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| Kill the witches? |
In the middle of the
laws, God gave the children of Israel is the command to kill any witches found
living among the children of Israel. This to some seems sexist or especially
cruel to some today. However, when looked at in the context of the history all of
the claims fall flat.
For the claim that the
Israelites were being sexist, many scholars believe that at the time of this
writing women were the ones who were primarily involved in witchcraft. However, as we see in Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus
20:6; Leviticus 20:27, and Deuteronomy 18:10-11 any person involved in
witchcraft was to be killed. This is not a sexist comment, but a comment which
the people of the time would understand. The only supernatural force Israel was
supposed to look to was God.
The idea that killing
those who practice witchcraft was cruel deals with a different issue. For the
nation of Israel, which was supposed to worship God alone, anyone worshipping
another god was also supposed to be killed (verse 20). By practicing witchcraft
an Israelite was forsaking God and His power and submitting to another. Thus in
a very real sense, they were worshipping another god in Israel was a capital
offense.
The reason we most today
get bent out of shape is that we really don’t believe in witches. As C. S.
Lewis put it, “It may be a great advance in knowledge not to believe in
witches: there is no moral advance in not executing them when you do not think
they are there.”[1]
Exo 22:1-31
(1) If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
(2) If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
(3) If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
(4) If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.
(5) If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.
(6) If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.
(7) If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
(8) If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.
(9) For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.
(10) If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:
(11) Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.
(12) And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.
(13) If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.
(14) And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.
(15) But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.
(16) And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
(17) If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
(18) Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
(19) Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.
(20) He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
(21) Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
(22) Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
(23) If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;
(24) And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
(25) If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.
(26) If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:
(27) For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
(28) Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
(29) Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.
(30) Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.
(31) And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.
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