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"If a man strikes his servant`s eye, or his maid`s eye, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for his eye`s sake.
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.
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Book Overview
Exodus
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5
18th Century
Presbyterian
Freedom was the proper equivalent for permanent injury.
19th Century
Anglican
The eye ... Tooth. —An exception to the law of retaliation is made here. If the injurer is a fr…
16th Century
Protestant
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…
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17th Century
Reformed Baptist
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…
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…
