Exodus 21 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 “These are the regulations you are to present to them:
1 “Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them:
2 If you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to work for you for six years. But in the seventh year, he is to be freed without having to pay anything.
2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free without paying anything.
3 If he was single when he came, he is to leave single. If he had a wife when he came, she is to leave with him.
3 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he is married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4 If his master provides him a wife and she has children with him, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall be freed.
4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.
5 However, if the slave formally states, ‘I love my master and my wife and children; I do not want to be freed,’
5 But 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 is to take him before the judges. Then he shall have him stand against the door or doorpost and use a metal tool to make a hole in his ear. Then he shall work for his master for life.
6 then his master shall bring him to God, and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.
7 If a man sells his daughter as a slave, she is not to be freed in the same way as male slaves.
7 “If a man sells his daughter to be a female servant, she shall not go out as the male servants do.
8 If the man who chose her for himself is not pleased with her, he must let her be bought back. He is not permitted to sell her to foreigners, since he has been unfair to her.
8 If she doesn’t please her master, who has married her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her.
9 If he chooses to give her to his son, he must treat her as a daughter.
9 If he marries her to his son, he shall deal with her as a daughter.
10 If he takes another woman, he must not reduce the food and clothing allowances and marital rights of the first.
10 If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marital rights.
11 If he doesn't give her these three things, she is free to leave without paying anything.
11 If he doesn’t do these three things for her, she may go free without paying any money.
12 Anyone who hits and kills someone else must be executed.
12 “One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death,
13 However, if it wasn't intentional and God let it happen, then I will arrange a place for you where they can run to and be safe.
13 but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to happen; then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.
14 But if someone deliberately plans and purposely kills another, you must take them away from my altar and execute them.
14 If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
15 Anyone who hits their father or mother must be executed.
15 “Anyone who attacks his father or his mother shall be surely put to death.
16 Anyone who kidnaps someone else must be executed, whether the victim is sold or is still in their possession.
16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
17 Anyone who despises their father or mother must be executed.
17 “Anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
18 If men are fighting and one hits the other with a stone or with his fist, and the injured man doesn't die but has to stay in bed,
18 “If men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone, or with his fist, and he doesn’t die, but is confined to bed;
19 and then gets up and walks around outside with his walking stick, then the one who hit him won't be punished. Even so, he must still compensate the man for the time lost from his work and make sure that he's completely healed.
19 if he rises again and walks around with his staff, then he who struck him shall be cleared; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall provide for his healing until he is thoroughly healed.
20 Anyone who hits their male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies as a result, must be punished.
20 “If a man strikes his servant or his maid with a rod, and he dies under his hand, the man shall surely be punished.
21 However, if after a day or two the slave gets better, the owner won't be punished because the slave is their property.
21 Notwithstanding, if his servant gets up after a day or two, he shall not be punished, for the servant is his property.
22 If men who are fighting happen to hit a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely, but no serious injury occurs, he must be fined whatever amount the woman's husband demands and as permitted by the judges.
22 “If men fight and hurt a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, and yet no harm follows, he shall be surely fined as much as the woman’s husband demands and the judges allow.
23 But if a serious injury does occur, then you must pay a life for a life,
23 But if any harm follows, then you must take life for life,
24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot,
24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, and a bruise for a bruise.
25 burning for burning, wound for wound, and bruise for bruise.
26 Anyone who hits their male or female slave in the eye and blinds them must free the slave as compensation for the eye.
26 “If a man strikes his servant’s eye, or his maid’s eye, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.
27 Anyone who knocks out the tooth of their male or female slave must free the slave as compensation for the tooth.
27 If he strikes out his male servant’s tooth, or his female servant’s tooth, he shall let the servant go free for his tooth’s sake.
28 If an ox uses its horns to kill a man or woman, the ox must be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the ox won't be punished.
28 “If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull shall surely be stoned, and its meat shall not be eaten; but the owner of the bull shall not be held responsible.
29 But if the ox has repeatedly hurt people with its horns, and its owner has been warned but still doesn't keep it under control, and it kills a man or woman, then the ox must be stoned to death and its owner must also be executed.
29 But if the bull had a habit of goring in the past, and this has been testified to its owner, and he has not kept it in, but it has killed a man or a woman, the bull shall be stoned, and its owner shall also be put to death.
30 But if instead the payment of compensation is required, the owner may buy back his or her life by paying the full amount of compensation demanded.
30 If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed.
31 If the ox uses its horns and kills a son or a daughter the same rule is applicable.
31 Whether it has gored a son or has gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him.
32 If the ox uses its horns and kills a male or female slave, the owner of the ox must pay thirty shekels of silver to the slave's master, and the ox must be stoned to death.
