Open English Translation EXO Chapter 21

21 These are the rules that you must present to them:

Hebrew slaves

2 If you buy a Hebrew slave, he should serve for six years, then in the seventh year he must be set free without having to pay you anything.[ref] 3 If he came by himself, he can go free by himself. If he’s married with a wife, then his wife must be set free with him. 4 If his master gave him a wife and she bore him sons or daughters, then the wife and her children are her master’s, and only the husband must be set free. 5 But if he plainly says, “I love my master, my wife, and my children so I voluntarily choose not to be set free,” 6 then his master must take him to the place of worship. He must bring him to a door or to a doorpost, and his master must bore a hole his ear with an awl. Then he must serve him for life.

7 And if a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she won’t be sent away after six years like the male slaves. 8 If the man who bought her wanted her to become his slave-wife, but later he isn’t pleased with her behaviour, he must allow her to be bought back by her relatives. He has no authority to sell her on to outsiders, because that would break the understanding of proper treatment of her. 9 Or if he selected her to become his son’s slave-wife, then he must treat her like a daughter would expect to be treated. 10 If he go on to take another slave-wife, he mustn’t reduce the first one’s food or clothing, or her marital rights, 11 but if he doesn’t provide these three things to her, then she can go free without having to pay anything.

12 Whoever strikes someone and that person dies, must definitely be put to death.[ref] 13 But if it wasn’t premeditated—if God had let it happen as an accident—then I’ll assign a place where the one who hit them can flee to.[ref] 14 However, if someone had schemed to trap and kill their neighbour, then even if the killer clings to my altar, you must take them for execution.

15 Anyone who strikes their father or mother must certainly be put to death.

16 Anyone who abducts another person—either to sell or to keep as a slave—that person must certainly be put to death.[ref]

17 Anyone who curses their father or mother must certainly be put to death.[ref]

18 If two people fight and one hits their neighbour with a stone or with their fist, and the injured one doesn’t die but is bedridden, 19 if that person eventually rises and can walk about outside using a staff, then the person who struck them is free, other than reimbursing the costs of their lost work and their medical expenses.

20 If a master hits their male or female slave with a staff and the slave dies, then the death must certainly be avenged. 21 However, if the slave is able to stand within a couple of days, then the owner won’t be punished because the slave is their property.

22 If two people fight together and strike a pregnant woman and cause her to deliver the baby, if there’s no serious injury, then he must certainly be fined whatever the husband of the woman demands and the judges allow. 23 But if there’s serious injury, then you must give a life for a life, 24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot,[ref] 25 a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, and a bruise for a bruise.

26 If a master hits their male or female slave’s eye and damages it, they must let the slave go free in compensation for the eye. 27 Or if the master knocks out a tooth of a male or female slave, they must let the slave go free in compensation for the tooth.

28 If a bull gores a man or a woman and they die, the bull must certainly be killed by throwing rocks at it. The owner of the animal is to be considered innocent, but its meat mustn’t be eaten. 29 But if the bull had a habit of goring in the past and its owner was warned but didn’t keep it fenced in, and it kills a man or a woman, then the bull must be killed by throwing rocks at it and its owner must also be put to death. 30 If a ransom payment is demanded instead, the owner may buy back their life by paying the full amount demanded. 31 Those rules also apply if the bull gores a person’s son or daughter. 32 If the bull gores a male or female slave, its owner must give thirty silver shekels to the slave owner and the bull must be killed by throwing rocks at it.

33 If someone uncovers a pit for storage, or digs a new one and leaves it uncovered, and a cow or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit must pay compensation. The pit owner must pay in cash, but the dead animal will then belong to them. 35 If one person’s bull attacks someone else’s bull and it dies, then they should sell the live animal and divide the money as well as dividing up the dead animal. 36 But if it was known that the bull had a habit of goring in the past and its owner hadn’t kept it fenced in, then that owner must certainly give a live bull for the dead one, but the dead animal will become theirs.