Exodus 21:20

Exodus 21:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.
• New International Version (NIV)“Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result,
• English Standard Version (ESV)"When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“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.

Context of Exodus 21:20

18“This is what you must do whenever men quarrel and one hits the other with a rock or with his fist and injures him so that he has to stay in bed. 19If the injured man can get up again and walk around outside with a cane, the one who hit him must not be punished. He must pay the injured man for the loss of his time and for all his medical expenses. “Whenever an owner hits his male or female slave with a stick so that the slave dies from the beating, the owner must be punished. 21But if the slave gets up in a day or two, the owner must not be punished. The slave is his property. 22“This is what you must do whenever men fight and injure a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely. If there are no other injuries, the offender must pay whatever fine the court allows the woman’s husband to demand.

Exodus 21:20 word by word

וְכִֽי־יַכֶּה֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶת־עַבְדּ֜וֹ א֤וֹ אֶת־אֲמָתוֹ֙ בַּשֵּׁ֔בֶט וּמֵ֖ת תַּ֣חַת יָד֑וֹ נָקֹ֖ם יִנָּקֵֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And if a manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• his servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• or his maidאָמָה'âmâh · maidservantH519
• with a rodשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribe: staffH7626
• and he dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• under his handיָדyâd · hand: ownerH3027
• he shall be surelyנָקַםnâqam · to avengeH5358

Cross-references for Exodus 21:20

• Exodus 21:26“Whenever an owner hits his male or female slave in the eye and the slave is blinded, he must let the slave go free to make up for the loss of the eye.
• Deuteronomy 19:21Have no pity on him: ⌞Take⌟ a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot.
• Proverbs 29:19A slave cannot be disciplined with words. He will not respond, though he may understand.
• Isaiah 58:3Why have we fasted if you are not aware of it? Why have we inflicted pain on ourselves if you don’t pay attention? Don’t you see that on the days you fast, you do what you want to do? You mistreat all your workers.
• Genesis 9:6Whoever sheds human blood, by humans his blood will be shed, because in the image of God, God made humans.
• Numbers 35:30“Whoever kills another person will be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of more than one witness. No one can be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
• Genesis 4:15So the Lord said to him, “Not so! Anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” The Lord gave Cain a sign so that anyone meeting him would not kill him.
• Numbers 35:19The relative who can avenge the death must make sure a murderer is put to death. When he catches up with the murderer, he must kill him.
• Romans 13:4The government is God’s servant working for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid. The government has the right to carry out the death sentence. It is God’s servant, an avenger to execute God’s anger on anyone who does what is wrong.

Commentaries on Exodus 21:20

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The Jewish authorities appear to be right in referring this law, like those in Exodus 21:26-27, Exodus 21:32, to foreign slaves (see Leviticus 25:44-46). The protection here afforded to the life of a slave may seem to us but a slight one; but it is the very earliest trace of such protection in legislation, and it stands in strong and favorable contrast with the old laws of Greece, Rome, and other nations. If the slave survived the castigation a day or…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-21Verses 12-21 God, who by his providence gives and maintains life, by his law protects it. A wilful murderer shall be taken even from God's altar. But God provided cities of refuge to protect those whose unhappiness it was, and not their fault, to cause the death of another; for such as by accident, when a man is doing a lawful act, without intent of hurt, happens to kill another. Let children hear the sentence of God's word upon the ungrateful and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-27These laws governed compensation for injuries that did not lead to death.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-367-11. if a man sell his daughter--Hebrew girls might be redeemed for a reasonable sum. But in the event of her parents or friends being unable to pay the redemption money, her owner was not at liberty to sell her elsewhere. Should she have been betrothed to him or his son, and either change their minds, a maintenance must be provided for her suitable to her condition as his intended wife, or her freedom instantly granted.Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 21:20

• Master
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• Scourging
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In the dictionaries

• Book
• Crucifixion
• Determine
• Gore
• Push
• Quit
• Ransom
• Slave
• Wont
• Bible, the

Commentaries on Exodus 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings