Exodus 21

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Exodus 21

1And these are the ordinances which you shall set before them.Καὶ ταῦτα τὰ δικαιώματα, ἃ παραθήσῃ ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν.

2If you buy a Hebrew servant, six years shall he serve you, and in the seventh year he shall go forth free for nothing.Ἐὰν κτήσῃ παῖδα Ἐβραῖον, ἓξ ἔτη δουλεύσει σοι· τῷ δὲ ἑβδόμῳ ἔτει ἀπελεύσεται ἐλεύθερος δωρεάν.

3If he should have come in alone, he shall also go forth alone; and if his wife should have gone in together with him, his wife also shall go out.Ἐὰν αὐτὸς μόνος εἰσέλθῃ, καὶ μόνος ἐξελεύσεται· ἐὰν δὲ γυνὴ συνεισέλθῃ μετʼ αὐτοῦ, ἐξελεύσεται καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ.

4Moreover, if his master give him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters, the wife and the children shall be his master's; and he shall go forth alone.Καὶ ἐὰν δὲ ὁ κύριος δῷ αὐτῷ γυναῖκα, καὶ τέκῃ αὐτῷ υἱοὺς ἢ θυγατέρας, ἡ γυνὴ καὶ τὰ παιδία ἔσται τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ, αὐτὸς δὲ μόνος ἐξελεύσεται.

5And if the servant should answer and say, I love my master and wife and children, I * will not go away free;Ἐὰν δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἴπῃ ὁ παῖς, ἠγάπηκα τὸν κύριόν μου, καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ τὰ παιδία, οὐκ ἀποτρέχω ἐλεύθερος·

6his master shall bring him to the judgment-seat of God, and then shall he bring him to the door, —to the door-post, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever.προσάξει αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τότε προσάξει αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν ἐπὶ τὸν σταθμὸν, καὶ τρυπήσει ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ τὸ οὖς τῷ ὀπητίῳ, καὶ δουλεύσει αὐτῷ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

7And if any one sell his daughter as a domestic, she shall not depart as the maidservants depart.Ἐὰν δέ τις ἀποδῶται τὴν ἑαυτοῦ θυγατέρα οἰκέτιν, οὐκ ἀπελεύσεται, ὥσπερ ἀποτρέχουσιν αἱ δοῦλαι.

8If she be not pleasing to her master, † after she has betrothed herself to him, he shall let her go free; but he is not at liberty to sell her to a foreign nation, because he has trifled with her.Ἐὰν μὴ εὐαρεστήσῃ τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτῆς, ἣ αὐτῷ καθωμολογήσατο, ἀπολυτρώσει αὐτήν· ἔθνει δὲ ἀλλοτρίῳ οὐ κύριός ἐστι πωλεῖν αὐτὴν, ὅτι ἠθέτησεν ἐν αὐτῇ.

9And if he should have betrothed her to his son, he shall do to her according to the right of daughters.Ἐὰν δὲ τῷ υἱῷ καθομολογήσηται αὐτὴν, κατὰ τὸ δικαίωμα τῶν θυγατέρων ποιήσει αὐτῇ.

10And if he take another to himself, he shall not deprive her of necessaries and her apparel, and her companionship with him.Ἐὰν δὲ ἄλλην λάβῃ ἑαυτῷ, τὰ δέοντα καὶ τὸν ἱματισμὸν καὶ τὴν ὁμιλίαν αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀποστερήσει.

11And if he will not do these three things to her, she shall go out free without money.Ἐὰν δὲ τὰ τρία ταῦτα μὴ ποιήσῃ αὐτῇ, ἐξελεύσεται δωρεὰν ἄνευ ἀργυρίου.

12And if any man strike another and he die, let him be certainly put to death.Ἐὰν δὲ πατάξῃ τις τινὰ, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω.

13But as for him that did it not willingly, but God delivered him into his hands, I will give you a place whither the slayer may flee.Ὁ δὲ οὐχ ἑκὼν, ἀλλὰ ὁ Θεὸς παρέδωκεν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, δώσω σοι τόπον οὗ φεύξεται ἐκεῖ ὁ φονεύσας.

14And if any one lie in wait for his neighbor to kill him by craft, and he go for refuge, you shall take him from my altar to put him to death.Ἐὰν δέ τις ἐπιθῆται τῷ πλησίον ἀποκτεῖναι αὐτὸν δόλῳ, καὶ καταφύγῃ, ἀπὸ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου μου λήψῃ αὐτὸν θανατῶσαι.

