[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.
[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,
Direction is given what should be done, if a servant
died by his master's correction. This servant must not be an Israelite,
but a Gentile slave, as the Negroes to our planters; and it is supposed
that he smite him with a rod, and not with any thing that was likely to
give a mortal wound, yet if he died under his hand, he should be punished
for his cruelty, at the discretion of the judges, upon consideration of
circumstances.
[24] Eye for eye, tooth for
tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, [25]
Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. [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. [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. [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.
[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.
Eye for eye - The execution of this law is not put into
the hands of private persons, as if every man might avenge himself, which
would introduce universal confusion. The tradition of the elders seems
to have put this corrupt gloss upon it. But magistrates had an eye to this
rule in punishing offenders, and doing right to those that are injured.
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