Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, New Living Translation “If a man beats his male or female slave with a club and the slave dies as a result, the owner must be punished. English Standard Version “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. Berean Standard Bible If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished. King James Bible And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. New King James Version “And if a man beats his male or female servant with a rod, so that he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished. New American Standard Bible “And if someone strikes his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies at his hand, he shall be punished. NASB 1995 “If a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies at his hand, he shall be punished. NASB 1977 “And if a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies at his hand, he shall be punished. Legacy Standard Bible “And if a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies at his hand, he shall surely be punished. Amplified Bible “If a man strikes his male or his female servant with a staff and the servant dies at his hand, he must be punished. Christian Standard Bible “When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies under his abuse, the owner must be punished. Holman Christian Standard Bible When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies under his abuse, the owner must be punished. American Standard Version And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall surely be punished. Contemporary English Version Death is the punishment for beating to death any of your slaves. English Revised Version And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall surely be punished. GOD'S WORD® Translation "Whenever an owner hits his male or female slave with a stick so that the slave dies from the beating, the owner must be punished. Good News Translation "If a slave owner takes a stick and beats his slave, whether male or female, and the slave dies on the spot, the owner is to be punished. International Standard Version "If a man strikes his male or female servant with a stick and he or she dies as a direct result, the master must be punished. Majority Standard Bible If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished. NET Bible "If a man strikes his male servant or his female servant with a staff so that he or she dies as a result of the blow, he will surely be punished. New Heart English Bible "If a man strikes his servant or his maid with a rod, and he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished. Webster's Bible Translation 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. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd when a man strikes his manservant or his handmaid with a rod, and he has died under his hand—he is certainly avenged; 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; Smith's Literal Translation And if a man shall strike his servant or his maid with a rod, and he died under his hand, avenging, he shall be avenged. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleHe that striketh his bondman or bondwoman with a rod, and they die under his hands, shall be guilty of the crime. Catholic Public Domain Version Whoever strikes his male or female servant with a staff, and if they have died by his hands, he shall be guilty of a crime. New American Bible When someone strikes his male or female slave with a rod so that the slave dies under his hand, the act shall certainly be avenged. New Revised Standard Version When a slaveowner strikes a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner shall be punished. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd if a man strikes his servant, or his maid with a staff, and he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And when a man will strike his Servant or his maid with a rod and one dies under his hand, he shall certainly be judged. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And if a man smite his bondman, or his bondwoman, with a rod, and he die under his hand, he shall surely be punished. Brenton Septuagint Translation And if a man smite his man-servant or his maid-servant, with a rod, and the party die under his hands, he shall be surely punished. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible 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.… Cross References Leviticus 24:17-22 And if a man takes the life of anyone else, he must surely be put to death. / Whoever kills an animal must make restitution—life for life. / If anyone injures his neighbor, whatever he has done must be done to him: ... Deuteronomy 19:21 You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot. Genesis 9:6 Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind. Numbers 35:16-21 If, however, anyone strikes a person with an iron object and kills him, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death. / Or if anyone has in his hand a stone of deadly size, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death. / If anyone has in his hand a deadly object of wood, and he strikes and kills another, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death. ... Matthew 5:38-39 You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ / But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; Romans 13:4 For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer. Colossians 3:25 Whoever does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. 