Exodus 21

1 “These are the ordinances that you are to set before them:

2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free without paying anything.

3 If he arrived alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrived with a wife, she is to leave with him.

4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

5 But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children; I do not want to go free,’

6 then his master is to bring him before the judges. And he shall take him to the door or doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he shall serve his master for life.

7 And if a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as the menservants do.

8 If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who had designated her for himself, he must allow her to be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her.

9 And if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her as with a daughter.

10 If he takes another wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of his first wife.

11 If, however, he does not provide her with these three things, she is free to go without monetary payment.

12 Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death.

13 If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

14 But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.

15 Whoever strikes his father or mother must surely be put to death.

16 Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.

17 Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.

18 If men are quarreling and one strikes the other with a stone or a fist, and he does not die but is confined to bed,

19 then 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.

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

21 However, if the servant gets up after a day or two, the owner shall not be punished, since the servant is his property.

22 If men who are fighting strike a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband demands and as the court allows.

23 But if a serious injury results, then you must require a life for a life—

24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 burn for burn, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe.

26 If a man strikes and blinds the eye of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the eye.

27 And if he knocks out the tooth of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth.

28 If an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox must surely be stoned, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the ox shall not be held responsible.

29 But if the ox has a habit of goring, and its owner has been warned yet does not restrain it, and it kills a man or woman, then the ox must be stoned and its owner must also be put to death.

30 If payment is demanded of him instead, he may redeem his life by paying the full amount demanded of him.

31 If the ox gores a son or a daughter, it shall be done to him according to the same rule.

32 If the ox gores a manservant or maidservant, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of that servant, and the ox must be stoned.

33 If a man opens or digs a pit and fails to cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,

34 the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he must pay its owner, and the dead animal will be his.

35 If a man’s ox injures his neighbor’s ox and it dies, they must sell the live one and divide the proceeds; they also must divide the dead animal.

36 But if it was known that the ox had a habit of goring, yet its owner failed to restrain it, he shall pay full compensation, ox for ox, and the dead animal will be his.

1 ¶ Now these [are] the judgments which thou shalt set before them.

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.

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.

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.

7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.

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.

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.

12 ¶ He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.

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.

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.

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.

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,

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.

1 These are the statutes which thou shalt present unto them:

2 If thou buy a servant of the children of Israel, he shall serve thee six years: in the seventh year he shall go forth free.

3 If he come without a wife, he shall go forth without a wife. But if he come with a wife, his wife shall go out with him.

4 And if his lord have given him a wife, and have begotten sons or daughters, then the wife and the children shall be his lord's: but he shall go forth without a wife.

5 And the servant saith, I love my lord, and my wife, and my child; I will not go free,

6 Then let his lord bring him before the gods, and hold him to the door, or to the post, and pierce his ear with an awl; and let him be his servant for ever.

7 If a man sell his daughter to be a maid, she shall not go out as the servants.

8 But if she please not her lord, and will not help her to marriage, then he shall give her in marriage. But he hath no power to sell her among a strange people, because he hath spurned her.

9 But if he entrust her unto his son, he shall do daughter's right unto her.

10 But if he give him another, he shall not break off her food, nor her covering, nor her matrimony.

11 If he do not these three, she shall go out free without ransom.

12 Whosoever smiteth a man to death shall surely be put to death.

13 And if he have not pursued him, but God hath caused him to fall into his hands, I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

14 But if any man do wickedly to his neighbour, and slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine altar, and put him to death.

15 Whosoever shall smite his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

16 Whosoever stealeth a man, and selleth him to be found with him, he shall surely be put to death.

17 Whosoever curseth father or mother shall surely be put to death.

18 When men quarrel together, and one smiteth another with a stone, or with his fist, he dieth not, but lieth in bed:

19 If he come up, and go out with his staff, he that smote him shall be guiltless, but he shall not pay him that which he hath omitted, neither give him the physician's fee.

20 Whosoever shall smite his manservant or his maidservant with a rod, that he die under his hands, he shall be punished for it.

21 But if he tarry a day or two, he shall not be punished for it: for it is his money.

22 If a man be wicked, and hurt a woman with child, that her fruit be taken away, and no hurt be done unto her; then he shall be punished for money, as much as the woman's husband shall lay upon him; and he shall give it according to the knowledge of the teidings.

23 But if it come to her hurt, he shall let go soul for soul,

24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, Twenty-five. Burn after burn, wound after wound, bump after bump.

26 If any man smite his servant or his handmaid in the eye, and destroy it, he shall let them go free about the eye.

27 Likewise, if he knock out a tooth of his manservant, or of his maidservant, he shall let them go free for the tooth.

28 If an ox thrust a man or a woman, and he die, then the ox shall be stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten: then the master of the ox shall be guiltless.

29 And if the ox be a stallion before, and it be told his master, and he keep him not, and kill any man or woman thereby, then the ox shall be stoned, and his master shall die.

30 But if any money be laid upon him, he shall give to redeem his life whatsoever shall be laid upon him.

31 And the same shall be done unto him, if he thrust a son or a daughter.

32 And if he thrust a manservant or a maidservant, he shall give thirty shekels of silver unto their master, and the ox shall be stoned.

33 If any man dig a pit, or dig a pit, and cover it not, and an ox or an ass fall therein,

34 Then the lord of the pit shall pay the other again with money: and the carcase shall be his.

35 And if any man's ox kill another ox, and it die, then they shall sell the living ox, and divide the money, and divide the carcase also.

36 And if it be known that the ox was a stallion before, and his master keep him not, then he shall recompense one ox for another, and have the carcase.