Deuteronomy 19:21
19 you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. So you must purge the evil from among you.
20 Then the rest of the people will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do anything so evil among you.
You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.
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
- You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.
- KJV
- And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
- WEB
- Your eyes shall not pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
- ASV
- And thine eyes shall not pity; life [shall go] for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
- DARBY
- And thine eye shall not spare: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
- BLB
- And your eye shall not pity: Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
- ÅB
- Du skal ingen spare: Liv for liv, øye for øye, tann for tann, hånd for hånd, fot for fot!
- OTB
- Vis ingen barmhjertighet: liv for liv, øye for øye, tann for tann, hånd for hånd, fot for fot.
- B1930
- Du skal ingen spare: Liv for liv, øie for øie, tann for tann, hånd for hånd, fot for fot!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Matthew 5:38–39
You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’
Read in contextExodus 21:23–25
But if a serious injury results, then you must require a life for a life—
Read in contextDeuteronomy 19:13
You must show him no pity. You are to purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, that it may go well with you.
Read in contextLeviticus 24:17–21
And if a man takes the life of anyone else, he must surely be put to death.
Read in context