◄ Exodus 22:23 ►
If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry.
Study Bible
If you do mistreat them
This phrase serves as a stern warning against the oppression of the vulnerable, specifically widows and orphans, as mentioned in the preceding verse. The Hebrew word for "mistreat" is "עָנָה" (anah), which implies affliction or causing pain. Historically, widows and orphans were among the most defenseless in ancient societies, lacking a male protector or provider. This command underscores God's concern for justice and His protective nature over those who are marginalized. It reflects a divine mandate for His people to act with compassion and fairness, aligning with the broader biblical theme of social justice.

and they cry out to Me in distress
The act of crying out is significant in the Hebrew context, often associated with a plea for divine intervention. The Hebrew word "צָעַק" (tsa'aq) conveys a sense of desperation and urgency. This phrase indicates that God is attentive to the cries of those who suffer injustice. It echoes the Israelites' own cries in Egypt, which God heard and responded to with deliverance (Exodus 3:7-9). This establishes a pattern of God's responsiveness to human suffering and His commitment to act on behalf of the oppressed.

I will surely hear their cry
The repetition of the verb "hear" in Hebrew, "שָׁמַע" (shama), emphasizes certainty and assurance. God's promise to "surely hear" is a powerful affirmation of His attentiveness and readiness to respond. This assurance is not just a passive acknowledgment but implies active engagement and intervention. In the broader scriptural context, God's hearing often leads to action, as seen in His deliverance of Israel from Egypt. This promise serves as both a comfort to the oppressed and a warning to oppressors, highlighting God's role as a just judge who defends the cause of the vulnerable.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God
- The speaker in this verse, emphasizing His role as a just and compassionate deity who hears the cries of the oppressed.

2. The Oppressed
- Refers to the vulnerable individuals, such as widows and orphans, mentioned in the surrounding context of Exodus 22, who are at risk of being mistreated.

3. Israelites
- The original audience of the laws given in Exodus, who are being instructed on how to treat the vulnerable members of their society.

4. Mount Sinai
- The location where God delivered the laws to Moses, including this commandment, as part of the covenant with Israel.

5. Moses
- The leader and prophet who received the laws from God and communicated them to the Israelites.
Teaching Points
God's Compassionate Justice
God is deeply concerned with justice and compassion, especially for those who are vulnerable and oppressed. This verse assures us that God hears and responds to their cries.

Responsibility to the Vulnerable
As followers of Christ, we are called to reflect God's character by caring for and protecting the vulnerable in our communities, such as widows, orphans, and others in distress.

The Power of Crying Out to God
This passage encourages believers to cry out to God in times of distress, trusting that He hears and will act on behalf of those who are wronged.

Consequences of Injustice
The warning in this verse serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of mistreating others, highlighting the importance of living justly and righteously.

Reflecting God's Heart
Our actions towards the vulnerable should reflect God's heart, demonstrating His love and justice in practical ways in our daily lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding God's character as described in Exodus 22:23 influence the way we treat vulnerable individuals in our community?

2. In what ways can we ensure that we are not guilty of mistreating those who are vulnerable, as warned against in this verse?

3. How can we practically "cry out" to God in times of distress, and what assurance do we have that He will hear us?

4. What are some modern-day examples of vulnerable groups that we, as Christians, should be particularly mindful of protecting and supporting?

5. How do the teachings in Exodus 22:23 connect with the New Testament's emphasis on caring for widows and orphans, and how can we apply this in our church community today?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 10:18
- This verse highlights God's justice and care for the fatherless and widows, reinforcing His concern for the vulnerable.

Psalm 68:5
- Describes God as a father to the fatherless and a defender of widows, aligning with the theme of divine protection for the oppressed.

James 1:27
- In the New Testament, this verse emphasizes pure religion as caring for orphans and widows, showing continuity in God's concern for the vulnerable.

Isaiah 1:17
- Calls for defending the oppressed and seeking justice, echoing the principles found in Exodus 22:23.

Luke 18:7-8
- Jesus speaks of God bringing justice to His chosen ones who cry out to Him, reflecting the assurance of divine response to the cries of the oppressed.
Sermons
Jehovah's Proteges and RepresentativesJ. Orr Exodus 22:21-29
God's Care for the Widow and FatherlessJ. W. Burn.Exodus 22:22-24
The Treatment of the Widow and the FatherlessD. Young Exodus 22:22-24
People
Moses
Places
Mount Sinai
Topics
Advantage, Afflict, Certainly, Cruel, Cry, Ear, Really, Surely, Wise
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 22:23

     5196   voice

Exodus 22:21-24

     8791   oppression, nature of

Exodus 22:21-27

     5909   motives, importance

Exodus 22:22-23

     8607   prayer, God's promises

Exodus 22:22-24

     5730   orphans

Library
Excursus on Usury.
The famous canonist Van Espen defines usury thus: "Usura definitur lucrum ex mutuo exactum aut speratum;" [96] and then goes on to defend the proposition that, "Usury is forbidden by natural, by divine, and by human law. The first is proved thus. Natural law, as far as its first principles are concerned, is contained in the decalogue; but usury is prohibited in the decalogue, inasmuch as theft is prohibited; and this is the opinion of the Master of the Sentences, of St. Bonaventura, of St. Thomas …
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils

