Exodus 21
Contemporary English Version
Hebrew Slaves
(Deuteronomy 15.12-18)
21 The Lord gave Moses the following laws for his people:
2 (A) If you buy a Hebrew slave, he must remain your slave for six years. But in the seventh year you must set him free, without cost to him. 3 If he was single at the time you bought him, he alone must be set free. But if he was married at the time, both he and his wife must be given their freedom. 4 If you give him a wife, and they have children, only the man himself must be set free; his wife and children remain the property of his owner.
5 But suppose the slave loves his wife and children and his owner so much that he won't leave them. 6 Then he must stand beside either the door or the doorpost at the place of worship,[a] while his owner punches a small hole through one of his ears with a sharp metal rod. This makes him a slave for life.
7 A young woman who was sold by her father doesn't gain her freedom in the same way that a man does. 8 If she doesn't please the man who bought her to be his wife, he must let her be bought back.[b] He cannot sell her to foreigners; this would break the contract he made with her. 9 If he selects her as a wife for his son, he must treat her as his own daughter.
10 If the man later marries another woman, he must continue to provide food and clothing for the one he bought and to treat her as a wife. 11 If he fails to do any of these things, she must be given her freedom without paying for it.
Murder and Other Violent Crimes
The Lord said:
12 (B) Death is the punishment for murder. 13 (C) But if you did not intend to kill someone, and I, the Lord, let it happen anyway, you may run for safety to a place that I have set aside. 14 If you plan in advance to murder someone, there's no escape, not even by holding on to my altar.[c] You will be dragged off and killed.
15 Death is the punishment for attacking your father or mother.
16 (D) Death is the punishment for kidnapping. If you sell the person you kidnapped, or if you are caught with that person, the penalty is death.
17 (E) Death is the punishment for cursing your father or mother.
18 Suppose two of you are arguing, and you hit the other with either a rock or your fist, without causing a fatal injury. If the victim has to stay in bed, 19 and later has to use a stick when walking outside, you must pay for the loss of time and do what you can to help until the injury is completely healed. That's your only responsibility.
20 Death is the punishment for beating to death any of your slaves. 21 However, if the slave lives a few days after the beating, you are not to be punished. After all, you have already lost the services of that slave who was your property.
22 Suppose a pregnant woman suffers a miscarriage[d] as the result of an injury caused by someone who is fighting. If she isn't badly hurt, the one who injured her must pay whatever fine her husband demands and the judges approve. 23 But if she is seriously injured, the payment will be life for life, 24 (F) eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, cut for cut, and bruise for bruise.
26 If you hit one of your slaves and cause the loss of an eye, the slave must be set free. 27 The same law applies if you knock out a slave's tooth—the slave goes free.
28 A bull that kills someone with its horns must be killed and its meat destroyed, but the owner of the bull isn't responsible for the death.
29 Suppose you own a bull that has been in the habit of attacking people, but you have refused to keep it fenced in. If that bull kills someone, both you and the bull must be put to death by stoning. 30 However, you may save your own life by paying whatever fine is demanded. 31 This same law applies if the bull gores someone's son or daughter. 32 If the bull kills a slave, you must pay the slave owner 30 pieces of silver for the loss of the slave, and the bull must be killed by stoning.
33 Suppose someone's ox or donkey is killed by falling into an open pit that you dug or left uncovered on your property. 34 You must pay for the dead animal, and it becomes yours.
35 If your bull kills someone else's, yours must be sold. Then the money from your bull and the meat from the dead bull must be divided equally between you and the other owner.
36 If you refuse to fence in a bull that is known to attack others, you must replace any animal it kills, but the dead animal will belong to you.
Footnotes
- 21.6 at the place of worship: The Hebrew text has “in the presence of God,” which probably refers to the place where God was worshiped.
- 21.8 bought back: Either by her family or by another Israelite who wanted to marry her.
- 21.14 altar: As a rule, anyone who ran to the altar was safe from the death penalty, until proven guilty.
- 21.22 suffers a miscarriage: Or “gives birth before her time.”
Exodus 21
Ang Pulong Sang Dios
Ang Pagtratar sa mga Ulipon(A)
21 Nagsiling ang Ginoo kay Moises, “Amo ini ang mga pagsulundan nga ipatuman mo sa mga Israelinhon:
2 “Kon magbakal kamo sang ulipon nga Hebreo, magaalagad siya sa inyo sa sulod sang anom ka tuig. Pero sa ikapito nga tuig, mahilway na siya sa pagkaulipon nga wala siya sing bayaran. 3 Kon sang pagbakal sa iya wala pa siya sing asawa kag sang ulihi nagpangasawa siya, siya lang ang mahilway sa ikapito nga tuig. Pero kon may asawa na siya sang pagbakal sa iya, ang iya asawa mahilway man upod sa iya. 4 Kon ginpaasawahan siya sang iya agalon kag nakabata sila sang iya asawa, mahilway siya, pero ang iya asawa kag mga bata magapabilin sa iya agalon.
