Exodus 21 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Judgments About Slaves

1 “Now these ^H428 are the judgments ^H4941 which ^H834 you are to set ^H7760 before ^H6440 them:

2 “If ^H3588 you buy ^H7069 a Hebrew ^H5680 slave ^H5650, he shall serve ^H5647 for six ^H8337 years ^H8141; but on the seventh ^H7637 he shall go ^H3318 out ^H3318 as a free ^H2670 man ^H2670 without ^H2600 payment ^H2600.

3 If ^H518 he comes ^H935 [fn]alone ^H1610, he shall go ^H3318 out ^H3318 [fn]alone ^H1610; if ^H518 he is the husband ^H1167 of a wife ^H802, then his wife ^H802 shall go ^H3318 out ^H3318 with him. 4 If ^H518 his master ^H113 gives ^H5414 him a wife ^H802, and she bears ^H3205 him sons ^H1121 or ^H176 daughters ^H1323, the wife ^H802 and her children ^H3206 shall belong ^H1961 to her master ^H113, and he shall go ^H3318 out ^H3318 [fn]alone ^H1610. 5 But if ^H518 the slave ^H5650 plainly ^H559 says ^H559, ‘I love ^H157 my master ^H113, my wife ^H802, and my children ^H1121; I will not go ^H3318 out ^H3318 as a free ^H2670 man ^H2670,’ 6 then his master ^H113 shall bring ^H5066 him to [fn]God ^H430, and he shall bring ^H5066 him to the door ^H1817 or ^H176 the doorpost ^H4201. Then his master ^H113 shall pierce ^H7527 his ear ^H241 with an awl ^H4836; and he shall serve ^H5647 him permanently ^H5769.

7 “And if ^H3588 a man ^H376 sells ^H4376 his daughter ^H1323 as a female ^H519 slave ^H519, she is not to [fn]go ^H3318 free ^H3318 as the male ^H5650 slaves ^H5650 [fn]do ^H3318. 8 If ^H518 she is [fn]displeasing ^H7451 in the eyes ^H5869 of her master ^H113 [fn]who ^H834 designated ^H3259 her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed ^H6299. He does not have ^H4910 authority ^H4910 to sell ^H4376 her to a foreign ^H5237 people ^H5971 because of his treachery ^H898 to her. 9 And if ^H518 he designates ^H3259 her for his son ^H1121, he shall do ^H6213 to her according to the custom ^H4941 of daughters ^H1323. 10 If ^H518 he takes ^H3947 for himself another ^H312 woman ^H312, he may not reduce ^H1639 her [fn]food ^H7607, her clothing ^H3682, or her conjugal ^H5772 rights ^H5772. 11 And if ^H518 he will not do ^H6213 these ^H428 three ^H7969 things for her, then she shall go ^H3318 out ^H3318 for ^H2600 nothing ^H2600, without ^H369 payment of money ^H3701.

Judgments About Personal Injuries

12 “He who strikes ^H5221 a man ^H376 so that he dies ^H4191 shall surely ^H4191 be put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191.

13 But [fn]if ^H834 he did not lie ^H6658 in ^H6658 wait ^H6658 for him, but God ^H430 let ^H579 him fall ^H579 into his hand ^H3027, then I will appoint ^H7760 you a place ^H4725 to which ^H834 he may flee ^H5127. 14 If ^H3588, however, a man ^H376 acts ^H2102 presumptuously ^H2102 toward ^H5921 his neighbor ^H7453, so as to kill ^H2026 him by deceit ^H6195, you shall take ^H3947 him even from My altar ^H4196, that he may die ^H4191.

15 “And he who strikes ^H5221 his father ^H1 or his mother ^H517 shall surely ^H4191 be put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191.

16 “He who [fn]kidnaps ^H1589 a man ^H376, whether he sells ^H4376 him or he is found ^H4672 in his hand ^H3027, shall surely ^H4191 be put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191.

17 “And he who curses ^H7043 his father ^H1 or his mother ^H517 shall surely ^H4191 be put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191.

18 “And if ^H3588 men ^H376 contend ^H7378 with each other and one ^H376 strikes ^H5221 the other ^H7453 with a stone ^H68 or ^H176 with his fist ^H106, and he does not die ^H4191 but [fn]remains ^H5307 in bed ^H4904, 19 if ^H518 he gets ^H6965 up ^H6965 and walks ^H1980 around ^H1980 outside ^H2351 on his staff ^H4938, then he who struck ^H5221 him shall go ^H5352 unpunished ^H5352; he shall only ^H7534 pay ^H5414 for his [fn]loss ^H7674 of time ^H7674, and he [fn]shall take ^H7495 care ^H7495 of him until he is completely ^H7495 healed ^H7495.

