Exodus 21
1 “Here are some [other] instructions to give to [the Israeli people]:
| וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּשִׂ֖ים לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ |
2 When/If you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve you for [only] six years. In the seventh year you must free him [from being your slave], and he is not required to pay you anything [for setting him free].
| כִּ֤י תִקְנֶה֙ עֶ֣בֶד עִבְרִ֔י שֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים יַעֲבֹ֑ד וּבַ֨שְּׁבִעִ֔ת יֵצֵ֥א לַֽחָפְשִׁ֖י חִנָּֽם׃ |
3 If he was not married before he became your slave, and if he marries [someone while he is your slave], his wife is not to be set free [with him]. But if he was married before he became your slave, you must free both him and his wife.
| אִם־בְּגַפֹּ֥ו יָבֹ֖א בְּגַפֹּ֣ו יֵצֵ֑א אִם־בַּ֤עַל אִשָּׁה֙ ה֔וּא וְיָצְאָ֥ה אִשְׁתֹּ֖ו עִמֹּֽו׃ |
4 If a slave’s master gives him a wife, and she gives birth to sons or daughters [while her husband is a slave], only the man is to be freed. His wife and children will continue to be slaves of their master.
| אִם־אֲדֹנָיו֙ יִתֶּן־לֹ֣ו אִשָּׁ֔ה וְיָלְדָה־לֹ֥ו בָנִ֖ים אֹ֣ו בָנֹ֑ות הָאִשָּׁ֣ה וִילָדֶ֗יהָ תִּהְיֶה֙ לַֽאדֹנֶ֔יהָ וְה֖וּא יֵצֵ֥א בְגַפֹּֽו׃ |
5 But when it is time for the slave to be set free, if the slave says, ‘I love my master and my wife and my children, and I do not want to be set free,’
| וְאִם־אָמֹ֤ר יֹאמַר֙ הָעֶ֔בֶד אָהַ֙בְתִּי֙ אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֔י אֶת־אִשְׁתִּ֖י וְאֶת־בָּנָ֑י לֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א חָפְשִֽׁי׃ |
6 then his master must take him to [the place where they worship] God (OR, to [the owner’s] house). There he must make the slave stand against the door or the doorpost. Then the master will use an (awl/pointed metal rod) to make a hole in the slave’s ear. Then [he will fasten a tag to the slave’s ear to indicate that] (he will own that slave for the rest of his life/he will own the slave as long as the slave lives).
| וְהִגִּישֹׁ֤ו אֲדֹנָיו֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהִגִּישֹׁו֙ אֶל־הַדֶּ֔לֶת אֹ֖ו אֶל־הַמְּזוּזָ֑ה וְרָצַ֨ע אֲדֹנָ֤יו אֶת־אָזְנֹו֙ בַּמַּרְצֵ֔עַ וַעֲבָדֹ֖ו לְעֹלָֽם׃ ס |
7 If a man sells his daughter to become a slave, she should not be set free [after six years], as the male slaves are.
| וְכִֽי־יִמְכֹּ֥ר אִ֛ישׁ אֶת־בִּתֹּ֖ו לְאָמָ֑ה לֹ֥א תֵצֵ֖א כְּצֵ֥את הָעֲבָדִֽים׃ |
8 If the man who bought her wanted her to be his wife, but if [later] he is not pleased with her, he must sell her back to her father. He must not sell her to a foreigner, because that would be breaking the contract/agreement [he made with the girl’s father].
| אִם־רָעָ֞ה בְּעֵינֵ֧י אֲדֹנֶ֛יהָ אֲשֶׁר־לֹא (לֹ֥ו) יְעָדָ֖הּ וְהֶפְדָּ֑הּ לְעַ֥ם נָכְרִ֛י לֹא־יִמְשֹׁ֥ל לְמָכְרָ֖הּ בְּבִגְדֹו־בָֽהּ׃ |
9 If the man who buys her wants her to be a wife for his son, he must then treat her as though she were his own daughter.
