Exodus 21:18

18 If men quarrel, and the one strike his neighbour with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth 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 He that shall steal a man, and sell him, being convicted of the guilt, shall be put to death.
17 He that curseth his father or mother, shall die the death.
18 If men quarrel, and the one strike his neighbour with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:
19 If he rise again and walk abroad upon his staff, he that struck him shall be quit, yet so that he make restitution for his work, and for his expenses upon the physicians.
20 He that striketh his bondman, or bondwoman, with a rod, and they die under his hands, shall be guilty of the crime.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.