Exodus 21:18-36
~17 min read
💭 Consider this: How, despite His justice, has God shown you mercy? To whom, despite your own sense of justice, can you show mercy today?
TRANSCRIPT
Our text for tonight's message is taken from Exodus 21:18-36. As we continue with our theme on "The Punishment Fits the Crime", let us recap what we have learned in our previous message from verses 1-17. We have considered those crimes that led to death or intentional killing, and the punishment was capital — a life for a life. The principle behind this punishment is that life is precious; man is made in the image of God, and this law was given for the preservation and sanctity of life.
But what about those crimes that do not lead to death but rather cause personal injury? People do injure one another in many different ways, for example, in accidents. However, they still need to be accountable. This is what this passage is all about, where Moses gave different scenarios regarding personal injury. Obviously, it was not able to cover every case, but these examples were given so that the children of Israel would understand the principles for executing judgment when people were injured. In each scenario, we will see the crime, the punishment, and the principle.
As we have done in the past, we want to draw spiritual lessons from this passage, especially the reasons behind why God would prescribe such punishments. The title of our message is "The Punishment Fits the Crime: an eye for an eye."
I. The Crime, the Punishment, and the Principle
a. Injury from Physical Violence
Let us begin with verses 18 and 19, "And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed”.
In this case, both men were engaged in a fight, perhaps to settle an argument, which led to physical violence. The person might use his fist or grab a stone to strike his opponent. If the victim died, then capital punishment would be applied. But if the victim survived and was disabled or not seriously injured and was able to continue to walk around with the help of his staff, the man who caused the injury would have to pay for his crime by compensating the victim for his loss of income and by making sure that he received proper medical care. Today, we see this principle still practiced in our modern-day legal system, and sometimes the person would have to compensate the victim to the tune of millions of dollars.
The lesson we can learn from this law is: do not resort to violence. When we argue with someone, the argument may escalate, and once both parties are angry, there is no telling what we might do. There is never any excuse to resort to physical violence. Obviously, it is a different situation when our lives are in danger, and we have to exercise self-defence. But even then, it is wiser for us to avoid the danger, turn and run, rather than stand and fight. This is a case of personal dispute, and we are never justified in using physical force. If we break the law, we must take full responsibility for whatever damage is done, and the right thing to do is to make restitution.
b. Injury to Slaves
The next case also involves injury, except the person involved was a slave or a servant. Verses 20 and 21, "And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money”.
In those days, the master had the right to administer corporal punishment, most of the time by hitting the back of the slave, especially the lower part of the body, which would not cause any injury. The corporal punishment was to ensure that the slave would obey the rules and live peaceably with the other slaves. However, the master did not have the right to injure the slave in any way.
Again, if the slave died, the master would be guilty of murder, and that crime would be capital. If the slave lived, there was no injury, and the slave was able to continue working after a day or two. There was no need for compensation because he belonged to the master, and he was supposed to work for the master. Notice that there was no mention of medical care. The reason was that it was in the master's best interest to help his slave to recover and get back to work as soon as possible, so medical care was a given.
At this point, some people might accuse God's law of treating slaves as lesser creatures, but nothing is further from the truth. If you look down to verses 26 and 27, "And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake. And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake”.
In other words, if the slave suffered an injury as serious as losing an eye or as minor as losing a tooth, he should be set free. This was the major difference between slavery in Israel and slavery elsewhere in the ancient world. Only the law of God provided this kind of protection for slaves. It was unprecedented, so much so that if the master were to knock out the tooth of the slave, he would have to let him go free. This law was intended not only to protect the slave but to eradicate the physical abuse of slaves. Everyone is equal in the eyes of God.
c. Injury to Pregnant Women
Next, Moses went on to speak about the innocent bystander who was injured. Verse 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".
If the men were fighting and in the process a bystander, a pregnant woman, was struck in such a way that it induced her labour, and if there was a risk or even death to both the mother and child, the man would deserve strict judgment. But even if the mother and child were not hurt, the men still have to pay restitution because of the premature delivery, as determined by the woman's husband and the elders of Israel. The reason was that his violent action had threatened the lives of two of the most vulnerable people in society: the mother and the unborn baby in the womb.
The men who were fighting might argue that they never intended to hurt anyone or put any lives in danger except themselves—it was just an accident. But God held the people responsible for their reckless behaviour, even though the damage was unintentional. This is very similar to someone in our time who gets drunk and drives a car, and as a result someone is injured. The person argues and says, ‘I didn't mean it; it was never my intention.’ But the law says whether you meant it or not, it doesn't matter. You did it, and you have to make things right.
