Exodus 21:18-32

18 "When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but takes to his bed,

19 then if the man rises again and walks outdoors with his staff, he who struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed.

20 "When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged.

21 But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the ¹slave is his money.

22 "When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman's husband shall impose on him, and ²he shall pay as the ³judges determine.

23 But if there is harm,^[a] then you shall pay ⁴life for life,

24 ⁵eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

26 "When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free because of his eye.

27 If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free because of his tooth.

28 "When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ⁶ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable.

29 But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.

30 If ⁷a ransom is imposed on him, then ⁸he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed on him.

31 If it gores a man's son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule.

32 If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master ⁹thirty shekels^[b] of silver, and ¹⁰the ox shall be stoned.

Exodus 21:18-32 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 21

In this, and the two following chapters, are delivered various laws and precepts, partly of a moral, and partly of a religious, but chiefly of a civil nature, respecting the commonwealth of Israel, and its political good. This chapter treats of servants, and laws relating to them; to menservants, how long they shall serve, and what is to be done to those who are desirous of staying with their masters after their time is up, Ex 21:1-6, to maidservants, and especially betrothed ones, either to a father or a son, Ex 21:7-11, likewise it contains laws concerning the slaughter of men, whether with design or unawares, Ex 21:12-14, and concerning the ill usage of parents, Ex 21:15,17, and man stealing, Ex 21:16 and of mischief that comes by men's quarrelling and fighting, Ex 21:18,19 and by smiting a man or maidservant, Ex 21:20,21,26,27, to a woman with child, that is, by means of men's striving and contending with each other, Ex 21:22-25 and of damages that come by oxen, or to them, Ex 21:28-36.

Cross References

• 1. [Leviticus 25:45, 46]
• 2. [Deuteronomy 22:18, 19]
• 3. [Job 31:11]
• 4. Deuteronomy 19:21
• 5. Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21; Cited Matthew 5:38
• 6. Genesis 9:5
• 7. Exodus 30:12; Numbers 35:31, 32
• 8. [See ver. 22 above]
• 9. [Zechariah 11:12, 13; Matthew 26:15]
• 10. [See ver. 28 above]

Footnotes

• [a]. Or so that her children come out and it is clear who was to blame, he shall be fined as the woman's husband shall impose on him, and he alone shall pay. If it is unclear who was to blame...
• [b]. A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams