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Exodus 21
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Exodus 21

New American Standard Bible 2020

Ordinances for the People

1“Now theseH428 are the 1ordinancesH4941 whichH834 you are to setH7760 beforeH6440 them:

2“IfH3588 you buyH7069 2a HebrewH5680 slaveH5650, he shall serveH5647 for sixH8337 yearsH8141; but on the seventhH7637 he shall leaveH3318 as a freeH2670 manH2670 withoutH2600 a paymentH2600 to you. 3IfH518 he comesH935 3aloneH1610, he shall leaveH3318 4aloneH1610; ifH518 he is the husbandH1167 of a wifeH802, then his wifeH802 shall leaveH3318 with him. 4IfH518 his masterH113 givesH5414 him a wifeH802, and she bearsH3205 him sonsH1121 orH176 daughtersH1323, the wifeH802 and her childrenH3206 shall belongH1961 to her masterH113, and he shall leaveH3318 5aloneH1610. 5But 6ifH518 the slaveH5650 plainlyH559 saysH559, ‘I loveH157 my masterH113, my wifeH802, and my childrenH1121; I will not leaveH3318 as a freeH2670 manH2670,’ 6then his masterH113 shall bringH5066 him to 7GodH430, then he shall bringH5066 him to the doorH1817 orH176 the doorpostH4201. And his masterH113 shall pierceH7527 his earH241 with an 8awlH4836; and he shall serveH5647 him permanentlyH5769.

7“Now 9ifH3588 a manH376 sellsH4376 his daughterH1323 as a femaleH519 slaveH519, she is not to 10goH3318 freeH3318 11as the maleH5650 slavesH5650 12doH3318. 8IfH518 she is 13displeasingH7451 in the eyesH5869 of her masterH113 14whoH834 designatedH3259 her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemedH6299. He does not haveH4910 authorityH4910 to sellH4376 her to a foreignH5237 peopleH5971, because of his 15unfairnessH898 to her. 9And ifH518 he designatesH3259 her for his sonH1121, he shall dealH6213 with her according to the customH4941 of daughtersH1323. 10IfH518 he takesH3947 to himself anotherH312 womanH312, he may not reduceH1639 her 16foodH7607, her clothingH3682, or 17her conjugalH5772 rightsH5772. 11But ifH518 he will not doH6213 theseH428 threeH7969 things for her, then she shall goH3318 18freeH3318 forH2600 nothingH2600, withoutH369 payment of moneyH3701.

Personal Injuries

12“19He who strikesH5221 someoneH376 so that he diesH4191 shall certainlyH4191 be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191. 1320Yet 21ifH834 he did not lieH6658 inH6658 waitH6658 for him, but 22GodH430 causedH579 him toH579 fallH579 into his handH3027, then I will appointH7760 you a placeH4725 to whichH834 he may fleeH5127. 1423IfH3588, however, someoneH376 is enragedH2102 againstH5921 his neighborH7453, so as to killH2026 him in a cunningH6195 wayH6195, you are to takeH3947 him even from My altarH4196, to be put to deathH4191.

15“And one who strikesH5221 his fatherH1 or his motherH517 shall certainlyH4191 be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191.

16“Now 24one who 25kidnapsH1589 someoneH376, whether he sellsH4376 him or he is foundH4672 in his 26possessionH3027, shall certainlyH4191 be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191.

17“And 27one who cursesH7043 his fatherH1 or his motherH517 shall certainlyH4191 be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191.

18“Now ifH3588 peopleH376 haveH7378 aH7378 quarrelH7378 and oneH376 strikesH5221 the otherH7453 with a stoneH68 orH176 with a fistH106, and he does not dieH4191 but 28isH5307 confinedH5307 to bedH4904, 19ifH518 he getsH6965 upH6965 and walksH1980 aroundH1980 outsideH2351 on his staffH4938, then he who struckH5221 him shall goH5352 unpunishedH5352; he shall onlyH7534 payH5414 for his 29lossH7674 of timeH7674, and 30shall payH7495 forH7495 his careH7495 until he is completelyH7495 healedH7495.

