Exodus 21:12-36

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 21:12-21

Here is, I. A law concerning murder. He had lately said, Thou shalt not kill; here he provides, 1. For the punishing of wilful murder (Exod. 21:12): He that smiteth a man, whether upon a sudden passion or in malice prepense, so that he die, the government must take care that the murderer be put to death, according to that ancient law (Gen. 9:6), Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. God, who by his providence gives and maintains life, thus by his law protects it; so that... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 21:22-36

Observe here, I. The particular care which the law took of women with child, that no hurt should be done them which might occasion their mis-carrying. The law of nature obliges us to be very tender in that case, lest the tree and fruit be destroyed together, Exod. 21:22, 23. Women with child, who are thus taken under the special protection of the law of God, if they live in his fear, may still believe themselves under the special protection of the providence of God, and hope that they shall be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:12

He that smiteth a man, so that he die ,.... The Targum of Jonathan is, that smites a man or daughter of Israel with the sword; but there is no need to restrain the words either to persons of any certain nation, nor to any instrument with which a person may be smitten as to die: but any human person, man, woman, or child, of whatsoever nation, and they smitten with anything whatever, that issues in their death: shall surely be put to death ; by the order of the civil magistrate, and by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:13

And if a man lie not in wait ,.... For the life of another to take it away; or does not do it willingly, as the Septuagint version, does not seek after it, nor design it: but God delivers him into his hand ; it being suffered and ordered by the providence of God, without whose knowledge and will nothing comes to pass, even what may seem to be a contingent thing, or matter of chance, to us; or it is so brought about in providence, that one man falls into the hands of another, and his life... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:14

But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile ,.... That comes with malice in his heart, with wrath in his countenance, in a bold, daring, hostile manner, using all the art, cunning, and contrivance he can, to take away the life of his neighbour; no asylum, no refuge, not anything to screen him from justice is to be allowed him: hence, a messenger of the sanhedrim, or an executioner, one that inflicts the forty stripes, save one, or a physician, or one that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:15

And he that smiteth his father or his mother ,.... With his fist, or with a stick, or cane, or such thing, though they died not with the blow, yet it occasioned any wound, or caused a bruise, or the part smitten black and blue, or left any print of the blow; for, as Jarchi says, the party was not guilty, less by smiting there was a bruise, or weal, made, or any mark or scar: but if so it was, then he shall be surely put to death ; the Targum of Jonathan adds, with the suffocation of a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:16

And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him ,.... One of the children of Israel, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and so the Septuagint version: but though this law was given to the Israelites primarily, yet was made for men stealers in general, as the apostle observes, who plainly has reference to it, 1 Timothy 1:9 , or if he be found in his hand ; before the selling of him, as Jarchi notes, since he stole him in order to sell him, he was guilty of death, as follows: he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:17

And he that curseth his father, or his mother ,.... Though he does not smite them with his hand, or with any instrument in it, yet if he smites them with his tongue, reviles and reproaches them, speaks evil of them, wishes dreadful imprecations upon them, curses them by the name explained, as the Targum of Jonathan calls it, by the name Jehovah, wishing the Lord would curse them, or that his curse might light upon them, see Proverbs 20:20 , shall surely be put to death ; or be killed... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:18

And if men strive together ,.... Quarrel and fight, and wrestle with and box one another: and one smite another with a stone ; which lying near him he might take up, and in his passion throw it at his antagonist: or with his fist ; with his double fist, as we express it, with his hand closed, that it might come with the greater force, and give the greater blow: and he die not, but keepeth his bed ; does not die with the blow of the stone or fist, yet receives so much damage by it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:19

If he rise again ,.... From his bed, or from his disease, as the last mentioned Targum, recovers again, at least so far as to be able to do what follows: and walk abroad upon his staff ; if he is able to get out of his bed, and especially out of his house, and can be seen walking about in the street or in the field, though he is obliged to make use of a staff, and lean upon it, being yet weak and sickly: then shall he that smote him be quit ; from the judgment of slaying, as the... read more

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