Paper Example on Exodus 23: 1-3

Introduction

Exodus 23:1-3 contains ethical laws that warn people against giving false information or report that prevails justice. Exodus 23:1-3 creates and extends the ninth commandment. The ninth commandment prohibits people from initiating false allegations or sharing them since it is a sinful act in both dimensions. It is a clause that is important when one is witnessing before a judge; however, the law is not limited to the judicial system. The exegetical essay will further cover Exodus 23:1-3 from a historical context and identify the laws involved. Similarly, the nature and purpose of the laws towards Israelites will be discussed. Consequently, the exegetical paper will as well illustrate the applicability of the law in a contemporary context.

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Historical Context of the Passage

Throughout the history of the old testament, Moses has been majorly credited with sharing laws with the Israelites to bring them closer to God and enlighten them on why it is important to adhere to the laws that advocate for justice, peace, and equitability. Moses mentioned all the sayings of the Lord to the Israelites, all the commandments that, according to Spohn (2014), were the seven laws granted to Noah's descendants, the statutes of the sabbath, and the upholding of the fathers, and the rulings of Marah. However, the Israelites had learned most of these laws before, except Marah's rulings and the ten commandments, for they were not yet offered to Moses at that time. Nonetheless, it was presumably the commandments, or the legal laws, which he was directed to put before the Israelites to understand and practice in their daily interactions with other people. During the interaction between Moses and the Israeli ties, it was typical for the people to reply in one heart, one communicating with and in the name of the other, or they will all raise their tone together and communicate with one soul, and converse with the same language (Wojciechowski, 2018). The Israelites agreed to put into practice all the words that the Lord has spoken-That is, they must be cautious to obey all the laws, ordinances, ordinances, ordinances, which the Lord had commanded them (Deuteronomy 4:44-28-30).

The Kind of Laws Involved in the Passage

Exodus 23:1 highlights the ethical laws that the Israelites had to understand and apply in their daily interaction with the societal members. These laws concentrate on adhering to and practicing the principles of justice. The laws are primarily concerned with speaking the truth. Justice relies on the facts. When the fact is corrupted, justice is depraved (Wojciechowski, 2018). The Lord warns that many temptations may arise for people to give false information. Thus, if people are not cautious, they can pervert the facts, no matter how subtly, with deeply devastating implications.

Determining the Nature of The Legal Requirement

The nature of the legal requirement is that acting against the "though shall not raise a false report" is considered a sin against the ninth commandment. The rule applies to both the receiver and inventor of the false reports as both are believed to be equally criminals. The Israelites were requested to do what they would want to be done unto them. The ethical principle is supported in Mathew 7:12, which states that "So to all, do to others as you would have someone do to you for that sums up the Law and the Commandments." Additionally, the nature of the legal requirement is that people would adhere to the laws of the judicial system and the authorities if they determine that people giving false information are punished by the law and therefore act as an example to people to give false reports. Harsh penalties instill the fear to tell false information due to the repercussion that comes with it. According to (Scherr 2020), people are likely to respect the authorities and judicial systems that condemn false reporting or accusation by entailing heavy punishment to people found guilty of it.

Describing the Purpose of The Law in Israel

The ethical laws had significant purposes for the Israelites. It guided the Israelites in understanding the importance of setting a good example by adhering to principles or laws appropriate that favors everyone rather than just conforming to the ethics of the culture or government. The law guided the Israelites to fight for what they believed was right or justifiable even if the repercussions hurt them or loved ones. The Israelites were called upon to play a special role in the universe. The Israelites were appointed to be Yahweh's representatives, which meant that they were eventually called to be a light to the world (Gen. 12:1-3). But the testimony of the Israelites to Yahweh will be undermined if they followed the philosophy and custom of the nations around them, such as giving false information that prevails justice and equality. One of the commandments' primary functions was to ensure that Israelites lived to the beloved children of the Lord title. Deuteronomy 4:5-8 entails Moses' final message to the Israelites in which he speaks—with great vigor on the basic things they need to know to maintain their lives as the people of Lord amid the Gentiles. Therefore, part of the obligation to keep the ten commandments is to act as an example of true leadership to the world (Wyman, 2017).

Identifying Applicability of The Purpose in a Contemporary Context

The law asserting that one should not give false reports to limit justice from prevailing is appropriately utilized in the modern context. It is typical for judicial courts in different countries across the world to request anybody testifying against another person to give real information to help the jury make appropriate decisions. In a normal context, witnesses are warned of the risks associating with giving a false report. The bible is handed to witness to swear that they will speak nothing but the truth throughout the court proceedings (De Zutter et al., 2017). It is an ethical act to ensure that the impending case is treated with fairness and equality, which would mean that justice will prevail (Cengage, 2015). Nonetheless, there is punishment for witness found guilty of giving false reports. Depending on the ruling, an individual believed to be giving false information that would deter justice is punished by paying a certain amount of fines, jail time, or both.

Conclusion

Exodus 23: 1-3 highlights the ethical laws that Christians should follow in their daily interactions with other people. It condemns people against giving false reports and, in the process deterring justice from prevailing since jurors are likely to make a false ruling based on the given information. Henceforth, the verses mentioned above in the book of Exodus 23: 1-3 urges Christians to give accurate information to avoid sinning against the ninth commandment that prohibits people from making a false allegation against others.

References

Cengage Learning. (, 2015). AD's Favoritism toward her Boyfriend Irrelevant in Lawsuit. College Athletics and the Law, 12(6), 10-10.
https://doi.org/10.1002/catl.30123

De Zutter, A. W., Horselenberg, R., & Van Koppen, P. J. (2017). Filing False Vice Reports: Distinguishing True from False Allegations of Rape. The European Journal of Psychology Applied to Legal Context, 9(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpal.2016.02.002

Scherr, K. C., Normile, C. J., Luna, S., Redlich, A. D., Lawrence, M., & Catlin, M. (2020). False Admissions of Guilt Associated with Wrongful Convictions Undermine People's Perceptions of Exonerees. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 26(3), 233-244.
https://doi.org/10.1037/law0000238

Spohn, C., White, C., & Tellis, K. (2014). Unfounded Sexual Assault: Examining the Decision to Unfound and Identifying False Reports. Law & Society Review, 48(1), 161-192.
https://doi.org/10.1111/lasr.12060

Wojciechowski, B. W., Gräns, M., & Lidén, M. (2018). A True Denial or a False Confession? Assessing the Veracity of Suspects' Statements using MASAM and SVA. PLOS ONE, 13(6), e0198211. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0198211

Wyman, J., Foster, I., Lavoie, J., Tong, D., & Talwar, V. (2017). Detecting Children's False Allegations and Recantations of a Crime. Psychology, Crime & Law, 24(6), 652-671.
https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316x.2017.1402018.