15 And he that smiteth H5221 his father, H1 or his mother, H517 shall be surely H4191 put to death. H4191
If a man H376 have a stubborn H5637 and rebellious H4784 son, H1121 which will not obey H8085 the voice H6963 of his father, H1 or the voice H6963 of his mother, H517 and that, when they have chastened H3256 him, will not hearken H8085 unto them: Then shall his father H1 and his mother H517 lay hold H8610 on him, and bring him out H3318 unto the elders H2205 of his city, H5892 and unto the gate H8179 of his place; H4725 And they shall say H559 unto the elders H2205 of his city, H5892 This our son H1121 is stubborn H5637 and rebellious, H4784 he will not obey H8085 our voice; H6963 he is a glutton, H2151 and a drunkard. H5433 And all the men H582 of his city H5892 shall stone H7275 him with stones, H68 that he die: H4191 so shalt thou put H1197 evil H7451 away H1197 from among H7130 you; and all Israel H3478 shall hear, H8085 and fear. H3372
The eye H5869 that mocketh H3932 at his father, H1 and despiseth H936 to obey H3349 his mother, H517 the ravens H6158 of the valley H5158 shall pick it out, H5365 and the young H1121 eagles H5404 shall eat H398 it.
Knowing G1492 this, G5124 that G3754 the law G3551 is G2749 not G3756 made G2749 for a righteous man, G1342 but G1161 for the lawless G459 and G2532 disobedient, G506 for the ungodly G765 and G2532 for sinners, G268 for unholy G462 and G2532 profane, G952 for murderers of fathers G3964 and G2532 murderers of mothers, G3389 for manslayers, G409
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 21
Commentary on Exodus 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 21
Ex 21:1-6. Laws for Menservants.
1. judgments—rules for regulating the procedure of judges and magistrates in the decision of cases and the trial of criminals. The government of the Israelites being a theocracy, those public authorities were the servants of the Divine Sovereign, and subject to His direction. Most of these laws here noticed were primitive usages, founded on principles of natural equity, and incorporated, with modifications and improvements, in the Mosaic code.
2-6. If thou buy an Hebrew servant—Every Israelite was free-born; but slavery was permitted under certain restrictions. An Hebrew might be made a slave through poverty, debt, or crime; but at the end of six years he was entitled to freedom, and his wife, if she had voluntarily shared his state of bondage, also obtained release. Should he, however, have married a female slave, she and the children, after the husband's liberation, remained the master's property; and if, through attachment to his family, the Hebrew chose to forfeit his privilege and abide as he was, a formal process was gone through in a public court, and a brand of servitude stamped on his ear (Ps 40:6) for life, or at least till the Jubilee (De 15:17).
Ex 21:7-36. Laws for Maidservants.
7-11. if a man sell his daughter—Hebrew girls might be redeemed for a reasonable sum. But in the event of her parents or friends being unable to pay the redemption money, her owner was not at liberty to sell her elsewhere. Should she have been betrothed to him or his son, and either change their minds, a maintenance must be provided for her suitable to her condition as his intended wife, or her freedom instantly granted.
23-25. eye for eye—The law which authorized retaliation (a principle acted upon by all primitive people) was a civil one. It was given to regulate the procedure of the public magistrate in determining the amount of compensation in every case of injury, but did not encourage feelings of private revenge. The later Jews, however, mistook it for a moral precept, and were corrected by our Lord (Mt 5:38-42).
28-36. If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die—For the purpose of sanctifying human blood, and representing all injuries affecting life in a serious light, an animal that occasioned death was to be killed or suffer punishment proportioned to the degree of damage it had caused. Punishments are still inflicted on this principle in Persia and other countries of the East; and among a rude people greater effect is thus produced in inspiring caution, and making them keep noxious animals under restraint, than a penalty imposed on the owners.
30. If there be laid on him a sum of money, &c.—Blood fines are common among the Arabs as they were once general throughout the East. This is the only case where a money compensation, instead of capital punishment, was expressly allowed in the Mosaic law.