Exodus 21:33
◄  Exodus 21:33  ►
New International Version (©2011)
"If anyone uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it,

New Living Translation (©2007)
"Suppose someone digs or uncovers a pit and fails to cover it, and then an ox or a donkey falls into it.

English Standard Version (©2001)
“When a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"If a man opens a pit, or digs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
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;

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
When a man uncovers a pit or digs a pit, and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,

International Standard Version (©2012)
If a man opens a pit or digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or donkey falls into it,

NET Bible (©2006)
"If a man opens a pit or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
"Whenever someone opens up a cistern or digs a new one and doesn't cover it and a bull or a donkey falls into it,

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or a donkey fall in it;

American King James Version
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;

American Standard Version
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,

Douay-Rheims Bible
If a man open a pit, and dig one, and cover it not, and an ox or an ass fall into it,

Darby Bible Translation
And if a man open a pit, or if a man dig a pit, and do not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall into it,

English Revised Version
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,

Webster's Bible Translation
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 shall fall into it;

World English Bible
"If a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and doesn't cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it,

Young's Literal Translation
'And when a man doth open a pit, or when a man doth dig a pit, and doth not cover it, and an ox or ass hath fallen thither, --

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:22-36 The cases here mentioned give rules of justice then, and still in use, for deciding similar matters. We are taught by these laws, that we must be very careful to do no wrong, either directly or indirectly. If we have done wrong, we must be very willing to make it good, and be desirous that nobody may lose by us.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 33. - If a man shall open a pit. Rather, "If a man shall uncover a cistern." Cisterns, very necessary in Palestine, were usually closed by a flat-stone, or a number of planks. To obtain water from them, they had to be uncovered; but it was the duty of the man who uncovered them, to replace the covering when his wants were satisfied. Or dig a pit and not cover it. A man who was making a cistern might neglect to cover it while it was in course of construction, or even afterwards, if he thought his own cattle would take no hurt. But in the unfenced fields of Palestine it was always possible that a neighbour' s cattle might go astray and suffer injury through such a piece of negligence. An ox, or an ass, falling into a cistern, would be unable to extricate itself, and might be drowned.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

If a man shall open a pit,.... That has been dug in time past, and filled up again, or take the covering from it, and leave it uncovered: "or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it": a new one, in the street, as the Targum of Jonathan; or in a public place, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra; otherwise a man might dig one for water, in his own fields, in enclosed places, where there was no danger of cattle coming thither, and falling therein:

and an ox or an ass fall therein; or any other beast, as Jarchi observes; for these are mentioned only as instances, and are put for all others. Maimonides (s) says,"if a man digs a pit in a public place, and an ox or ass fall into it and die, though the pit is full of shorn wool, and the like, the owner of the pit is bound to pay the whole damage; and this pit (he says) must be ten hands deep; if it is less than that, and an ox, or any other beast or fowl fall into it and die, he is free,''

(s) Hilchot Niske Maimon. c. 12. sect, 1, 10. so Bartenora in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 1. sect. 1.

Exodus 21:33 Parallel Commentaries

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Laws about Restitution
33And 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; 34The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money to the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his. 35And 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. …

Exodus 21:32 If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.
Exodus 21:34 the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.