Exodus 21
21
1“These are the regulations you are to present to them:
2If you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to work for you for six years. But in the seventh year, he is to be freed without having to pay anything. 3If he was single when he came, he is to leave single. If he had a wife when he came, she is to leave with him. 4If his master provides him a wife and she has children with him, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall be freed.
5However, if the slave formally states, ‘I love my master and my wife and children; I do not want to be freed,’ 6then his master is to take him before the judges.#21:6. The word used here also can refer to God, but in this context it seems a civil court is what is being referred to. Also in 22:8,9. Then he shall have him stand against the door or doorpost and use a metal tool to make a hole in his ear. Then he shall work for his master for life.
7If a man sells his daughter as a slave, she is not to be freed in the same way as male slaves. 8If the man who chose her for himself#21:8. “Chose her for himself”: probably meaning she was a concubine. is not pleased with her, he must let her be bought back. He is not permitted to sell her to foreigners, since he has been unfair to her. 9If he chooses to give her to his son, he must treat her as a daughter. 10If he takes another woman, he must not reduce the food and clothing allowances and marital rights of the first. 11If he doesn't give her these three things, she is free to leave without paying anything.
12Anyone who hits and kills someone else must be executed. 13However, if it wasn't intentional and God let it happen, then I will arrange a place for you where they can run to and be safe. 14But if someone deliberately plans and purposely kills another, you must take them away from my altar#21:14. “From my altar”: where people went to claim sanctuary. and execute them.
15Anyone who hits their father or mother must be executed. 16Anyone who kidnaps someone else must be executed, whether the victim is sold or is still in their possession.
17Anyone who despises their father or mother must be executed.
18If men are fighting and one hits the other with a stone or with his fist, and the injured man doesn't die but has to stay in bed, 19and then gets up and walks around outside with his walking stick, then the one who hit him won't be punished. Even so, he must still compensate the man for the time lost from his work and make sure that he's completely healed.
20Anyone who hits their male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies as a result, must be punished. 21However, if after a day or two the slave gets better, the owner won't be punished because the slave is their property.
22If men who are fighting happen to hit a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely,#21:22. “Gives birth prematurely”: or, “has a miscarriage.” but no serious injury occurs, he must be fined whatever amount the woman's husband demands and as permitted by the judges. 23But if a serious injury does occur, then you must pay a life for a life, 24an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, 25a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, and a bruise for a bruise.
26Anyone who hits their male or female slave in the eye and blinds them must free the slave as compensation for the eye. 27Anyone who knocks out the tooth of their male or female slave must free the slave as compensation for the tooth.
28If an ox uses its horns to kill a man or woman, the ox must be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the ox won't be punished. 29But if the ox has repeatedly hurt people with its horns, and its owner has been warned but still doesn't keep it under control, and it kills a man or woman, then the ox must be stoned to death and its owner must also be executed. 30But if instead the payment of compensation is required, the owner may buy back his or her life by paying the full amount of compensation demanded. 31If the ox uses its horns and kills a son or a daughter the same rule is applicable. 32If the ox uses its horns and kills a male or female slave, the owner of the ox must pay thirty shekels of silver to the slave's master, and the ox must be stoned to death.
33If someone removes the cover of a cistern or digs one and doesn't cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34the owner of the pit must pay compensation to the animal's owner and keep the dead animal.
35If someone's ox injures another's ox and it dies, they must sell the live one and share money received; they must also share the dead animal. 36But if it was known that the ox had repeatedly hurt people with its horns, and its owner had been warned but still didn't keep it under control, full compensation must be paid, ox for ox, but the owner can keep the dead animal.”
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Exodus 21: FBV
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com