Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap.

We continued reading about the laws for restitution today, seeing more of how God directs

his people toward a civil and just society that treats others with respect and honors life.

He fleshes out some specific implications of the Ten Commandments or the Ten Words, and we see how

those apply. When it comes to the laws against theft, you may have noticed that for a lot of the

scenarios listed, the amount the thief has to pay back exceeds what he stole. In many ways, these consequences may have

served as a deterrent against sinning. These laws may feel kind of intimidating if you're imagining

yourself as the one who's committing the sin, but if you put yourself in the place of the one who's sin

against, you'll be grateful God to establish those laws. We also see how God protects the female virgins by

threatening men who take advantage of them with the penalty of several years' worth of wages. By the way,

this isn't referring to rape. It's referring to a seduction that leads to consensual sex.

Later, when we get to the book of Deuteronomy, we'll see that the penalty for rape is death. God also forbids

charging interest on loans. Most interest rates in those days started out at about 25%. But guess who

borrows money? The needy. So to add to the burden of one of his needy children was considered

cruel. Instead, he emphasizes compassion toward the poor and the needy. God also has instructions

for caring for the sojourners and the widows and the orphans. He shows special attention to those

who are the most vulnerable in their society. He shows his people how to love each other and not

exploit each other. They have a lot to unlearn about behavior. They've been oppressed.

They've lived with a scarcity mentality. And he reminds them to be compassionate because he is compassionate,

to be open-handed because he is their provider. In 2218, he addresses sorcery. This includes

divination, which we've talked about briefly. God takes

the stuff seriously. For those who practice it, it is punishable by death. What's the big deal with

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