15Whoever smites his father or his mother, let him be certainly put to death.Ὃς τύπτει πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω.

16He that reviles his father or his mother shall surely die.Ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ, τελευτήσει θανάτῳ.

17Whosoever shall steal one of the children of Israel, and prevail over him and sell him, and he be found with him, let him ✡ certainly die.Ὃς ἐὰν κλέψῃ τις τινὰ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ καταδυναστεύσας αὐτὸν ἀποδῶται, καὶ εὑρεθῇ ἐν αὐτῷ, θανάτῳ τελευτάτω.

18And if two men revile each other and strike the one the other with a stone or his fist, and he die not, but be laid upon his bed;Ἐὰν δὲ λοιδορῶνται δύο ἄνδρες, καὶ πατάξωσι τὸν πλησίον λίθῳ ἢ πυγμῇ, καὶ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ, κατακλιθῇ δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν κοίτην,

19if the man arise and walk abroad on his staff, he that struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for his loss of time, and for his healing.ἐὰν ἐξαναστὰς ὁ ἄνθρωπος περιπατήσῃ ἔξω ἐπὶ ῥάβδου, ἀθῶος ἔσται ὁ πατάξας· πλὴν τῆς ἀργείας αὐτοῦ ἀποτίσει, καὶ τὰ ἰατρεῖα.

20And if a man strike his man-servant or his maidservant, with a rod, and the party die under his hands, he shall be surely punished.Ἐὰν δέ τις πατάξῃ τὸν παῖδα αὐτοῦ ἢ τὴν παιδίσκην αὐτοῦ ἐν ῥάβδῳ, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ ὑπὸ τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, δίκῃ ἐκδικηθήσεται.

21But if the servant continue to live a day or two, let not the master be punished; for he is his money.Ἐὰν δὲ διαβιώσῃ ἡμέραν μίαν ἢ δύο, οὐκ ἐκδικηθήτω· τὸ γὰρ ἀργύριον αὐτοῦ ἐστιν.

22And if two men strive and strike a woman with child, and her child be born imperfectly formed, he shall be forced to pay a penalty: as the woman's husband may lay upon him, he shall pay with a valuation.Ἐὰν δὲ μάχωνται δύο ἄνδρες, καὶ πατάξωσι γυναῖκα ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσαν, καὶ ἐξέλθῃ τὸ παιδίον αὐτῆς μὴ ἐξεικονισμένον, ἐπιζήμιον ζημιωθήσεται· καθότι ἂν ἐπιβάλῃ ὁ ἀνὴρ τῆς γυναικὸς, δώσει μετὰ ἀξιώματος.

23But if it be perfectly formed, he shall give life for life,Ἐὰν δὲ ἐξεικονισμένον ᾖ, δώσει ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς,

24✡ eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,Ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος, χεῖρα ἀντὶ χειρὸς, πόδα ἀντὶ ποδὸς,

25burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.κατάκαυμα ἀντὶ κατακαύματος, τραῦμα ἀντὶ τραύματος, μώλωπα ἀντὶ μώλωπος.

26And if one strike the eye of his man-servant, or the eye of his maidservant, and put it out, he shall let them go free for their eye's sake.Ἐὰν δέ τις πατάξῃ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τοῦ οἰκέτου αὐτοῦ, ἢ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τῆς θεραπαίνης αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκτυφλώσῃ, ἐλευθέρους ἐξαποστελεῖ αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ αὐτῶν.

27And if he should strike out the tooth of his man-servant, or the tooth of his maidservant, he shall send them away free for their tooth's sake.Ἐὰν δὲ τὸν ὀδόντα τοῦ οἰκέτου, ἢ τὸν ὀδόντα τῆς θεραπαίνης αὐτοῦ ἐκκόψῃ, ἐλευθέρους ἐξαποστελεῖ αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀδόντος αὐτῶν.

28And if a bull gore a man or woman and ‡ they die, the bull shall be stoned with stones, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the bull shall be clear.Ἐὰν δὲ κερατίσῃ ταῦρος ἄνδρα ἢ γυναῖκα καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, λίθοις λιθοβοληθήσεται ὁ ταῦρος, καὶ οὐ βρωθήσεται τὰ κρέα αὐτοῦ· ὁ δὲ κύριος τοῦ ταύρου ἀθῶος ἔσται.

