Personal Injuries

12 “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.(A) 13 However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place(B) I will designate. 14 But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately,(C) that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.(D)

15 “Anyone who attacks[a] their father or mother is to be put to death.

16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death,(E) whether the victim has been sold(F) or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

17 “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.(G)

18 “If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist[b] and the victim does not die but is confined to bed, 19 the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.

20 “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, 21 but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.(H)

22 “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely[c] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands(I) and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life,(J) 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth,(K) hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

26 “An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. 27 And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 21:15 Or kills
  2. Exodus 21:18 Or with a tool
  3. Exodus 21:22 Or she has a miscarriage

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