Personal Injuries

12 (A)He who strikes someone so that he dies shall certainly be put to death. 13 (B)Yet [a]if he did not lie in wait for him, but (C)God caused him to fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee. 14 (D)If, however, someone is enraged against his neighbor, so as to kill him in a cunning way, you are to take him even from My altar, to be put to death.

15 “And one who strikes his father or his mother shall certainly be put to death.

16 “Now (E)one who [b]kidnaps someone, whether he sells him or he is found in his [c]possession, shall certainly be put to death.

17 “And (F)one who curses his father or his mother shall certainly be put to death.

18 “Now if people have a quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with a fist, and he does not die but [d]is confined to bed, 19 if he gets up and walks around outside on his staff, then he who struck him shall go unpunished; he shall only pay for his [e]loss of time, and [f]shall pay for his care until he is completely healed.

20 “And if someone strikes his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies [g]at his hand, he shall [h]be punished. 21 If, however, the slave [i]survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; (G)for the slave is his [j]property.

22 “Now if people struggle with each other and strike a pregnant woman so that [k]she gives birth prematurely, but there is no injury, the guilty person shall certainly be fined as the woman’s husband [l]may demand of him, and he shall (H)pay [m]as the judges decide. 23 But if there is any further injury, (I)then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, 24 (J)eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, [n]bruise for bruise.

26 “And if someone strikes the eye of his male or female slave and destroys it, he shall let [o]the slave go free on account of the eye. 27 And if he [p]knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let [q]the slave go free on account of the tooth.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 21:13 Lit he who
  2. Exodus 21:16 Lit steals
  3. Exodus 21:16 Lit hand
  4. Exodus 21:18 Lit lies in
  5. Exodus 21:19 Lit his sitting
  6. Exodus 21:19 Lit healing, he shall cause to be healed
  7. Exodus 21:20 Lit under
  8. Exodus 21:20 Lit suffer vengeance
  9. Exodus 21:21 Lit stands
  10. Exodus 21:21 Lit money
  11. Exodus 21:22 Or an untimely birth occurs; lit her children come out
  12. Exodus 21:22 Lit lays on him
  13. Exodus 21:22 Lit by arbitration
  14. Exodus 21:25 Lit welt
  15. Exodus 21:26 Lit him go...his eye
  16. Exodus 21:27 Lit causes to fall
  17. Exodus 21:27 Lit him go...his tooth

12 He that smiteth a man, so that he dieth, shall surely be put to death. 13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. 14 And if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.

15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.

16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

17 And he that [a]curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

18 And if men contend, and one smite the other with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keep his bed; 19 if he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for [b]the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.

20 And if a man smite [c]his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall surely be punished. 21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.

22 And if men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart, and yet no harm follow; he shall be surely fined, according as the woman’s husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23 But if any harm follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, and destroy it; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake. 27 And if he smite out his man-servant’s tooth, or his maid-servant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 21:17 Or, revileth
  2. Exodus 21:19 Hebrew his sitting or ceasing.
  3. Exodus 21:20 Or, his bondman, or his bondwoman