The laws in 21:33-22:15 relate mainly to questions of property, and the remainder of the portion contains miscellaneous precepts.
What instances of careless neglect, leading to injury or loss of for others, are given in 21:33-22:15? And what does God demand of the offender in such cases? Can you think of modern parallels to the careless neglect described here? Answer: Most of it deals with animals and when they are in the possession of someone other than the owner. i.e. V10-11 show that if the animal is in the safekeeping of a neighbor and it is injured and no one is around, then the owner is just out. Or, v 14 shows that if someone borrows an animal and that animal dies when the owner is not present then the borrower owes the owner for the animal. These laws are not unlike our own today. At the same time we draw up contracts many times that spell out specifics of who owes or doesn’t owe based on what happened to the animal (or whatever the contract is about, there were no rental car places in the time Exodus was written).
Gather out from 22:16-23:19 illustrations of the truth of the claims God makes here concerning himself. For these claims see 22:27; 23:7. Against what sin does he say that his wrath will wax hot? Answer: I am lost on this question! 22:23-24, God describes how He protects the poor and widowed. 22:25-27; God is saying don’t take advantage of the poor when lending money. Don’t charge them interest for He will hear their cries. I like 23:7; “I will not acquit the guilty.” To me this is God’s way of saying to people before Jesus that works will not get you in. Beyond these things I am not sure what the question is asking.
Note. Some of these laws are similar to those found in the famous code of Hammurabi, but the provisions are much more merciful. (Cf. NBD, pp. 442-3). Notice in 22:31 the reference to being ‘consecrated’ to God. Cf Lev 11:44-45.
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