29But if the bull should have been given to goring in former time, and men should have told his owner, and he have not removed him, but he should have slain a man or woman, the bull shall be stoned, and his owner shall die also.Ἐὰν δὲ ὁ ταῦρος κερατιστὴς ᾖ πρὸ τῆς χθὲς καὶ πρὸ τῆς τρίτης, καὶ διαμαρτύρωνται τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἀφανίσῃ αὐτὸν, ἀνέλῃ δὲ ἄνδρα ἢ γυναῖκα, ὁ ταῦρος λιθοβοληθήσεται, καὶ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ προσαποθανεῖται.

30And if a ransom should be imposed on him, he shall pay for the ransom of his soul as much as they shall lay upon him.Ἐὰν δὲ λύτρα ἐπιβληθῇ αὐτῷ, δώσει λύτρα τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ὅσα ἐὰν ἐπιβάλωσιν αὐτῶ.

31And if the bull gore a son or daughter, let them do to him according to this ordinance.Ἐὰν δὲ υἱὸν ἢ θυγατέρα κερατίσῃ, κατὰ τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦτο ποιήσωσιν αὐτῷ.

32And if the bull gore a man-servant or maidservant, he shall pay to their master thirty silver didrachmas, and the bull shall be stoned.Ἐὰν δὲ παῖδα κερατίσῃ ὁ ταῦρος ἢ παιδίσκην, ἀργυρίου τριάκοντα δίδραχμα δώσει τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτῶν, καὶ ὁ ταῦρος λιθοβοληθήσεται.

33And if any one open a pit or dig a cavity in stone, and cover it not, and an ox or an ass fall in there,Ἐὰν δέ τις ἀνοίξῃ λάκκον ἢ λατομήσῃ λάκκον, καὶ μὴ καλύψῃ αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐμπέσῃ ἐκεῖ μόσχος ἢ ὄνος,

34the owner of the pit shall make compensation; he shall give money to their owner, and the dead shall be his own.ὁ κύριος τοῦ λάκκου ἀποτίσει, ἀργύριον δώσει τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτῶν· τὸ δὲ τετελευτηκὸς αὐτῷ ἔσται.

35And if any man's bull gore the bull of his neighbor, and it die, they shall sell the living bull and divide the money, and they shall divide the dead bull.Ἐὰν δὲ κερατίσῃ τινὸς ταῦρος τόν ταῦρον τοῦ πλησίον, καὶ τελευτήσῃ, ἀποδώσονται τὸν ταῦρον τὸν ζῶντα, καὶ διελοῦνται τὸ ἀργύριον αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸν ταῦρον τὸν τεθνηκότα διελοῦνται.

36But if the bull be known to have been given to goring in time past, and they have testified to his owner, and he have not removed him, he shall repay bull for bull, but the dead shall be his own.Ἐὰν δὲ γνωρίζηται ὁ ταῦρος ὅτι κερατιστής ἐστι πρὸ τῆς χθὲς καὶ πρὸ τῆς τρίτης ἡμέρας, καὶ διαμεμαρτυρημένοι ὦσι τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ· καὶ μὴ ἀφανίσῃ αὐτὸν, ἀποτίσει ταῦρον ἀντὶ ταύρου, ὁ δὲ τετελευτηκὼς αὐτῷ ἔσται.

37Ἐὰν δέ τις κλέψῃ μόσχον ἢ πρόβατον, καὶ σφάξῃ ἢ ἀποδῶται, πέντε μόσχους ἀποτίσει ἀντὶ τοῦ μόσχου, καὶ τέσσερα πρόβατα ἀντὶ τοῦ προβάτου.

Translator's Notes

These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.

• v. 5*Gr. do not run away.
• v. 8†Gr. who has.
• v. 17✡Matt 15:4
• v. 24✡Matt 5:38
• v. 28‡Or, heor she die.

The Fathers on Exodus 21

Archelaus of Carrhae comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.

On Exodus 21:24

Archelaus of Carrhae

Ante-Nicene Fathers · Third century · Acts of the Disputation with Manes

Chapter XLII. 42. But I shall also offer, to the best of my ability, some expositions of the other words referred to; that is to say, I shall show that Jesus neither said nor did aught that was contrary to Moses. And first, as to the word, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,”—that is the expression of justice. And as to His injunction, that a man,…

Read Acts of the Disputation with Manes →