Exodus 21:12-27
New Living Translation
Cases of Personal Injury
12 “Anyone who assaults and kills another person must be put to death. 13 But if it was simply an accident permitted by God, I will appoint a place of refuge where the slayer can run for safety. 14 However, if someone deliberately kills another person, then the slayer must be dragged even from my altar and be put to death.
15 “Anyone who strikes father or mother must be put to death.
16 “Kidnappers must be put to death, whether they are caught in possession of their victims or have already sold them as slaves.
17 “Anyone who dishonors[a] father or mother must be put to death.
18 “Now suppose two men quarrel, and one hits the other with a stone or fist, and the injured person does not die but is confined to bed. 19 If he is later able to walk outside again, even with a crutch, the assailant will not be punished but must compensate his victim for lost wages and provide for his full recovery.
20 “If a man beats his male or female slave with a club and the slave dies as a result, the owner must be punished. 21 But if the slave recovers within a day or two, then the owner shall not be punished, since the slave is his property.
22 “Now suppose two men are fighting, and in the process they accidentally strike a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely.[b] If no further injury results, the man who struck the woman must pay the amount of compensation the woman’s husband demands and the judges approve. 23 But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, 24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, 25 a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.
26 “If a man hits his male or female slave in the eye and the eye is blinded, he must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. 27 And if a man knocks out the tooth of his male or female slave, he must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.
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Exodus 21:12-27
International Standard Version
Laws Concerning Personal Injury and Homicide
12 “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies is certainly to be put to death. 13 If he didn’t lie in wait, but God let him fall into his reach,[a] then I’ll appoint for you a place to which he may flee. 14 If a man acts deliberately against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you are to take him to die even if he’s at[b] my altar.
15 “Whoever strikes his father or his mother is certainly to be put to death.
16 “Whoever kidnaps a person, whether he has sold him or whether the victim[c] is still in his possession, is certainly to be put to death.
17 “Whoever curses his father or his mother is certainly to be put to death.
18 “If people quarrel and one strikes the other with a rock or his fist, and he does not die but ends up[d] in bed, 19 and the injured person[e] then gets up and walks around outside with the help of his staff,[f] the one who struck him is not liable, except that he is to compensate him for his loss of time[g] and take care of his complete recovery.
20 “If a man strikes his male or female servant with a stick and he or she dies as a direct result,[h] the master must be punished.[i] 21 But if the servant[j] survives a day or two, the master[k] is not to be punished because the servant[l] is his property.
22 “If two men are fighting and they strike a pregnant woman and her children are born prematurely,[m] but there is no harm, he is certainly to be fined as the husband of the woman demands of him, and he will pay as the court decides.[n] 23 If there is harm, then you are to require[o] 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 strikes the eye of his male or female servant and destroys it, he is to release him as a free man in exchange for his eye. 27 If he knocks out the tooth of his male[p] or female servant,[q] he is to release him as a free man in exchange for his tooth.
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- Exodus 21:13 Lit. hand; i.e. the event was not premeditated by the accused
- Exodus 21:14 Lit. even from
- Exodus 21:16 Lit. he
- Exodus 21:18 Lit. falls
- Exodus 21:19 Lit. he
- Exodus 21:19 Lit. with his staff
- Exodus 21:19 Lit. his rest
- Exodus 21:20 Lit. under his hand
- Exodus 21:20 Lit. suffer vengeance
- Exodus 21:21 Lit. he
- Exodus 21:21 Lit. he
- Exodus 21:21 Lit. he
- Exodus 21:22 Lit. children come out
- Exodus 21:22 Or according to the assessment
- Exodus 21:23 Lit. give
- Exodus 21:27 Lit. male servant
- Exodus 21:27 Lit. tooth of his female servant
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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