32 If the bull gores a male servant or a female servant, thirty shekels of silver shall be given to their master, and the ox shall be stoned.
33 If someone removes the cover of a cistern or digs one and doesn't cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
33 “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,
34 the owner of the pit must pay compensation to the animal's owner and keep the dead animal.
34 the owner of the pit shall make it good. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall be his.
35 If someone's ox injures another's ox and it dies, they must sell the live one and share money received; they must also share the dead animal.
35 “If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live bull, and divide its price; and they shall also divide the dead animal.
36 But if it was known that the ox had repeatedly hurt people with its horns, and its owner had been warned but still didn't keep it under control, full compensation must be paid, ox for ox, but the owner can keep the dead animal.”
36 Or if it is known that the bull was in the habit of goring in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall surely pay bull for bull, and the dead animal shall be his own.
Cross references (28)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Deuteronomy 4:14; Deuteronomy 6:20; Exodus 24:3–4; Psalm 147:19; Matthew 28:20
- 2 Deuteronomy 15:12–15; Exodus 12:44; Deuteronomy 15:18; Nehemiah 5:1–5; Deuteronomy 15:1
- 3 Deuteronomy 15:12–14
- 5 2 Corinthians 5:14–15; Deuteronomy 15:16–17; Isaiah 26:13
- 6 Deuteronomy 15:17; Leviticus 25:40; Deuteronomy 19:17–18; 1 Samuel 28:2; 1 Samuel 27:12
- 7 Nehemiah 5:5; Exodus 21:2–3
- 8 Judges 14:3; Judges 9:19; Malachi 2:11–15; Genesis 28:8; Deuteronomy 21:11–14
- 10 1 Corinthians 7:1–6
- 12 Genesis 9:6; Matthew 26:52; Leviticus 24:17; Numbers 35:30–31; Numbers 35:16–24
- 13 Joshua 20:2–9; 1 Samuel 24:18; Deuteronomy 19:1–13; Deuteronomy 4:41–43; 1 Samuel 24:10
- 14 1 Kings 2:28–34; Hebrews 10:26; Deuteronomy 1:43; 1 Kings 1:50–51; Numbers 15:30–31
- 15 Proverbs 30:11; Deuteronomy 21:18–21; 1 Timothy 1:9; Deuteronomy 27:24; Proverbs 30:17
- 16 Deuteronomy 24:7; 1 Timothy 1:10; Exodus 22:4; Genesis 37:28; Genesis 40:15
- 17 Proverbs 20:20; Mark 7:10–11; Matthew 15:3–6; Deuteronomy 27:16; Proverbs 30:11
- 18 Exodus 21:20; Exodus 2:13; Deuteronomy 25:11; 2 Samuel 14:6; Numbers 35:16–24
- 19 2 Samuel 3:29; Zechariah 8:4
- 20 Proverbs 29:19; Deuteronomy 19:21; Isaiah 58:3–4; Numbers 35:30–33; Romans 13:4
- 21 Leviticus 25:44–46
- 22 Deuteronomy 22:18–19; Exodus 21:30; Deuteronomy 16:18
- 23 Deuteronomy 19:21; Numbers 35:31; Leviticus 24:19
- 24 Deuteronomy 19:21; Matthew 7:2; Matthew 5:38–40; Leviticus 24:19–20; Revelation 16:6
- 26 Nehemiah 5:5; Job 31:13–15; Colossians 4:1; Psalm 72:12–14; Exodus 21:20
- 28 Exodus 21:32; Genesis 9:5–6; Leviticus 20:15–16
- 29 Deuteronomy 21:1–9
- 30 Exodus 21:22; Exodus 30:12; Numbers 35:31–33; Proverbs 13:8
- 32 Zechariah 11:12–13; Matthew 26:15; Matthew 27:3–9; Genesis 37:28; Philippians 2:7
- 33 Jeremiah 18:22; Proverbs 28:10; Psalm 9:15; Ecclesiastes 10:8; Jeremiah 18:20
- 34 Exodus 21:29–30; Exodus 22:6; Exodus 22:14
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For, "honor," saith He, "thy father and thy mother, that thou mayest live long upon the earth." And again, "He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death." But He, omitting the first, the reward appointed for them that honor their parents, states that which is more awful, the punishment, I mean, threatened to such as dishonor them; …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… put no obstacle to godliness in our way, if we are ever carried away by ingratitude, and, forgetting their benefits to us, hold them in contempt, then the oracle will have place which says, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)