Exodus 21:20

Verse

If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished.

American Standard Version (1901)

And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall surely be punished.

Bible in Basic English

If a man gives his man-servant or his woman-servant blows with a rod, causing death, he is certainly to undergo punishment.

Douay-Rheims 1899

He that striketh his bondman or bondwoman with a rod, and they die under his hands, shall be guilty of the crime.

Free Bible Version

Anyone who hits their male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies as a result, must be punished.

Geneva Bible 1599

And if a man smite his seruant, or his maide with a rod, and he die vnder his hande, he shalbe surely punished.

King James (Authorized) Version

¶ And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.

One Unity Resource Bible

“If a man strikes his servant or his maid with a rod, and he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished.

Translation for Translators

If someone strikes his male or female slave with a stick, if the slave dies ◄immediately/as a result► [IDM], the one who struck him must be punished.

Unlocked Literal Bible

If a man hits his male servant or his female servant with a staff, and if the servant dies as a result of the blow, then that man must surely be punished.

Noah Webster Bible

And if a man shall smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he shall die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.

World English Bible

“If a man strikes his servant or his maid with a rod, and he dies under his hand, the man shall surely be punished.

Young's Literal Translation

'And when a man smiteth his man-servant or his handmaid, with a rod, and he hath died under his hand — he is certainly avenged;

Context

Personal Injury Laws

¹⁹then the one who struck him shall go unpunished, as long as the other can get up and walk around outside with his staff. Nevertheless, he must compensate the man for his lost work and see that he is completely healed.²⁰If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished.²¹However, if the servant gets up after a day or two, the owner shall not be punished, since the servant is his property.

Summary

Exodus 21:20 addresses the consequences of a master striking their slave. It stipulates that if the slave dies immediately after being struck, the master shall be punished. However, if the slave survives for a day or two before dying, the master shall not be punished, as the slave is their property. This verse reflects the cultural context of ancient Israel where slavery was prevalent, but it also reveals God's concern for justice and the value of human life, even within the institution of slavery.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And if a man smite his servant or his maid with a rod,.... A Canaanitish servant or maid, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi; and that only with a rod for the correction of them, and not with a sword or any such destroying weapon, which would seem as though he intended to kill, yet nevertheless: and he die under his hand; immediately, while he is smiting or beating him or her, on the same day, as the above Targum interprets it: he shall be surely punished; or condemned to the punishment of being slain with the sword, as the said Targum and Jarchi explain it: this law was made to deter masters from using severity and cruelty towards their servants.