Exodus 21:19

19 if the man arise and walk abroad on his staff, he that smote him shall be clear; only he shall pay for his loss of time, and for his healing.

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 Whosoever shall steal one of the children of Israel, and prevail over him and sell him, and he be found with him, let him certainly die.
18 And if two men revile each other and smite the one the other with a stone or his fist, and he die not, but be laid upon his bed;
19 if the man arise and walk abroad on his staff, he that smote him shall be clear; only he shall pay for his loss of time, and for his healing.
20 And if a man smite his man-servant or his maid-servant, with a rod, and die under his hands, he shall be surely punished.
21 But if continue to live a day or two, let not be punished; for he is his money.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.