Exodus 21:34

34 the owner of the pit doth repay, money he doth give back to its owner, and the dead is his.

Exodus 21:34 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 21:34

The owner of the pit shall make it good
Repair the loss of the ox or ass:

and give the money unto the owner of them:
the price of them, what they are worth: the Targum of Jonathan is,

``the owner of the pit shall pay the silver, he shall return to its owner the price of the ox or ass:''

and the dead beast shall be his;
either the owner of the pit; who pays the full value for the ox or ass killed, which seems but reasonable; or

``the injured person as Jarchi, for he says, they reckon or estimate the carcass, and he takes it for the price;''

that is, for part of the price it is valued at.

Exodus 21:34 In-Context

32 `If the ox gore a man-servant or a handmaid, thirty silver shekels he doth give to their lord, and the ox is stoned.
33 `And when a man doth open a pit, or when a man doth dig a pit, and doth not cover it, and an ox or ass hath fallen thither, --
34 the owner of the pit doth repay, money he doth give back to its owner, and the dead is his.
35 `And when a man's ox doth smite the ox of his neighbour, and it hath died, then they have sold the living ox, and halved its money, and also the dead one they do halve;
36 or, it hath been known that the ox is [one] accustomed to gore heretofore, and its owner doth not watch it, he certainly repayeth ox for ox, and the dead is his.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.