| וְאִם־לִבְנֹ֖ו יִֽיעָדֶ֑נָּה כְּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַבָּנֹ֖ות יַעֲשֶׂה־לָּֽהּ׃ |
10 If the master takes another slave girl to be another wife for himself, he must continue to give the first slave wife the same amount of food and clothing that he gave to her before, and he must continue to have sex [EUP] with her as before.
| אִם־אַחֶ֖רֶת יִֽקַּֽח־לֹ֑ו שְׁאֵרָ֛הּ כְּסוּתָ֥הּ וְעֹנָתָ֖הּ לֹ֥א יִגְרָֽע׃ |
11 If he does not do all these three things for her, he must free her [from being a slave], and she is not required to pay anything [for being set free].
| וְאִם־שְׁלָ֨שׁ־אֵ֔לֶּה לֹ֥א יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה לָ֑הּ וְיָצְאָ֥ה חִנָּ֖ם אֵ֥ין כָּֽסֶף׃ ס |
12 You must execute anyone who strikes another person with the result that the person who is struck dies.
| מַכֵּ֥ה אִ֛ישׁ וָמֵ֖ת מֹ֥ות יוּמָֽת׃ |
13 But if the one who struck the other did not intend to kill that person, the one who struck him can escape to a place that I will choose for you, [and he will be safe there].
| וַאֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א צָדָ֔ה וְהָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אִנָּ֣ה לְיָדֹ֑ו וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י לְךָ֙ מָקֹ֔ום אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנ֖וּס שָֽׁמָּה׃ ס |
14 But if someone gets angry with another person and kills him, even if the murderer runs to the altar, [a place that God designated as a place to be safe], you must execute him.
| וְכִי־יָזִ֥ד אִ֛ישׁ עַל־רֵעֵ֖הוּ לְהָרְגֹ֣ו בְעָרְמָ֑ה מֵעִ֣ם מִזְבְּחִ֔י תִּקָּחֶ֖נּוּ לָמֽוּת׃ ס |
15 Anyone who strikes his father or mother must surely be executed.
| וּמַכֵּ֥ה אָבִ֛יו וְאִמֹּ֖ו מֹ֥ות יוּמָֽת׃ |
16 Anyone who kidnaps another person, either in order to sell that person or to keep him as a slave, must be executed.
| וְגֹנֵ֨ב אִ֧ישׁ וּמְכָרֹ֛ו וְנִמְצָ֥א בְיָדֹ֖ו מֹ֥ות יוּמָֽת׃ ס |
17 Anyone who reviles/curses his father or his mother must be executed.
| וּמְקַלֵּ֥ל אָבִ֛יו וְאִמֹּ֖ו מֹ֥ות יוּמָֽת׃ ס |
18 Suppose two people fight, and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist. And suppose the person he strikes does not die but is injured and has to stay in bed [for a while],
| וְכִֽי־יְרִיבֻ֣ן אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְהִכָּה־אִישׁ֙ אֶת־רֵעֵ֔הוּ בְּאֶ֖בֶן אֹ֣ו בְאֶגְרֹ֑ף וְלֹ֥א יָמ֖וּת וְנָפַ֥ל לְמִשְׁכָּֽב׃ |
19 and later he is able to walk outside using a cane. Then the person who struck him does not have to be punished. However, he must pay the injured person the money he could not earn [while he was recovering], and he must also pay the injured person’s medical expenses until that person is well.
| אִם־יָק֞וּם וְהִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּח֛וּץ עַל־מִשְׁעַנְתֹּ֖ו וְנִקָּ֣ה הַמַּכֶּ֑ה רַ֥ק שִׁבְתֹּ֛ו יִתֵּ֖ן וְרַפֹּ֥א יְרַפֵּֽא׃ ס |
20 If someone strikes his male or female slave with a stick, if the slave dies (immediately/as a result) [IDM], the one who struck him must be punished.
| וְכִֽי־יַכֶּה֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶת־עַבְדֹּ֜ו אֹ֤ו אֶת־אֲמָתֹו֙ בַּשֵּׁ֔בֶט וּמֵ֖ת תַּ֣חַת יָדֹ֑ו נָקֹ֖ם יִנָּקֵֽם׃ |
21 But if the slave lives for a day or two after he is struck [and then dies], you must not punish the one who struck him. Not having that slave to be able to work for him any longer is enough punishment.
