Exodus 21:27

27 Also if he smite out a tooth of his servant, or (of) [his] handmaid, in like manner he shall deliver them free (likewise he shall let them go out free).

Exodus 21:27 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 21:27

And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his
maidservant's tooth
Give them such a slap on the face, or a blow on the mouth, as to strike out one of their teeth; this also the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi restrain to a Canaanitish servant or maid;

he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake;
both him and her, the servant and the maid; this, though of lesser consequence than the loss of an eye, was punished in the same manner with the loss of the servant man or maid, to make masters careful how they abused their servants in any degree. And though only these parts are expressed, yet Jarchi and Aben Ezra observe, that all other principal members of the body, which they reckon to be twenty four, are included, as the fingers, toes

Exodus 21:27 In-Context

25 burning for burning, wound for wound, sore for sore.
26 If a man smiteth the eye of his servant, either of his handmaid, and maketh them one-eyed, he shall deliver them free for the eye which he put out (he shall let them go out free for the eye which he hath put out).
27 Also if he smite out a tooth of his servant, or (of) [his] handmaid, in like manner he shall deliver them free (likewise he shall let them go out free).
28 If an ox smiteth with his horn either man, or woman, and they be dead, the ox shall be thrown down with stones, and his flesh shall not be eaten, and the lord of the ox shall be guiltless. (If an ox striketh with his horn a man, or a woman, unto the death, the ox shall be thrown down with stones, and his flesh shall not be eaten, but the lord of the ox shall be guiltless.)
29 That if the ox was an horn-putter from yesterday and the third day ago, and men warned his lord, (yet) neither the lord closed him, and he slayeth a man, or a woman, both the ox shall be thrown adown with stones, and they shall slay his lord; (But if the ox was a horn-putter from yesterday and the third day ago, and men had warned his lord, but his lord did not enclose him, and he killeth a man, or a woman, the ox shall be thrown down with stones, and they shall also kill his lord;)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.