Exodus 21:35 NIV

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 21:35

And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die ,.... By pushing with his horns, or his body, or by biting with his teeth, as Jarchi, or by any way whatever: then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money ; the Scripture speaks, as the same writer observes, of one of equal value, otherwise the man that had his ox killed might be greatly a gainer by it; for if his ox was a poor one, and of little value, and the ox that killed his a good one, of value greatly superior, which... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 21:2-35

The slave laws. Slave laws belong to all communities, and not to some only, slavery being really a universal and not a partial institution. In the most civilised communities of modern Europe, there are two large classes of slaves—lunatics and criminals. The law openly condemns these last to penal servitude, which may be for life; and this "servitude," as Lord Chief Justice Coleridge has repeatedly pointed out, is simply a form of slavery. Ancient communities differed from modern— 1 .... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 21:18-36

Bodily injuries. The laws in this section may be thus classified:— I. INJURIES BY MAN . 1 . Strivers ( Exodus 21:18 , Exodus 21:19 ). The man who injured another in strife was required to pay for the loss of his time, and to cause him to be thoroughly healed. Had the man died, the case would have come under the law of Exodus 21:12 . As it was, blame attached to both parties, and the law waived the right to further satisfaction. Note— 2 . Servants ( Exodus 21:20... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Exodus 21:35-36

The dead ox in this case, as well as in the preceding one, must have been worth no more than the price of the hide, as the flesh could not be eaten. See Leviticus 17:1-6. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Exodus 21:28-36

Injuries caused by animals (21:28-36)Laws were laid down both to protect and to punish the owners of animals that injured or killed people. In determining how much the owner was at fault and what compensation he should pay, the main consideration was how much he could be held responsible for control of the animal. If the person killed by the animal was a slave, compensation was paid to the master, since he owned the slave. But the slave was acknowledged as a human being, not treated as a mere... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Exodus 21:35-36

"And if one man's ox hurt another's so that it dieth, then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the price of it; and the dead also shall they divide. Or if it be known that the ox was wont to gore in time past, and its owner hath not kept it in; he shall surely pay ox for ox, and the dead beast shall be his own."This is the same as the previous verses, except that animals instead of people would have been involved in a case like this. The responsibility of the owner of a dangerous animal... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Exodus 21:35-36

The law concerning a cattle fight is the same as one in the Laws of Esnunna, a twentieth century B.C. Akkadian law code. [Note: Laws of Esnunna, section 53.] However the Torah differentiated between an ox that gored habitually and one that did not in the case of one ox goring another. Thus the Torah showed higher regard for the rights and responsibilities of individuals. read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 21:1-36

The Book of the Covenant (continued)I-ii. Regulations regarding the Treatment of Hebrew Slaves.Slavery was universal in ancient times, and the Mosaic Law does not abolish it. Among the Hebrews, however, slavery was by no means the degrading and oppressive thing that it was among other nations. Manstealing, upon which modern systems of slavery are based, was a crime punishable by death (see Exodus 21:16), and the Law of Moses recognises the right of a slave to just and honourable treatment. A... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Exodus 21:33-36

LAWS CONCERNING THE RIGHTS OF PROPERTY.(33-36) The legislation slides from rights of persons to rights of property easily and without effort, by passing from the injuries which cattle cause to those which they suffer. They are injured (1) by the culpable laches of persons leaving their pits uncovered; (2) by hurts which one man’s cattle inflict upon another’s. Both kinds of loss have to be made good. read more