| אַ֥ךְ אִם־יֹ֛ום אֹ֥ו יֹומַ֖יִם יַעֲמֹ֑ד לֹ֣א יֻקַּ֔ם כִּ֥י כַסְפֹּ֖ו הֽוּא׃ ס |
22 Suppose two people are fighting and they hurt a pregnant woman with the result that (she has a miscarriage/her baby is born prematurely and dies). If the woman is not harmed in any other way, the one who injured her must pay a fine. He must pay whatever the woman’s husband demands, after a judge approves of the fine.
| וְכִֽי־יִנָּצ֣וּ אֲנָשִׁ֗ים וְנָ֨גְפ֜וּ אִשָּׁ֤ה הָרָה֙ וְיָצְא֣וּ יְלָדֶ֔יהָ וְלֹ֥א יִהְיֶ֖ה אָסֹ֑ון עָנֹ֣ושׁ יֵעָנֵ֗שׁ כּֽ͏ַאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָשִׁ֤ית עָלָיו֙ בַּ֣עַל הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וְנָתַ֖ן בִּפְלִלִֽים׃ |
23 But if the woman is injured in some additional way, the one who injured her must be caused to suffer in exactly the same way [that he caused her to suffer]. If she dies, he must be executed.
| וְאִם־אָסֹ֖ון יִהְיֶ֑ה וְנָתַתָּ֥ה נֶ֖פֶשׁ תַּ֥חַת נָֽפֶשׁ׃ |
24 If her eye is injured or destroyed, or if he knocks out one of her teeth, or her hand or foot is injured, or if she is burned or bruised, the one who injured her must be injured in the same way.
| עַ֚יִן תַּ֣חַת עַ֔יִן שֵׁ֖ן תַּ֣חַת שֵׁ֑ן יָ֚ד תַּ֣חַת יָ֔ד רֶ֖גֶל תַּ֥חַת רָֽגֶל׃ |
| כְּוִיָּה֙ תַּ֣חַת כְּוִיָּ֔ה פֶּ֖צַע תַּ֣חַת פָּ֑צַע חַבּוּרָ֕ה תַּ֖חַת חַבּוּרָֽה׃ ס |
26 If the owner of a slave strikes the eye of his male or female slave and ruins it, he must free that slave because of [what he did to] the slave’s eye.
| וְכִֽי־יַכֶּ֨ה אִ֜ישׁ אֶת־עֵ֥ין עַבְדֹּ֛ו אֹֽו־אֶת־עֵ֥ין אֲמָתֹ֖ו וְשִֽׁחֲתָ֑הּ לֽ͏ַחָפְשִׁ֥י יְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּ תַּ֥חַת עֵינֹֽו׃ ס |
27 If someone knocks out one of his slave’s teeth, he must free the slave because of [what he did to] the slave’s tooth.
| וְאִם־שֵׁ֥ן עַבְדֹּ֛ו אֹֽו־שֵׁ֥ן אֲמָתֹ֖ו יַפִּ֑יל לֽ͏ַחָפְשִׁ֥י יְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּ תַּ֥חַת שִׁנֹּֽו׃ פ |
28 If a bull gores a man or woman with the result that the person dies, you [must kill the bull by] throwing stones at it, but you must not punish the owner of the bull.
| וְכִֽי־יִגַּ֨ח שֹׁ֥ור אֶת־אִ֛ישׁ אֹ֥ו אֶת־אִשָּׁ֖ה וָמֵ֑ת סָקֹ֨ול יִסָּקֵ֜ל הַשֹּׁ֗ור וְלֹ֤א יֵאָכֵל֙ אֶת־בְּשָׂרֹ֔ו וּבַ֥עַל הַשֹּׁ֖ור נָקִֽי׃ |
29 But suppose the bull had attacked people several times before, and its owner had been warned, but he did not keep the bull inside a fence. Then you [must kill the bull by] throwing stones at it, but you must also execute its owner.
