Exodus 21

Laws concerning bond-men , or slaves , v.1, etc. Servants bored through the ear ,5. Ordinances for bond-women ,7. of murderes,12. of men-stealers ,16. of them that curse their parents,17. of strikers,18.of them that hurt a woman with childe ,22. of a master of a family , that strikes out an eye or tooth of his man-or maid-servant,26.of a pushing oxe , by digging a pit ,33.

1. These now are the Rights (or, Ordinances ) [i.e. Civil Constitutions and Orders , according to which the Judges were to judge the people of God .]which thou shalt put before them .[viz. before the people of Israel , but especially the Magistrates .]

2. When thou shalt buy an Hebrew servant , [Man or maid , as appears by Deuteronomy 15:12. and Jeremiah 34:9.Observe , that none might buy an Hebrew servant in israel, but such as sold themselves , or their children for poverty , Deuteronomy 15:12. Lev.25.39. Or that the Magistrate sold any for theft committed , when there could be made no restitution or recompense , Exod.22.3.] the same shall serve six years : but in the seventh year he shall go out free, for nothing .

3. If he shall be come in with his body, [i.e.In his person only , without a wife] he shall go out with his body : if he was a married man , [Heb. a wifes Lord . See Genesis 14:13.] his wife shall go out with him .

4. If his Master have given him a wife , [viz. A Heathen , or,forein slave ,or , bond woman , for onely such might be kept in bondage , Leviticus 25:44. but with an Hebrew woman they could not deal , as appears by verse 7.] and she shall have born him sons or daughters , the wife and her children shall be her Masters , and he shall go out with his body . [for the children born of a bond-woman , were likewise subject to bondage , as appears ,Gen.21.10. Galatians 4:24,25, etc.]

5. But if the servant shall roundly say , (or, declare ) [Heb. saying shall say] I love my Master ,my wife , and my children ; I will not go out free.

6. then his Master shall bring him to the Gods , [i.e.Before the Magistrates , Judges , Governours , as Psalms 82:1,6. and elsewhere .] after that , he shall bring him to the door, [viz, of his masters house .] or to the post : and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl , [shewing thereby,that he was made fast , and tied unseperably thenceforward to serve & obey the master of that house.] and he shall serve him forever . [See Deut.15.16.]

7. Now if any shall have sold his daughter [Heb. if a man ,etc. understand this of an Hebrew] for a bond-woman : he shall not go out as the bond-men go out .[of whom see before , verse 6.]

8. If she be ill-pleasing [Heb. if she be evil] in the eyes of her Master , that he hath not betrothed her to himself] he shall cause her to be redeemed : to sell her to a strange people,he shall not be able , because he dealt unfaithfully with her .

9. But if he betroth her to his son , heshall do with her, according to the right of daughters .[i.e. He shall give her a dowry , or matrimonial goods , such as fathers were wont to give unto their daughters , Exodus 22:16.]

10. If he take an other for himself , he shall not withdraw from this, her food , [Heb. her flesh ,i.e. her food, or alimony] her covering , nor her marriage-duty.[see 1 Cor.7.3. oth. matrimonial co-habitation.]

11. And if he do (or,perform) not these three (things) unto her , [viz. whereof the former ver.spake] then he shall go out for nothing, without money .

12. Whoso striketh any , that he dieth, the same shall surely be put to death . [Heb. dying be made to die .]

13. Yet he that lay not in wait for (him) , [viz. with malicious intent and purpose, seeking and watching opportunity to do him mischief .] but god made him to meet his hand ; I shall appoint thee a place , whither he may flee .[of the Cities of refuge, whither such, as committed a murther at unawares , might betake and save themselves ; see Numb.35.11. Deuteronomy 19:2. Jos.20.2.]

14. But if any have dealt wilfully against his neighbour , to slay him craftily ; then thou shalt take him before mine Altar , [i.e. although he should have taken sanctuary at my own Altar, to save himself , thou shalt not spare , nor scruple to take him thence : see 1 Kings 2:25.] that he may die .[viz. by course of law, and according to the sentence of the Magistrate.]

15. So he that striketh his father or his mother , shall surely be put to death .

16. Moreover, whoso stealeth a man ,[Deut.24.7. it is a son of Israel , i.e. any israelite .] whether he have sold him , or, that he be found in his hand , he shall surely be put to death.

