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“Now if people have a quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with a fist, and he does not die but is confined to bed, 19if he gets up and walks around outside on his staff, then he who struck him shall go unpunished; he shall only pay for his loss of time, and shall pay for his care until he is completely healed. “And if someone strikes his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies at his hand, he shall be punished. 21If, however, the slave survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; for the slave is his property. 22“Now if people struggle with each other and strike a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, but there is no injury, the guilty person shall certainly be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide.

Exodus 21:20 word by word

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

• And ifכִּיkîy · forH3588
• someoneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• strikesנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• his maleעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• orאוֹ'ô 'av · orH176
• femaleאָמָה'âmâh · maidservantH519
• with a rodשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribe: staffH7626
• diesמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• at his handיָדyâd · hand: ownerH3027
• be punishedנָקַםnâqam · to avengeH5358

Cross-references for Exodus 21:20

• Exodus 21:26“And if someone strikes the eye of his male or female slave and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free on account of the eye.
• Deuteronomy 19:21So you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.
• Proverbs 29:19A slave will not be instructed by words alone; For though he understands, there will be no response.
• Isaiah 58:3‘Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?’ Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And oppress all your workers.
• Genesis 9:6Whoever sheds human blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made mankind.
• Numbers 35:30‘If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
• Genesis 4:15So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him seven times as much.” And the Lord placed a mark on Cain, so that no one finding him would kill him.
• Numbers 35:19The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he himself shall put him to death when he meets him.
• Romans 13:4for it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a servant of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.

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
• Music
• Scourging
• Servant

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