We are in chapter twenty-one of Exodus with our word for today used for the first time in the Bible. נָגַח gore, join in combat, push, thrust. It is used 11 times in the Old Testament, 4 times in our chapter. We find our word used in a figurative sense of defeating an enemy expressed as pushing down or destroying. Psalm 44:4-8 You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through you we נְנַגֵּ֑חַpush down our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. Deuteronomy 33:17 In majesty he is like a firstborn bull; his horns are the horns of a wild ox. With them he will יְנַגַּ֥ח gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth. Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim; such are the thousands of Manasseh.” 1 Kings 22:10-11Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will תְּנַגַּ֥ח gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’” In 2 Chronicles 18:10 we have the exact same wording. Our word is also used to describe the action of rushing at or sudden attack upon as in battle. Ezekiel 34:21 You shove with flank and shoulder, תְּנַגְּח֖וּ butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away. Daniel 8:4 I watched the ram as it מְנַגֵּחַ֩ charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and became great. Daniel 11:40 At the time of the end the king of the South יִתְנַגַּ֤ח will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. The four times our word is used in our chapter is in the literal sense to wound by piercing with a sharp or penetrating object or instrument. Let’s look at these uses. Exodus 21:28-32 When an ox יִגַּ֨ח gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. But if the ox has been accustomed to נַגָּ֨ח gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death. If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed on him. If it יִגָּ֖ח gores a man's son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule. If the ox יִגַּ֥ח gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. With all the uses of our word find this idea of attacking to do harm. In our chapter when an animal does this he is to be put to death so that it won’t happen again. With animals you don’t always know when it will behave in this way so the owner is not held accountable. That is unless it has happened before and nothing was done about it so that people know this owners animal does this. Then the owner will be held accountable because he didn’t prevent it from happening again. God’s laws are put in place to protect people that he loves. I’ll close with the second greatest commandment that Jesus gives us that comes from the book of Leviticus that is classified as one of the books of God’s law. Notice that God’s love is what is behind his laws. Leviticus 19:18-19 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. Keep my decrees. Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
