Exodus 21:20
in Exodus 21If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall surely be punished.
KJV
And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.
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This verse in Exodus 21
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The Jewish authorities appear to be right in referring this law, like those in Exo 21:26-27, Exo 21:32, to foreign slaves (see Lev 25:44-46). The protection here afforded to the life of a slave may seem to us but a slight one; but it is the very earliest trace of such protection in legislation, and it stands in strong and favorable contrast with the old laws of Greece, Rome, and other nations.
This site's exposition
if a man smite his servant, or his maid
on Exodus 21:20-21
A master who beats his servant to death under his hand shall be surely punished, and the verse names no exemption for the master and asks no question about the servant's nation. The surrounding codes of the ancient near east handled the death of a slave as damage owed to the owner, and here it is an offence with a penalty on the owner himself. Verse 21 is the hard line, since a servant who continues a day or two leaves the master unpunished on the ground that he is his money, and readers have long divided over whether that clause restrains the master or concedes something to him.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureDisputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 4 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Because the written law was a law of rigor, it not only approves the threefold obedience, but also punishes its transgressors. It punishes the rebellious servant, Exodus 21: He who strikes his servant or handmaid with a rod, if he survive for a day or …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This servant must not be an Israelite, but a Gentile slave, as the Negroes to our planters; and it is supposed that he smite him with a rod, and not with any thing that was likely to give a mortal wound, yet if he died under his hand, he should be punished for his cruelty, at the discretion of the Judges, upon consideration of circumstances.
quarantine:duplicate (2026-07-29) — dup:2 scholars / 2 anchors
And if a man smite his servant or his maid with a rod,....
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְכִֽי־ | vekhi- | and if | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יַכֶּה֩ | yakeh | he will strike | H5221 → | 499 times |
| אִ֨ישׁ | ʾish | anyone | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עַבְדּ֜וֹ | avdo | [male] slave his | H5650 → | 799 times |
| א֤וֹ | ʾo | or | H176 → | 321 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲמָתוֹ֙ | ʾamato | female slave his | H519 → | 56 times |
| בַּשֵּׁ֔בֶט | bashevet | with the rod | H7626 → | 190 times |
| וּמֵ֖ת | umet | and he will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| תַּ֣חַת | tachat | under | H8478 → | 505 times |
| יָד֑וֹ | yado | hand his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| נָקֹ֖ם | nakom | certainly <to avenge> | H5358 → | 35 times |
| יִנָּקֵֽם׃ | yinakem | he will be avenged | H5358 → | 35 times |
וְכִֽי־and if
vekhi-H3588 →4482 times
יַכֶּה֩he will strike
yakehH5221 →499 times
אִ֨ישׁanyone
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עַבְדּ֜וֹ[male] slave his
avdoH5650 →799 times
א֤וֹor
ʾoH176 →321 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲמָתוֹ֙female slave his
ʾamatoH519 →56 times
בַּשֵּׁ֔בֶטwith the rod
bashevetH7626 →190 times
וּמֵ֖תand he will die
umetH4191 →839 times
תַּ֣חַתunder
tachatH8478 →505 times
יָד֑וֹhand his
yadoH3027 →1618 times
נָקֹ֖םcertainly <to avenge>
nakomH5358 →35 times
יִנָּקֵֽם׃he will be avenged
yinakemH5358 →35 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 19:21You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:38–39
You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’
- Exodus 21:23–25
But if a serious injury results, then you must require a life for a life—
- Deuteronomy 19:13
You must show him no pity. You are to purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, that it may go well with you.
- Matthew 5:38–39
Through
Romans 13:4For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the…
it leads to
- Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
- 2 Chronicles 19:6
Then he said to the judges, “Consider carefully what you do, for you are not judging for man, but for the LORD, who is with you when you render judgment.
- Proverbs 24:23–24
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
- Proverbs 16:14
The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
- Proverbs 20:2
The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.
- Romans 12:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Exodus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Disputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 4; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch.