Exodus 21:18
16 Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.
17 Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.
If men are quarreling and one strikes the other with a stone or a fist, and he does not die but is confined to bed,
19 then the one who struck him shall go unpunished, as long as the other can get up and walk around outside with his staff. Nevertheless, he must compensate the man for his lost work and see that he is completely healed.
20 If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- If men are quarreling and one strikes the other with a stone or a fist, and he does not die but is confined to bed,
- KJV
- And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:
- WEB
- “If men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone, or with his fist, and he doesn’t die, but is confined to bed;
- ASV
- And if men contend, and one smite the other with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keep his bed;
- DARBY
- And if men dispute, and one strike the other with a stone, or with the fist, and he die not, but take to [his] bed,
- BLB
- And if men contend with each other and one strikes his neighbor with a stone or with a fist, and he does not die and falls to bed,
- ÅB
- Når menn kommer i trette, og den ene slår den andre med en stein eller med neven, og han ikke dør, men blir sengeliggende -
- OTB
- «Hvis folk krangler og en slår den andre med en stein eller med sin knyttneve, og offeret ikke dør men blir sengeliggende,
- B1930
- Når menn kommer i trette, og den ene slår den andre med en sten eller med neven, og han ikke dør, men blir sengeliggende -
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Exodus 21:20
If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished.
Read in contextExodus 2:13
The next day Moses went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you attacking your companion?”
Read in contextDeuteronomy 25:11
If two men are fighting, and the wife of one steps in to rescue her husband from the one striking him, and she reaches out her hand and grabs his genitals,
Read in context2 Samuel 14:6
And your maidservant had two sons who were fighting in the field with no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.
Read in contextNumbers 35:16–24
If, however, anyone strikes a person with an iron object and kills him, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.
Read in contextExodus 21:22
If men who are fighting strike a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband demands and as the court allows.
Read in context