Exodus 21:17 — Word Study
WLCוּמְקַלֵּ֥ל אָבִ֛יו וְאִמּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃ ס
BSAAnyone who cursesqâlal [despises, reviles, to bring into contempt, to lighten] his fatherʼâb [parent, paternal figure] or motherʼêm [female parent, maternal figure] must surely be put to deathmûwth [certainly, without fail, executed, die the death]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּמְקַלֵּ֥ל | and [one who] will curse | Conjunction, verb piel participle (active) masculine singular |
| אָבִ֛יו | father his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וְאִמּ֖וֹ | and mother his | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| מ֥וֹת | certainly | Verb, Qal, infinitive absolute |
| יוּמָֽת׃ ס | he will be put to death | Verb, Hophal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death. |
| KJV | ¶ And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. |
| ASV | And he that curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death. |
| YLT | 'And he who is reviling his father or his mother is certainly put to death. |
| WEB | “Anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. |
| BBE | Any man cursing his father or his mother is to be put to death. |
Translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a clear consequence, emphasizing the seriousness of the offense.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbמוּת
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Exodus 21:17
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Laws Concerning Family and Communitygenerated
Exodus 21:17 is part of a series of laws that God gave to the Israelites, emphasizing the importance of respecting one's parents. This law reflects the broader theme of honoring family relationships and maintaining order within the community. Similar laws can be found in Leviticus 20:9 and Deuteronomy 27:16, which also stress the consequences of dishonoring parents.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leviticus 20:9 | If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood shall be upon him. |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 27:16 | ‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ |
| 3 | Proverbs 20:20 | Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness. |
| 4 | Proverbs 30:11–17 | There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers. |
| 5 | Matthew 15:3–6 | Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — קָלַל, u.me.ka.Lelgenerated
The Hebrew verb קָלַל (qalal) is a primitive root meaning to be light or trifling, covering a range of senses from being swift to being of little account. In this context, it signifies cursing or treating with contempt, which is a serious offense against parental authority.
The Piel form indicates an active stance, suggesting that the act of cursing is deliberate and contemptuous. This word's use here underscores the gravity of the offense against one's parents, linking it to the severe punishment prescribed.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is מְקַלֵּ֥ל, will curse, which governs the subject and object of the sentence: the one who curses and the father or mother being cursed. The structure emphasizes the act of cursing as the focal point of the law.
The sentence is straightforward, with a clear subject-verb-object order, reflecting the directness of the command and the seriousness of the consequences.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates קָלַל as κακολογῶν (kakologōn), which means to speak ill of or slander. This choice highlights the interpretive aspect of the Hebrew term, emphasizing the verbal offense against parents.
This rendering suggests a broader understanding of the act of cursing, focusing on the verbal nature of the offense rather than merely the action.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 21:17 states that anyone who curses their father or mother must be put to death. This law emphasizes the importance of respecting one's parents and the serious consequences of dishonoring them.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To curse one's parents means to speak disrespectfully or contemptuously about them, which is considered a serious offense in the biblical context.
The severe punishment reflects the importance of family honor and the need to maintain respect within the family structure, which is foundational to society.
Yes, similar laws can be found in Leviticus 20:9 and Deuteronomy 27:16, which also emphasize the consequences of dishonoring parents.
This verse highlights the cultural importance of respecting parents, a value that continues to resonate in many societies today, though the consequences may differ.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I show respect and honor to my parents today?
- How do societal views on family honor compare to the biblical perspective?
- What are the consequences of disrespecting authority figures in our lives?
- How can understanding this law help me appreciate the value of family relationships?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
John Chrysostom comments on the implications of this verse, emphasizing the consequences of speaking ill of one's parents.
One who speaks ill of his mother or father will die the death. One who speaks well of them will have full enjoyment of the rewards of life.Early Church Fathers on Exodus 21 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 21:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd he that curseth his father, or his mother,.... Though he does not smite them with his hand, or with any instrument in it, yet if he smites them with his tongue, reviles and reproaches them,
Read John Gill on Exodus 21 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 21 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleOr, revileth, to wit, wilfully, maliciously, obstinately, against all admonition, by comparing .
Read Matthew Poole on Exodus 21 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsExodus 21:17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.Ver. 17. And he that curseth.] Immane verbum est ultio. - Seneca.
Read John Trapp on Exodus 21 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15-17) And he that smiteth his father . . .-With homicide are conjoined some other offences, regarded as of a heinous character, and made punishable by death: viz. (1), striking a parent; (2) kidnapping; and (3) cursing a parent. The immediate sequence of these crimes upon murder, and their punishment by the same penalty, marks strongly God’s abhorrence of them. The parent is viewed as God’s representative, and to smite him is to offer God an insult in his person. To curse him implies, if possible, a greater want of reverence; and, since curses can only be effectual as appeals to God, it is an attempt to enlist God on our side against His representative. Kidnapping is a crime against the…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 21 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges17. Cursing a parent. Comp. Deuteronomy 27:16, Leviticus 20:9 (H): also Proverbs 20:20; Proverbs 30:17. In the LXX. this verse stands more suitably immediately after v. 15. It is cited in Matthew 15:4 = Mark 7:10. curseth] a stronger word than the maketh light of, or dishonoureth, of Deuteronomy 27:16.