20“And ifH3588 someoneH376 strikesH5221 his maleH5650 orH176 femaleH519 slaveH519H5650 with a rodH7626 and the slave diesH4191 31at his handH3027, he shall 32be punishedH5358. 21IfH518, howeverH389, the slave 33survivesH5975 a dayH3117 orH176 two, noH3808 vengeanceH5358 shall be takenH5358; 34for the slave is his 35propertyH3701.

22“Now ifH3588 peopleH376 struggleH5327 with each other and strikeH5062 a pregnantH2030 womanH802 so that 36she givesH3205 birthH3205 prematurelyH3318, but there is noH3808 injuryH611, the guilty person shall certainlyH6064 be finedH6064 as the woman’sH802 husbandH1167 37may demandH7896 of him, and he shall 38payH5414 39as the judgesH6414 decide. 23But ifH518 there is any further injuryH611, 40then you shall appointH5414 as a penalty lifeH5315 for lifeH5315, 2441eyeH5869 for eyeH5869, toothH8127 for toothH8127, handH3027 for handH3027, footH7272 for footH7272, 25burnH3555 for burnH3555, woundH6482 for woundH6482, 42bruiseH2250 for bruiseH2250.

26“And ifH3588 someoneH376 strikesH5221 the eyeH5869 of his maleH5650 orH176 femaleH519 slaveH519H5650 and destroysH7843 it, he shall let 43the slave goH7971 freeH2670 onH8478 accountH8478 ofH8478 the eyeH5869. 27And ifH518 he 44knocksH5307 outH5307 a toothH8127 of his maleH5650 orH176 femaleH519 slaveH519H5650, he shall let 45the slave goH7971 freeH2670 onH8478 accountH8478 ofH8478 the toothH8127.

28“Now ifH3588 an oxH7794 goresH5055 a manH376 orH176 a womanH802 46to deathH4191, 47the oxH7794 shall certainlyH5619 be stonedH5619 and its fleshH1320 shall not be eatenH398; but the ownerH1167 of the oxH7794 shall go unpunishedH5355. 29IfH518, however, an oxH7794 was previouslyH8543H8032 in the habitH5056 ofH5056 goringH5056 and its ownerH1167 has been warnedH5749, yet he does not confineH8104 it and it killsH4191 a manH376 orH176 a womanH802, the oxH7794 shall be stonedH5619 and its ownerH1167 alsoH1571 shall be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191. 30IfH518 a ransomH3724 is 48demandedH7896 of him, then he shall giveH5414 for the redemptionH6306 of his lifeH5315 whateverH3605H834 is 49demandedH7896 of him. 31WhetherH176 it goresH5055 a sonH1121 orH176 50a daughterH1323, it shall be doneH6213 to him according to 51the sameH2088 ruleH4941. 32IfH518 the oxH7794 goresH5055 a maleH5650 orH176 femaleH519 slaveH519H5650, 52the owner shall giveH5414 his or her masterH113 5354thirtyH7970 shekelsH8255 of silverH3701, and the oxH7794 shall be stonedH5619.

Property Rights

33“Now ifH3588 someoneH376 opensH6605 a pitH953, orH176 55digsH3738 a pitH953 and does not coverH3680 it, and an oxH7794 orH176 a donkeyH2543 fallsH5307 into it, 34the ownerH1167 of the pitH953 shall makeH7999 restitutionH7999; he shall 56giveH7725 moneyH3701 to its ownerH1167, and the deadH4191 animal shall becomeH1961 his.

35“And ifH3588 someone’sH376 oxH7794 injuresH5062 another’sH7453 oxH7794 so that it diesH4191, then they shall sellH4376 the liveH2416 oxH7794 and divideH2673 its proceedsH3701 equally; and they shall alsoH1571 divideH2673 the deadH4191 ox. 36OrH176 if it is knownH3045 that the oxH7794 was previouslyH8543H8032 in the habitH5056 ofH5056 goringH5056, yet its ownerH1167 has not confinedH8104 it, he mustH7999 makeH7999 restitutionH7999 of oxH7794 for oxH7794, and the deadH4191 animal shall becomeH1961 his.

