Exodus 21:18

18 And if men strive together and one smites another with a stone or with his fist and he dies not, but keeps his bed,

Exodus 21:18 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 21:18

And if men strive together
Quarrel and fight, and wrestle with and box one another:

and one smite another with a stone;
which lying near him he might take up, and in his passion throw it at his antagonist:

or with his fist;
with his double fist, as we express it, with his hand closed, that it might come with the greater force, and give the greater blow:

and he die not, but keepeth his bed;
does not die with the blow of the stone or fist, yet receives so much damage by it that he is obliged to take to his bed; or, as the Targum of Jerusalem paraphrases it, is cast on the bed sick; or, as the Targum of Jonathan, falls into a disease, as a fever, or the like, through the force of the blow, so that he is confined to his room and to his bed.

Exodus 21:18 In-Context

16 Likewise he that steals a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
17 In the same manner he that curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
18 And if men strive together and one smites another with a stone or with his fist and he dies not, but keeps his bed,
19 if he rises again and walks abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be absolved, only he shall pay for the loss of his time and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.
20 And if a man smites his slave or his maid with a rod and he dies under his hand, he shall be surely punished.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010