Exodus

Describes how Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt and slavery, and how they receive laws from God.

Chapter 21

1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.

*Now, here are the rules you should teach them.

2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

*If you buy a Hebrew servant, they will work for you for six years. In the seventh year, they can leave without paying anything.

3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.

*If he came alone, he'll leave alone; if he was married, his wife will also leave with him.

4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.

*If a man's owner gives him a wife, and she has children for him; the wife and kids belong to the owner, and the man leaves alone.

5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:

*If the servant clearly says, "I love my master, my wife, and my kids. I don't want to leave without them and won't go free."

6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.

*Then the boss will take him to the judges. He'll also take him to the door or doorpost. The boss will pierce his servant's ear with a tool called an aul. After that, the servant will serve him forever.

7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.

*If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she won't leave like the male servants do.

8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.

*If she doesn't please her owner, the one who promised to marry her, then he must allow her to be saved. He cannot sell her to another country, because he was dishonest with her.

9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.

*If he promised her to his son, he should treat her like other daughters.

10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.

*If he marries another wife, he must not reduce her food, clothes, or marriage responsibilities.

11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.

*If he doesn't do these three things for her, then she can leave without paying anything.

12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.

*If someone hurts another person and they die, that person will definitely face the death penalty.

13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

*If a person doesn't trap someone else, but God sends that person to you, then I will give you a place for them to escape to.

14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.

*But if someone sneakily tries to harm their neighbor, you should remove them from the altar so they can die.

15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.

*If someone hurts their father or mother, they will definitely face the death penalty.

16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

*And whoever steals a person and sells them, or if they are caught with them, they will definitely be killed.

17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

*If someone speaks badly or disrespects their father or mother, they will be punished with death.

18 And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:

*If two people fight and one hits the other with a rock or their fist, and the other person doesn't die but stays in bed, 97;

19 If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.

*If he gets up and walks around using his staff, the one who hit him won't be in trouble anymore. But they must pay for the time lost and make sure the injured person fully recovers.

20 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 hits his servant or maid with a stick and they die, he will face serious consequences.

21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.

*Even so, if he stays a little longer, he won't get in trouble; because it's his money.

22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

*If a man fights and hurts a pregnant woman, causing her to lose the baby, but there is no other harm: he will be severely punished based on what the woman's husband decides. The man must also pay an amount decided by the judges.

23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,

*And if any harm happens, then you must give a life for every life that was lost.

24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

*"For every action, there should be an equal reaction - like eyes for eyes, teeth for teeth, hands for hands, and feet for feet."

25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

*Like for like, injury for injury, blow for blow.

26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.

*If a master hurts the eye of their servant or maid, causing it to be lost; then they must set the person free as a way of making up for the eye that was lost.

27 And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.

*If a master removes his servant's tooth or his servant girl's tooth, he must set them free because of their tooth.

28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.

*If an ox hurts someone and they pass away, the ox must be killed and not eaten. But the person who owns the ox won't be held responsible.

29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.

*If the ox has a history of using its horns to hurt people before and the owner knew but didn't keep it under control, causing it to kill someone, both the ox and the owner should be executed.

30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.

*If someone puts a sum of money on him, he must pay whatever amount is placed to save his life.

31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.

*If he hurts a son or a daughter, the same punishment will be given to him based on this ruling.

32 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.

*If an ox pushes a male or female servant, the owner must pay 30 silver coins to their boss, and then stone the ox.

33 And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein;

*If a person digs a hole and doesn't cover it, and an ox or donkey falls in,

34 The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his.

*The person with the hole is responsible for fixing it and giving money to the owner of the animals; the deceased animal belongs to that person now.

35 And if one man’s ox hurt another’s, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide.

*If one ox hurts another and it dies, they will sell the living ox and split the money from the sale. They'll also split the value of the dead ox.

36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.

*If it's known that the ox has misbehaved before, and its owner didn't control it, then the owner must pay for the damage caused by the ox. The ox will be responsible for the harm it causes in the future.

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