Exodus 21:12 — Word Study
WLCמַכֵּ֥ה אִ֛ישׁ וָמֵ֖ת מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃
BSAWhoever strikesnâkâh [any person, anyone who, smiteth, hits] and killsmûwth [so that he dies, to the point of death] a manʼîysh [male person, individual] must surely be put to deathmûwth [certainly, without fail, executed, die the death]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מַכֵּ֥ה | [one who] will strike | Verb, Hiphil, participle (active) masculine singular common |
| אִ֛ישׁ | anyone | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וָמֵ֖ת | and he will die | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect third person masculine singular |
| מ֥וֹת | certainly | Verb, Qal, infinitive absolute |
| יוּמָֽת׃ | he will be put to death | Verb, Hophal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death. |
| KJV | ¶ He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. |
| ASV | He that smiteth a man, so that he dieth, shall surely be put to death. |
| YLT | 'He who smiteth a man so that he hath died, is certainly put to death; |
| WEB | “One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death, |
| BBE | He who gives a man a death-blow is himself to be put to death. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of וָמֵ֖ת — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a consequence clause, clearly establishing the action and its penalty.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָכָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Exodus 21:12
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Laws Concerning Violencegenerated
Exodus 21:12 outlines the severe consequences for murder, emphasizing the sanctity of life and the seriousness of taking another's life. This law is part of a broader set of regulations intended to maintain justice and order within the community, as seen in the surrounding verses that address various offenses and their penalties.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exodus 20:13 | You shall not murder. |
| 2 | 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. |
| 3 | Leviticus 24:17 | And if a man takes the life of anyone else, he must surely be put to death. |
| 4 | Numbers 35:16–24 | 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. |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 19:11–13 | If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מַכֵּ֥ה, ma.Kehgenerated
The word מַכֵּ֥ה (ma.Keh) is a participle from the root נָכָה (nakah), meaning 'to strike' or 'to smite'. It indicates an active subject who strikes, encompassing a range of actions from a light hit to a fatal blow. In this context, it is used to describe the act of killing.
This word is significant in the legal context of the verse, as it establishes the perpetrator's action that leads to the death penalty. The participial form suggests a continuous action, emphasizing the severity of the act of striking that results in death.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase strikes and kills.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause of the verse is governed by the verb וָמֵ֖ת, and he will die, which is linked to the subject מַכֵּ֥ה, whoever strikes. The structure indicates a clear cause-and-effect relationship: the act of striking leads to the consequence of death.
The sentence is straightforward, with a subject followed by multiple clauses that detail the actions and consequences. This clarity reflects the legal nature of the text, emphasizing the seriousness of the crime.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew מַכֵּ֥ה is rendered as πατάχῃ (patakhē), which carries the sense of striking or hitting. This choice aligns with the original meaning but may imply a slightly broader interpretation of the act of violence.
The Greek translation maintains the severity of the original Hebrew, reinforcing the concept of punishment for the act of killing.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 21:12 states that if someone strikes and kills a man, that person must be put to death. This law emphasizes the seriousness of murder and the consequences that follow such an act.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It refers to the act of intentionally causing the death of another person through violence.
The penalty for murder is death, as stated in this law.
The death penalty underscores the value of human life and serves as a deterrent against violent actions.
This law reflects a commitment to justice and the protection of life within the community.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this law teach us about the value of human life?
- How can we apply the principles of justice outlined in this verse to our lives today?
- In what ways can we prevent violence in our communities?
- How does understanding the consequences of actions influence our behavior?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 21:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe 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
Read John Gill on Exodus 21 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. He that smiteth a man so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 21 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHe that smiteth a man knowingly and wilfully, as appears by the next verse, neither the friends of the party slain, nor the magistrate, shall give him a pardon, or accept a ransom for him, .
Read Matthew Poole on Exodus 21 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsExodus 21:12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.Ver. 12. Shall be surely put to death.]
Read John Trapp on Exodus 21 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12-14) He that smiteth a man, so that he die.—Homicide had been broadly and generally forbidden in the sixth commandment. But something more was necessary. Laws are for the most part inoperative unless they are enforced by penalties; and for every case of homicide the same penalty would not be fitting. Accordingly we have here, first, the assignment of the death penalty for homicide of the first degree, i.e., murder; and secondly, the provision of a refuge for homicide of the second degree, i.e., manslaughter, or death by misadventure. The death penalty for murder had already received Divine sanction in the injunctions given to Noah (Genesis 9:6). Tradition, backed up by conscience, had…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 21 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges12–17. Capital offences. In v. 12 is laid down the general principle that death is the punishment for killing a man. If the act is unpre-meditated (manslaughter), the penalty is modified (v. 13), but retained in full in the case of the act being evidently intentional (v. 14). Kidnapping a fellow Israelite, and smiting or cursing a parent (vv. 15–17), are also treated as capital offences.