20 “And if ^H3588 a man ^H376 strikes ^H5221 his male ^H5650 or ^H176 female ^H519 slave ^H519 H5650 with a rod ^H7626 and he dies ^H4191 [fn]at his hand ^H3027, he shall surely [fn]be punished ^H5358. 21 But ^H389 if ^H518 for a day ^H3117 or ^H176 two he is able to stand ^H5975, no ^H3808 punishment ^H5358 shall be taken ^H5358; for he is his [fn]property ^H3701.

22 “And if ^H3588 men ^H376 struggle ^H5327 with each other and [fn]strike ^H5062 a woman ^H802 with child ^H2030 so that [fn]she gives ^H3205 birth ^H3205 prematurely ^H3318, yet there is no ^H3808 injury ^H611, he shall surely ^H6064 be fined ^H6064 as the woman’s ^H802 husband ^H1167 [fn]will set ^H7896 for him, and he shall pay ^H5414 [fn]as the judges ^H6414 decide. 23 But if ^H518 there is any further injury ^H611, then you shall pay ^H5414 life ^H5315 for life ^H5315, 24 eye ^H5869 for eye ^H5869, tooth ^H8127 for tooth ^H8127, hand ^H3027 for hand ^H3027, foot ^H7272 for foot ^H7272, 25 burn ^H3555 for burn ^H3555, bruise ^H6482 for bruise ^H6482, wound ^H2250 for wound ^H2250.

26 “And if ^H3588 a man ^H376 strikes ^H5221 the eye ^H5869 of his male ^H5650 or ^H176 female ^H519 slave ^H519 H5650 and ruins ^H7843 it, he shall let him go ^H7971 free ^H2670 on ^H8478 account ^H8478 of ^H8478 his eye ^H5869. 27 And if ^H518 he [fn]knocks ^H5307 out ^H5307 a tooth ^H8127 of his male ^H5650 or ^H176 female ^H519 slave ^H519 H5650, he shall let him go ^H7971 free ^H2670 on ^H8478 account ^H8478 of ^H8478 his tooth ^H8127.

28 “And if ^H3588 an ox ^H7794 gores ^H5055 a man ^H376 or ^H176 a woman ^H802 [fn]to death ^H4191, the ox ^H7794 shall surely ^H5619 be stoned ^H5619 and its flesh ^H1320 shall not be eaten ^H398; but the owner ^H1167 of the ox ^H7794 shall go unpunished ^H5355. 29 If ^H518, however, an ox ^H7794 was previously ^H8543 H8032 in the habit ^H5056 of ^H5056 goring ^H5056 and its owner ^H1167 has been warned ^H5749, yet he does not confine ^H8104 it and it puts ^H4191 a man ^H376 or ^H176 a woman ^H802 to death ^H4191, the ox ^H7794 shall be stoned ^H5619 and its owner ^H1167 also ^H1571 shall be put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191. 30 If ^H518 a ransom ^H3724 is [fn]demanded ^H7896 of him, then he shall give ^H5414 for the redemption ^H6306 of his life ^H5315 whatever ^H3605 H834 is [fn]demanded ^H7896 of him. 31 Whether ^H176 it gores ^H5055 a son ^H1121 or ^H176 [fn]a daughter ^H1323, it shall be done ^H6213 to him according to [fn]the same ^H2088 judgment ^H4941. 32 If ^H518 the ox ^H7794 gores ^H5055 a male ^H5650 or ^H176 female ^H519 slave ^H519 H5650, [fn]the owner shall give ^H5414 his or her master ^H113 [fn]thirty ^H7970 shekels ^H8255 of silver ^H3701, and the ox ^H7794 shall be stoned ^H5619.

33 “And if ^H3588 a man ^H376 opens ^H6605 a pit ^H953, or ^H176 if ^H3588 a man ^H376 digs ^H3738 a pit ^H953 and does not cover ^H3680 it over, and an ox ^H7794 or ^H176 a donkey ^H2543 falls ^H5307 into it, 34 the owner ^H1167 of the pit ^H953 shall make ^H7999 restitution ^H7999; he shall [fn]give ^H7725 money ^H3701 to its owner ^H1167, and the dead ^H4191 animal shall become ^H1961 his.

35 “And if ^H3588 one man’s ^H376 ox ^H7794 [fn]hurts ^H5062 another’s ^H7453 so that it dies ^H4191, then they shall sell ^H4376 the live ^H2416 ox ^H7794 and divide ^H2673 its price ^H3701 equally; and also ^H1571 they shall divide ^H2673 the dead ^H4191 ox. 36 Or ^H176 if it is known ^H3045 that the ox ^H7794 was previously ^H8543 H8032 in the habit ^H5056 of ^H5056 goring ^H5056, yet its owner ^H1167 has not confined ^H8104 it, he shall surely ^H7999 pay ^H7999 ox ^H7794 for ox ^H7794, and the dead ^H4191 animal shall become ^H1961 his.