Read Cambridge on Exodus 21 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible16, 17. Stealeth a man — Note that manstealing was placed on the same plane with the crime of murder. Cursing a parent was also treated as a capital offence.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 21 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.
“Anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.
“Whoever treats his father or his mother disgracefully must surely be put to death.
Tyndale line
¶ And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
And he that curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
And hee that curseth his father or his mother, shall die the death.
Strictly literal
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall certainly be put to death.
'And he who is reviling his father or his mother is certainly put to death.
And he who is reviling his father or his mother is certainly put to death.
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
Whoever curses his father or his mother must surely be put to death.
From the Latin
He that curseth his father, or mother, shall die the death.
Simplified
Anyone who despises their father or mother must be executed.
Any man cursing his father or his mother is to be put to death.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agrees word for word with it. The Septuagint matches four out of five words, though its word order differs, indicating some interpretive variation.
וּמְקַלֵּ֥ל אָבִ֛יו וְאִמּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃ ס
4 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ומקלל אביו ואמו מות יומת
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Exodus 21:17
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word קָלַל (qalal) is a primitive root meaning to be light or trifling, covering a range of senses from being swift to being of little account. It can also mean to curse or treat with contempt. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances such as making light or being lightly esteemed.
[קָלַל] 82 vb. be slight, swift, trifling
Qal
be slight, of water, be abated
be swift
trifling, i.e. of little account
Niph.
shew oneself swift
appear trifling
be lightly esteemed
Pi. curse (prop. make contemptible)
Pu. be cursed
Hiph.
make light, lighten
treat with contempt
Pilp.
shake
(peculiarly) whet
Hithpalp. reflex. of 1: hills shook themselves
base
H7043 קָלַל be slight, swift, trifling .. be slight, of water, be abated
. be swift
. trifling, i.e. of little account
. . shew oneself swift
. appear trifling
. be lightly esteemed
. curse (prop. make contemptible)
. be cursed
. . make light, lighten
. treat with contempt
. . shake
. (peculiarly) whet
. reflex. of 1: hills shook themselves
7043 qalal kaw-lal'
a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) light, literally
(swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling,
vile, etc.):--abate, make bright, bring into contempt,
(ac-)curse, despise, (be) ease(-y, -ier), (be a, make, make
somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly
afflict, -ly esteem, thing), X slight(-ly), be swift(-er),
(be, be more, make, re-)vile, whet.
קָלַל (qa.lal) — to lighten.
1) to be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, be light
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be slight, be abated (of water)
1a2) to be swift
1a3) to be trifling, be of little account
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be swift, show oneself swift
1b2) to appear trifling, be too trifling, be insignificant
1b3) to be lightly esteemed
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to make despicable
1c2) to curse
1d) (Pual) to be cursed
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to make light, lighten
1e2) to treat with contempt, bring contempt or dishonour
1f) (Pilpel)
1f1) to shake
1f2) to whet
1g) (Hithpalpel) to shake oneself, be moved to and fro
Conj | V-Piel — Conjunction · verb piel participle (active) masculine singularHC/Vprmsa
kurs ('alah (Nu 5:21,23,17, etc.), me'erah (Pr 3:33; Mal 2:2, etc.), klalah (Ge 27:12,13); katara (Ga 3:10,13)): This word as noun and verb renders different Hebrew words, some of them being more or less synonymous, differing only in degree of strength. It is often used in contrast with "bless" or "blessing" (De 11:29). When a curse is pronounced against any person, we are not to understand this as a mere wish, however violent, that disaster should overtake the person in question, any more than we are to understand that a corresponding "blessing" conveys simply a wish…
Curse
Denounced by God against the serpent (Gen. 3:14), and against Cain (4:11). These divine maledictions carried their effect with them. Prophetical curses were sometimes pronounced by holy men (Gen. 9:25; 49:7; Deut. 27:15; Josh. 6:26). Such curses are not the consequence of passion or revenge, they are predictions.
No one on pain of death shall curse father or mother (Ex. 21:17), nor the prince of his people (22:28), nor the deaf (Lev. 19:14). Cursing God or blaspheming was punishable by death (Lev. 24:10-16).…
→ Denounced
Against the serpent Ge 3:14,15
Against Adam and Eve Ge 3:15-19
Against the ground Ge 3:17,18
Against Cain Ge 4:11-16
Against Canaan, Noah's son Ge 9:24-27
Against Meroz Jud 5:23
Against Gehazi 2Ki 5:27
→ Barak commands Balaam to curse Israel Nu 22:6; 23:11
→ See BENEDICTIONS
→ CURSES OF THE MOSAIC LAW De 27:1-26; Jos 8:30-34
See BLESSINGS
אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.
