23 May 2014

Every Jot and Tittle: Exodus 21:15- 25: Unruly children, fist fights, beating slaves, and mischievous miscarriages

In the Every Jot and Tittle project, I am listing all of the Bible's commandments from Genesis to Revelation, in accordance with Jesus's words in Matthew 5:18-19. I have no idea how many commandments I'll find, but Jewish tradition claims there are 613. See here for a list of those that I've found so far.

  1. If a person is killed unintentionally because God delivered the victim into the killer's hands, then God will find a place for the killer to hide.
  2. 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. Exodus 21:13

  3. If you strike your father or mother, you shall be killed.
  4. He that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. Exodus 21:15

  5. Whoever kidnaps a person with the intention of selling that person as a slave shall be killed.
  6. He that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. Exodus 21:16

  7. If you curse your father or mother, you shall be killed.
  8. He that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. Exodus 21:17
    For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him. Leviticus 20:9

    For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Matthew 15:4-6

  9. If two men fight and one is injured, the man who caused the injury shall pay for the injured man's lost time.
  10. 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. Exodus 21:18-19
    Now suppose two men quarrel, and one hits the other with a stone or fist, and the injured person does not die but is confined to bed. If he is later able to walk outside again, even with a crutch, the assailant will not be punished but must compensate his victim for lost wages and provide for his full recovery. (New Living Translation)

  11. A slave owner who beats his slave to death shall be punished.
  12. If a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. Exodus 21:20

  13. 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.
  14. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money. Exodus 21:21

  15. If a man causes the death of a fetus, he shall pay the woman's husband whatever the judges decide.
  16. 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. Exodus 21:22
    Suppose a pregnant woman suffers a miscarriage as the result of an injury caused by someone who is fighting. If she isn’t badly hurt, the one who injured her must pay whatever fine her husband demands and the judges approve. (Contemporary English Version)

  17. But if the woman is injured, the man that caused her injury shall be injured in the same way.
  18. 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. Exodus 21:23-25
    But if she is seriously injured, the payment will be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, cut for cut, and bruise for bruise. (Contemporary English Version)

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