Chūāijíjì 21

1 Nǐ zaì bǎixìng miànqián suǒ yào lì de diǎnzhāng shì zhèyàng ,

2 Nǐ ruò mǎi Xībólái rén zuò núpú , tā bì fúshì nǐ liù nián , dì qī nián tā kĕyǐ zìyóu , báibái dì chū qù .

3 Tā ruò gū shēn lái , jiù kĕyǐ gū shēn qù , tā ruò yǒu qì , tāde qì jiù kĕyǐ tóng tā chū qù .

4 Tā zhǔrén ruò gĕi tā qīzi , qīzi gĕi tā shēng le érzi huò nǚér , qīzi hé érnǚ yào guī zhǔrén , tā yào dúzì chū qù .

5 Tǎnghuò núpú míng shuō , wǒ aì wǒde zhǔrén hé wǒde qīzi érnǚ , bù yuànyì zìyóu chū qù .

6 Tāde zhǔrén jiù yào daì tā dào shĕnpàn guān nàli ( shĕnpàn guān huò zuò shén xià tóng ) , yòu yào daì tā dào mén qián , kàojìn ménkuàng , yòng zhuīzi chuān tāde ĕrduo , tā jiù yǒngyuǎn fúshì zhǔrén .

7 Rén ruò maì nǚér zuò bìnǚ , bìnǚ bùkĕ xiàng nán pú nàyàng chū qù .

8 Zhǔrén xuǎn déng tā guī zìjǐ , ruò bù xǐhuan tā , jiù yào xǔ tā shú shēn , zhǔrén jìrán yòng guǐzhà daì tā , jiù méiyǒu quánbǐng maì gĕi waìbāngrén .

9 Zhǔrén ruò xuǎn déng tā gĕi zìjǐ de érzi , jiù dàng daì tā rútóng nǚér .

10 Ruò Lìng qǔ yī gè , nà nǚzi de chī shí , yīfu , bìng hǎo hé de shì , réng bùkĕ jiǎnshǎo .

11 Ruò bù xiàng tā xíng zhè sān yàng , tā jiù kĕyǐ búyòng qián shú , báibái dì chū qù .

12 Dá rén yǐzhì dá sǐ de , bìyào bǎ tā zhìsǐ .

13 Rén ruò bù shì máifu zhe shārén , nǎi shì shén jiāo zaì tā shǒu zhōng , wǒ jiù shè xià yī gè dìfang , tā kĕyǐ wǎng nàli taópǎo .

14 Rén ruò rènyì yòng guǐjì shā le tāde línshè , jiù shì taó dào wǒde tán nàli , yĕ dàng zhuō qù bǎ tā zhìsǐ .

15 Dá fùmǔ de , bìyào bǎ tā zhìsǐ .

16 Guǎi daì rénkǒu , huò shì bǎ rén maì le , huò shì liú zaì tā shǒu xià , bìyào bǎ tā zhìsǐ .

17 Zhòumà fùmǔ de , bìyào bǎ tā zhìsǐ .

18 Rén ruò bǐcǐ xiàng zhēng , zhège yòng shítou huò shì quántou dá nàge , shàngqiĕ búzhìyú sǐ , bú guò tǎng wò zaì chuáng ,

19 Ruò zaì néng qǐlai fú zhàng ér chū , nà dá tāde kè suàn wú zuì , dàn yào jiàng tā dānwu de gōngfu yòng qián péi bǔ , bìng yào jiàng tā quán rán yī hǎo .

20 Rén ruò yòng gùnzi dá núpú huò bìnǚ , lìshí sǐ zaì tāde shǒu xià , tā bìyào shòuxíng .

21 Ruò guò yī liǎng tiān cái sǐ , jiù kĕyǐ bù shòuxíng , yīnwei shì yòng qián mǎi de .

22 Rén ruò bǐcǐ zhēngdòu , shānghaì yǒu yùn de fùrén , shènzhì zhuì tāi , suíhòu què wú bié haì , nà shānghaì tāde , zǒng yào àn fùrén de zhàngfu suǒ yào de , zhào shĕnpàn guān suǒ duàn de , shòu fá .

