Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: Exodus 21:12 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ex 21:12	Strong Concordance	He that smiteth [05221] a man [0376], so that he die [04191], shall be surely [04191] put to death [04191].
	King James	He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
The case of murder of a free man and of a bondman. See Exo 21:20 note. The law was afterward expressly declared to relate also to foreigners, Lev 24:17, Lev 24:21-22; compare the marginal references.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

The case of murder of a free man and of a bondman. See Exo 21:20 note. The law was afterward expressly declared to relate also to foreigners, Lev 24:17, Lev 24:21-22; compare the marginal references.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
Still higher than personal liberty, however, is life itself, the right of existence and personality; and the infliction of injury upon this was not only prohibited, but to be followed by punishment corresponding to the crime. The principle of retribution, jus talionis, which is the only one that embodies the idea of justice, lies at the foundation of these threats. Exo 21:12-13 A death-blow was to be punished with death (cf. Gen 9:6; Lev 24:17). "He that smiteth a man and (so that) he die (whether on the spot or directly afterwards did not matter), he shall be put to death." This general rule is still further defined by a distinction being drawn between accidental and intentional killing. "But whoever has not lain in wait (for another's life), and God has caused it to come to his hand" (to kill the other); i.e., not only if he did not intend to kill him, but did not even cherish the intention of smiting him, or of doing him harm from hatred and enmity (Num 35:16-23; Deu 19:4-5), and therefore did so quite unawares, according to a dispensation of God, which is generally called an accident because it is above our comprehension. For such a man God would appoint places of refuge, where he should be protected against the avenger of blood. (On this point, see Num 35:9.). Exo 21:14-17 "But he who acts presumptuously against his neighbour, to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from Mine altar that he may die." These words are not to be understood as meaning, that only intentional and treacherous killing was to be punished with death; but, without restricting the general rule in Exo 21:12, they are to be interpreted from their antithesis to Exo 21:13, as signifying that even the altar of Jehovah was not to protect a man who had committed intentional murder, and carried out his purpose with treachery. (More on this point at Num 35:16.) By this regulation, the idea, which was common to the Hebrews and many other nations, that the altar as God's abode afforded protection to any life that was in danger from men, was brought back to the true measure of its validity, and the place of expiation for sins of weakness (cf. Lev 4:2; Lev 5:15, Lev 5:18; Num 15:27-31) was prevented from being abused by being made a place of refuge for criminals who were deserving of death. Maltreatment of a father and mother through striking (Exo 21:15), man-stealing (Exo 21:16), and cursing parents (Exo 21:17, cf. Lev 20:9), were all to be placed on a par with murder, and punished in the same way. By the "smiting" (הכּה) of parents we are not to understand smiting to death, for in that case ומת would be added as in Exo 21:12, but any kind of maltreatment. The murder of parents is not mentioned at all, as not likely to occur and hardly conceivable. The cursing (קלּל as in Gen 12:3) of parents is placed on a par with smiting, because it proceeds from the same disposition; and both were to be punished with death, because the majesty of God was violated in the persons of the parents (cf. Exo 20:12). Man-stealing was also no less a crime, being a sin against the dignity of man, and a violation of the image of God. For אישׁ "a man," we find in Deu 24:7, נפשׁ "a soul," by which both man and woman are intended, and the still more definite limitation, "of his brethren of the children of Israel." The crime remained the same whether he had sold him (the stolen man), or whether he was still found in his hand. (For ו - ו as a sign of an alternative in the linking together of short sentences, see Pro 29:9, and Ewald, 361.) This is the rendering adopted by most of the earlier translators, and we get no intelligent sense if we divide the clauses thus: "and sell him so that he is found in his hand."

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

Still higher than personal liberty, however, is life itself, the right of existence and personality; and the infliction of injury upon this was not only prohibited, but to be followed by punishment corresponding to the crime. The principle of retribution, jus talionis, which is the only one that embodies the idea of justice, lies at the foundation of these threats.

Exo 21:12-13

A death-blow was to be punished with death (cf. Gen 9:6; Lev 24:17). "He that smiteth a man and (so that) he die (whether on the spot or directly afterwards did not matter), he shall be put to death." This general rule is still further defined by a distinction being drawn between accidental and intentional killing. "But whoever has not lain in wait (for another's life), and God has caused it to come to his hand" (to kill the other); i.e., not only if he did not intend to kill him, but did not even cherish the intention of smiting him, or of doing him harm from hatred and enmity (Num 35:16-23; Deu 19:4-5), and therefore did so quite unawares, according to a dispensation of God, which is generally called an accident because it is above our comprehension. For such a man God would appoint places of refuge, where he should be protected against the avenger of blood. (On this point, see Num 35:9.).