One important lesson we can learn from here is that the life of the unborn child deserves special protection. God is the Giver of life, and the life in the womb is as precious to Him as the one standing and walking down the street. Take a moment and consider this: if that life in the womb was so precious that even though the baby was not harmed or hurt, only the result was a premature delivery, yet it was serious enough for God to impose a penalty upon those who behaved recklessly, how much more do you think God would deal with those who commit the sin of abortion? How much more do you think God would deal with those who take away the life of a child? Do you think God will not hold the parents and the doctors responsible for taking away the precious life of the baby in the womb? Most certainly, He would.
To our almighty God, the lives of the two men fighting in the street, the slave, the bystander, the pregnant woman, and the baby in the womb were so precious to Him because they were all individuals made in His image, and all of them deserve special care and protection. Therefore, all these laws were given to the children of Israel.
d. Injury from Animals
What about crimes of negligence? When someone gets hurt or even killed because someone else failed to be careful? Look at verse 28, "If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit".
Animals are unpredictable. Sometimes they attack without warning. This case is pretty straightforward: an animal that kills someone has to die—a life for a life. But the animal's owner should not be punished except for the loss of his animal, which is no longer fit for human consumption. Since the owner didn't know, he could not predict what would happen. Animals are unpredictable; he could not be held responsible. Today, we would call this a freak accident.
However, the situation is different when the animal was a known offender, which means it had previously attacked people before. Verse 29, "But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death".
The owner knew that his animal had a history of attacking people, and despite knowing that his animal was dangerous, he did not keep it penned up. Failing to keep his animal under control, he became liable for the death, even though it was the animal that did the killing.
Some years ago, there was a couple who had a dispute with their neighbour, an old lady. The couple had kept two ferocious pit bulls as pets. One day, the woman was returning home after taking a walk in the park, and all of a sudden, the two pit bulls, which were unleashed, pounced upon her, attacked her, and she was bitten to death. Subsequently, the couple was arrested, and upon investigation, it was found out that they had unresolved issues with the old lady. So, they were suspected of intentional killing.
But the couple argued that they never intended to hurt the old lady; it was just that they lost control of the two dogs. It was very difficult to prove whether the death was intentional or not. Finally, the court's verdict was that since the couple knew that those were two ferocious pit bulls and they had a history of attacking people—they were dangerous—and the couple did not leash the two pit bulls, they were held responsible. They were found guilty; the dogs were put to death, and the couple was sentenced to a lengthy imprisonment.
The lesson we can learn from here is that our animals, our pets, including our cars, our houses, our machinery, our tools—anything that belongs to us—are our responsibility. But there's a deeper principle here: we are not only responsible for the injuries we actually cause but also for the injuries we should have prevented. When an accident happens, people often say, ‘It is not my fault; I didn't do it.’ But according to the law of God, if we could have prevented the accident and we did not, we must bear the responsibility for it when it happens.
This biblical principle is still applied today in our modern society; it is known as legal liability. But God had already given this law thousands of years ago. That is the wisdom of God.
Although according to God's law, when criminal negligence led to a death, justice demanded the death penalty, God was merciful. His law allowed the victim's family to show mercy by demanding restitution instead of retribution. Rather than executing the death penalty, they could demand a ransom. Look at verses 30 and 31, "If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him. Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him".
So, it was right for the families of victims who had lost a son or a daughter due to the negligence of someone else to receive compensation. But what about those families of victims who were greedy and demanded much more than what they should have received? We see that happening all the time in our society. When someone's loved one is killed due to the negligence of another person, they will sue for tens and even hundreds of millions as if there's no limit for compensation. God's law stated that there ought to be a limit for compensation.
The demand for payment must meet the standard for justice for the individuals. The judges or the elders of Israel would have to decide the appropriate amount for compensation for the slaves. Look at verse 32, "If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned". The average price of a slave was thirty shekels of silver. The owner of the ox had to pay the owner of the slave the same amount of money.
This figure was very significant because it was the same amount that Judas had betrayed our Lord Jesus for: thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15). It was the price that Judas Iscariot had received, but the price our Lord Jesus paid on the cross of Calvary, where He died shedding His precious blood, was infinitely more. The price Jesus paid for our salvation was infinite.