אָב 1101 n.m. father
father of individual
of God as father of his people
head of household, family or clan
ancestor
originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
fig. of producer, generator
fig. of benevolence & protection
term of respect & honor
specif., ruler, chief (late)
base
H1 אָב father . father of individual
. of God as father of his people
. head of household, family or clan
. ancestor
. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
. fig. of producer, generator
. fig. of benevolence & protection
. term of respect & honor
. specif., ruler, chief (late)
1 'ab awb
a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or
figurative and remote application):--chief,
(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names
in "Abi-".
אָב (av) — father.
1) father of an individual
2) of God as father of his people
3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan
4) ancestor
4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person
4b) of people
5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
6) of producer, generator (fig.)
7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)
8) term of respect and honour
9) ruler or chief (spec.)
Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;
Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)
אָב (av) — father of.
The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;
son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word אֵם (em) means 'mother' and can refer to a human mother, an animal's dam, or even a figurative sense, such as Deborah's nurturing role for her people. It also conveys the idea of a point of departure or division. This word is built from a primitive root and encompasses both literal and figurative meanings.
אֵם 221 n.f. mother
lit. (human) mother
fig. of Deborah as caring for her people
of animals, dam
= point of departure or division
base
H517 אֵם mother . lit. (human) mother
. fig. of Deborah as caring for her people
. of animals, dam
. = point of departure or division
517 'em ame
a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a
wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like 1):--dam,
mother, X parting.
see HEBREW for 01
אֵם (em) — mother.
1) mother
1a) of humans
1b) of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.)
1c) of animals
2) point of departure or division
Conj | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncfsc/Sp3ms
מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.
מוּת vb. die
Qal
die, of natural or other causes
die as a penalty = be put to death
Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
Hiph.
abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
subj. God, by inflicting penalty
of animals killing men
bring to a premature death
Hoph. be killed, put to death
base
H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes
. die as a penalty = be put to death
. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
. subj. God, by inflicting penalty
. of animals killing men
. bring to a premature death
. be killed, put to death
4191 muwth mooth
a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);
causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,
man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,
be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,
slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.
מוּת (mut) — to die.
1) to die, kill, have one executed
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to die
1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death
1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)
1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)
1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch
1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be killed, be put to death
1d1a) to die prematurely
V-Qal-Ptc — Verb · Qal · infinitive absoluteHVqaa
מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.
מוּת vb. die
Qal
die, of natural or other causes
die as a penalty = be put to death
Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
Hiph.
abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
subj. God, by inflicting penalty
of animals killing men
bring to a premature death
Hoph. be killed, put to death
base
H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes
. die as a penalty = be put to death
. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
. subj. God, by inflicting penalty
. of animals killing men
. bring to a premature death
. be killed, put to death
4191 muwth mooth
a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);
causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,
man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,
be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,
slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.
מוּת (mut) — to die.
1) to die, kill, have one executed
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to die
1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death
1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)
1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)
1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch
1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be killed, be put to death
1d1a) to die prematurely
HVHi3ms — Verb · Hophal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVHi3ms
(maweth; thanatos):
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FIGURATIVE VIEW
The word "Death" is used in the sense of
(1) the process of dying (Ge 21:16);
(2) the period of decease (Ge 27:7);
(3) as a possible synonym for poison (2Ki 4:40);
(4) as descriptive of person in danger of perishing (Jud 15:18; "in deaths oft" 2Co 11:23). In this sense the shadow of death is a familiar expression in Job, the Psalms and the Prophets;
Death
May be simply defined as the termination of life. It is represented under a variety of aspects in Scripture: (1.) “The dust shall return to the earth as it was” (Eccl. 12:7).
(2.) “Thou takest away their breath, they die” (Ps. 104:29).
(3.) It is the dissolution of “our earthly house of this tabernacle” (2 Cor. 5:1); the “putting off this tabernacle” (2 Pet. 1:13, 14).
(4.) Being “unclothed” (2 Cor. 5:3, 4).
(5.) “Falling on sleep” (Ps. 76:5; Jer. 51:39;
Is taken in Scripture, first, for the separation of body and soul, the first death, Ge 25:11; secondly, for alienation from God, and exposure to his wrath, 1Jo 3:14, etc.; thirdly, for the second death, that of eternal damnation. Death was the penalty affixed to Adam’s transgression, Ge 2:17 3:19; and all his posterity are transgressors, and share the curse inflicted upon him. CHRIST is "our life." All believers share his life, spiritually and eternally; and though sin and bodily is taken away, and in the resurrection the last enemy shall be trampled under foot, Ro 5:12-21 1Co 15:1-58.