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The Law concerning Violence

12 “Whoever strikes a person mortally shall be put to death.(A) 13 If it was not premeditated but came about by an act of God, then I will appoint for you a place to which the killer may flee.(B) 14 But if someone willfully attacks and kills another by treachery, you shall take the killer from my altar for execution.(C)

15 “Whoever strikes father or mother shall be put to death.

16 “Whoever kidnaps a person, whether that person has been sold or is still held in possession, shall be put to death.(D)

17 “Whoever curses father or mother shall be put to death.(E)

18 “When individuals quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or fist so that the injured party, though not dead, is confined to bed 19 but recovers and walks around outside with the help of a staff, then the assailant shall be free of liability, except to pay for the loss of time and to arrange for full recovery.

20 “When a slaveowner strikes a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner shall be punished. 21 But if the slave survives a day or two, there is no punishment, for the slave is the owner’s property.(F)

22 “When people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage and yet no further harm follows, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman’s husband demands, paying as much as the judges determine. 23 If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life,(G) 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,(H) 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

26 “When a slaveowner strikes the eye of a male or female slave, destroying it, the owner shall let the slave go, a free person, to compensate for the eye. 27 If the owner knocks out a tooth of a male or female slave, the slave shall be let go, a free person, to compensate for the tooth.

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Laws about Personal Injury

12 “Whoever strikes a person so that he dies must be put to death.(A) 13 But if he did not intend any harm,[a] and yet God allowed it to happen, I will appoint a place for you where he may flee.(B) 14 If a person schemes and willfully[b] acts against his neighbor to murder him, you must take him from my altar to be put to death.(C)

15 “Whoever strikes his father or his mother must be put to death.

16 “Whoever kidnaps a person must be put to death, whether he sells him or the person is found in his possession.(D)

17 “Whoever curses his father or his mother must be put to death.(E)

18 “When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or his fist, and the injured man does not die but is confined to bed, 19 if he can later get up and walk around outside leaning on his staff, then the one who struck him will be exempt from punishment. Nevertheless, he must pay for his lost work time[c] and provide for his complete recovery.

20 “When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies under his abuse,[d] the owner must be punished.[e] 21 However, if the slave can stand up after a day or two, the owner should not be punished[f] because he is his owner’s property.[g](F)

22 “When men get in a fight and hit a pregnant woman so that her children are born prematurely but there is no injury, the one who hit her must be fined as the woman’s husband demands(G) from him, and he must pay according to judicial assessment. 23 If there is an injury, then you must give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth,(H) hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, bruise for bruise, wound for wound.

26 “When a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave and destroys it, he must let the slave go free in compensation for his eye. 27 If he knocks out the tooth of his male or female slave, he must let the slave go free in compensation for his tooth.

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Footnotes

  1. 21:13 Lit he was not lying in wait
  2. 21:14 Or maliciously
  3. 21:19 Lit his inactivity
  4. 21:20 Lit hand
  5. 21:20 Or must suffer vengeance
  6. 21:21 Or not suffer vengeance
  7. 21:21 Lit silver