Leviticus 24:20

20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Whatever injury he inflicted on the person, the same is to be inflicted on him.^[a]

Leviticus 24:20 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 24:20

Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth
Which is not to be taken strictly or literally, but for the price or value of those, which is to be given in a pecuniary way; (See Gill on Exodus 21:24), (See Gill on Exodus 21:25);

as he hath caused a blemish in a man, shall it be done to him;
unless he gives satisfaction, and pays a valuable consideration for it.

Leviticus 24:20 In-Context

18 Whoever kills an animal is to make restitution for it, life for life.

19 If any man inflicts a permanent injury on his neighbor, whatever he has done is to be done to him:

20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Whatever injury he inflicted on the person, the same is to be inflicted on him.

21 Whoever kills an animal is to make restitution for it, but whoever kills a person is to be put to death.

22 You are to have the same law for the foreign resident and the native, because I am the Lord your God."

Footnotes

• [a]. Ex 21:18-19,23-27; Mt 5:38-39; 7:12