5 “Pero kon magsiling ang ulipon nga ginahigugma niya ang iya agalon, ang iya asawa kag mga bata, kag indi niya gusto nga mahilway, 6 dal-on siya sang iya agalon sa presensya sang Dios.[a] Kag didto sa puwertahan ukon hamba tuhugan sang iya agalon ang iya dulunggan sang inugtuhog, kag mangin ulipon siya sang iya agalon sa bug-os niya nga kabuhi.
7 “Kon ibaligya sang isa ka tawo ang iya anak nga babayi nga mangin ulipon, indi siya mahilway sa ikapito nga tuig pareho sa mga lalaki nga ulipon. 8 Kon wala malipay sa iya ang iya agalon nga nagbakal sa iya, puwede siya nga gawaron sang iya pamilya. Pero indi siya puwede nga ibaligya sang iya agalon sa mga indi Israelinhon, tungod kay ang iya agalon amo ang nagtalikod sa iya. 9 Kon ipaasawa sang agalon ini nga ulipon sa iya anak, kinahanglan nga kabigon niya siya bilang iya anak nga babayi. 10 Kon pangasaw-on niya mismo ini nga ulipon, kag magpangasawa pa gid siya sang iban nga babayi, kinahanglan padayunon niya ang paghatag sa sini nga ulipon sang pagkaon kag bayo, kag ang paghulid sa iya. 11 Kon indi niya matuman ining tatlo ka butang, puwede maghalin ina nga babayi nga wala sing balayran.
Mga Kasuguan Parte sa mga Krimen
12 “Ang bisan sin-o nga magsakit sang tawo kag mapatay niya ini, dapat patyon man siya. 13 Pero kon wala niya ini ginhungod kag gintugutan ko ini nga matabo, makapalagyo siya sa lugar nga himuon ko nga dalangpan. 14 Pero kon ginplano niya kag ginhungod ang pagpatay, patya ninyo siya bisan magpalapit pa siya sa akon halaran.
15 “Ang bisan sin-o nga magsakit[b] sa iya amay kag iloy dapat patyon.
16 “Ang bisan sin-o nga magkidnap sang tawo dapat patyon, bisan ginbaligya na niya ang iya ginkidnap ukon wala pa.
17 “Ang bisan sin-o nga magpakamalaot sa iya amay ukon iloy dapat patyon.
18 “Halimbawa, nag-away ang duha ka tawo, kag ginsumbag sang isa ukon ginlampusan sang bato ang iya kontra kag indi na ini makabangon pero wala mapatay. 19 Kon sa ulihi makabangon siya kag makalakat-lakat, bisan nagabaston lang, ang tawo nga nagsakit sa iya indi pagsilutan. Pero kinahanglan magbayad ang tawo sa iya, sa iya panahon nga nausik tungod sa iya pagkabalda, kag kinahanglan atipanon siya sang tawo hasta mag-ayo siya.
20 “Kon ginbakol sang isa ka tawo ang iya ulipon, lalaki man ukon babayi, kag napatay ini, dapat silutan siya. 21 Pero kon wala mapatay ang ulipon kag nakabangon ini pagkaligad sang isa ukon duha ka adlaw, ang tawo indi pagsilutan kay siya man ang tag-iya sang ulipon.
22 “Kon may nagaaway kag naigo ang isa ka babayi nga nagabusong, kag nagbata ini sa indi pa oras,[c] pero wala man sing may malain nga natabo sa iya, ang nakaigo pabayaron suno sa kantidad nga pangayuon sang bana kag ginatugutan sang mga hukom. 23 Pero kon grabe ang natabo sa babayi silutan ang responsable suno man sa natabo sa babayi. Kon napatay ang babayi, patyon man siya. 24 Kon nabulag ang babayi, bulagon man siya. Kon nabingaw ang ngipon, bingawon man siya. Kon nabali ang kamot ukon tiil, balion man ang iya kamot ukon tiil. 25 Kon napaso, pasuon man siya. Kon napilas, pilason man siya. Kag kon nabagrasan, bagrasan man siya.
26 “Kon nasumbag sang agalon ang iya ulipon nga lalaki ukon babayi sa mata kag nabulag ini, hilwayon niya siya sa pagkaulipon bilang bayad sa mata nga iya ginbulag. 27 Kon nabingaw niya ang ngipon sang iya ulipon nga lalaki ukon babayi, hilwayon man niya siya sa pagkaulipon bilang bayad sa ngipon nga iya ginbingaw.
28 “Kon ang turo nga baka nakasungay sang tawo, lalaki ukon babayi, kag napatay ini, dapat batuhon ang baka, kag indi pagkan-on ang iya unod, pero ang tag-iya sang baka wala sing salabton. 29 Pero kon ang baka naanad na nga magpanungay sang tawo kag ginpaandaman na ang tag-iya parte sini, pero ginpabay-an lang niya ang baka, kag nakapatay ini sang tawo, kinahanglan batuhon ini hasta mapatay kag ang tag-iya patyon man. 30 Pero kon pabayaron ang tag-iya para mabuhi siya, kinahanglan nga bayaran niya kon pila ang ipabayad sa iya. 31 Amo man ini ang pagsulundan kon nakasungay ang baka sang bata, lalaki man ukon babayi. 32 Kon nakasungay ang baka sang ulipon, lalaki man ukon babayi, kinahanglan nga magbayad ang tag-iya sini sang 30 ka bilog nga pilak sa agalon sang ulipon, kag kinahanglan nga batuhon ang baka hasta mapatay.