23 Ruò yòu bié haì , jiù yào yǐ méng cháng méng ,

24 Yǐ yǎn hái yǎn , yǐ yá huán yá , yǐ shǒu huán shǒu , yǐ jiǎo huán jiǎo ,

25 Yǐ luò huán luò , yǐ shāng huán shāng , yǐ dǎ huán dǎ .

26 Rén ruò dǎ huaì le tā núpú huò shì bìnǚ de yī zhǐ yǎn , jiù yào yīn tāde yǎn fàng tā qù déyǐ zìyóu .

27 Ruò dǎ diào le tā núpú huò shì bìnǚ de yī gè yá , jiù yào yīn tāde yá fàng tā qù déyǐ zìyóu .

28 Niú ruò chù sǐ nánrén huò shì nǚrén , zǒng yào yòng shítou dǎ sǐ nà niú , què bùkĕ chī tā de ròu , niú de zhǔrén kè suàn wú zuì .

29 Tǎngruò nà niú sùlái shì chù rén de , yǒu rén bàogào le niú zhǔ , tā jìng bù bǎ niú shuān zhe , yǐzhì bǎ nánrén huò shì nǚrén chù sǐ , jiù yào yòng shítou dǎ sǐ nà niú , niú zhǔ yĕ bì zhìsǐ .

30 Ruò fá tā shú méng de jià yín , tā bì zhào suǒ fá de shú tāde méng .

31 Niú wúlùn chù le rén de érzi huò shì nǚér , bì zhào zhè lì bànlǐ .

32 Niú ruò chù le núpú huò shì bìnǚ , bì jiàng yínzi sān shí Shĕkèlè gĕi tāmende zhǔrén , yĕ yào yòng shítou bǎ niú dǎ sǐ .

33 Rén ruò chǎng zhe jǐng kǒu , huò wā jǐng bù zhēgaì , yǒu niú huò lü diào zaì lǐtou ,

34 Jǐng zhǔ yào ná qián péi huán bĕn zhǔrén , sǐ shēngchù yào guī zìjǐ .

35 Zhè rén de niú ruò shāng le nà rén de niú , yǐ zhìyú sǐ , tāmen yào maì le huó niú , píng fèn jiàzhí , yĕ yào píng fèn sǐ niú .

36 Rén ruò zhīdào zhè niú sùlái shì chù rén de , zhǔrén jìng bù bǎ niú shuān zhe , tā bìyào yǐ niú huán niú , sǐ niú yào guī zìjǐ .

Chūāijíjì 21 Commentary

Chapter 21

Laws respecting servants. (1-11) Judicial laws. (12-21) Judicial laws. (22-36)

Verses 1-11 The laws in this chapter relate to the fifth and sixth commandments; and though they differ from our times and customs, nor are they binding on us, yet they explain the moral law, and the rules of natural justice. The servant, in the state of servitude, was an emblem of that state of bondage to sin, Satan, and the law, which man is brought into by robbing God of his glory, by the transgression of his precepts. Likewise in being made free, he was an emblem of that liberty wherewith Christ, the Son of God, makes free from bondage his people, who are free indeed; and made so freely, without money and without price, of free grace.

Verses 12-21 God, who by his providence gives and maintains life, by his law protects it. A wilful murderer shall be taken even from God's altar. But God provided cities of refuge to protect those whose unhappiness it was, and not their fault, to cause the death of another; for such as by accident, when a man is doing a lawful act, without intent of hurt, happens to kill another. Let children hear the sentence of God's word upon the ungrateful and disobedient; and remember that God will certainly requite it, if they have ever cursed their parents, even in their hearts, or have lifted up their hands against them, except they repent, and flee for refuge to the Saviour. And let parents hence learn to be very careful in training up their children, setting them a good example, especially in the government of their passions, and in praying for them; taking heed not to provoke them to wrath. Through poverty the Israelites sometimes sold themselves or their children; magistrates sold some persons for their crimes, and creditors were in some cases allowed to sell their debtors who could not pay. But "man-stealing," the object of which is to force another into slavery, is ranked in the New Testament with the greatest crimes. Care is here taken, that satisfaction be made for hurt done to a person, though death do not follow. The gospel teaches masters to forbear, and to moderate threatenings, ( Ephesians 6:9 ) , considering with Job, What shall I do, when God riseth up? ( Job 31:13 Job 31:14 ) .

Verses 22-36 The cases here mentioned give rules of justice then, and still in use, for deciding similar matters. We are taught by these laws, that we must be very careful to do no wrong, either directly or indirectly. If we have done wrong, we must be very willing to make it good, and be desirous that nobody may lose by us.

Chapter Summary

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.