Exodus 21:20

¹⁸ 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.

If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished.

²¹ However, if the servant gets up after a day or two, the owner shall not be punished, since the servant is his property.

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.

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 a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished.
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.
WEB: “If a man strikes his servant or his maid with a rod, and he dies under his hand, the man shall surely be punished.
ASV: And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall surely be punished.
DARBY: And if a man strike his bondman or his handmaid with a staff, and he die under his hand, he shall certainly be avenged.
BLB: And if a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and he dies under his hand, he shall surely be avenged.

ÅB: Når noen slår sin slave eller slavekvinne med en stokk så de dør under hans hånd, da skal han straffes for det.
OTB: «Hvis noen slår sin mannlige eller kvinnelige slave med en stokk og slaven dør for hans hånd, må han bli straffet.
B1930: Når nogen slår sin træl eller trælkvinne med en stokk så de dør under hans hånd, da skal han straffes for det.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Proverbs 29:19
A servant cannot be corrected by words alone; though he understands, he will not respond.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 19:21
You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.
Read in context
Isaiah 58:3–4
“Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?” “Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress all your workers.
Read in context
Numbers 35:30–33
If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death on the testimony of the witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of a lone witness.
Read in context
Romans 13:4
For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.
Read in context
Numbers 35:19
The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when he finds him, he is to kill him.
Read in context
Exodus 21:26–27
If a man strikes and blinds the eye of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the eye.
Read in context
Genesis 4:15
“Not so!” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him.
Read in context