33 “Halimbawa, may tawo nga nagkuha sang tabon sang bubon ukon nagkutkot sang bubon kag wala niya ini pagtabuni, kag may nahulog nga baka ukon asno sa amo nga bubon, 34 ang tag-iya sang bubon dapat magbayad sa tag-iya sang sapat, kag mangin iya na ang patay nga sapat.
35 “Kon ang baka sang isa ka tawo nakapatay sang baka sang iya kapareho, ibaligya nila nga duha ang buhi nga baka kag tungaon ang bili sini. Tungaon man nila ang karne sang napatay nga baka. 36 Pero kon ang baka nga nakapatay naanad na nga magpanungay kag ginpabay-an lang ini sang tag-iya, dapat magbayad ang tag-iya sini sang isa man ka baka sa baylo sang napatay, kag ining napatay nga baka mangin iya na.
Exodus 21
New King James Version
The Law Concerning Servants(A)
21 “Now these are the [a]judgments which you shall (B)set before them: 2 (C)If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. 3 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 (D)But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to the (E)judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.
7 “And if a man (F)sells his daughter to be a female slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. 8 If she [b]does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. 9 And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. 10 If he takes another wife, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, (G)and her marriage rights. 11 And if he does not do these three for her, then she shall go out free, without paying money.
The Law Concerning Violence
12 (H)“He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. 13 However, (I)if he did not lie in wait, but God (J)delivered him into his hand, then (K)I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.
14 “But if a man acts with (L)premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, (M)you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.
15 “And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
16 (N)“He who kidnaps a man and (O)sells him, or if he is (P)found in his hand, shall surely be put to death.
17 “And (Q)he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
18 “If men contend with each other, and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but is confined to his bed, 19 if he rises again and walks about outside (R)with his staff, then he who struck him shall be [c]acquitted. He shall only pay for the loss of his time, and shall provide for him to be thoroughly healed.
20 “And if a man beats his male or female servant with a rod, so that he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished. 21 Notwithstanding, if he remains alive a day or two, he shall not be punished; for he is his (S)property.
22 “If men [d]fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that [e]she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall (T)pay as the judges determine. 23 But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 (U)eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
26 “If a man strikes the eye of his male or female servant, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for the sake of his eye. 27 And if he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he shall let him go free for the sake of his tooth.
Animal Control Laws
28 “If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, then (V)the ox shall surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be [f]acquitted. 29 But if the ox [g]tended to thrust with its horn in times past, and it has been made known to his owner, and he has not kept it confined, so that it has killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. 30 If there is imposed on him a sum of money, then he shall pay (W)to redeem his life, whatever is imposed on him. 31 Whether it has gored a son or gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him. 32 If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master (X)thirty shekels of silver, and the (Y)ox shall be stoned.
33 “And if a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls in it, 34 the owner of the pit shall make it good; he shall give money to their owner, but the dead animal shall be his.
35 “If one man’s ox hurts another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide the money from it; and the dead ox they shall also divide. 36 Or if it was known that the ox tended to thrust in time past, and its owner has not kept it confined, he shall surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal shall be his own.
Footnotes
- Exodus 21:1 ordinances
- Exodus 21:8 Lit. is evil in the eyes of
- Exodus 21:19 exempt from punishment
- Exodus 21:22 struggle
- Exodus 21:22 Lit. her children come out
- Exodus 21:28 exempt from punishment
- Exodus 21:29 was inclined
Exodus 21
New International Version
21 “These are the laws(A) you are to set before them:
Hebrew Servants(B)(C)
2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant,(D) he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free,(E) without paying anything. 3 If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.
5 “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’(F) 6 then his master must take him before the judges.[a](G) He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce(H) his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.(I)
7 “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. 8 If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself,[b] he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. 9 If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. 10 If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights.(J) 11 If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.
Personal Injuries
12 “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.(K) 13 However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place(L) I will designate. 14 But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately,(M) that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.(N)
15 “Anyone who attacks[c] their father or mother is to be put to death.
16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death,(O) whether the victim has been sold(P) or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.
17 “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.(Q)
18 “If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist[d] 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.(R)
22 “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely[e] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands(S) and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life,(T) 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth,(U) 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.
28 “If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death,(V) and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. 29 If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up(W) and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. 30 However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded.(X) 31 This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. 32 If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels[f](Y) of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.
33 “If anyone uncovers a pit(Z) or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.
35 “If anyone’s bull injures someone else’s bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. 36 However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up,(AA) the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange.
Footnotes
- Exodus 21:6 Or before God
- Exodus 21:8 Or master so that he does not choose her
- Exodus 21:15 Or kills
- Exodus 21:18 Or with a tool
- Exodus 21:22 Or she has a miscarriage
- Exodus 21:32 That is, about 12 ounces or about 345 grams
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