1 Peter 2:18-20 Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable. / For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended. / How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. Ephesians 6:9 And masters, do the same for your slaves. Give up your use of threats, because you know that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him. 1 Timothy 6:1-2 All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as fully worthy of honor, so that God’s name and our teaching will not be discredited. / Those who have believing masters should not show disrespect because they are brothers, but should serve them all the more, since those receiving their good service are beloved believers. Teach and encourage these principles. Luke 12:47-48 That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. / But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded. Proverbs 22:8 He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed. Isaiah 10:1-2 Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, / to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder. Jeremiah 22:3 This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place. Ezekiel 18:13 He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head. Treasury of Scripture And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. smite Exodus 21:26,27 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… Deuteronomy 19:21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. Proverbs 29:19 A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer. he shall Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. Numbers 35:30-33 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die… punished. Genesis 4:15,24 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him… Numbers 35:19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. Romans 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Jump to Previous Avenged Beats Bondman Bondwoman Causing Death Die Died Dies Direct Female Gives Hand Handmaid Maid Male Man-Servant Punished Punishment Result Rod Servant Slave Smite Staff Strikes Surely Undergo Woman-ServantJump to Next Avenged Beats Bondman Bondwoman Causing Death Die Died Dies Direct Female Gives Hand Handmaid Maid Male Man-Servant Punished Punishment Result Rod Servant Slave Smite Staff Strikes Surely Undergo Woman-ServantExodus 21 1. Laws for men servants5. For the servant whose ear is bored 7. For women servants 12. For manslaughter 16. For kidnappers 17. For cursers of parents 18. For smiters 22. For a hurt by chance 28. For an ox that gores 33. For him who is an occasion of harm If a man strikes The phrase "If a man strikes" introduces a conditional scenario, common in ancient legal codes, where specific actions and their consequences are outlined. The Hebrew word for "strikes" is "נכה" (nakah), which implies a deliberate act of violence. This reflects the broader biblical principle that human life is sacred and violence against another person is a serious matter. The use of "man" here is generic, indicating any person in a position of authority or power over another, emphasizing the responsibility that comes with such power. his servant or maidservant with a rod and the servant dies by his hand he shall surely be punished With a rod.--The usual instrument of punishment. It would follow, as a matter of course, that if a more dangerous implement was used the master was punished with equal, or greater, severity. Verses 20, 21. - Homicide of slaves. In most ancient states the slave was the absolute property of his master, and might be ill-used to any extent, even killed, without the law in any way interfering. It is said that the state of things was different in Egypt (Kalisch); but we have scarcely sufficient evidence on the point to be certain that the slave enjoyed there any real and efficient protection. At Athens, beyond a doubt, the law protected the life of the slave; and a very moderate amount of ill-treatment entitled a slave to bring an action. At Rome, on the contrary, "the master could treat the slave as he pleased, could sell him, punish him, and put him to death" (Dict. of Greek & Roman Antiq. p. 1036). And this was the ordinary state of the law, particularly in Oriental countries. The Mosaic legislation must be regarded as having greatly ameliorated the condition of the native slave population. Hebrew bondmen it placed nearly upon a par with hired servants (Leviticus 25:40); foreign slaves, whether prisoners taken in war, or persons bought in the market, it protected to a very great extent. By the law given in verses 26, 27, it largely controlled the brutality of masters, who had to emancipate their slaves if they did them any serious injury. By the law laid down in verse 20, it gave their lives the same protection, or nearly the same, as the lives of freemen. "Smiting "was allowed as a discipline, without which slavery cannot exist; but such smiting as resulted in death was, as a general rule, punishable like any other homicide. The only exception was, if the slave did not die for some days (ver. 21). In that case the master was considered not to have intended the slave' s death, and to be sufficiently punished by the loss of his property. Verse 20. - If a man smite his servant, or his maid. "Maids" would commonly be chastised by their mistress, or by an upper servant acting under the mistress' s authority. "A man" here means "any one." With a rod. The rods wherewith Egyptian slaves were chastised appear upon the monuments. They were long canes, like those used by our schoolmasters. Under his hand. Criminals in the East are said often to die under the bastinado; and even in our own country there have been cases of soldiers dying under the lash. A special delicacy of the nervous system will make a punishment of the kind fatal to some, which would have been easily borne by others.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Ifוְכִֽי־ (wə·ḵî-) Conjunctive waw | Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction a man אִ֨ישׁ (’îš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person strikes יַכֶּה֩ (yak·keh) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5221: To strike his male עַבְדּ֜וֹ (‘aḇ·dōw) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 5650: Slave, servant or א֤וֹ (’ōw) Conjunction Strong's 176: Desire, if female servant אֲמָתוֹ֙ (’ă·mā·ṯōw) Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 519: A maidservant, female slave with a rod, בַּשֵּׁ֔בֶט (baš·šê·ḇeṭ) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe and the servant dies וּמֵ֖ת (ū·mêṯ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 4191: To die, to kill by תַּ֣חַת (ta·ḥaṯ) Preposition Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of his hand, יָד֑וֹ (yā·ḏōw) Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 3027: A hand he shall surely נָקֹ֖ם (nā·qōm) Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute Strong's 5358: To grudge, avenge, punish be punished. יִנָּקֵֽם׃ (yin·nā·qêm) Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5358: To grudge, avenge, punish Links Exodus 21:20 NIVExodus 21:20 NLT Exodus 21:20 ESV Exodus 21:20 NASB Exodus 21:20 KJV Exodus 21:20 BibleApps.com Exodus 21:20 Biblia Paralela Exodus 21:20 Chinese Bible Exodus 21:20 French Bible Exodus 21:20 Catholic Bible OT Law: Exodus 21:20 If a man strikes his servant (Exo. 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