Deuteronomy 25:3
1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
2 And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.
Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.
4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.
5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- He may receive no more than forty lashes, lest your brother be beaten any more than that and be degraded in your sight.
- KJV
- Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.
- WEB
- He may sentence him to no more than forty stripes. He shall not give more, lest if he should give more and beat him more than that many stripes, then your brother will be degraded in your sight.
- ASV
- Forty stripes he may give him, he shall not exceed; lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.
- DARBY
- With forty [stripes] shall they beat him; they shall not exceed, lest, if they continue to beat him with many stripes above these, thy brother become despicable in thine eyes.
- BLB
- Forty [times] he shall strike him—no more, lest he should exceed this and beat him above these with many blows, and your brother be humiliated in your eyes.
- ÅB
- Førti slag kan han la dem gi ham, men ikke flere, for at din bror ikke skal bli vanæret i dine øyne ved å få enda mange flere slag.
- OTB
- Dommeren må ikke gi mer enn førti slag, så din medisraelitt ikke blir foraktet i dine øyne ved å bli slått for mye.
- B1930
- Firti slag kan han la dem gi ham, men ikke flere, forat din bror ikke skal bli vanæret i dine øine ved å få ennu mange flere slag.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Job 18:3
Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?
Read in contextJames 2:2–3
For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
Read in context2 Corinthians 11:24–25
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
Read in contextLuke 15:30
But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
Read in contextLuke 18:9–12
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Read in context