Exo 21:14-17

"But he who acts presumptuously against his neighbour, to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from Mine altar that he may die." These words are not to be understood as meaning, that only intentional and treacherous killing was to be punished with death; but, without restricting the general rule in Exo 21:12, they are to be interpreted from their antithesis to Exo 21:13, as signifying that even the altar of Jehovah was not to protect a man who had committed intentional murder, and carried out his purpose with treachery. (More on this point at Num 35:16.) By this regulation, the idea, which was common to the Hebrews and many other nations, that the altar as God's abode afforded protection to any life that was in danger from men, was brought back to the true measure of its validity, and the place of expiation for sins of weakness (cf. Lev 4:2; Lev 5:15, Lev 5:18; Num 15:27-31) was prevented from being abused by being made a place of refuge for criminals who were deserving of death. Maltreatment of a father and mother through striking (Exo 21:15), man-stealing (Exo 21:16), and cursing parents (Exo 21:17, cf. Lev 20:9), were all to be placed on a par with murder, and punished in the same way. By the "smiting" (הכּה) of parents we are not to understand smiting to death, for in that case ומת would be added as in Exo 21:12, but any kind of maltreatment. The murder of parents is not mentioned at all, as not likely to occur and hardly conceivable. The cursing (קלּל as in Gen 12:3) of parents is placed on a par with smiting, because it proceeds from the same disposition; and both were to be punished with death, because the majesty of God was violated in the persons of the parents (cf. Exo 20:12). Man-stealing was also no less a crime, being a sin against the dignity of man, and a violation of the image of God. For אישׁ "a man," we find in Deu 24:7, נפשׁ "a soul," by which both man and woman are intended, and the still more definite limitation, "of his brethren of the children of Israel." The crime remained the same whether he had sold him (the stolen man), or whether he was still found in his hand. (For ו - ו as a sign of an alternative in the linking together of short sentences, see Pro 29:9, and Ewald, 361.) This is the rendering adopted by most of the earlier translators, and we get no intelligent sense if we divide the clauses thus: "and sell him so that he is found in his hand."

Top

²¹ And he that killeth [05221] a beast [0929], he shall restore [07999] it: and he that killeth [05221] a man [0120], he shall be put to death [04191].
²² Ye shall have one [0259] manner of law [04941], as well for the stranger [01616], as for one of your own country [0249]: for I am the LORD [03068] your God [0430].

¹⁷ And he [0376] that killeth [05221] any [05315] man [0120] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].

²⁰ And if a man [0376] smite [05221] his servant [05650], or his maid [0519], with a rod [07626], and he die [04191] under his hand [03027]; he shall be surely [05358] punished [05358].

⁹ If a wise [02450] man [0376] contendeth [08199] with a foolish [0191] man [0376], whether he rage [07264] or laugh [07832], there is no rest [05183].

⁷ If a man [0376] be found [04672] stealing [01589] any [05315] of his brethren [0251] of the children [01121] of Israel [03478], and maketh merchandise [06014] of him, or selleth [04376] him; then that thief [01590] shall die [04191]; and thou shalt put [01197] evil [07451] away [01197] from among [07130] you.

¹² Honour [03513] thy father [01] and thy mother [0517]: that thy days [03117] may be long [0748] upon the land [0127] which the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] giveth [05414] thee.

³ And I will bless [01288] them that bless [01288] thee, and curse [0779] him that curseth [07043] thee: and in thee shall all families [04940] of the earth [0127] be blessed [01288].

¹² He that smiteth [05221] a man [0376], so that he die [04191], shall be surely [04191] put to death [04191].

⁹ For every [0376] one [0376] that curseth [07043] his father [01] or his mother [0517] shall be surely [04191] put to death [04191]: he hath cursed [07043] his father [01] or his mother [0517]; his blood [01818] shall be upon him.

¹⁷ And he that curseth [07043] his father [01], or his mother [0517], shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].

¹⁶ And he that stealeth [01589] a man [0376], and selleth [04376] him, or if he be found [04672] in his hand [03027], he shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].

¹⁵ And he that smiteth [05221] his father [01], or his mother [0517], shall be surely [04191] put to death [04191].

²⁷ And if any [0259] soul [05315] sin [02398] through ignorance [07684], then he shall bring [07126] a she goat [05795] of the first [01323] year [08141] for a sin offering [02403].
²⁸ And the priest [03548] shall make an atonement [03722] for the soul [05315] that sinneth ignorantly [07683], when he sinneth [02398] by ignorance [07684] before [06440] the LORD [03068], to make an atonement [03722] for him; and it shall be forgiven [05545] him.
²⁹ Ye shall have one [0259] law [08451] for him that sinneth [06213] through ignorance [07684], both for him that is born [0249] among the children [01121] of Israel [03478], and for the stranger [01616] that sojourneth [01481] among [08432] them.
³⁰ But the soul [05315] that doeth [06213] ought presumptuously [07311] [03027], whether he be born in the land [0249], or a stranger [04480] [01616], the same reproacheth [01442] the LORD [03068]; and that soul [05315] shall be cut off [03772] from among [07130] his people [05971].
³¹ Because he hath despised [0959] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], and hath broken [06565] his commandment [04687], that soul [05315] shall utterly [03772] be cut off [03772]; his iniquity [05771] shall be upon him.

