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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Exodus 21:20-21

Beating a slave so that he dies. Vv.26 f., 32, also deal with injuries to slaves. The penalties prescribed shew that less was thought of the life of a slave than of that of a free man, in v.21 he is called simply his master's -money"; at the same time he has rights, and cannot be treated with entire impunity. The position of slaves in Israel must thus have been considerably better than that of slaves in Rome, at least in the time of the Republic, when their masters could kill them with impunity (Dion. Halic. vii. 68, Plutarch, Cato21, cited by Kn.).

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See also Exodus 21:20-21 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    The Jewish authorities appear to be right in referring this law, like those in Exodus 21:26, Exodus 21:32, to foreign slaves (see Leviticus 25:44). The protection here afforded to the life of a slave

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 21 DIFFERENT JUDGMENTS _ 1. Master and servant (Exodus 21:1)_ 2. Concerning injury to the person (Exodus 21:12) 3. Concerning property (Exodus 21:33) The Three Chapter s which follow the gi...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EXODUS 21:18 E. INJURIES. If one man injures another in a quarrel (Exodus 21:18), he must, on the recovery of the other, compensate him for the loss of time and pay his doctor's bill (Exodus 21:19). H...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    PUNISHED. avenged....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    IF A MAN SMITE HIS SERVANT, &C.— The equity of these laws is apparent to every reader, though the Jewish Rabbis have done all they could to restrict and render them unworthy the Divine Lawgiver. The l...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 21NOW THESE ARE THE ORDINANCES WHICH THOU SHALT SET BEFORE them. (2) If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND IF A MAN SMITE HIS SERVANT, OR HIS MAID, WITH A ROD, AND HE DIE UNDER HIS HAND; HE SHALL BE SURELY PUNISHED._ If a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die ... х_ BASHEEBET_ (H...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT (CONTINUED) I-ii. Regulations regarding the Treatment of Hebrew Slaves. Slavery was universal in ancient times, and the Mosaic Law does not abolish it. Among the Hebrews, howe...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EXODUS: *ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS TO MOSES EXODUS CHAPTER S 19 TO 40 _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 21 *HEBREW SLAVES – VERSES 1-11 V1 The *LORD continued to speak to...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AND IF A MAN SMITE HIS SERVANT. — The homicide hitherto considered has been that of freemen; but the Mosaic Law was not content to stop at this point. Unlike most other codes, it proceeded to forbid t...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ כִֽי ־יַכֶּה֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶת ־עַבְדֹּ֜ו אֹ֤ו

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXI. _ THE LESSER LAW (continued)._ PART II.--RIGHTS OF THE PERSON. Exodus 21:1. The first words of God from Sinai had declared that He was Jehovah Who brought them out of slavery. And in t...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    At this point we have certain laws which apply the principles of the Decalogue to life. The first movement has to do with the laws of the person. This begins with the relation of slaves to their maste...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    The apostle hath the best comment upon these precepts. Ephesians 6:9; Ephesians 6:9....

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    "In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai." Up to this point all the dealings of God have been the...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    20._And if a man smite his servant_. Although in civil matters there was a wide distinction between slaves and free-men, still, that God may show how dear and precious men’s lives are to Him, He has n...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 19 THROUGH 23. But having thus terminated the course of grace, the scene changes entirely. They do not keep the feast on the mountain, whither God, as He had...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND IF A MAN SMITE HIS SERVANT OR HIS MAID WITH A ROD,.... A Canaanitish servant or maid, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi; and that only with a rod for the correction of them, and not with a...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. Ver. 20. _He shall be surely punished._] At the discretion of the magistrate, who is t...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _With a rod_ The usual instrument of correction, whereby is implied, that if he killed the person with a sword or any such weapon he was to be put to death; _and he die under his hand_ While the maste...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Lawes for men seruants. 5 For the seruant whose eare is boared. 7 For women seruants. 12 For manslaughter. 16 For stealers of men. 17 For cursers of parents. 18 For smiters. 22 For a hurt by...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And if a man smite his servant or his maid, his male or his female slave, WITH A ROD, AND HE DIE UNDER HIS HAND, HE SHALL BE SURELY PUNISHED, be required to give satisfaction....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    CONCERNING MURDER AND BODILY INJURIES...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    C. FIRST FORM OF THE LAW OF THE POLITICAL COMMONWEALTH Exodus 21:1 to Exodus 23:33 _a. Right of Personal Freedom (according to Bertheau, ten in number)_ 1Now these _are_ the judgments [ordinances] w...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    RESPONSIBILITIES OF MASTERS (vs.1-11) Moses is now given an expanded view of the law on Chapter s 21-23. Special duties of masters are first considered. They may think they have full authority over t...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    PUNISHED: _ Heb._ avenged...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    12-21 God, who by his providence gives and maintains life, by his law protects it. A wilful murderer shall be taken even from God's altar. But God provided cities of refuge to protect those whose unh...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    HIS SERVANT, namely, a stranger; for an Israelite was to be better used. See LEVITICUS 25:39,40, &c. WITH A ROD; a fit and usual instrument for correction, whereby it is implied, that if he killed him...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    The study of this section of our book is eminently calculated to impress the heart with a sense d God's unsearchable wisdom and infinite goodness. It enables one to form some idea of the character of...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Exodus 21:20 man H376 beats H5221 (H8686) male H5650 servant H519 rod H7626 dies H4191 (H8804) hand...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    REGULATIONS IN RESPECT OF EXTREME VIOLENCE TO ANOTHER (EXODUS 21:12). The following regulations all deal with extreme violence towards others. This came first in matters to do with behaviour towards...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    EXPANSION OF THE TEN WORDS OF THE COVENANT (EXODUS 20:22 TO EXODUS 23:33). In this section, which is composed of elements put together mainly in chiastic form (see later), Yahweh expands on the Ten W...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Laws concerning servants. Injuries to the person. CHARACTERS: God, Moses. CONCLUSION: The great God of heaven stoops to take interest in the detail affairs between man and man and makes re...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Exodus 21:1. _These are the judgments._ In this chapter we enter upon the fifty seven precepts of the civil law of the Hebrew nation. They are the laws of patriarchal society; and are here arranged an...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _If a man smite his servant._ MASTERS AND SERVANTS 1. It is supposed that masters in the Church of God may be cruel in correcting servants, but it is sin. 2. It is possible that death may follow up...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 21:20 These verses provide a general rule relating to cases in which a slave has been severely beaten by his master (STRIKES HIS SLAVE... WITH A ROD). The instruction not to aven...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Exodus 21:11_ GOD’S DISAPPROBATION OF BRUTE FORCE.—_Exodus 21:22_ I. One of the great underlying principles and fundamental axioms of the Mosaic legislation was t...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT.—_Continued_. I. _Laws connected with the rights of persons_ (Exodus 21:1). The regulations of this section concern— 1. Slavery ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Exodus chapter twenty-one, God said to Moses, Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them (Exodus 21:1). Now the judgments are really for the judges. You remember they appointed seve...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    smite Exodus 21:26 Exodus 21:27 Deuteronomy 19:21 Proverbs 29:19...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Direction is given what should be done, if a servant died by his master's correction. This servant must not be an Israelite, but a Gentile slave, as the Negroes to our planters; and it is supposed tha...

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