Exodus 21:12-27

New Century Version

Laws About 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 But if someone plans and murders 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 “Anyone who kidnaps someone and either sells him as a slave or still has him when he is caught must be put to death.

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

¹⁸ “If two men argue, and one hits the other with a rock or with his fist, the one who is hurt but not killed might have to stay in bed. ¹⁹ Later if he is able to get up and walk around outside with his walking stick, 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 “If a man beats his male or female slave with a stick, and the slave dies on the spot, the owner must be punished. ²¹ But if the slave gets well after a day or two, the owner will not be punished since the slave belongs to him.

²² “Suppose two men are fighting and hit a pregnant woman, causing the baby to come out. If there is no further injury, the man who caused the accident must pay money—whatever amount the woman’s husband says and the court allows. ²³ But if there is further injury, then the punishment that must be paid is life for life, ²⁴ eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, wound for wound, and bruise for bruise.

²⁶ “If a man hits his male or female slave in the eye, and the eye is blinded, the man is to free the slave to pay for the eye. ²⁷ If a master knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, the man is to free the slave to pay for the tooth.