Question 1

What does “Thou shalt not raise a false report” teach?

Accepted Answer

This command warns against starting or spreading lies about someone. It covers more than just speaking in court. It includes gossip, slander, and passing along stories we do not know are true. God also forbids joining with wicked people to be an unfair witness. He cares deeply that the truth is told, especially where someone’s life or reputation is at stake. This pushes us not only to avoid lying, but also to refuse to repeat rumors or side with people who twist the truth.

Question 2

What does it mean not to follow a multitude to do evil?

Accepted Answer

This line teaches that right and wrong are not decided by numbers. A crowd can be wrong. God tells judges and ordinary people not to join others when they do evil, even if many are doing it. We are not to bend our words in a case just because most people or powerful people want a certain result. Each person must listen to God’s commands and stand for what is right, even when it is lonely or costly.

Question 3

Why are there commands to help an enemy’s ox or donkey?

Accepted Answer

These examples show that love for neighbor even reaches to an enemy’s animals. If you see your enemy’s ox or donkey lost, you must return it. If his donkey has fallen under a load, you must help lift it, even if you would rather walk away. God calls this theft if we refuse to help when we can. The idea is that His people should not live by hate or payback, but by quiet acts of mercy, doing good even to those who dislike them.

Question 4

What is the sabbatical year in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The sabbatical year is when, after six years of sowing and reaping, the land is left to rest in the seventh year. People do not till or plant as usual. Whatever grows on its own is left for the poor and then for wild animals. This shows that the land belongs to God, not to them alone. It teaches trust in His care, kindness to the needy, and even mercy toward the land itself. It also reminds them that their wealth and food come from God’s hand.

Question 5

Why must Israel not oppress a stranger?

Accepted Answer

God reminds Israel that they themselves had been strangers and slaves in Egypt. They “know the heart of a stranger,” meaning they know how it feels to be weak, far from home, and easily wronged. Because of this, they must not crush or cheat foreigners living among them. God wants His people to remember their own past pain and let that memory move them to gentleness and fairness toward those who have little power or protection in the land.

Question 6

What are the three yearly feasts mentioned here?

Accepted Answer

The passage names three yearly feasts. First is the feast of unleavened bread, when they eat bread without yeast to remember being brought out of Egypt in haste. Second is the feast of harvest, linked to the first fruits of the grain they sowed. Third is the feast of ingathering at the end of the year when they bring in their crops from the field. At these times, the men of Israel must gather before the Lord, bringing what He has given them back to Him in thanks.

Question 7

Who is the Angel God sends before Israel in this passage?

Accepted Answer

God speaks of an Angel He sends ahead of Israel to guard them on the way and bring them to the land He has prepared. God’s name is said to be in him, and the people are told to listen to his voice and not provoke him, for he will not overlook their sins. Through this Angel, God Himself leads, protects, and judges His people. He will go before them into the lands of the nations named and will act as both guide and defender.

Question 8

Why must Israel destroy the gods and images of the nations?

Accepted Answer

Israel is told not to bow down to the gods of the nations, not to serve them, and not to copy their ways. They are to tear down the images and overthrow the places of idol worship. If the nations stay and their gods are honored, Israel will be tempted to sin and will be trapped by those false worships. God wants His people to belong to Him alone, so He commands them to break not only with the idols themselves, but also with the customs that go with them.

Question 9

What does this passage teach about God’s character?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows God as just, kind, and faithful. He cares that courts are honest, that no one lies or takes bribes, and that the poor and strangers are treated fairly. He also commands kindness even toward enemies and rest for workers, animals, and the land. At the same time, He promises to bless food, remove sickness, and drive out enemies little by little. He is firm against sin and idols, but He also guards and provides for those who serve Him.

Question 10

How can these commands apply to life today?

Accepted Answer

While the setting is ancient Israel, the heart of these commands still speaks today. We are called to tell the truth, refuse gossip, and not be swayed by crowds or bribes. We should do practical good even to people we dislike, and care about the poor, the foreigner, and those with less power. We also learn to keep regular rest and to give God the first and best of what we have. Above all, we are warned not to let anything take God’s place in our hearts.

Exodus 23:1

Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

Justice and Mercy

Sabbath Laws

The Three Feasts of Pilgrimage

God’s Angel to Lead

Justice and Mercy

Cross References

Exodus 23:1

Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

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Justice and Mercy

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Justice and Mercy

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