The Old Testament is full of strange laws. In fact, there are so many that it makes one wonder what an ancient culture thought their form of government was supposed to be like. Some parts of the Old Testament seem outright ridiculous when translated into today’s society, but what about other parts? Could these laws still be useful for us now when trying to govern our countries and states? And who decided which laws were “obeyable” and which weren’t?
For most of us, the Old Testament is just that—old, outdated and irrelevant. Yet God gave this collection of 66 books for a very specific reason: to show us how He deals with people and their sin. In the most dramatic way possible, God reveals Himself as lawgiver and judge; He points out our sins, shows just how bad they are, and then gives us grace through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ
You probably know that the Bible contains some crazy laws. But did you realize that there are some bizarre and barbaric laws in the very first book of the Bible, Genesis? If you grew up in church, as I did, you probably heard a lot about these laws. But reading them side by side might surprise you. So I thought it would be fun to see how God’s Word compares with other ancient law codes by looking at a few representative stories from Genesis
Right here on Churchgists, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on crazy rules in the New Testament, crazy rules in the Bible, a list of Old Testament laws and punishments and so much more. Take the time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.
List of Old Testament Laws and Punishments
Laws related to Property and Theft
1. Do not steal (Exodus 20:15)
2. Do not covet your neighbor’s belongings (Exodus 20:17)
3. Restitution to be paid if theft is committed (Exodus 22:1-4)
Laws related to Violence and Murder
4. Do not murder (Exodus 20:13)
5. Retribution for causing harm or death (Exodus 21:23-25)
Laws related to Adultery and Sexual Immorality
6. Do not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14)
7. Punishment for adultery (Leviticus 20:10)
Laws related to False Testimony
8. Do not give false testimony (Exodus 20:16)
9. Punishment for false testimony (Deuteronomy 19:18-19)
Laws related to Sabbath Observance
10. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy (Exodus 20:8)
11. Punishment for working on the Sabbath (Exodus 31:14)
Laws related to Idolatry
12. Do not worship other gods (Exodus 20:3)
13. Punishment for idolatry (Exodus 22:20)
Laws related to Dietary Restrictions
14. Do not eat shellfish or pork (Leviticus 11:9-12)
15. Punishment for eating forbidden foods (Leviticus 11:43-45)
Laws related to Clothing and Fabrics
16. Do not wear clothing made of mixed fabrics (Leviticus 19:19)
17. Punishment for wearing mixed fabrics (Deuteronomy 22:11)
Laws related to Relationships and Family
18. Honor your father and mother (Exodus 20:12)
19. Punishment for cursing or striking parents (Exodus 21:15-17)
| Laws | Punishments |
|---|---|
| Property and Theft | Restitution, depending on the value of the theft |
| Violence and Murder | Retribution, “an eye for an eye” |
| Adultery and Sexual Immorality | Death penalty for adulterers |
Bible Rules That Everyone Breaks
- Exodus 20:3-5 – “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them.”
- 1 John 2:3-4 – “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.”
- Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Bible verses about loving one another
- John 13:34-35 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
- 1 John 4:7-8 – “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
Bible verses about honesty and integrity
- Proverbs 12:22 – “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”
- Leviticus 19:11 – “Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.”
Bible verses about forgiveness
- Matthew 6:14-15 – “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
- Colossians 3:13 – “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Crazy Old Testament Laws
The Old Testament has some pretty crazy laws in it. While they were written thousands of years ago in a different context and culture, many are pretty similar to the laws we have today—and some are just downright bizarre. Here are five crazy Old Testament laws that you probably won’t find on a stone tablet in your doctor’s office:
Don’t eat animals that don’t have fins and scales (11:9–10). Don’t mate with two different kinds of animals (19:19). Don’t plant two different kinds of seed in your field (19:19). Don’t wear clothing made from two different types of fabric (19:19).
No tattoos or body piercings
The Lord forbids having tattoos or any other type of body art.
We’ve all heard the story of how God commanded Moses to put tattoos on his forehead so that he would not forget his mission. In Exodus 4:6-7, God told Moses that if he disobeyed Him, He would remove the signs of devotion from His servant’s face.