| וְאִ֡ם שֹׁור֩ נַגָּ֨ח ה֜וּא מִתְּמֹ֣ל שִׁלְשֹׁ֗ם וְהוּעַ֤ד בִּבְעָלָיו֙ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמְרֶ֔נּוּ וְהֵמִ֥ית אִ֖ישׁ אֹ֣ו אִשָּׁ֑ה הַשֹּׁור֙ יִסָּקֵ֔ל וְגַם־בְּעָלָ֖יו יוּמָֽת׃ |
30 However, if the owner of the bull is allowed to pay a fine (to save his own life/in order not to be executed), he must pay the full amount that the judges say that he must pay.
| אִם־כֹּ֖פֶר יוּשַׁ֣ת עָלָ֑יו וְנָתַן֙ פִּדְיֹ֣ן נַפְשֹׁ֔ו כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יוּשַׁ֖ת עָלָֽיו׃ |
31 If someone’s bull attacks and gores another person’s son or daughter, you must treat the bull’s owner according to that same rule.
| אֹו־בֵ֥ן יִגָּ֖ח אֹו־בַ֣ת יִגָּ֑ח כַּמִּשְׁפָּ֥ט הַזֶּ֖ה יֵעָ֥שֶׂה לֹּֽו׃ |
32 If a bull attacks and gores a male or female slave, its owner must pay to the slave’s owner 30 pieces of silver. Then you must [kill the bull by] throwing stones at it.
| אִם־עֶ֛בֶד יִגַּ֥ח הַשֹּׁ֖ור אֹ֣ו אָמָ֑ה כֶּ֣סֶף ׀ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שְׁקָלִ֗ים יִתֵּן֙ לַֽאדֹנָ֔יו וְהַשֹּׁ֖ור יִסָּקֵֽל׃ ס |
33 Suppose someone has a pit/cistern and does not keep it covered, and someone’s bull or donkey falls into it [and dies].
| וְכִֽי־יִפְתַּ֨ח אִ֜ישׁ בֹּ֗ור אֹ֠ו כִּֽי־יִכְרֶ֥ה אִ֛ישׁ בֹּ֖ר וְלֹ֣א יְכַסֶּ֑נּוּ וְנָֽפַל־שָׁ֥מָּה שֹּׁ֖ור אֹ֥ו חֲמֹֽור׃ |
34 Then the owner of the pit/cistern must pay for the animal that died. He must give the money to the animal’s owner, but then he can take away the animal that died and [do whatever he wants to with it].
| בַּ֤עַל הַבֹּור֙ יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם כֶּ֖סֶף יָשִׁ֣יב לִבְעָלָ֑יו וְהַמֵּ֖ת יִֽהְיֶה־לֹּֽו׃ ס |
35 If someone’s bull hurts another person’s bull with the result that it dies, the owners of both bulls must sell the bull that is living, and they must divide [between them] the money [that they receive] for it. They must also divide [between them the meat of] the animal that died.
| וְכִֽי־יִגֹּ֧ף שֹֽׁור־אִ֛ישׁ אֶת־שֹׁ֥ור רֵעֵ֖הוּ וָמֵ֑ת וּמָ֨כְר֜וּ אֶת־הַשֹּׁ֤ור הַחַי֙ וְחָצ֣וּ אֶת־כַּסְפֹּ֔ו וְגַ֥ם אֶת־הַמֵּ֖ת יֽ͏ֶחֱצֽוּן׃ |
36 However, if people know that the bull often attacked other animals previously, and its owner did not keep it inside a fence, then the owner of that bull must give the owner of the bull that died one of his own bulls, but he can take away the animal that died [and do with it whatever he wants to do].”
| אֹ֣ו נֹודַ֗ע כִּ֠י שֹׁ֣ור נַגָּ֥ח הוּא֙ מִתְּמֹ֣ול שִׁלְשֹׁ֔ם וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמְרֶ֖נּוּ בְּעָלָ֑יו שַׁלֵּ֨ם יְשַׁלֵּ֥ם שֹׁור֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשֹּׁ֔ור וְהַמֵּ֖ת יִֽהְיֶה־לֹּֽו׃ ס |
