Exodus 21:30

_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._ If an ox gore a man. For the purpose of sanctifying human blood, and representing all injuries affecting life in a serious light, an animal that occasioned death was to be killed, or suffer punishment proportioned to the degree of damage it had caused. Verse 29. BUT IF THE OX WERE WONT TO PUSH ... AND IT HATH BEEN TESTIFIED TO HIS OWNER. According to Jewish writers, this notification required to be done three separate times before a magistrate. BUT THAT HE HATH KILLED A MAN OR A WOMAN - who was free (cf. Exodus 21:32). Verse 30. IF THERE BE LAID ON HIM A SUM OF MONEY - as some sort of compensation for the loss of a relative, the amount being determined either by the Go'el, the blood-

22-36 The cases here mentioned give rules of justice then, and still in use, for deciding similar matters. We are taught by these laws, that we must be very careful to do no wrong, either directly or indirectly. If we have done wrong, we must be very willing to make it good, and be desirous that nobody may lose by us....

Verse Exodus 21:30. _IF THERE BE LAID ON HIM A SUM OF MONEY - THE RANSOM OF_ _HIS LIFE_] So it appears that, though by the law he forfeited his _life_, yet this might be commuted for a _pecuniary_ mulct, at which the life of the deceased might be valued by the magistrates....

The animal was slain as a tribute to the sanctity of human life (Compare the marginal references and Genesis 4:11). It was stoned, and its flesh was treated as carrion. Guilty negligence on the part of its owner was reckoned a capital offence, to be commuted for a fine. In the case of a slave, the payment was the standard price of a slave, thirty shekels of silver. See Leviticus 25:44; Leviticus 27:3, and the marginal references for the New Testament application of this fact....

EXPOSITION THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT.—_Continued_. I. _Laws connected with the rights of persons_ (Exodus 21:1). The regulations of this section concern— 1. Slavery (Exodus 21:2); 2. Murder and other kinds of homicide (Exodus 21:12-2 and Exodus 21:20, Exodus 21:21); 3. Man-stealing ...

IF THERE BE LAID ON HIM A SUM OF MONEY,.... By the decree of the judges, as Aben Ezra, or which the sanhedrim of Israel have laid upon him; if his sentence of death is commuted for a fine, with the consent of the relations of the deceased, who in such a case are willing to show mercy, and take a fine instead of the person's death; supposing it was through carelessness and negligence, and not with any ill design that he did not keep up his ox from doing damage, after he had notice: THEN HE SHALL GIVE FOR THE RANSOM OF HIS LIFE WHATEVER, IS LAID UPON HIM; whatever mulct or fine he is amerced with by the court, instead of the sentence of death first pronounced. Of this ransom Maimonides q thus writes: "the ransom is according as the judges consider what is the price (or value) of him that is slain; (i.e. according to his rank, whether a noble or common man, a free man or a servant) all is...

CHAPTER 21 DIFFERENT JUDGMENTS _ 1. Master and servant (Exodus 21:1)_ 2. Concerning injury to the person (Exodus 21:12) 3. Concerning property (Exodus 21:33) The Three Chapter s which follow the giving of the Ten Commandments give the practical application of the Decalogue in the daily life. The duties towards the fellowman are demonstrated in part. There are seven sections to these three Chapter s; each section contains ten precepts. The servant occupies the first place. He was to obtain his freedom for nothing after serving six years. In Deuteronomy we read that the master is commanded not to let him go empty-handed, but give him of his flock, his threshing floor and his winepress.

EXODUS 21:28 E. DAMAGES BY OR TO CATTLE. An ox goring anyone to death must be stoned, and might not be eaten, as tainted with blood-guilt (Exodus 21:28). In ancient Greece and elsewhere, and even in mediæ val Europe, animals were tried in court. But the owner of an ox known to be vicious, and yet left at large, must die, or pay a fine to the relatives (Exodus 21:29 f.), the same rule holding good of a minor of either sex (Exodus 21:31). A slave's death required a fine of 30 shekels (worth £ 4, 2 Samuel 6 d. now, and much more then) and the ox's death. These two ...

RANSOM. Implying that death-penalties were in certain cases commutable. Compare Exodus 30:12 and Psalms 49:8. Psa 49:32 shekels. See App-51....

Exodus 20:22 to Exodus 23:33 _The Book of the Covenant_ The -Book of the Covenant" (see Exodus 24:7 in explanation of the name) is the oldest piece of Hebrew legislation that we possess. The laws contained in it are spoken of in Exodus 24:3 as consisting of two elements, the WORDS (or commands) and the JUDGEMENTS: the JUDGEMENTS (see on Exodus 21:1) are the provisions relating to civil and criminal law, prescribing what is to be done when particular cases arise, and comprised in...