Read Cambridge on Exodus 21 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe case of murder of a free man and of a bondman. See Exodus 21:20 note. The law was afterward expressly declared to relate also to foreigners, Leviticus 24:17, Leviticus 24:21-22; compare the marginal references.
Read Albert Barnes on Exodus 21 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible12. Smiteth a man, so that he die — This is a general law for intentional murder, and demands the punishment declared in Genesis 9:6. See also notes on Exodus 20:13.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 21 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death.
“One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death,
Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death.
“Whoever strikes someone so that he dies must surely be put to death.
Tyndale line
¶ He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
He that smiteth a man, so that he dieth, shall surely be put to death.
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall surely be put to death.
He that smiteth a man, so that he dieth, shall be surely put to death.
He that smiteth a man, and he die, shall dye the death.
Strictly literal
He that striketh a man, so that he die, shall certainly be put to death.
'He who smiteth a man so that he hath died, is certainly put to death;
He who strikes a man so that he has died is certainly put to death;
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall surely be put to death.
Whoever strikes a man so that he dies, that person must surely be put to death.
From the Latin
He that striketh a man with a will to kill him, shall be put to death.
Simplified
Anyone who hits and kills someone else must be executed.
He who gives a man a death-blow is himself to be put to death.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is consistent with the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch, all agreeing word for word on this verse. This agreement highlights the stability of the text across different traditions.
מַכֵּ֥ה אִ֛ישׁ וָמֵ֖ת מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
מכה אישׁ ומת מות יומת
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Exodus 21:12
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
נָכָה (nakah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to strike or smite, encompassing a range of actions from lightly hitting to fatal blows. It appears in various forms, indicating actions like attacking, punishing, or causing disease. The entries suggest its use in both literal and figurative contexts, including divine judgment and applause. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
[נָכָה] 501 vb. smite (not in Qal)
Niph. and he shall be smitten [struck by weapon in battle] and die
Pu. both be smitten down by the hail
Hiph.
lit., smite (with a single, non-fatal, blow), strike
smite repeatedly, beat a man
and they clapped hands (in applause)
give a thrust (with fork) into pot; strike roots
rarely smite (in battle) so as (merely) to wound
smite, of sun
Smite fatally
Smite = attack, attack and destroy a company
Of God
smite with a plague, disease, etc.
smite = chastise, or send judgment upon
of God’s destroying palaces
Hoph. be smitten
base
H5221 נָכָה smite (not in Qal) . and he shall be smitten [struck by weapon in battle] and die
. both be smitten down by the hail
. . . lit., smite (with a single, non-fatal, blow), strike
. smite repeatedly, beat a man
. and they clapped hands (in applause)
. give a thrust (with fork) into pot; strike roots
. rarely smite (in battle) so as (merely) to wound
. smite, of sun
. Smite fatally
. Smite = attack, attack and destroy a company
. Of God . smite with a plague, disease, etc.
. smite = chastise, or send judgment upon
. of God’s destroying palaces
. be smitten
5221 nakah naw-kaw'
a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally
or figuratively):--beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), X
go forward, X indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer,
punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike,
be stricken, (give) stripes, X surely, wound.
נָכָה (na.khah) — to smite.
1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill
1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten
1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust
1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast)
1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage
1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy
1d) (Hophal) to be smitten
1d1) to receive a blow
1d2) to be wounded
1d3) to be beaten
1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain
1d5) to be attacked and captured
1d6) to be smitten (with disease)
1d7) to be blighted (of plants)
V-Hiphil — Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine singular commonHVhrmsc
strik: The verbs "to strike" and "to stroke" (latter not in English Versions) have the same derivation, and originally "strike" was the intrans, "stroke" the transitive form. "Strike" however, became used in both senses (always transitive in English Versions of the Bible), while "to stroke" took on the meaning "to, rub gently." But in the King James Version this last force still belonged sometimes to "strike" and is so found in 2Ki 5:11, "strike his hand over the place" (the Revised Version (British and American) "wave"), and perhaps Ex 12:7,22; Tobit 11:11 Otherwise AV's uses of the simple "strike" are modern, including "strike sail" (Ac 27:17; here and in /RAPC Tob 11:11 with an archaic preterite "strake," elsewhere…
The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.
אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)
base
H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)
376 'iysh eesh
contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root
meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male
person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and
in such cases frequently not expressed in
translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +
champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,
husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),
him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,
person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.
Compare 802.
see HEBREW for 0582
see HEBREW for 0802
אִישׁ (ish) — man.
