Bible Strands
Exodus 21:31
If the ox gores a son or a daughter, it shall be done to him according to the same rule.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses conveys divine statutes to the Israelites detailing liability for livestock injuries. This verse intervenes between the rules for adult victims and the regulations for enslaved persons.
The words — The verb יִגָּח (yi.gach) literally means "it will gore," denoting the fatal strike. The phrase כַּמִּשְׁפָּט הַזֶּה (ka.mishpat ha.zeh) translates to "according to this judgment," directly referencing the preceding legal standard.
The thread — The proportional justice principle appears in the lex talionis formulations of Exodus 21:24 and Leviticus 24:20. Deuteronomy 19:21 applies the same measured response to human violence.
Why it lands — The text demands equal valuation of a child's life compared to an adult's, rejecting partial compensation. It requires the reader to apply consistent legal standards across all victims regardless of age or status.
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
King James Version
Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.