The Law Concerning Violence

12 (A)“He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. 13 However, (B)if he did not lie in wait, but God (C)delivered him into his hand, then (D)I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

14 “But if a man acts with (E)premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, (F)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 (G)“He who kidnaps a man and (H)sells him, or if he is (I)found in his hand, shall surely be put to death.

17 “And (J)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 (K)with his staff, then he who struck him shall be [a]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 (L)property.

22 “If men [b]fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that [c]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 (M)pay as the judges determine. 23 But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 (N)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.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 21:19 exempt from punishment
  2. Exodus 21:22 struggle
  3. Exodus 21:22 Lit. her children come out

Regulations Regarding Murder, Manslaughter, and Various Injuries

12 “‘Whoever strikes someone[a] and he dies will surely be put to death. 13 But if he did not lie in wait and it was an accident,[b] I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. 14 But if a man schemes against his neighbor to kill him by treachery,[c] you will take him from my altar to die. 15 And whoever strikes[d] his father or his mother will surely be put to death.

16 “‘And whoever kidnaps someone[e] and sells him, or he is found in his possession,[f] he will surely be put to death.

17 “‘And one who curses his father or his mother will surely be put to death.

18 “‘And if men quarrel and a man strikes his neighbor with a stone or with a fist and he does not die, but he is confined to bed,[g] 19 if he stands and walks about in the outside on his staff, the striker will be unpunished; he will only pay for his inactivity[h] toward his full recovery.”[i] 20 And if a man strikes his male slave or his female slave with the rod and he dies under his hand, he will surely be avenged. 21 Yet if he survives a day or two days, he will not be avenged, because he is his money.[j]

22 “‘And if men fight and they injure a pregnant woman, and her children go out and there is not serious injury, he will surely be fined as the woman’s husband demands concerning him and as the judges determine.[k] 23 And if there is serious injury, you will give life in place of life, 24 eye in place of eye, tooth in place of tooth, hand in place of hand, foot in place of foot, 25 burn in place of burn, wound in place of wound, bruise in place of bruise.

26 “‘And if a man strikes the eye of his male slave or the eye of his female slave and destroys it, he shall release him as free in place of his eye. 27 And if he causes the tooth of his male slave or the tooth of his female slave to fall out, he will release him as free in place of his tooth.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 21:12 Literally “A striker of a man”
  2. Exodus 21:13 Literally “and God let him happen to his hand”
  3. Exodus 21:14 Or “with cunning” or “craftily”
  4. Exodus 21:15 Literally “a striker of”
  5. Exodus 21:16 Literally “a stealer of a man”
  6. Exodus 21:16 Literally “in his hand”
  7. Exodus 21:18 Literally “he falls to bed”
  8. Exodus 21:19 Literally “his sitting”
  9. Exodus 21:19 Literally “and he indeed will recover”
  10. Exodus 21:21 Or “property”; literally “his silver”
  11. Exodus 21:22 Literally “and he will give according to judgments” or “judges” or “arbitrators”