17. Whoso likewise curseth his father , or his mother , he shall surely be put to death .

18. And if men strive together , and the one strike the other , [Heb. a man (i.e. any one) strike his neighbour] with a stone , or with a fist : and he die not , but keepeth his bed :

19. If he rise again , and go in the street with his staff , he that struck him , shall be guiltless , [i.e. he shall not be punished by death] only he shall give that which he neglected , [Hebr. his sitting , i.e. all the damage he sustained , by being dis-enabled to go about his labour or emploiment ; the meaning is , he shall give him satisfaction , for having been kept for so long from following his business , and earning his daily bread and livelihood .] and he shall get him perfectly healed . [Heb. recovering recover ,or, healing heal.]

20. also when any striketh his man-servant, or his maid-servant, with a stick , [This meant of such a servant , as he bought with his money , wherefore also in the next verse the same is called his money ; with an Hebrew servant , the condition differed much , as you may see , Lev.25.38,39,40.] that he die under his hand; [viz. while he is beating of him] the same shall surely be avenged . [viz. by the Magistrate, who is Gods avenger , Rom.13.4.]

21. Nevertheless if he keep up [Heb. if he stands] a day, or two days , he shall not be avenged , for it is his money . [i.e. His master bought him with his own money, and therefore he is his own , which makes it probable , that he intended not to kill but only to chastise him . Oth.as he is his money , i.e.being such a servant , as was bought with his own money .]

22. Now when (any ) men strive , and strike a woman with a childe ; [Whether both together , or one or either of them do it.] that the fruit [Heb. her children] go off from her , yet (it) be no mortal mischief, [understand neither to the mother , nor to the childe , but both be saved alive] shall surely be punished , [Heb. punishing be punished] even as the husband of the woman layeth upon him , and he shall give it by the Judges . [i.e. according to the sentence of the Judges.

23. But if there shall be mortal mischief [viz. Either to another, or childe] thou shalt give soul for soul: [i.e life for life]

24. Eye for eye; tooth for tooth; hand for hand; foot for foot:

25. Burning for burning; wound for wound; sore for sore

26. Also when any strikes his man – servants eye, or his maid – servants eye, and spoileth; he shall let him go free for his eye. [i.e. He shall set him at liberty from his bondage]

27. And if he strike out his man – servants tooth; or his maid – servans tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooto. [The like is to be understood of the maiming, laming, or spoiling of other members and part of the body]

28. And when an oxe doth push a man or women [Under the name of an oxe ought to be understood likewise, bulls, cows, heifers, bullocks, goats, rams, horses, asses, and other beasts, which may hurt a body by their horns, teeth, heels, claws , &c] that he die, God avengeth the blood of man upon the very beasts, see Genesis 9:5.] and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the master of the oxe shall be gultless. [viz. if so be that he knew not the pushing condition of his oxe.]

29. But if the oxe were pushing before, [Heb. from yester – (day), 10 v 36 and elsewhere] and it was testified to his master, and he had not guarded, and his master shall likewise be put to death [not having hindred, or prevented the death of his neighbor, as well he might have done.]

30. If (a) ransome be laid upon him, [viz By the Judges, they having narrowly examined all the circumstances, and finding cause to save his life, and to sine him] he shall give for the redemption of his soul, according to all that shall laid upon him,

31. Whether he had pushed a son, or pushed a daughter, it shall be done to him, according to that right.

32. If the oxe push a man – servant, or a maid servant: he [the owner of the oxe] shall give unto his master [i.e. that mans, or maids master] thirty silverlings. [See Genesis 20:16]

33. And when any one openeth a pit, or, when any one diggeth a pit, and he covers it not; and an oxe or asse [understand likewise any other beast that fell into the pit] yet he dead (beast) shall be his [viz. the master or ownerof th pit]

34. the master of the pit shall recompence it, he shall return the money to its master; [viz. So such as the Judge, or Umpire shall estimate the beast that fell into the pit]yet the dead (beast) shall be his. [viz. the master or owner of the pit]

35. Now when any ones oxe doth hurt his neighbours oxe, that he dieth, the living oxe shall be sold, and the money thereof divided half and half, and the dead shall likewise be divided half and half.

36. Or, was it know, that the same oxe was pushing formarl, and his master hath not guarded him, then he shall by all means recompence] for oxe, yet dead (one) shall be his. [to wit, his whose oxe did kill thhe other]