Back to Exodus 21

Exodus 21:30-36

If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed. Whether it has gored a son or has gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him. If the bull gores a male servant or a female servant, thirty shekels of silver shall be given to their master, and the ox shall be stoned.

“If a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and doesn’t cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit shall make it good. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall be his.

“If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live bull, and divide its price; and they shall also divide the dead animal. Or if it is known that the bull was in the habit of goring in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall surely pay bull for bull, and the dead animal shall be his own.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Exodus 21:30-36 sits inside this longer paragraph.

“If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull shall surely be stoned, and its meat shall not be eaten; but the owner of the bull shall not be held responsible. But if the bull had a habit of goring in the past, and this has been testified to its owner, and he has not kept it in, but it has killed a man or a woman, the bull shall be stoned, and its owner shall also be put to death. If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed. Whether it has gored a son or has gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him. If the bull gores a male servant or a female servant, thirty shekels of silver shall be given to their master, and the ox shall be stoned.

“If a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and doesn’t cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit shall make it good. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall be his.

“If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live bull, and divide its price; and they shall also divide the dead animal. Or if it is known that the bull was in the habit of goring in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall surely pay bull for bull, and the dead animal shall be his own.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed.

    Whether it has gored a son or has gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him.

    If the bull gores a male servant or a female servant, thirty shekels of silver shall be given to their master, and the ox shall be stoned.

    “If a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and doesn’t cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it,

    the owner of the pit shall make it good. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall be his.

    “If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live bull, and divide its price; and they shall also divide the dead animal.

    Or if it is known that the bull was in the habit of goring in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall surely pay bull for bull, and the dead animal shall be his own.

  • KJV King James Version

    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.

    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.

    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.

    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.

    Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    If there be laid on him a ransom, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.

    Whether it have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.

    If the ox gore a bondman or a bondwoman, he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

    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; he shall give money unto the owner of them, and the dead beast shall be his.

    And if one man's ox hurt another's, so that it dieth; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the price of it; and the dead also they shall divide.

    Or if it be known that the ox was wont to gore in time past, and its owner hath not kept it in; he shall surely pay ox for ox, and the dead beast shall be his own.

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Examined in Scripture Analysis

Cross-references (19)

  • Zechariah 11:12-13 (v32) I said to them, “If you think it best, give me my wages; and if not, keep them.” So they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver.…
  • Matthew 26:15 (v32) and said, “What are you willing to give me, that I should deliver him to you?” They weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver.
  • Exodus 21:22 (v30) “If men fight and hurt a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, and yet no harm follows, he shall be surely fined as much as…
  • Exodus 30:12 (v30) “When you take a census of the children of Israel, according to those who are counted among them, then each man shall give a ransom for his…
  • Numbers 35:31-33 (v30) “ ‘Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death. He shall surely be put to death. “ ‘You shall take…
Show all 19 cross-references
  • Matthew 27:3-9 (v32) Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief…
  • Genesis 37:28 (v32) Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty…
  • Exodus 21:28-29 (v32) “If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull shall surely be stoned, and its meat shall not be eaten; but the owner of the bull…
  • Exodus 21:29-30 (v34) But if the bull had a habit of goring in the past, and this has been testified to its owner, and he has not kept it in, but it has killed a…
  • Exodus 22:6 (v34) “If fire breaks out, and catches in thorns so that the shocks of grain, or the standing grain, or the field are consumed; he who kindled…
  • Exodus 22:14 (v34) “If a man borrows anything of his neighbor’s, and it is injured, or dies, its owner not being with it, he shall surely make restitution.
  • Psalms 9:15 (v33) The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made. In the net which they hid, their own foot is taken.
  • Psalms 119:85 (v33) The proud have dug pits for me, contrary to your law.
  • Proverbs 13:8 (v30) The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, but the poor hear no threats.
  • Proverbs 28:10 (v33) Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, he will fall into his own trap; but the blameless will inherit good.
  • Ecclesiastes 10:8 (v33) He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
  • Jeremiah 18:20 (v33) Should evil be recompensed for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn…
  • Jeremiah 18:22 (v33) Let a cry be heard from their houses when you bring a troop suddenly on them; for they have dug a pit to take me and hidden snares for my…
  • Philippians 2:7 (v32) but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (15 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv30, 32, 34 By the next of the kindred of him that…

By the next of the kindred of him that is so slain.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36 Exo 21:30 If there be laid on him a…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv30–36 If there be laid on him; either by the…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv30–36 If there be laid on him a sum of…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv30, 32, 33 Verse 30. If there be laid on him a…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v30 Exo 21:30. If there be laid on him a…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv33, 35 The usual mode of protecting a well in the…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v32 Bond man, &c., of any of those uncircumcised nations,…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v30 If there be laid on him a sum of…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On v33 33-36. The provisions of this section must commend themselves…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv30–36 30. The owner of the ox may, however, escape…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv30, 33, 34, 35 (30) Whatsoever is laid upon him.—Primarily, by the aggrieved…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv30–35 If there be a fine laid upon him. There…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv31, 33, 35 has gored
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v33 21:33–22:15 In cases involving loss of property, the responsible…
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