To Judas Iscariot, Jesus was only worth thirty pieces of silver. To you, how much is Jesus worth? If you say, ‘There's no amount of money that can ever buy my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,’ then the next question is: will you exchange anything for your Lord Jesus Christ? Will you exchange His worship, His services, prayers, and communion with Him, the study of His Word, the fellowship of His people, for anything? For working on Sundays? For holidays? For worldly activities? For your own convenience? Will you exchange Jesus Christ for anything? We must not only mean what we say in words but we must mean it in our actions.
e. Injury to Animals
By now, the children of Israel would be familiar with the principles of justice, that they were responsible not only for what they did but also for what they failed to do. Therefore, Moses went on to say in verses 33 and 34, "And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his". In other words, a man who dug a pit was obligated to cover it for the protection of others. If he failed to do so and an animal fell into it, he was responsible for its death. He must compensate the owner of the animal, and after he had paid up, that dead animal would belong to him.
Verse 35, "And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide". If a man's ox killed another man's ox, then together they will sell the live ox and divide the money, and the dead ox would also be divided equally. Though it was a freak accident, remember the owner was not only responsible for what he did but also for what he failed to do. In this case, he had failed to take care of his own animal; therefore, he had to share the loss with the victim.
However, if it was known that his ox had the habit of attacking other animals and he did not keep it penned up, knowing that his animal was dangerous, then he must compensate the victim with another animal of his own, and the dead animal would belong to him. You can read about that in verse 36. So, you can see how God's law is so fair, just, and righteous.
II. The Law of Compensation and the Law of Love
Some of us may be overwhelmed by all these details of the laws, but the basic principle is that the punishment has to fit the crime. This principle is found in this most famous passage, verse 23 to 25. “And if any mischief follow,” – mischief means evil or harm – “then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”
Most of us are familiar with this phrase “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” because it was quoted by our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:38-39. Allow me to read for you, Jesus said, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also".
Does it mean that Jesus contradicts Moses? Most certainly not. Remember, Jesus said He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfil it (paraphrased from Matthew 5:17). You see, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" is known as the law of retaliation. The primary purpose was to stop the people from taking their own revenge. When people get hurt, they want the person who caused the pain, the hurt, the suffering to be afflicted, to suffer more than they did. God's law does not allow that. God's law does not allow the penalty to be excessive. The punishment must fit the crime, and that is the law of retaliation.
Some people have misrepresented or misinterpreted this verse as physically plucking the eye of the person or removing the tooth of the person. That would be barbaric. Nowhere in this passage did God's law command the people to do that. Remember, this whole passage was about personal injury by way of accident or negligence. Even when a life is taken, God's law provided a means of compensation.
Therefore, the law of retaliation was also the law of compensation. During the time of Jesus, this interpretation of "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" was greatly abused. The religious leaders would often use this verse to say, ‘An eye for an eye. That’s it. If you hurt me, I have the right to hurt you. If you take my eye, I will take yours.’ In other words, tit for tat. Jesus corrected the religious leaders not by overruling Moses but by correcting their misinterpretation of this verse.
Jesus explained, when it comes to personal injury, if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. To strike someone on the right cheek is much more than an injury; it is an insult, a great insult. Most people are right-handed, so in order to hit someone on the right cheek, you have to use the back of your right hand. That would be a great insult. People will not be able to accept such an insult. They will fight back, and they will justify their actions by saying, ‘An eye for an eye. You strike me on the right cheek, I will strike you back on the right cheek too.’
But according to Jesus, this was not what the law meant at all. The reason why the law provided for the victims to be compensated was for the purpose of making things right, not for the purpose of harming someone else, not for the purpose of causing hurt to someone else. Interestingly, we often quote "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" when we are right. We will not quote this phrase when we are in the wrong, only when we are in the right, and we want the person to be punished for what he has done to us. In a sense, Jesus was saying it the other way around. He was saying when we are in the wrong, we need to make things right, we need to do everything justice requires; but when someone does us wrong, we do not have to insist on justice. Instead, we have an opportunity to show mercy.
In other words, rather than seeking revenge or compensation or demanding justice, we should be willing to show mercy, willing to forgive, willing to give up our rights to make the person pay for what he has done to us. Jesus taught us by His example. Remember how our Lord Jesus was insulted and abused on His way to Calvary. Did our Lord Jesus demand wound for wound, stripe for stripe? No. Jesus said in Isaiah 50:6, "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting". When He was crucified on the cross, He prayed for His persecutors, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).
