King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
Complete Jewish Bible:
If the ox gores a male or female slave, its owner must give their master twelve ounces of silver; and the ox is to be stoned to death.
Berean Standard Bible:
If the ox gores a manservant or maidservant, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of that servant, and the ox must be stoned.
American Standard Version:
If the ox gore a man-servant or a maid-servant, there shall be given unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
If the ox{H7794} shall push{H5055} a manservant{H5650} or a maidservant{H519}; he shall give{H5414} unto their master{H113} thirty{H7970} shekels{H8255} of silver{H3701}, and the ox{H7794} shall be stoned{H5619}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Matthew 26:15
- And said [unto them], What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
Zechariah 11:12
- And I said unto them, If ye think good, give [me] my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty [pieces] of silver.
Zechariah 11:13
- And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty [pieces] of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.
Matthew 27:3
- Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Matthew 27:9
- Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;
Genesis 37:28
- Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty [pieces] of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Philippians 2:7
- But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Exodus 21:32
1. Themes:
- Responsibility and Compensation: The verse emphasizes the need for restitution when harm is caused to another's property, in this case, a servant. The owner of the ox is held accountable for the actions of their animal.
- Value of Life and Property: The stipulated amount of silver (thirty shekels) represents the value placed on human life and the economic impact of losing a servant, who was considered property in ancient times.
- Justice and Law: The command reflects the legal system in place at the time, providing specific guidelines for handling cases of personal injury and property damage.
2. Historical Context:
- Ancient Near Eastern Laws: Exodus 21 is part of the Covenant Code, which contains laws similar in form to other ancient Near Eastern legal collections. These laws were likely written down during the time of Moses (around the 13th century BCE) and reflect the societal norms and legal practices of the era.
- Treatment of Servants: In the context of the time, servants were considered the property of their masters, and thus, any harm to them would result in compensation to the owner. The verse reflects the economic rather than humanitarian concern for servants.
- The Ox as Property: Oxen were valuable assets in an agrarian society, used for plowing and other labor-intensive tasks. The stoning of the ox may serve both as a punishment and a means to prevent future harm.
- Monetary System: The shekel was a unit of weight and currency, and thirty shekels of silver was a significant amount of money, indicating the seriousness with which the law regarded the loss of a servant.
In summary, Exodus 21:32 provides insight into the ancient Israelite legal system, specifically addressing personal injury and property damage involving an ox and a servant. It reflects the values and economic structures of the time, including the concept of compensation for harm done to another's property.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7794
There are 69 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שׁוֹר
Transliteration: shôwr
Pronunciation: shore
Description: from שׁוּר; a bullock (as a traveller); bull(-ock), cow, ox, wall (by mistake for שׁוּר). - Strong's Number: H5055
There are 10 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָגַח
Transliteration: nâgach
Pronunciation: naw-gakh'
Description: a primitive root; to butt with the horns; figuratively, to war against; gore, push (down, -ing). - Strong's Number: H5650
There are 714 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֶבֶד
Transliteration: ʻebed
Pronunciation: eh'-bed
Description: from עָבַד; a servant; [idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant. - Strong's Number: H519
There are 134 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמָה
Transliteration: ʼâmâh
Pronunciation: aw-maw'
Description: apparently a primitive word; a maidservant or female slave; (hand-) bondmaid(-woman), maid(-servant). - Strong's Number: H5414
There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָתַן
Transliteration: nâthan
Pronunciation: naw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. - Strong's Number: H113
There are 337 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָדוֹן
Transliteration: ʼâdôwn
Pronunciation: aw-done'
Description: or (shortened) אָדֹן; from an unused root (meaning to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine); lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with 'Adoni-'. - Strong's Number: H7970
There are 164 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁלוֹשִׁים
Transliteration: shᵉlôwshîym
Pronunciation: shel-o-sheem'
Description: or שְׁלֹשִׁים; multiple of שָׁלוֹשׁ; thirty; or (ordinal) thirtieth; thirty, thirtieth. Compare שָׁלִישׁ. - Strong's Number: H8255
There are 54 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שֶׁקֶל
Transliteration: sheqel
Pronunciation: sheh'-kel
Description: from שָׁקַל; probably a weight; used as a commercial standard; shekel. - Strong's Number: H3701
There are 343 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כֶּסֶף
Transliteration: keçeph
Pronunciation: keh'-sef
Description: from כָּסַף; silver (from its pale color); by implication, money; money, price, silver(-ling). - Strong's Number: H5619
There are 20 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: סָקַל
Transliteration: çâqal
Pronunciation: saw-kal'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to be weighty; but used only in the sense of lapidation or its contrary (as if a delapidation); (cast, gather out, throw) stone(-s), [idiom] surely.