Exodus 21:19

then the one who struck him shall go unpunished, as long as the other can get up and walk around outside with his staff. Nevertheless, he must compensate the man for his lost work and see that he is completely healed.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God delivers this statute to Israel through Moses at Sinai, following the Decalogue and preceding household laws. The verse addresses a dispute between two men where one strikes the other with a stone or fist, and the victim survives but remains bedridden.

The words — וְנִקָּה (ve-niqah) means "he will be free from guilt," establishing the legal condition for exemption from blood vengeance. הַמַּכֶּה (ha-makkeh) translates to "the one who struck," identifying the liable party in the quarrel.

The thread — The text frames this ruling within the immediate assault statutes of Exodus 21:18 and 21:20, which govern quarrels and slave beatings. The surrounding judicial codes consistently prioritize measured restitution over uncontrolled retaliation.

Why it lands — It requires readers to enforce financial compensation and medical oversight rather than pursue personal vengeance. The passage demands acceptance of a legal remedy that values the victim's restoration and wage replacement over punitive retaliation.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אִם־'im-if יָק֞וּםya.Kumhe will arise וְהִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְve./hit.ha.Lekhand/ he will walk about בַּח֛וּץba./Chutzon the/ outside עַל־'al-on מִשְׁעַנְתּ֖וֹmish.'an.T/ostaff/ his וְנִקָּ֣הve./ni.Kahand/ he will be free from guilt הַמַּכֶּ֑הha./ma.Kehthe/ [one who] struck רַ֥קrakonly שִׁבְתּ֛וֹshiv.T/ositting still/ his יִתֵּ֖ןyi.Tenhe will pay for וְרַפֹּ֥אve./ra.Po'and/ certainly <to heal>יְרַפֵּֽא׃ סye.ra.Pe'he will have [him] healed

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

2 Samuel 3:29 May it whirl over the head of Joab and over the entire house of his father, and may the house of Joab never be without one having a discharge or skin disease, or one who leans on a staff or falls by the sword or lacks food.”
Zechariah 8:4 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of great age.