Exodus 21
Exodus 21 is part of “The Covenant at Sinai” (19–24) in the outline of Exodus.
Exodus 21 summary
The laws recorded in this chapter relate to the fifth and sixth commandments; and though they are not accommodated to our constitution, especially in point of servitude, nor are the penalties annexed binding on us, yet they are of great use for the explanation of the moral law, and the rules of natural justice. Here are several enlargements, I. Upon the fifth commandment, which concerns particular relations. 1. The duty of masters towards their servants, their men-servants (Exo 21:2-6), and the maidservants (Exo 21:7-11). 2.
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The laws recorded in this chapter relate to the fifth and sixth commandments; and though they are not accommodated to our constitution, especially in point of servitude, nor are the penalties annexed binding on us, yet they are of great use for the explanation of the moral law, and the rules of natural justice. Here are several enlargements, I. Upon the fifth commandment, which concerns particular relations. 1. The duty of masters towards their servants, their men-servants (Exo 21:2-6), and the maidservants (Exo 21:7-11). 2. The punishment of disobedient children that strike their parents (Exo 21:15), or curse them (Exo 21:17). II. Upon the sixth commandment, which forbids all violence offered to the person of a man. Here is, 1. Concerning murder (Exo 21:12-14). 2. Man-stealing (Exo 21:16). 3. Assault and battery (Exo 21:18, Exo 21:19). 4. Correcting a servant (Exo 21:20, Exo 21:21). 5. Hurting a woman with child (Exo 21:22, Exo 21:23). 6. The law of retaliation (Exo 21:24, Exo 21:25). 7. Maiming a servant (Exo 21:26, Exo 21:27). 8. An ox goring (Exo 21:28-32). 9. Damage by opening a pit (Exo 21:33, Exo 21:34). 10. Cattle fighting (Exo 21:35, Exo 21:36).
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Exodus 21 (GNV)
Geneva Bible 1599 (public domain)
Laws About Servants
1Now these are the lawes, which thou shalt set before them: 2If thou bye an Ebrewe seruant, he shall serue sixe yeres, and in the seuenth he shall go out free, for nothing. 3If he came himselfe alone, he shall goe out himselfe alone: if hee were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4If his master haue giuen him a wife, and she hath borne him sonnes or daughters, he wife and her children shalbe her masters, but he shall goe out himselfe alone. 5But if the seruant saye thus, I loue my master, my wife and my children, I will not goe out free, 6Then his master shall bring him vnto the Iudges, and set him to the dore, or to the poste, and his master shall bore his eare through with a nawle, and he shall serue him for euer. 7Likewise if a man sell his daughter to be a seruant, she shall not goe out as the men seruantes doe. 8If shee please not her master, who hath betrothed her to him selfe, then shall hee cause to buy her: hee shall haue no power to sell her to a strange people, seeing he despised her. 9But if he hath betrothed her vnto his sonne, he shall deale with her according to the custome of the daughters. 10If he take him another wife, he shall not diminish her foode, her rayment, and recompence of her virginitie. 11And if he do not these three vnto her, the shall she go out free, paying no money.
Laws About Violence
12He that smiteth a man, and he die, shall dye the death. 13And if a man hath not layed wayte, but God hath offered him into his hande, then I wil appoynt thee a place whither he shall flee. 14But if a man come presumptuously vpon his neighbour to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die. 15Also hee that smiteth his father or his mother, shall die the death. 16And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, if it be founde with him, shall die the death. 17And hee that curseth his father or his mother, shall die the death. 18When men also striue together, and one smite another with a stone, or with the fist, and he die not, but lieth in bed, 19If hee rise againe and walke without vpon his staffe, then shall he that smote him go quite, saue onely hee shall beare his charges for his resting, and shall pay for his healing. 20And if a man smite his seruant, or his maide with a rod, and he die vnder his hande, he shalbe surely punished. 21But if he continue a day, or two dayes, hee shall not be punished: for he is his money. 22Also if men striue and hurt a woman with childe, so that her childe depart from her, and death follow not, hee shall bee surely punished according as the womans husband shall appoynt him, or he shall pay as the Iudges determine. 23But if death follow, then thou shalt paye life for life, 24Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hande for hand, foote for foote, 25Burning for burning, wound for wounde, stripe for stripe. 26And if a man smite his seruant in the eie, or his maide in the eye, and hath perished it, hee shall let him goe free for his eye. 27Also if he smite out his seruants tooth, or his maides tooth, he shall let him goe out free for his tooth.
Laws About Property Damage
28If an oxe gore a man or a woman, that he die, the oxe shalbe stoned to death, and his flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the oxe shall goe quite. 29If the oxe were wont to push in times past, and it hath bene tolde his master, and hee hath not kept him, and after he killeth a man or a woman, the oxe shall be stoned, and his owner shall die also. 30If there be set to him a summe of mony, then he shall pay the raunsome of his life, whatsoeuer shalbe laied vpon him. 31Whether he hath gored a sonne or gored a daughter, he shalbe iudged after the same maner. 32If the oxe gore a seruant or a mayde, hee shall giue vnto their master thirtie shekels of siluer, and the oxe shalbe stoned. 33And when a man shall open a well, or when he shall dig a pit and couer it not, and an oxe or an asse fall therein, 34The owner of the pit shall make it good, and giue money to the owners thereof, but the dead beast shalbe his. 35And if a mans oxe hurt his neighbours oxe that he die, then they shall sel the liue oxe, and deuide the money thereof, and the dead oxe also they shall deuide. 36Or if it bee knowen that the oxe hath vsed to push in times past, and his master hath not kept him, he shall pay oxe for oxe, but the dead shall be his owne.