Exodus 22:30

30 You are to do the same with your oxen and your sheep - it is to stay with its mother seven days, and on the eighth day you are to give it to me.

Exodus 22:30 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 22:30

Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep,
&c.] That is, with the firstborn, which were to be set apart to the Lord; and so the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it,

``the firstborn of thine oxen, and of thy sheep;''

for having spoken of the firstborn of men, the Scripture proceeds to speak of the firstborn of cattle, great and small, the separation of which was enjoined in one and the same precept, ( Exodus 13:2 ) ,

seven days it shall be with his dam;
whether it be a calf or a lamb; before it was seven days old it was not to be taken from it, and given to the Lord:

on the eighth day thou shall give it me;
that is, they might do it then, but not before; yet they were not obliged to bring it exactly on that day, but they might do it any time within the month, and at a month's end they were obliged to redeem it, that is, give the priest the sum of five shekels for it, ( Numbers 18:16 ) . The Jewish canon runs thus {n};

``how long are Israelites bound for the bringing of the firstborn, i.e. before they offer it to the priest? in small cattle thirty days, in large cattle fifty days.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 Misn. Becorot, c. 4. sect. 1.

Exodus 22:30 In-Context

28 "You are not to curse God, and you are not to curse a leader of your people.

29 "You are not to delay offering from your harvest of grain, olive oil or wine. "The firstborn of your sons you are to give to me.

30 You are to do the same with your oxen and your sheep - it is to stay with its mother seven days, and on the eighth day you are to give it to me.

31 "You are to be my specially separated people. Therefore you are not to eat any flesh torn by wild animals in the countryside; rather, throw it out for the dogs.