Geneva Study Bible Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for {a} nothing.
(a) Paying no money for his freedom. If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. If he {b} came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
(b) Not having wife nor children. 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. If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her {c} master's, and he shall go out by himself.
(c) Till her time of servitude was expired which might be the seventh year or the fiftieth. And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:
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. Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the {d} door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for {e} ever.
(d) Where the judges sat. (e) That is, to the year of Jubile, which was every fiftieth year. And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. And if a man {f} sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.
(f) Forced either by poverty, or else with the intent that the master should marry her. 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. If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall {g} he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
(g) By giving another money to buy her from him. And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her {h} after the manner of daughters.
(h) That is, he shall give his dowry. If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. If he take {i} him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
(i) For his son. And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money. And if he do not these {k} three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.
(k) Neither marry her himself, nor give another money to buy her, nor bestow her on his son. He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
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. And if a man lie not in wait, but {l} God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
(l) Though a man be killed unawares, yet it is God's providence that it should so be. 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. But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine {m} altar, that he may die.
(m) The holiness of the place should not defend the murderer. And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he 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 if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: And if men strive together, and one smite another with a {n} stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:
(n) Either far away from him or near. 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. If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be {o} quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.
(o) By the civil justice. And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.
Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not {p} be punished: for he is his money.
(p) By the civil magistrate, but before God he is a murderer. 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. If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no {q} 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.
(q) Or, death: of the mother or child in the event she miscarries. Also the death on the unborn infant. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, {r} Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
(r) The execution of this law only belonged to the magistrate, Mt 5:38. Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
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. 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.
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. And if he smite {s} out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake.
(s) So God revenges cruelty in the even the least things. 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. If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely {t} stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.
(t) If the beast be punished, much more shall the murderer. 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. 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.
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. If there be laid on him a {u} sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.
(u) By the next of the kindred of him that is so slain. Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him. Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.
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. If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty {x} shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
(x) Read Ge 23:15. 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; 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;
The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his. The owner of the pit shall {y} make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his.
(y) This law forbids not only to hurt, but to beware lest any be hurt. 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. 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.
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. 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. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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