Exodus 21:12

12 "Anyone who hits a person and kills him must be put to death.

Exodus 21:12 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 21:12

He that smiteth a man, so that he die
The Targum of Jonathan is, that smites a man or daughter of Israel with the sword; but there is no need to restrain the words either to persons of any certain nation, nor to any instrument with which a person may be smitten as to die: but any human person, man, woman, or child, of whatsoever nation, and they smitten with anything whatever, that issues in their death:

shall surely be put to death;
by the order of the civil magistrate, and by the hand of such as shall be appointed by him; for this is the original law of God, ( Genesis 9:6 ) .

Exodus 21:12 In-Context

10 If the man who bought her marries another woman, he must not keep his first wife from having food or clothing or sexual relations.
11 If he does not give her these three things, she may go free, and she owes him no money.
12 "Anyone who hits a person and kills him must be put to death.
13 But if a person kills someone accidentally, God allowed that to happen, so the person must go to a place I will choose.
14 But if someone plans and murders another person on purpose, put him to death, even if he has run to my altar for safety.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.