Notes

  1. 1. Exodus 21:1 Ex 24:3, 4; Deut 4:14; 6:1 ↩
  2. 2. Exodus 21:2 Lev 25:39-43; Deut 15:12-18; Jer 34:14 ↩
  3. 3. Exodus 21:3 Lit by himself ↩
  4. 4. Exodus 21:3 Lit by himself ↩
  5. 5. Exodus 21:4 Lit by himself ↩
  6. 6. Exodus 21:5 Deut 15:16, 17 ↩
  7. 7. Exodus 21:6 Or the judges (who acted in God’s name) ↩
  8. 8. Exodus 21:6 I.e., a pointed tool ↩
  9. 9. Exodus 21:7 Neh 5:5 ↩
  10. 10. Exodus 21:7 Lit go out ↩
  11. 11. Exodus 21:7 Ex 21:2, 3 ↩
  12. 12. Exodus 21:7 Lit go out ↩
  13. 13. Exodus 21:8 Lit bad ↩
  14. 14. Exodus 21:8 Another reading is so that he did not designate her ↩
  15. 15. Exodus 21:8 Lit dealing treacherously ↩
  16. 16. Exodus 21:10 Lit flesh ↩
  17. 17. Exodus 21:10 1 Cor 7:3, 5 ↩
  18. 18. Exodus 21:11 Lit out ↩
  19. 19. Exodus 21:12 Gen 9:6; Lev 24:17; Num 35:30; Matt 26:52 ↩
  20. 20. Exodus 21:13 Num 35:10-34; Deut 19:1-13; Josh 20:1-9 ↩
  21. 21. Exodus 21:13 Lit he who ↩
  22. 22. Exodus 21:13 1 Sam 24:4, 10, 18 ↩
  23. 23. Exodus 21:14 Deut 19:11, 12; 1 Kin 2:28-34 ↩
  24. 24. Exodus 21:16 Deut 24:7 ↩
  25. 25. Exodus 21:16 Lit steals ↩
  26. 26. Exodus 21:16 Lit hand ↩
  27. 27. Exodus 21:17 Lev 20:9; Prov 20:20; Matt 15:4; Mark 7:10 ↩
  28. 28. Exodus 21:18 Lit lies in ↩
  29. 29. Exodus 21:19 Lit his sitting ↩
  30. 30. Exodus 21:19 Lit healing, he shall cause to be healed ↩
  31. 31. Exodus 21:20 Lit under ↩
  32. 32. Exodus 21:20 Lit suffer vengeance ↩
  33. 33. Exodus 21:21 Lit stands ↩
  34. 34. Exodus 21:21 Lev 25:44-46 ↩
  35. 35. Exodus 21:21 Lit money ↩
  36. 36. Exodus 21:22 Or an untimely birth occurs; lit her children come out ↩
  37. 37. Exodus 21:22 Lit lays on him ↩
  38. 38. Exodus 21:22 Ex 21:30; Deut 22:18, 19 ↩
  39. 39. Exodus 21:22 Lit by arbitration ↩
  40. 40. Exodus 21:23 Lev 24:19; Deut 19:21 ↩
  41. 41. Exodus 21:24 Lev 24:20; Deut 19:21; Matt 5:38 ↩
  42. 42. Exodus 21:25 Lit welt ↩
  43. 43. Exodus 21:26 Lit him go...his eye ↩
  44. 44. Exodus 21:27 Lit causes to fall ↩
  45. 45. Exodus 21:27 Lit him go...his tooth ↩
  46. 46. Exodus 21:28 Lit so that he dies ↩
  47. 47. Exodus 21:28 Gen 9:5; Ex 21:32 ↩
  48. 48. Exodus 21:30 Lit laid on him ↩
  49. 49. Exodus 21:30 Lit laid on him ↩
  50. 50. Exodus 21:31 Lit gores a daughter ↩
  51. 51. Exodus 21:31 Lit this judgment ↩
  52. 52. Exodus 21:32 Lit he ↩
  53. 53. Exodus 21:32 About 15 oz. or 425 gm ↩
  54. 54. Exodus 21:32 Zech 11:12; Matt 26:15; 27:3, 9 ↩
  55. 55. Exodus 21:33 Lit if a man digs ↩
  56. 56. Exodus 21:34 Lit give back ↩

Commentaries on Exodus 21

New American Standard Bible 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.