Exodus 21 · Verse 23

Exodus 21:23

And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
Exodus 21:23, King James Version

Exodus 21:23 in other translations

BSBBut if a serious injury results, then you must require a life for a life—
WEBBut if any harm follows, then you must take life for life,
ASVBut if any harm follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
YLTand if there is mischief, then thou hast given life for life,
DARBYBut if mischief happen, then thou shalt give life for life,
BBEBut if damage comes to her, let life be given in payment for life,
WebsterAnd if any mischief shall follow, then thou shalt give life for life,

What does Exodus 21:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 21:23-25
23-25. eye for eye--The law which authorized retaliation (a principle acted upon by all primitive people) was a civil one. It was given to regulate the procedure of the public magistrate in determining the amount of compensation in every case of injury, but did not encourage feelings of private revenge. The later Jews, however, mistook it for a moral precept, and were corrected by our Lord (Mt 5:38-42).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 21:22-36

The cases here mentioned give rules of justice then, and still in use, for deciding similar matters. We are taught by these laws, that we must be very careful to do no wrong, either directly or indirectly. If we have done wrong, we must be very willing to make it good, and be desirous that nobody may lose by us.

Read the full comment on Exodus 21:22-36 →

Exodus 21:23 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְאִם\־ve.'im-and ifH518
אָס֖וֹן'a.SonharmH611
יִהְיֶ֑הyih.Yehit will beH1961
וְנָתַתָּ֥הve.na.ta.Tahand you will giveH5414
נֶ֖פֶשׁNe.fesha lifeH5315
תַּ֥חַתTa.chatin place ofH8478
נָֽפֶשׁ\׃Na.fesha lifeH5315

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 21:23

  • Deuteronomy 19:21

    And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

  • Numbers 35:31

    Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.

  • Leviticus 24:19

    And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
life for life.
Nu 35:31

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 21:22

    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.

  • Exodus 21:23

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

  • Exodus 21:24

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

Read all of Exodus 21

Exodus 21:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas si hubiere muerte, entonces pagarás vida por vida,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et s’il arrive malheur, tu donneras vie pour vie,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wenn aber Schaden geschieht, so sollst du geben Leben um Leben,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sin autem mors ejus fuerit subsecuta, reddet animam pro anima,