Exodus 21
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1“Now these are the judgments which you shall set before them:1“Now these are the rules that you shall set before them.
2If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing.2When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.
3If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him.3If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.4If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out alone.
5But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’5But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’
6then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.6then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.
7“And if a man sells his daughter to be a female slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.7“When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.
8If she does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her.8If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has broken faith with her.
9And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters.9If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter.
10If he takes another wife, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marriage rights.10If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights.
11And if he does not do these three for her, then she shall go out free, without paying money.11And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.
12“He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.12“Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.
13However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.13But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee.
14“But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.14But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
15“And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.15“Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.
16“He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall surely be put to death.16“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.
17“And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.17“Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.
18“If men contend with each other, and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but is confined to his bed,18“When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but takes to his bed,
19if he rises again and walks about outside with his staff, then he who struck him shall be acquitted. He shall only pay for the loss of his time, and shall provide for him to be thoroughly healed.19then if the man rises again and walks outdoors with his staff, he who struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed.
20“And if a man beats his male or female servant with a rod, so that he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished.20“When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged.
21Notwithstanding, if he remains alive a day or two, he shall not be punished; for he is his property.21But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.
22“If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.22“When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine.
23But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life,23But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life,
24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.25burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
26“If a man strikes the eye of his male or female servant, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for the sake of his eye.26“When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free because of his eye.
27And if he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he shall let him go free for the sake of his tooth.27If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free because of his tooth.
28“If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, then the ox shall surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be acquitted.28“When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable.
29But if the ox tended to thrust with its horn in times past, and it has been made known to his owner, and he has not kept it confined, so that it has killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death.29But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.
30If there is imposed on him a sum of money, then he shall pay to redeem his life, whatever is imposed on him.30If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed on him.
31Whether it has gored a son or gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him.31If it gores a man’s son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule.
32If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.32If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
33“And if a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls in it,33“When a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
34the owner of the pit shall make it good; he shall give money to their owner, but the dead animal shall be his.34the owner of the pit shall make restoration. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead beast shall be his.
35“If one man’s ox hurts another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide the money from it; and the dead ox they shall also divide.35“When one man’s ox butts another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and share its price, and the dead beast also they shall share.
36Or if it was known that the ox tended to thrust in time past, and its owner has not kept it confined, he shall surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal shall be his own.36Or if it is known that the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall repay ox for ox, and the dead beast shall be his.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.
Exodus 20
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