Exodus 21:18-36

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 21:18

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:20

And if a man smite his servant or his maid with a rod ,.... A Canaanitish servant or maid, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi; and that only with a rod for the correction of them, and not with a sword or any such destroying weapon, which would seem as though he intended to kill, yet nevertheless: and he die under his hand ; immediately, while he is smiting or beating him or her, on the same day, as the above Targum interprets it: he shall be surely punished ; or condemned to... read more

John Gill

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

Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two ,.... And does not die immediately, or the same day, but lives twenty four hours, as the Jewish writers interpret it; so Abendana F24 Not. in Miclol Yophi in loc. explains the phrase, "a day or two";"a day which is as two days, and they are twenty four hours from time to time,'that is, from the time he was smitten to the time of his continuance; and so it is elsewhere explained F25 Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Zabim, c. 2. sect. 3. ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:22

If men strive ,.... Quarrel and fight with one another, which is to be understood of Hebrews, as Aben Ezra observes: and hurt a woman with child ; who being the wife of one of them, and also an Israelitish woman, interposes to part them, or help her husband; but the other, instead of striking his antagonist as he intended, gives her a blow: so that her fruit depart from her ; or, "her children go forth" F26 ויצאו ילדיה "et egressi fuerint nati ejus", Pagninus, Montanus,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:23

And if any mischief follow ,.... According as that is, so shall it be done to the smiter: if death follows: then thou shalt give life for life ; if death to the woman, so Jarchi and Aben Ezra interpret it; to which agrees the Targum of Jonathan,"but if there is death in her, then ye shall judge or condemn the life of the murderer for the life of the woman;'about which, Jarchi says, there is a difference among their doctors; some say life properly, absolutely the person himself; others... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:24

Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. This is "lex talionis", the law of retaliation, and from whence the Heathens had theirs; but whether this is to be taken strictly and literally, or only for pecuniary mulcts, is a question; Josephus F4 Antiqu. l. 4. c. 33. 35. understands it in the former sense, the Jewish writers generally in the latter; and so the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it;"the price of an eye for an eye, &c.;'Jarchi on the place observes,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:25

Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. This is to be understood of burning a man's flesh with fire; of wounds made by any means, so that the blood is let out; and of blows, and the prints and marks of them; of stripes and weals where the blood is settled, and the part is turned black and blue: the Targum of Jonathan is, the price of the pain of burning for burning, &c.; and indeed, in everyone of these cases, the law could not be well literally executed; for it would be... read more

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