What explains why Hebrew law provided more humane treatment of the lowest members of society?

Answer 1

The explanation is that Hebrew law is from God (Exodus 24:12). That is why it has influenced the world so strongly. Other codes, such as those of Hammurabi, Eshnunna, Lipit-Ishtar and the Hittites, are long-defunct.

Judaism is egalitarian and values all individuals, both men and women. The wealthy have no privileges; and the poor are valued, treated well and their opinions listened to. (Compare this to those societies in which only mature, land-owning males had any legal status.)
Judaism applied laws, and rules of moral behavior, to all its members equally. The laws of Moses form much of Western legal background.
Quote:
"I will insist that the Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation ... fate had ordained the Jews to be the most essential instrument for civilizing the nations" (John Adams, 2nd President of the United States).
"Certainly, the world without the Jews would have been a radically different place. Humanity might have eventually stumbled upon all the Jewish insights, but we cannot be sure. All the great conceptual discoveries of the human intellect seem obvious and inescapable once they had been revealed, but it requires a special genius to formulate them for the first time. The Jews had this gift. To them we owe the idea of equality before the law, both Divine and human; of the sanctity of life and the dignity of human person; of the individual conscience and of collective conscience, and social responsibility" (Paul Johnson, Christian historian, author of A History of the Jews and A History of Christianity).

Answer 2

The explanation is that Hebrew law is from God (Exodus 24:12). See also the Related Links.

Link: More about Hebrew law and its influence

Link: Is the Hebrew Bible accurate?