Exodus 21:33

33 And if any one open a pit or dig a cavity in stone, and cover it not, and an ox or an ass fall in there,

Exodus 21:33 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 21:33

If a man shall open a pit
That has been dug in time past, and filled up again, or take the covering from it, and leave it uncovered: "or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it": a new one, in the street, as the Targum of Jonathan; or in a public place, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra; otherwise a man might dig one for water, in his own fields, in enclosed places, where there was no danger of cattle coming thither, and falling therein:

and an ox or an ass fall therein;
or any other beast, as Jarchi observes; for these are mentioned only as instances, and are put for all others. Maimonides F19 says,

``if a man digs a pit in a public place, and an ox or ass fall into it and die, though the pit is full of shorn wool, and the like, the owner of the pit is bound to pay the whole damage; and this pit (he says) must be ten hands deep; if it is less than that, and an ox, or any other beast or fowl fall into it and die, he is free,''


FOOTNOTES:

F19 Hilchot Niske Maimon. c. 12. sect, 1, 10. so Bartenora in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 1. sect. 1.

Exodus 21:33 In-Context

31 And if gore a son or daughter, let them do to him according to this ordinance.
32 And if the bull gore a man-servant or maid-servant, he shall pay to their master thirty silver didrachms, and the bull shall be stoned.
33 And if any one open a pit or dig a cavity in stone, and cover it not, and an ox or an ass fall in there,
34 the owner of the pit shall make compensation; he shall give money to their owner, and the dead shall be his own.
35 And if any man's bull gore the bull of his neighbour, and it die, they shall sell the living bull and divide the money, and they shall divide the dead bull.

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