Parable of the Importunate Widow.
^C Luke XVIII. 1-8. ^c 1 And he spake a parable unto them to the end that they ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 saying, There was in a city a judge, who feared not God, and regarded not man [an utterly abandoned character]: 3 and there was a widow in that city; and she came oft unto him, saying, Avenge me of [rather, Do justice to me as to] mine adversary. [In Scripture language widowhood is symbolic of defenselessness (Ex. xxii. 22-24; Deut. x. 18; xxvii. 19; Mal. iii. 5; Mark xii. 40), …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Ciii. Zacchæus. Parable of the Pounds. Journey to Jerusalem.
(Jericho.) ^C Luke XIX. 1-28. ^c 1 And he entered and was passing through Jericho. [This was about one week before the crucifixion. Jericho is about seven miles from the Jordan and about seventeen and a half from Jerusalem.] 2 And behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich. [See p. 76. It is probable that Zacchæus was a sub-contractor under some Roman knight who had bought the privilege of collecting taxes at Jericho, or perhaps the privilege of all …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Epistle Xl. To Mauricius Augustus.
To Mauricius Augustus. Gregory to Mauricius, &c. The Piety of my Lords in their most serene commands, while set on refuting me on certain matters, in sparing me has by no means spared me. For by the use therein of the term simplicity they politely call me silly. It is true indeed that in Holy Scripture, when simplicity is spoken of in a good sense, it is often carefully associated with prudence and uprightness. Hence it is written of the blessed Job, The man was simple and upright (Job i. 1). …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Appeal to the Christian Women of the South
BY A.E. GRIMKE. "Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not within thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place: but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this. And Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer:--and so will I go in unto the king, …
Angelina Emily Grimke—An Appeal to the Christian Women of the South

Epistle xvii. To Felix, Bishop of Messana.
To Felix, Bishop of Messana. To our most reverend brother, the Bishop Felix, Gregory, servant of the servants of God [246] . Our Head, which is Christ, to this end has willed us to be His members, that through His large charity and faithfulness He might make us one body in Himself, to whom it befits us so to cling that, since without Him we can do nothing, through Him we may be enabled to be what we are called. From the citadel of the Head let nothing divide us, lest, if we refuse to be His members, …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Feast of the Dedication. The Jews Attempt to Stone Jesus and He Retires to Peræa.
(Jerusalem and Beyond Jordan.) ^D John X. 22-42. ^d 22 And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: 23; it was winter; and Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. [The feast of dedication was one of eight days' duration and began upon the 25th Chisleu, which, according to the calculation of M. Chevannes, fell upon the nineteenth or twentieth of December, a.d. 29. The feast was kept in honor of the renovation and purification of the temple in the year b.c. 164, after it had been desecrated …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

A Summary of the Christian Life. Of Self-Denial.
The divisions of the chapter are,--I. The rule which permits us not to go astray in the study of righteousness, requires two things, viz., that man, abandoning his own will, devote himself entirely to the service of God; whence it follows, that we must seek not our own things, but the things of God, sec. 1, 2. II. A description of this renovation or Christian life taken from the Epistle to Titus, and accurately explained under certain special heads, sec. 3 to end. 1. ALTHOUGH the Law of God contains …
Archpriest John Iliytch Sergieff—On the Christian Life

Jesus' Last Public Discourse. Denunciation of Scribes and Pharisees.
(in the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) ^A Matt. XXIII. 1-39; ^B Mark XII. 38-40; ^C Luke XX. 45-47. ^a 1 Then spake Jesus ^b 38 And in his teaching ^c in the hearing of all the people he said unto ^a the multitudes, and to his disciples [he spoke in the most public manner], 2 saying, ^c 46 Beware of the scribes, ^a The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat: 3 all things whatsoever they bid you, these do and observe: but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Circumcision, Temple Service, and Naming of Jesus.
(the Temple at Jerusalem, b.c. 4) ^C Luke II. 21-39. ^c 21 And when eight days [Gen. xvii. 12] were fulfilled for circumcising him [The rite was doubtless performed by Joseph. By this rite Jesus was "made like unto his brethren" (Heb. ii. 16, 17); that is, he became a member of the covenant nation, and became a debtor to the law--Gal. v. 3] , his name was called JESUS [see Luke i. 59], which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. [Luke i. 31.] 22 And when the days of their …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Development of the Earlier Old Testament Laws
[Sidenote: First the principle, and then the detailed laws] If the canon of the New Testament had remained open as long as did that of the Old, there is little doubt that it also would have contained many laws, legal precedents, and ecclesiastical histories. From the writings of the Church Fathers and the records of the Catholic Church it is possible to conjecture what these in general would have been. The early history of Christianity illustrates the universal fact that the broad principles are …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. )
Ver. 8. "Judah, thou, thy brethren shall praise thee; thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; before thee shall bow down the sons of thy father. Ver. 9. A lion's whelp is Judah; from the prey, my son, thou goest up; he stoopeth down, he coucheth as a lion, and as a full-grown lion, who shall rouse him up? Ver. 10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto Him the people shall adhere." Thus does dying Jacob, in announcing …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Eighth Commandment
Thou shalt not steal.' Exod 20: 15. AS the holiness of God sets him against uncleanness, in the command Thou shalt not commit adultery;' so the justice of God sets him against rapine and robbery, in the command, Thou shalt not steal.' The thing forbidden in this commandment, is meddling with another man's property. The civil lawyers define furtum, stealth or theft to be the laying hands unjustly on that which is another's;' the invading another's right. I. The causes of theft. [1] The internal causes …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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