New International Version
Exodus 21:32
32If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.
Exodus 21:32 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
- New King James Version (NKJV)If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But if the ox gores a slave, either male or female, the animal’s owner must pay the slave’s owner thirty silver coins, and the ox must be stoned.
Context of Exodus 21:32
30However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded. 31This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death. 33“If anyone uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.
Read all of Exodus 21Exodus 21:32 word by word
אִם־עֶ֛בֶד יִגַּ֥ח הַשּׁ֖וֹר א֣וֹ אָמָ֑ה כֶּ֣סֶף׀ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שְׁקָלִ֗ים יִתֵּן֙ לַֽאדֹנָ֔יו וְהַשּׁ֖וֹר יִסָּקֵֽל׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- If the oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
- shall pushנָגַחnâgach · to goreH5055
- a manservantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- or a maidservantאָמָה'âmâh · maidservantH519
- he shall giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: payH5414
- unto their masterאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
- shekelsשֶׁ֫קֶלsheqel · shekelH8255
- of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- shall be stonedסָקַלsâqal · to stoneH5619
Cross-references for Exodus 21:32
- Genesis 37:28So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
- Zechariah 11:12I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.
- Matthew 26:15and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.
- Matthew 27:3When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.
- Philippians 2:7rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
- Exodus 21:28“If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible.
Commentaries on Exodus 21:32
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 32Thirty shekels - Each worth about three shillings English; see Genesis 20:16; Genesis 23:15. So, counting the shekel at its utmost value, the life of a slave was valued at four pounds ten shillings. And at this price these same vile people valued the life of our blessed Lord; see Zechariah 11:12, Zechariah 11:13; Matthew 26:15. And in return, the justice of God has ordered it so, that they have been sold for slaves into every country of the universe. And…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28-32Verses 28-32 The animal was slain as a tribute to the sanctity of human life (Compare the marginal references and Genesis 4:11). It was stoned, and its flesh was treated as carrion. Guilty negligence on the part of its owner was reckoned a capital offence, to be commuted for a fine. In the case of a slave, the payment was the standard price of a slave, thirty shekels of silver. See Leviticus 25:44-46; Leviticus 27:3, and the marginal references for the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-36Verses 22-36 The cases here mentioned give rules of justice then, and still in use, for deciding similar matters. We are taught by these laws, that we must be very careful to do no wrong, either directly or indirectly. If we have done wrong, we must be very willing to make it good, and be desirous that nobody may lose by us.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 28-32If an animal caused a person’s death and the owner was judged to be negligent, the relatives of the deceased could demand the death penalty for both the animal and its owner. However, that penalty was not mandatory, and the relatives could elect to accept compensation (21:30).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 28-3628-36. If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die--For the purpose of sanctifying human blood, and representing all injuries affecting life in a serious light, an animal that occasioned death was to be killed or suffer punishment proportioned to the degree of damage it had caused. Punishments are still inflicted on this principle in Persia and other countries of the East; and among a rude people greater effect is thus produced in inspiring caution, and…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 21:32
In the dictionaries
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
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