This is a clear example that there is no room for compromise when it comes to obeying God’s commands and living according to His will! The only way we can honour Him is to live a life free from sin—a life dedicated solely to His glory!
Don’t cook a young goat in its mother’s milk
On the other hand, there are some laws that are downright ridiculous. For example, the Bible says that it is an abomination to cook a young goat in its mother’s milk. I have no idea how this law came about or why anyone would care that someone was doing something that is apparently so bad—but it certainly doesn’t make sense to me.
Don’t mix seeds in the same field
If you’re a farmer and you were to mix two different types of seeds in the same field, it wouldn’t be good for the soil. It wouldn’t be good for the crops. It wouldn’t be good for you, your family, or your neighbors. It certainly wouldn’t be good for animals (who are supposed to eat those crops) or nature (which depends on animals eating those crops). And if we consider ourselves part of a fragile ecosystem—and what else would we call a world in which humanity is constantly encroaching on other species?—then this law has implications far beyond agriculture: it’s an instruction against human interference with nature at large!
Rip your clothes to show that you’re sad
When you hear about the Old Testament, you probably think of all the crazy rules in there. It’s true that some parts of the Bible are definitely outdated and should be ignored. But other parts are still relevant today.
The Israelites were commanded to rip their clothes when someone died so that everyone would know how much they missed them. This was a sign of mourning for death, and it’s still done in many countries around the world today!
Sometimes it’s hard to put into words exactly how much you miss someone who has passed away, but ripping your clothes can help express those feelings clearly and make others understand how much you loved that person.
Not allowed to touch the skin of a pig
In Leviticus, God tells us that “you shall not eat any detestable thing.” A detestable thing was anything that was unclean, and a pig is one such unclean animal. In fact, this law is so important to God that it’s one of only two laws in the Bible that demand death (the other being adultery).
The reason for this law is simple: pigs are dirty animals that carry disease and filth with them wherever they go. They are prone to illness and infection, which means if you touch their skin or eat their meat then you’re at risk of getting sick too! That’s why it’s important not only for yourself but also for everyone around you who could potentially get infected by handling anything from a pig—even its fat!
Don’t eat raw meat
- Don’t eat raw meat
- Don’t eat pork
- Don’t touch a dead body
- Don’t eat shellfish
- Don’t eat insects, no matter how much you want to (you may be surprised at how delicious they are)
There are more rules than these, but if you want to know them all, you’ll need to read the Bible.
Some of these laws still make sense!
The Ten Commandments are one of the most important laws in the Bible. Additionally, the fact that God himself wrote them on two stone tablets makes them extremely well-known. You may be surprised to learn that not all of these laws were so arbitrarily created; many still apply today!
For instance, you probably already know that stealing from another person is wrong and should result in jail time or other penalties, but this was also a part of ancient Jewish law. In Deuteronomy 22:1-2, it states: “If a man steals an ox or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.” This rule applies even if you kill someone while stealing their property (Deuteronomy 22:7). It’s clear that this commandment has been beneficial for both sides throughout history—those who want their possessions back when they’re stolen and those who don’t want to get caught stealing them in the first place!
Now let’s look at another commandment from Exodus 20:13, which states, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” which seems like good advice at face value. But how does society define “adultery”? A lot has changed since then, and although some things haven’t changed much, this particular rule may seem outdated today due to changing societal norms about sexuality over time
Conclusion
Consider the importance of keeping our food and drink separate. Whether we’re in a synagogue or a pub, this is good practice: don’t have your beer mixed together with your beef! But I think you’ll agree that laws like the one about not eating meat from animals that haven’t been drained of their blood are more than a little outdated. The truth is, some of these laws are still relevant to us today—even if they were made before modern refrigeration or even electricity existed!
For others, however, it’s clear that times have changed since these were written down thousands of years ago when men used to wear leather tunics instead of jeans as an outer garment. I hope this has given you some insight into what life was like back then; hopefully now you know how not wear clothes made out of two different fabrics because there aren’t any other kinds left anymore!