upon , i.e. (figuratively) refreshed (as if by a…

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Cross-references

Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.

Luke 13:14rank 4

But the synagogue leader was indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on the Sabbath.”

Exodus 34:21rank 3

Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even in the seasons of plowing and harvesting, you must rest.

Exodus 35:3rank 3

Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”

Isaiah 58:3rank 1

“Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?” “Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers.

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