This was God's way of making sure that his people got
paid for all the work they did for Pharaoh, which was only fair! Umberto
Cassuto writes:
The Hebrew slaves who went forth from Egypt had already served their
masters the number of years that Providence had predetermined, and consequently
they were entitled to liberation, and upon liberation the bounty
was also due to them. This was required by law — that is, absolute justice
demanded it — and although no earthly court could compel the king of
Egypt and his servants to fulfil their obligation, the Heavenly Court saw
to it that the requirements of law and justice were carried out, and directed
the course of events to this end.
Later, when God gave his people the law, he decreed that Hebrew slaves
were never to be sent away empty-handed but always compensated for their
labor: "If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, sells himself to you and serves
you six years, in the seventh year you must let him go free. And when you
release him, do not send him away empty-handed. Supply him liberally from
your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to him as the LORD
your God has blessed you. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and
the LORD your God redeemed you" (Deut. 15:12-15a). One of the deep
principles of divine justice is that the redemption of a slave requires the
payment of a gift. The same thing happened when the Israelites were freed
from Babylon: They were given gold and silver for their return trip to
Jerusalem (see Ezra 1).
There is an echo of this principle in the New Testament. When Jesus
Christ liberated us from our bondage to sin, he lavished us with gifts —
spiritual gifts to enrich our new life of freedom in Christ. As the Scripture
says, "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts
to men" (Eph. 4:8). Jesus despoiled the devil through the cross, and now
the gifts of the Holy Spirit serve as the bounty of our liberation.
--Phil Ryken
