Exodus 21:12-27

International Children’s Bible

Injuries

¹² “Anyone who hits a person and kills him must be put to death. ¹³ But if a person kills someone accidentally, God allowed that to happen. So the person must go to a place I will choose. ¹⁴ A person might plan and murder another person on purpose. Put him to death, even if he has run to my altar for safety.

¹⁵ “Anyone who hits his father or his mother must be put to death.

¹⁶ “A person might kidnap someone. Then he either sells him as a slave or still has him when he is caught. That person must be put to death.

¹⁷ “Anyone who says cruel things to his father or mother must be put to death.

¹⁸ “Two men might argue. And one might hit the other with a rock or with his fist. The hurt man might not be killed. But he might have to stay in bed. ¹⁹ Later he might be able to get up. And he might be able to walk around outside with his walking stick. Then the one who hit him is not to be punished. But he must pay the injured man for the loss of his time. And he must support the injured man until he is completely healed.

²⁰ “A man might beat his male or female slave with a stick. And the slave might die on the spot. Then the owner must be punished. ²¹ But the slave might get well after a day or two. Then that owner will not be punished since the slave belongs to him.

²² “Two men might be fighting, and they might hit a pregnant woman so that the baby comes out. But there is no further injury. Then the man who caused the injury must pay money. He must pay what the woman’s husband says and the court allows. ²³ But if there is further injury, then the punishment is that life must be paid for life, ²⁴ eye for eye, tooth for tooth. It is also hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, wound for wound and bruise for bruise.

²⁶ “A man might hit his male or female slave in the eye. And the eye might be blinded. Then the man is to free the slave to pay for the eye. ²⁷ A master might knock out a tooth of his male or female slave. Then the man is to free the slave to pay for the tooth.