Rules In The Bible That Most People Don't Know Exist

Deuteronomy 25:11-12states"When men fight, and the wife of the one draws near to save her husband from the man hitting him, and puts out her hand and takes him by the genitals: Then you must cut off her hand; your eye will not show pity for her."

What this means: The "secrets" here mean genitals, but "cut off her hand" is literal. Later, this sentence wasinterpretedas a metaphor (i.e., "a fine equal to the hand's value).

Leviticus states, "If a woman has a miscarriage and the matter in her flesh is blood, she must be separated for seven days: anyone who touches her becomes unclean until evening. Everything she lies on during separation is unclean: everything she sits on is unclean. Anyone touching her bed must wash their clothes, bathe, and become unclean until evening."15:19-21)

What this means: This literally meanspeople should not sit where a woman sat during her period because a woman during her period was considered unclean.

Biblical rules about women, adultery, and water face debate. Numbers says, "If a man's wife is unfaithful and another man has sexual relations with her, and this is hidden from her husband... the priest takes holy water in a clay jar; he puts some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water... then the priest...says to her..."May this water that brings a curse enter your body so your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries.” (5:11-31)

What this means: Some people think the dirty water caused an abortion; others think it forced the woman to confess. Regardless, there is no doubt the idea was for the alleged adulteress to drink a mix of holy water and tabernacle floor dust.

Exodus, the second book in the Old Testament, makes this rule about treating an enslaved person: "And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever." (21:5-6)

What this means: Commentaries explore the meaning of these verses, claiming the mark showed permanent servitude and the loss of any rights a freeman had. People disagree on whether the enslaved person chose this or if it was punishment for refusing freedom.These verses assert the mark showed permanent servitude and the loss of any rights a freeman had. People disagree on whether the enslaved person chose this or if it was punishment for refusing freedom.

Leviticus 19:19provides rules about clothing, things modern readers do not know. It states,"You must keep my laws. You must not let your cattle mate with different kinds: you must not plant your field with mixed seeds: nor should a garment mixed of linen and wool come upon you."

What this means:There is some disagreementThis rule exists because...Priests alone wore wool and linen. Mixing wool and linen brings on bad fevers and drains strength.Mixing wool and linen brings on malignant fevers and exhausts strength.

Exodus 22:2-3Exodus 22:2-3 states,"If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. 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."

This means:TheThis is an important distinction.Taking a burglar's life at night is likely self-defense. Killing him during the day misses a chance to find and catch the thief. People also believed nighttime break-ins meant a "murderous intent," justifying shedding the burglar's blood.

InExodus 23:19, it states,"The first of the first fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk."

This means:: This rule could have beenintendedto stop the superstitious practice of using boiled milk as a "charm" to make fields and orchards "more productive."

Anothertheoryis that this was just a reminder to be "civilized" and not make the mother an accomplice in her child's death.

According toLeviticus 19:19, "Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shaltnot sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.

This means:This rule may have beenintendedto stop superstitious practices about planting seeds. Another theory suggests certain seeds should not be "mingled," making this a practical rule.

Leviticus 10:6provides instructions about grief, offered by Moses' words:"And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothe"s; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled.

This means:This rule targeted Aaron and his sons. Basically, it meant, "Don't show grief, just accept the Lord's punishment." Tearing clothes was a common sign of grieving and mourning in antiquity.basically meant,"Don't show grief, just accept the Lord's punishment." Tearing your clothes was acommon signof grieving and mourning in antiquity.

Leviticus 3:17mandated,"It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood."

This means:There are many ways to read this verse. Some biblical scholars say you cannot eat fat from an animal meant for ritual sacrifice.Some biblical scholarssay this means you can't eat fat from an animal intended for ritual sacrifice.Others saythe edict was for "self-denial and mortification of [our] appetites, even in those things which probably many of [us] would much desire."

Guidance fromDeuteronomy 22:8The statement about home and hearth reads: "When you build a new house, you must make a battlement for your roof so that no blood falls on your house if someone falls from it."

Meaning:Everyone needs a safe roof. This mattered much because most roofs were flat, so a small railing was needed to stop people from falling off.

This was a serious matter: "Ignoring this rule brings punishment under the laws for manslaughter and maiming."Make Sure No One Falls Off Your Roof"

A passage in Leviticus discusses birds.Leviticus 11:13-19states"These are the fowls you must avoid; they are an abomination: the eagle, the ossifrage, the ospray, the vulture, the kite after its kind; every raven after its kind; the owl, the night hawk, the cuckow, the hawk after its kind; the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl; the swan, the pelican, the gier eagle; the stork, the heron after its kind; the lapwing; and the bat."

Meaning:The Bible says do not eat too many things, but it specifically forbids eating owls. It targets owls, little owls, and great owls. Why?

Scholars sayit is because they are considered "gross feeders, devourers of flesh or offal, and thus offensive to taste." They are also "ravenous and cruel, or they enjoy the night and darkness, or they feed on unclean things." Scholars infer that the flesh of birds that eat "vegetable substances" is acceptable to eat.

According toExodus 23:13, "In everything I tell you, be careful: do not mention the name of other gods, nor let it come out of your mouth."

Meaning: This tells believers to ignore the names of all other gods. They were not allowed to say those names. Some scholarsinterpret thisto mean "never mention them but with strong dislike."

Leviticus 19:10says"You must leave fallen grapes on the ground so the poor and strangers can eat them; I am the Lord your God."

Meaning:This seems simple, but there aresome details. It does not just mean let the poor eat fallen grapes. It means, "If fewer than three grapes are on the vine or ground after harvesting your vineyard, let the poor Israelites or foreigners who cannot own land in Israel have them."

Exodus 21:33-34states"If a man opens a pit or digs one and does not cover it, and an ox or an ass falls in, the owner of the pit must fix it and give money to the owner of the animal; the dead animal belongs to the pit owner."

Meaning:This seems odd to modern readers, but it isbasically just sayingCover your wells or any large hole. Animals fall into deep ground holes. If water sits at the bottom, they will likely drown.