¹⁸ And he shall bring [0935] a ram [0352] without blemish [08549] out of the flock [06629], with thy estimation [06187], for a trespass offering [0817], unto the priest [03548]: and the priest [03548] shall make an atonement [03722] for him concerning his ignorance [07684] wherein he erred [07683] and wist [03045] it not, and it shall be forgiven [05545] him.

¹⁵ If a soul [05315] commit [04603] a trespass [04604], and sin [02398] through ignorance [07684], in the holy things [06944] of the LORD [03068]; then he shall bring [0935] for his trespass [0817] unto the LORD [03068] a ram [0352] without blemish [08549] out of the flocks [06629], with thy estimation [06187] by shekels [08255] of silver [03701], after the shekel [08255] of the sanctuary [06944], for a trespass offering [0817]:

² Speak [01696] unto the children [01121] of Israel [03478], saying [0559], If a soul [05315] shall sin [02398] through ignorance [07684] against any of the commandments [04687] of the LORD [03068] concerning things which ought not to be done [06213], and shall do [06213] against any [0259] of them [02007]:

¹⁶ And if he smite [05221] him with an instrument [03627] of iron [01270], so that he die [04191], he is a murderer [07523]: the murderer [07523] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].

¹³ And if a man lie not in wait [06658], but God [0430] deliver [0579] him into his hand [03027]; then I will appoint [07760] thee a place [04725] whither he shall flee [05127].

¹² He that smiteth [05221] a man [0376], so that he die [04191], shall be surely [04191] put to death [04191].

¹⁴ But if a man [0376] come presumptuously [02102] upon his neighbour [07453], to slay [02026] him with guile [06195]; thou shalt take [03947] him from mine altar [04196], that he may die [04191].
¹⁵ And he that smiteth [05221] his father [01], or his mother [0517], shall be surely [04191] put to death [04191].
¹⁶ And he that stealeth [01589] a man [0376], and selleth [04376] him, or if he be found [04672] in his hand [03027], he shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].
¹⁷ And he that curseth [07043] his father [01], or his mother [0517], shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].

⁹ And the LORD [03068] spake [01696] unto Moses [04872], saying [0559],

⁴ And this is the case [01697] of the slayer [07523], which shall flee [05127] thither, that he may live [02425]: Whoso killeth [05221] his neighbour [07453] ignorantly [01097] [01847], whom he hated [08130] not in time [08543] past [08032];
⁵ As when a man goeth [0935] into the wood [03293] with his neighbour [07453] to hew [02404] wood [06086], and his hand [03027] fetcheth a stroke [05080] with the axe [01631] to cut down [03772] the tree [06086], and the head [01270] slippeth [05394] from the helve [06086], and lighteth [04672] upon his neighbour [07453], that he die [04191]; he shall flee [05127] unto one [0259] of those cities [05892], and live [02425]:

¹⁶ And if he smite [05221] him with an instrument [03627] of iron [01270], so that he die [04191], he is a murderer [07523]: the murderer [07523] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].
¹⁷ And if he smite [05221] him with throwing [03027] a stone [068], wherewith he may die [04191], and he die [04191], he is a murderer [07523]: the murderer [07523] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].
¹⁸ Or if he smite [05221] him with an hand [03027] weapon [03627] of wood [06086], wherewith he may die [04191], and he die [04191], he is a murderer [07523]: the murderer [07523] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].
¹⁹ The revenger [01350] of blood [01818] himself shall slay [04191] the murderer [07523]: when he meeteth [06293] him, he [01931] shall slay [04191] him.
²⁰ But if he thrust [01920] him of hatred [08135], or hurl [07993] at him by laying of wait [06660], that he die [04191];
²¹ Or in enmity [0342] smite [05221] him with his hand [03027], that he die [04191]: he that smote [05221] him shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191]; for he is a murderer [07523]: the revenger [01350] of blood [01818] shall slay [04191] the murderer [07523], when he meeteth [06293] him.
²² But if he thrust [01920] him suddenly [06621] without [03808] enmity [0342], or have cast [07993] upon him any thing [03627] without laying of wait [06660],
²³ Or with any stone [068], wherewith a man may die [04191], seeing [07200] him not [03808], and cast [05307] it upon him, that he die [04191], and was not his enemy [0341], neither sought [01245] his harm [07451]:

¹⁷ And he [0376] that killeth [05221] any [05315] man [0120] shall surely [04191] be put to death [04191].

⁶ Whoso sheddeth [08210] man's [0120] blood [01818], by man [0120] shall his blood [01818] be shed [08210]: for in the image [06754] of God [0430] made [06213] he man [0120].

¹² He that smiteth [05221] a man [0376], so that he die [04191], shall be surely [04191] put to death [04191].
¹³ And if a man lie not in wait [06658], but God [0430] deliver [0579] him into his hand [03027]; then I will appoint [07760] thee a place [04725] whither he shall flee [05127].