Exodus 22:23

23 If ye hurt them, they shall cry to me, and I shall hear the cry of them,

Exodus 22:23 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 22:23

If thou afflict them in any wise
. In any way, or by any means whatever; their minds, by reproaches, censures, insults, and their bodies by stripes, false imprisonment and in their substance, by withholding from them what belongs to them, taking what they have, or cheating and defrauding them in any respect; or, "in afflicting afflict them" ^F5; afflict them much, and continue to do so:

and they cry at all unto me;
in prayer, as the Targum of Jonathan; or, "in crying cry" ^F6; cry vehemently, or importunately, and with constancy, or rather, cry ever so little:

I will surely hear their cry;
the voice of their prayer, as the same Targum; or, "in hearing I will hear" ^F7; will certainly take notice of their cries, and return an answer to them, by appearing on their side, and avenging their injuries; for God is the Father of the fatherless, and the husband of the widow, and the Judge of them both: the manner of speaking or form of expression is the same in all these clauses, the words being doubled.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 (hnet hne) "affligendo afflixeris", Pagninus, Piscator, Ainsworth, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius.
F6 (qeuy qeu) "clamando clamaverit", Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator, Ainsworth.
F7 (emva emv) "audiendo audiam", Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator, Ainsworth.

Exodus 22:23 In-Context

21 Thou shalt not make sorrowful a comeling, neither thou shalt torment him; for also ye were comelings in the land of Egypt (for ye were also newcomers in the land of Egypt).

22 Ye shall not harm a widow, and a fatherless or a motherless child. (Ye shall not harm a widow, or a fatherless or a motherless child.)

23 If ye hurt them, they shall cry to me, and I shall hear the cry of them,

24 and my great vengeance shall have indignation on you, and I shall smite you with sword (and I shall strike you down with a sword), and your wives shall be widows, and your sons shall be fatherless.

25 If thou givest money to loan to my poor people, that dwelleth with thee, thou shalt not constrain him as an extortioner doeth, neither thou shalt oppress him by usuries. (If thou lendest money to anyone of my poor people, who liveth with thee, thou shalt not compel him like an extortioner doeth, nor shalt thou oppress him with usury.)