Verse of the Day
Author Spotlight
Loading featured author...
Report Issue
See a formatting issue or error?
Let us know →
Verse Takeaways
1
A Different Kind of Justice
Commentators explain this law is a crucial exception to the 'eye for an eye' principle. Because of the social inequality between a master and a slave, instead of physical retaliation, the master who permanently injures a slave forfeits his ownership. The slave's freedom becomes the just compensation for their injury.
See 3 Verse Takeaways
Book Overview
Exodus
Author
Audience
Composition
Teaching Highlights
Outline
+ 5 more
See Overview
Commentaries
5
Albert Barnes
On Exodus 21:26–27
18th Century
Theologian
Freedom was the proper equivalent for permanent injury.
Charles Ellicott
On Exodus 21:26–27
19th Century
Bishop
The eye ... Tooth. —An exception to the law of retaliation is made here. If the injurer is a fr…
John Calvin
On Exodus 21:26
16th Century
Theologian
And if a man smite the eye. Since, in the sight of God, there is neither slave nor free man, it is clear that he sins as greatly who strik…
Go Ad-Free
Go ad-free and create your own bookmark library
John Gill
On Exodus 21:26
17th Century
Pastor
If a man smite the eye of his servant
Give him a blow on the eye in a passion, as a correction for some fault he has…
Matthew Henry
On Exodus 21:22–36
17th Century
Minister
The cases mentioned here give rules of justice that were applicable then and are still in use for deciding similar matters. These laws teach us tha…