: man
1) man
1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
1b) husband
1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)
1d) servant
1e) mankind
1f) champion
1g) great man
2) whosoever
3) each (adjective)
אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.
: husband
1) man
1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
1b) husband
1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)
1d) servant
1e) mankind
1f) champion
1g) great man
2) whosoever
3) each (adjective)
אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.
: anyone/someone
1) man
1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
1b) husband
1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)
1d) servant
1e) mankind
1f) champion
1g) great man
2) whosoever
3) each (adjective)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.
מוּת vb. die
Qal
die, of natural or other causes
die as a penalty = be put to death
Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
Hiph.
abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
subj. God, by inflicting penalty
of animals killing men
bring to a premature death
Hoph. be killed, put to death
base
H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes
. die as a penalty = be put to death
. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
. subj. God, by inflicting penalty
. of animals killing men
. bring to a premature death
. be killed, put to death
4191 muwth mooth
a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);
causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,
man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,
be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,
slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.
מוּת (mut) — to die.
1) to die, kill, have one executed
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to die
1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death
1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)
1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)
1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch
1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be killed, be put to death
1d1a) to die prematurely
Conj | V-Qal-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqq3ms
(muth, gawa`; apothnesko, teleutao): "To die," etc., is of very frequent occurrence, and in the Old Testament is generally the translation of muth, meaning perhaps originally, "to be stretched out" or "prostrate." "To die," should be the consequence of eating the forbidden fruit (Ge 2:17; compare Ge 20:7; 2Ki 1:4,6). "Die" is commonly used of natural death (Ge 5:8; 25:8). It is used also of violent death (Ge 26:9,11; Ex 21:20); punitive (Ex 19:12; 21:12,14; 28:43; Nu…
מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.
מוּת vb. die
Qal
die, of natural or other causes
die as a penalty = be put to death
Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
Hiph.
abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
subj. God, by inflicting penalty
of animals killing men
bring to a premature death
Hoph. be killed, put to death
base
H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes
. die as a penalty = be put to death
. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
. subj. God, by inflicting penalty
. of animals killing men
. bring to a premature death
. be killed, put to death
4191 muwth mooth
a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);
causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,
man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,
be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,
slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.
מוּת (mut) — to die.
1) to die, kill, have one executed
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to die
1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death
1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)
1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)
1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch
1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be killed, be put to death
1d1a) to die prematurely
V-Qal-Ptc — Verb · Qal · infinitive absoluteHVqaa
מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.
מוּת vb. die
Qal
die, of natural or other causes
die as a penalty = be put to death
Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
Hiph.
abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
subj. God, by inflicting penalty
of animals killing men
bring to a premature death
Hoph. be killed, put to death
base
H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes
. die as a penalty = be put to death
. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
. subj. God, by inflicting penalty
. of animals killing men
. bring to a premature death
. be killed, put to death
4191 muwth mooth
a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);
causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,
man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,
be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,
slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.
מוּת (mut) — to die.
1) to die, kill, have one executed
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to die
1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death
1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)
1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)
1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch
1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be killed, be put to death
1d1a) to die prematurely
HVHi3ms — Verb · Hophal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVHi3ms
(maweth; thanatos):
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FIGURATIVE VIEW
The word "Death" is used in the sense of
(1) the process of dying (Ge 21:16);
(2) the period of decease (Ge 27:7);
(3) as a possible synonym for poison (2Ki 4:40);
(4) as descriptive of person in danger of perishing (Jud 15:18; "in deaths oft" 2Co 11:23). In this sense the shadow of death is a familiar expression in Job, the Psalms and the Prophets;
Death
May be simply defined as the termination of life. It is represented under a variety of aspects in Scripture: (1.) “The dust shall return to the earth as it was” (Eccl. 12:7).
(2.) “Thou takest away their breath, they die” (Ps. 104:29).
(3.) It is the dissolution of “our earthly house of this tabernacle” (2 Cor. 5:1); the “putting off this tabernacle” (2 Pet. 1:13, 14).
(4.) Being “unclothed” (2 Cor. 5:3, 4).
(5.) “Falling on sleep” (Ps. 76:5; Jer. 51:39;
Is taken in Scripture, first, for the separation of body and soul, the first death, Ge 25:11; secondly, for alienation from God, and exposure to his wrath, 1Jo 3:14, etc.; thirdly, for the second death, that of eternal damnation. Death was the penalty affixed to Adam’s transgression, Ge 2:17 3:19; and all his posterity are transgressors, and share the curse inflicted upon him. CHRIST is "our life." All believers share his life, spiritually and eternally; and though sin and bodily is taken away, and in the resurrection the last enemy shall be trampled under foot, Ro 5:12-21 1Co 15:1-58.