Sexual Responsibility, Idolatry, and Protection of the Vulnerable
The section begins with a case in which a man seduces an unbetrothed virgin and lies with her. He becomes liable for the bride-price and marriage, while her father retains the right to refuse the marriage; even then the man must pay the customary bride-price. The law therefore imposes legal and economic responsibility on the man rather than treating the encounter as consequence-free.
The text then gives severe prohibitions concerning sorcery, bestiality, and sacrifice to other gods. These commands belong to Israel’s covenant demand for exclusive allegiance to the LORD.
The focus then turns to people especially vulnerable to exploitation. Israel must not oppress a stranger, because Israel itself was foreign in Egypt. Widows and fatherless children must not be afflicted; if they cry out, God says he will hear them and judge the oppressor. Lending to the poor is not to become an opportunity for interest or the permanent seizure of a necessary cloak.