1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
Exodus Trivia Question:
The Book of Exodus
CHAPTER 21
God continues his instructions to Moses from the thick darkness, saying:
2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
If you buy a Hebrew slave [1], you must set him free on the seventh year.
4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.
If you have "given" him a wife and she bears children, then you get to keep the wife and kids.
5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:
6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.
If he refuses to leave his family when his seven years are up, then bore a hole through his ear and keep him forever.
21:7-8
7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.
If a man sells his daughter.... [2]
8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.
If she doesn't please her new master....
21:10-11
10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.
If a man takes another wife.... [3]
12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
If a man kills another man, take him away from my altar and kill him.
13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
But if man kills someone that I delivered into his hand, I will provide him with a hiding place.
15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
21:18-19
18 And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:
19 If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.
If a man injures another man by striking him with a stone or his fist, he must pay for the injured man's loss of time and medical treatment until he is thoroughly healed.
21:20-21
20 And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.
21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.
If a man smites his slave with a rod, and he or she survives for a day or two, then he shall not be punished -- because slaves are his money. [6]
21:22-25
22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
If two men fight and cause a woman to miscarry, then the one who caused the miscarriage must pay her husband an amount determined by the judges.
Only if the woman dies is the punishment to be death. [7]
24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
21:26-27
26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake.
27 And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake.
If a man smite the eye of his slave and blinds him, then he must let his slave go for his eye's sake.
Or if he smites out the tooth of his slave, he must let the slave go for his tooth's sake. [8]
21:28-32
28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.
If an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox shall be surely stoned (and his flesh must not be eaten). [9]
29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.
30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.
31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.
If the ox has a history of goring people and then kills someone, then the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.
32 If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
33 And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein;
34 The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his.
35 And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide.
36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.
If an ox gores a slave [10], the owner of the ox must pay the owner of the slave 30 shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
Notes
- If thou buy an Hebrew servant.... (v.2)
- If a man sell his daughter.... (v7.)
How to sell your daughter -- and what to do if she fails to please her new master.
"Exodus 21:7 says it's OK to sell your daughter into slavery. Not even in Nevada." -- Penn & Teller on the Bible
- If he take him another wife.... (v.10)
- He that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. (v.15)
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. (v.17)
Does God approve of capital punishment?
What the Bible says about children, parenting, and capital punishment
- He that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. (v.16)
- If a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he ... continue a day or two,
he shall not be punished: for he is his money. (vv.20-21)
It's okay with God if you slowly beat your slaves to death. After all, they are your money. Just make sure that they survive at least a day or two after the beating.
- If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her,
and yet no mischief follow.... (v.22)
Apparently, then, with respect to abortion, God is pro-choice since he considers a woman's life to be more important than that of the fetus.
- If a man smite the eye of his servant....
And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth (vv.26-27)
Try not to knock out your slaves' teeth or eyes while beating them. Otherwise you may have to set them free.
- The ox shall be surely stoned. (v.28)
Verses 28-36: Capital punishment for animals (and their negligent owners).
- If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. (v.32)
- If you buy a Hebrew slave, set him free after six years of slavery.
- If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. 21:2
- If he was married when you bought him, set the slave and his wife free after six years of slavery.
- If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 21:3
- If you gave him a wife and they had children, keep your slave's wife and children and let him go free.
- If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. 21:4
- If he refuses to leave his wife and children, bore a hole in his ear and he shall serve you forever.
- And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. 21:5-6
- If you sell your daughter, she shall not be freed after six years (as are male Hebrew slaves).
- And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. 21:7
- If your daughter fails to please her master, she shall be redeemed.
- If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. 21:8
- If the man who bought your daughter gives her to his son, the man who bought her shall treat her as his own daughter.
- And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. 21:9
- If a man takes another wife, he must continue to feed, clothe, and have sex with his first wife.
- If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. 21:10
- If, after taking a second wife, a man fails to feed, clothe, and have sex with his first wife, he must set her free.
- And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money. 21:11
- Kill whoever kills another person.
- He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. 21:12
- If a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die. 21:14
- Kill children who strike their parents.
- He that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. 21:15
- Kill anyone who steals someone with the intention of selling that person as a slave.
- He that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. 21:16
- Kill children who curse their parents.
- He that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. 21:17
- If two men fight and one is injured, the man who caused the injury shall pay for the injured man's lost time.
- If men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed. 21:18-19
- A slave owner who beats his slave to death shall be punished.
- If a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. 21:20
- A slave owner shall not be punished for beating his slave if the slave lives for a day or two, for the slave is the slave owner's money.
- If a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and ... he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money. 21:20-21
- If a man causes the death of a fetus, he shall pay the woman's husband whatever the judges decide.
- If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 21:22
- But if the woman is injured, the man who caused her injury shall be injured in the same way.
- And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. 22:23-25
- If you damage another person, you will be damaged in the same way.
- Life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. 21:23-25
- If a man hits his slave and causes the slave to lose sight in one eye, he shall set the slave free.
- If a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake. 21:26
- If a man hits his slave and causes the slave to lose a tooth, he shall set the slave free.
- If he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake. 21:27
- If an ox gores someone to death, the ox shall be stoned.
- If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned. 21:28a
- Don't eat the flesh of a stoned ox.
- If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten.21:28b
- If an ox has a reputation for goring people and its owner did nothing to restrain it, the ox shall be stoned and its owner shall be executed.
- If the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death. 21:29
- If the victim's family would rather have money, then the owner of the ox must pay them whatever they demand.
- If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him. 21:30
- If an ox kills a slave, the owner of the ox shall give the owner of the dead slave thirty shekels of silver.
- If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. 21:32
- If an ox kills a slave, stone it to death.
- If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant ... the ox shall be stoned. 21:32
- If a man has an open pit into which an ox or ass falls, the owner of the pit must pay the owner of the animal whatever it was worth, but the owner of the pit gets to keep the dead animal.
- If a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his. 21:33-34
- If one man's ox kills another man's ox, then the live ox shall be sold with the money and dead ox split between them.
- If one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide. 21:35
- If an ox is known to be an ox killer and its owner did nothing to restrain it, then the owner of the killer ox must pay the owner of the dead ox. But the owner of the killer ox gets to keep the dead ox.
- If it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own. 21:36
- Dwindling in Unbelief
- The Bible's War on Marriage
(Exodus 21:10)
- Why Christian "Marriage" is Wrong (21:10, 15, 17)
- Billy Graham and Mark 7:9: No picking and choosing allowed! (You must stone to death your disobedient children.) (21:15)
- Bill Maher: Christian Rock Blows Hard (with Bible verses) (21:15)
- The Christopher Hitchens / Douglas Wilson debate (21:16)
- The Bible's guide to torture (21:20-21)
- Bible-based Platforms for Republicans and Democrats (21:22)
- Biblical Justice: Everybody must get stoned (21:28)
- Dan Savage is right about the Bible: It's Bullshit. (21:20-21)
- What if we could edit the Bible? (Opening Karl Giberson's can of worms) (21:20-21)
- God's design for marriage 21:10
- Every Jot and Tittle: Genesis (21:12, 14)
- Why Christian "Marriage" is Wrong (21:10, 15, 17)
- "Exodus 21:7 says it's OK to sell your daughter into slavery. Not even in Nevada." --
Penn & Teller on the Bible
- YouTube: Theologikos
- Theologikos: Advice for all christians (and atheists) on YouTube
(Exodus 21:8-9)
- I was beating one of my slaves the other day... (21:20-21)
- Slate Blogs the Bible by David Plotz
- Were the Israelites Monotheists?