Exodus 21:19

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.

Exodus 21:19 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 21:19

If he rise again
From his bed, or from his disease, as the last mentioned Targum, recovers again, at least so far as to be able to do what follows:

and walk abroad upon his staff;
if he is able to get out of his bed, and especially out of his house, and can be seen walking about in the street or in the field, though he is obliged to make use of a staff, and lean upon it, being yet weak and sickly;

then shall he that smote him be quit;
from the judgment of slaying, as the Targum, he shall not be charged with manslaughter, or be found guilty of a capital crime, but discharged from that:

only shall he pay for the loss of his time;
as much as he could have got in that time by his labour, from which he was obliged to cease: the Jewish writers add other things also he was to pay for, as the Targum of Jonathan, particularly; as for his pain, and for his loss of any member, and for his shame and disgrace, as well as the physician's fee, which is supposed to be included in the next clause:

and cause [him] to be thoroughly healed;
take care that he has a physician or surgeon, and that the proper medicines be applied, and those continued until he is quite well; all which must be at the expense of the smiter.

Exodus 21:19 In-Context

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.
21 Notwithstanding, if he continues a day or two, he shall not be punished, for he is his money.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010