Dear friend, has anyone hurt you in your family, in the church, in your workplace, so much so that you suffered personal injury? Perhaps your reputation has been tarnished, your name has been ruined, or you have been afflicted physically and emotionally. You may have the right to demand justice and even seek compensation, but you are willing to forgo that right, you are willing to show mercy, you are willing to forgive. Why? Because you consider the great mercy and forgiveness you have received from God.
In the application of law and justice, in the application of ‘the punishment fits the crime: an eye for an eye’, we may have the right to demand justice. But you and I should follow our Lord Jesus Christ, and we follow the law of love. The law of love is to show mercy, it is to forgive, it is to be willing to give up our rights. If every one of us were to apply this law of love in our lives, in our families, in our church, in our workplaces, in the society, we will truly be living testimonies of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who taught us if someone smites you on the cheek, turn the other. It is difficult, but by the grace of God, we will be able to do it by the wonder-working power of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray.
Our Father in heaven, indeed, as we study all the details of Thy law given in the book of Exodus to the children of Israel, there are so many spiritual lessons that we can learn and draw from Thy Word. We pray that we will not just learn all this truth for head knowledge’s sake, but that this knowledge may be rightly applied into our lives, that this knowledge may sink into our hearts and always be lived out in our lives. We pray that as we learn all this truth, we look unto Jesus, the Author and the Finisher of our faith, who taught us what it means to follow the law of love.
O Lord, in times when we have been wrongly accused, or when we suffer personal injuries, whether it be our reputation, our name, or even physically and emotionally we are afflicted, may each and every one of us apply the law of love taught by our Lord Jesus. We are willing to let go of our rights. We are willing to show mercy, to forgive as our Lord Jesus has taught us. Blessed be His name. Grant to us the strength to be able to live such a life, all to the glory of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.
THE BOOK OF EXODUSGod’s Prophecy and Promise Had Come To PassGod’s Prophecy and Promise Had Come To PassExodus 1:1-7
From Prosperity to PersecutionFrom Prosperity to PersecutionExodus 1:8-14
God’s Protection in the Midst of AdversitiesGod’s Protection in the Midst of AdversitiesExodus 1:15-21
The Faith of JochebedThe Faith of JochebedExodus 1:22-2:10
Moses in EgyptMoses in EgyptExodus 2:11-15
Moses in the Desert of MidianMoses in the Desert of MidianExodus 2:16-25
Moses and the Burning BushMoses and the Burning BushExodus 3:1-9
Who Are You?Who Are You?Exodus 3:10-15
Who Am I?Who Am I?Exodus 3:10-15
God’s Message to Israel and EgyptGod’s Message to Israel and EgyptExodus 3:16-22
What If They Still Don’t Believe?What If They Still Don’t Believe?Exodus 4:1-9
Send Someone ElseSend Someone ElseExodus 4:10-17
Moses’ Return to EgyptMoses’ Return to EgyptExodus 4:18-20
When Things Seemed to Get Better, They Got WorseWhen Things Seemed to Get Better, They Got WorseExodus 5:10-21
When We Have Done Everything Right, and Yet Trouble ComesWhen We Have Done Everything Right, and Yet Trouble ComesExodus 5:22-6:5
Having to Learn the Same Lesson TwiceHaving to Learn the Same Lesson TwiceExodus 6:6-12
Faithful or UnfaithfulFaithful or UnfaithfulExodus 6:13-27
What God Wants Is Our Faithfulness and ObedienceWhat God Wants Is Our Faithfulness and ObedienceExodus 6:28-7:7
The First Plague - The River of BloodThe First Plague - The River of BloodExodus 7:14-25
The Second Plague - The FrogsThe Second Plague - The FrogsExodus 8:1-15
The Third PlagueThe Third PlagueExodus 8:16-19
The Fourth PlagueThe Fourth PlagueExodus 8:20-32
