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 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. 19If 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. “If a man beats his male or female slave with a club and the slave dies as a result, the owner must be punished. 21But 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. 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.

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“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.
• Deuteronomy 19:21You must show no pity for the guilty! Your rule should be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
• Proverbs 29:19Words alone will not discipline a servant; the words may be understood, but they are not heeded.
• Isaiah 58:3‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’ “I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers.
• Genesis 9:6If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in his own image.
• Numbers 35:30“All murderers must be put to death, but only if evidence is presented by more than one witness. No one may be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
• Genesis 4:15The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him.
• Numbers 35:19The victim’s nearest relative is responsible for putting the murderer to death. When they meet, the avenger must put the murderer to death.
• Romans 13:4The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do 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
• 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