Study Desk

Moses told his father-in-law everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and Egypt on behalf of Israel. He also told about all the hardships they had experienced along the way and how the Lord had rescued his people from all their troubles.

I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians."

The next day, Moses took his seat to hear the people's disputes against each other. They waited before him from morning till evening.

When a dispute arises, they come to me, and I am the one who settles the case between the quarreling parties. I inform the people of God's decrees and give them his instructions."

Teach them God's decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives.

Moses listened to his father-in-law's advice and followed his suggestions.

Soon after this, Moses said good-bye to his father-in-law, who returned to his own land.

As the blast of the ram's horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply.

"You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

"If you buy a Hebrew slave, he may serve for no more than six years. Set him free in the seventh year, and he will owe you nothing for his freedom.

If he was single when he became your slave, he shall leave single. But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife must be freed with him.

"If his master gave him a wife while he was a slave and they had sons or daughters, then only the man will be free in the seventh year, but his wife and children will still belong to his master.

If he does this, his master must present him before God. Then his master must take him to the door or doorpost and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will serve his master for life.

"When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are.

But if the slave's owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave but as a daughter.

If he is later able to walk outside again, even with a crutch, the assailant will not be punished but must compensate his victim for lost wages and provide for his full recovery.

"If a man beats his male or female slave with a club and the slave dies as a result, the owner must be punished.

But if the slave recovers within a day or two, then the owner shall not be punished, since the slave is his property.

"If a man hits his male or female slave in the eye and the eye is blinded, he must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye.

And if a man knocks out the tooth of his male or female slave, he must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.