The Fifth PlagueThe Fifth PlagueExodus 9:1-7
The Sixth PlagueThe Sixth PlagueExodus 9:8-12
The Seventh PlagueThe Seventh PlagueExodus 9:13-35
The Eighth PlagueThe Eighth PlagueExodus 10:1-20
The Tenth PlagueThe Tenth PlagueExodus 11:1-10
The First PassoverThe First PassoverExodus 12:1-13
The Feast of the Unleavened BreadThe Feast of the Unleavened BreadExodus 12:14-28
Departure From EgyptDeparture From EgyptExodus 12:29-42
This Do In Remembrance of MeThis Do In Remembrance of MeExodus 12:43-51; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
Message 2: What is Church to you? My Covenantal Family!Message 2: What is Church to you? My Covenantal Family!Exodus 12:48-49, Colossians 2:11-12
Redemption and ConsecrationRedemption and ConsecrationExodus 13:1-2, 11-16
Precious Lord, Take My HandPrecious Lord, Take My HandExodus 13:17-22
Between the Desert and the Red SeaBetween the Desert and the Red SeaExodus 14:1-14
Crossing the Red SeaCrossing the Red SeaExodus 14:15-31
The Song of PraiseThe Song of PraiseExodus 15:1-21
Will You Obey Or Not?Will You Obey Or Not?Exodus 15:22-27
The Danger of a Complaining SpiritThe Danger of a Complaining SpiritExodus 16:1-3
God’s Response to Israel’s ComplaintsGod’s Response to Israel’s ComplaintsExodus 16:1-10
The Test of FaithThe Test of FaithExodus 16:11-20
Lessons About the SabbathLessons About the SabbathExodus 16:21-36
Do Not Test GodDo Not Test GodExodus 17:1-17
Lift Up Your HandsLift Up Your HandsExodus 17:8-16
The Blessedness of ReunionThe Blessedness of ReunionExodus 18:1-12
Why Do We Have Leaders?Why Do We Have Leaders?Exodus 18:13-27
I Will Carry You On Eagles’ WingsI Will Carry You On Eagles’ WingsExodus 19:1-6
Approach God Fearlessly or FearfullyApproach God Fearlessly or FearfullyExodus 19:7-15
God Reached Out And SpokeGod Reached Out And SpokeExodus 19:16-25
Thou Shalt Have No Other GodsThou Shalt Have No Other GodsExodus 20:1-3
Thou Shalt Not Make Graven ImagesThou Shalt Not Make Graven ImagesExodus 20:4-6
Thou Shalt Not Dishonour God’s NameThou Shalt Not Dishonour God’s NameExodus 20:7
Thou Shalt Keep The Sabbath DayThou Shalt Keep The Sabbath DayExodus 20:8-11
Honour Thy Father And Thy MotherHonour Thy Father And Thy MotherExodus 20:12
Thou Shalt Not KillThou Shalt Not KillExodus 20:13
Thou Shalt Not Commit AdulteryThou Shalt Not Commit AdulteryExodus 20:14
Thou Shalt Not StealThou Shalt Not StealExodus 20:15
Thou Shalt Not LieThou Shalt Not LieExodus 20:16
Thou Shalt Not CovetThou Shalt Not CovetExodus 20:17
The Response To The Ten CommandmentsThe Response To The Ten CommandmentsExodus 20:18-21
How God Wants Us To Worship HimHow God Wants Us To Worship HimExodus 20:22-26
Why Would God Allow Slavery?Why Would God Allow Slavery?Exodus 21:1-11
The Punishment Fits The Crime — a life for a lifeThe Punishment Fits The Crime — a life for a lifeExodus 21:12-17
The Punishment Fits The Crime — an eye for an eyeThe Punishment Fits The Crime — an eye for an eyeExodus 21:18-36
The Punishment Deters The Crime — property lawsThe Punishment Deters The Crime — property lawsExodus 22:1-15
The Character Of GodThe Character Of GodExodus 22:16-20
Reaching Out To The Down-And-OutReaching Out To The Down-And-OutExodus 22:21-24
The Compassion, Authority & Holiness Of GodThe Compassion, Authority & Holiness Of GodExodus 22:25-31
Truth Cannot Be Subjected To Anything But TruthTruth Cannot Be Subjected To Anything But TruthExodus 23:1-9
Remember Who God IsRemember Who God IsExodus 23:10-19
What Must We Do To Have VictoryWhat Must We Do To Have VictoryExodus 23:20-33
How We Ought To Worship GodHow We Ought To Worship GodExodus 24:1-4, 7
On What Basis Can We Approach His Majesty?On What Basis Can We Approach His Majesty?Exodus 24:4-8
Responding to God’s InvitationResponding to God’s InvitationExodus 24:9-18
The Right Attitude Of GivingThe Right Attitude Of GivingExodus 25:1-8
If Thy Presence Go Not with Me, Carry Us Not Up HenceIf Thy Presence Go Not with Me, Carry Us Not Up HenceExodus 33:12-23
