Exodus 21

1 “These are the regulations you are to present to them:

These are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.

2 If you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to work for you for six years. But in the seventh year, he is to be freed without having to pay anything.

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

3 If he was single when he came, he is to leave single. If he had a wife when he came, she is to leave with him.

With what raiment he came in, with the like let him go out: if having a wife, his wife also shall go out with him.

4 If his master provides him a wife and she has children with him, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall be freed.

But if his master gave him a wife, and she hath borne sons and daughters: the woman and her children shall be her master’s: but he himself shall go out with his raiment.

5 However, if the slave formally states, ‘I love my master and my wife and children; I do not want to be freed,’

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

6 then his master is to take him before the judges. Then he shall have him stand against the door or doorpost and use a metal tool to make a hole in his ear. Then he shall work for his master for life.

His master shall bring him to the gods, and he shall be set to the door and the posts, and he shall bore his ear through with an awl: and he shall be his servant for ever.

7 If a man sells his daughter as a slave, she is not to be freed in the same way as male slaves.

If any man sell his daughter to be a servant, she shall not go out as bondwomen are wont to go out.

8 If the man who chose her for himself is not pleased with her, he must let her be bought back. He is not permitted to sell her to foreigners, since he has been unfair to her.

If she displease the eyes of her master to whom she was delivered, he shall let her go: but he shall have no power to sell her to a foreign nation, if he despise her.

9 If he chooses to give her to his son, he must treat her as a daughter.

But if he have betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.

10 If he takes another woman, he must not reduce the food and clothing allowances and marital rights of the first.

And if he take another wife for him, he shall provide her a marriage, and raiment, neither shall he refuse the price of her chastity.

11 If he doesn't give her these three things, she is free to leave without paying anything.

If he do not these three things, she shall go out free without money.

12 Anyone who hits and kills someone else must be executed.

He that striketh a man with a will to kill him, shall be put to death.

13 However, if it wasn't intentional and God let it happen, then I will arrange a place for you where they can run to and be safe.

But he that did not lie in wait for him, but God delivered him into his hands: I will appoint thee a place to which he must flee.

14 But if someone deliberately plans and purposely kills another, you must take them away from my altar and execute them.

If a man kill his neighbour on set purpose and by lying in wait for him: thou shalt take him away from my altar, that he may die.

15 Anyone who hits their father or mother must be executed.

He that striketh his father or mother, shall be put to death.

16 Anyone who kidnaps someone else must be executed, whether the victim is sold or is still in their possessions.

He that shall steal a man, and sell him, being convicted of guilt, shall be put to death.

17 Anyone who despises their father or mother must be executed.

He that curseth his father, or mother, shall die the death.

18 If men are fighting and one hits the other with a stone or with his fist, and the injured man doesn't die but has to stay in bed,

If men quarrel, and the one strike his neighbour with a stone or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:

19 and then gets up and walks around outside with his walking stick, then the one who hit him won't be punished, Even so, he must still compensate the man for the time lost from his work and make sure that he's completely healed.

If he rise again and walk abroad upon his staff, he that struck him shall be quit, yet so that he make restitution for his work, and for his expenses upon the physicians.

20 Anyone who hits their male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies as a result, must be punished.

He that striketh his bondman or bondwoman with a rod, and they die under his hands, shall be guilty of the crime.

21 However, if after a day or two the slave gets better, the owner won't be punished because the slave is their property.

But if the party remain alive a day or two, he shall not be subject to the punishment, because it is his money.

22 If men who are fighting happen to hit a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely, but no serious injury occurs, he must be fined whatever amount the woman's husband demands and as permitted by the judges.

If men quarrel, and one strike a woman with child, and she miscarry indeed, but live herself: he shall be answerable for so much damage as the woman’s husband shall require, and as arbiters shall award.

23 But if a serious injury does occur, then you must pay a life for a life,

But if her death ensue thereupon, he shall render life for life.

24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot,

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

25 a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, and a bruise for a bruise.

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

26 Anyone who hits their male or female slave in the eye and blinds them must free the slave as compensation for the eye.

If any man strike the eye of his manservant or maidservant, and leave them but one eye, he shall let them go free for the eye which he put out.

27 Anyone who knocks out the tooth of their male or female slave must free the slave as compensation for the tooth.

Also if he strike out a tooth of his manservant or maidservant, he shall in like manner make them free.

28 If an ox uses its horns to kill a man or woman, the ox must be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the ox won't be punished.

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

29 But if the ox has repeatedly hurt people with its horns, and its owner has been warned but still doesn't keep it under control, and it kills a man or woman, then the ox must be stoned to death and its owner must also be executed.

But if the ox was wont to push with his horn yesterday and the day before, and they warned his master, and he did not shut him up, and he shall kill a man or a woman: then the ox shall be stoned, an his owner also shall be put to death.

30 But if instead the payment of compensation is required, the owner may buy back his or her life by paying the full amount of compensation demanded.

And if they set a price upon him, he shall give for his life whatsoever is laid upon him.

31 If the ox uses its horns and kills a son or a daughter the same rule is applicable.

If he have gored a son, or a daughter, he shall fall under the like sentence.

32 If the ox uses its horns and kills a male or female slave, the owner of the ox must pay thirty shekels of silver to the slave's master, and the ox must be stoned to death.

If he assault a bondman or a bond woman, he shall give thirty sicles of silver to their master, and the ox shall be stoned.

33 If someone removes the cover of a cistern or digs one and doesn't cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,

If a man open a pit, and dig one, and cover it not, and an ox or an ass fall into it,

34 the owner of the pit must pay compensation to the animal's owner and keep the dead animal.

The owner of the pit shall pay the price of the beasts: and that which is dead shall be his own.

35 If someone's ox injures another's ox and it dies, they must sell the live one and share money received; they must also share the dead animal.

If one man’s ox gore another man’s ox, and he die: they shall sell the live ox, and shall divide the price, and the carcass of that which died they shall part between them:

36 But if it was known that the ox had repeatedly hurt people with its horns, and its owner had been warned but still didn't keep it under control, full compensation must be paid, ox for ox, but the owner can keep the dead animal.”

But if he knew that his ox was wont to push yesterday and the day before, and his master did not keep him in: he shall pay ox for ox, and shall take the whole carcass.