Exodus 23

“Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest…” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.” Naming Neither keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.” The line’s distinctive content terms include astray, back, enemy’s. Its relationship to verses 3 and 5 shows what work it does in this passage.

“If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt…” The line’s distinctive content terms include help, burden, forbear. Its relationship to verses 4 and 6 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.” Naming Keep keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.” The line’s distinctive content terms include gift, blindeth, perverteth. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of…” Naming Also and Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:” The number six makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the…” The number six makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let…” The line’s distinctive content terms include circumspect, gods, mention. Its relationship to verses 12 and 14 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of…” The line’s distinctive content terms include feast, field, labours. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD .” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a…” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.” Naming Angel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.” Naming Beware keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an…” The line’s distinctive content terms include adversaries, adversary, enemies. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.

“For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow…” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine…” The line’s distinctive content terms include backs, destroy, enemies. Its relationship to verses 26 and 28 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river…” Naming Philistines and Red keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.