Deuteronomy 25 12

Deuteronomy 25:12 kjv

Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her.

Deuteronomy 25:12 nkjv

then you shall cut off her hand; your eye shall not pity her.

Deuteronomy 25:12 niv

you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

Deuteronomy 25:12 esv

then you shall cut off her hand. Your eye shall have no pity.

Deuteronomy 25:12 nlt

you must cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

Deuteronomy 25 verses

Deuteronomy 25 12 Meaning

Deuteronomy 25:12 commands a severe penalty for a woman who intervenes in a fight between men by grabbing the testicles of the other man. The literal meaning is that her hand, the instrument of her shameful and injurious act, must be cut off. The explicit command "your eye shall not pity her" underscores the unwavering demand for justice in such a grave situation, emphasizing the importance of adhering to divine law without sentimentality. This act was not merely a physical assault but a deeply egregious offense that targeted a man's ability to procreate and his public honor, threatening the perpetuation of his lineage, which was of paramount importance in ancient Israelite society.

Deuteronomy 25 12 Context

Deuteronomy 25:11-12 presents a very specific law concerning social conduct and judicial punishment. It is embedded within a section of miscellaneous civil and religious regulations in Deuteronomy, immediately following laws concerning levirate marriage (Deut 25:5-10), which itself is designed to ensure the continuation of a man's family name and inheritance. This placement underscores the sanctity of the male lineage and procreative capacity within Israelite society.

The broader context of Deuteronomy establishes God's covenant with Israel as a holy nation, setting forth comprehensive laws to govern every aspect of their lives in the Promised Land. These laws aim to maintain justice, holiness, and social order. The historical context for the original audience, the Israelites on the plains of Moab before entering Canaan, highlights the need for a clear and firm legal code to distinguish them from the surrounding pagan cultures, which often lacked such ethical boundaries. This particular law speaks to the preservation of public decency, personal honor, and the paramount importance of ensuring male offspring for inheritance and the fulfillment of God's covenant promises (e.g., the "seed" through whom the Messiah would come). An attack on the testicles was not merely a grievous injury but an assault on the future of the individual, his family, and by extension, the community and the covenant.

Deuteronomy 25 12 Word analysis

• "If men" (כִּי־יִנָּצ֨וּ, kī-yinnāṣū): This sets the scenario of a physical altercation between two males. The verb natzah implies contention, strife, or a struggle.
• "strive together": Reinforces the physical and aggressive nature of the interaction.
• "one with another": Denotes that both individuals are involved in the dispute.
• "and the wife of the one": Specifies the relationship of the woman intervening; she is married to one of the fighting men, and her actions are in defense of her husband.
• "draws near" (וְקָרְבָ֨ה, wəqārəḇāh): Implies her intentional movement into the conflict.
• "to deliver her husband": States her explicit motivation: to help her husband against his opponent.
• "out of the hand of him that smites him": Indicates she is intervening in an ongoing assault or an unequal fight.
• "and puts out her hand" (וְשָׁלְחָה֩ יָדָהּ֙, wəšāləḥāh yādāh): Describes a deliberate, forceful action with her hand.
• "and seizes him by his secret parts" (וְהֶחֱזִיקָ֖ה בִּמְבֻשָׁ֑יו, wəheḥězîqāh biḵməḇūšāyw): This is the crucial, defining, and abhorrent action. Mevushav (מְבֻשָׁיו) specifically refers to "his shames" or "private parts," invariably understood as the testicles. The act implies a direct, severe, and dishonorable assault on the man's reproductive organs. It is not merely grabbing a leg or arm, but the most vulnerable and crucial part of male procreative ability.
• "then you shall cut off" (וְקַצֹּתָה֙, wəqaṣṣōtāh): The verb kāṯaṯ means "to cut off, amputate." This mandates a literal and severe physical punishment.
• "her hand" (אֶת־כַּפָּ֑הּ, ’eṯ-kappāh): Kaph (כַּף) typically means the palm of the hand or the entire hand. This specifies the exact member to be removed – the instrument of the offensive act.
• "your eye shall not pity her" (לֹא־תָחֹ֥וס עֵינֶֽךָ, lō’-ṯāḥôs ‘ê·neḵā): A stark and uncompromising command. Ḥûs (חוּס) means "to pity, to show compassion, to spare." Ayin (עַיִן) is "eye." This instruction to the judge signifies that personal sympathy or emotional sentiment must not override the absolute requirement for justice in this specific, serious case. It emphasizes judicial impartiality and the gravity of the crime.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "If men strive together... and the wife of the one draws near to deliver her husband...": This clause sets the scene, describing a common human conflict scenario and the protective instinct of a wife towards her husband. It frames the subsequent, prohibited action within a relatable context.
• "...and puts out her hand and seizes him by his secret parts...": This phrase identifies the precise action that escalates the scenario into a severe transgression. The targeted body part signifies a deliberate attack on the victim's fertility and lineage, as well as an extreme breach of decorum and public decency. It represents an assault not only on the individual but potentially on the continuation of his family line.
• "then you shall cut off her hand; your eye shall not pity her.": This is the judicial mandate, specifying the severe, irreversible consequence for the action. The removal of the hand as the instrument of the crime serves as a potent form of deterrent and retribution. The injunction against pity is a critical component, demanding an unwavering commitment to divine justice even when faced with human suffering, underscoring the severity of the offense in God's eyes. It maintains the integrity of the law and the sanctity of procreation and social order within the community.

Deuteronomy 25 12 Bonus section

While seemingly a simple directive, Deuteronomy 25:12 has been the subject of extensive deliberation in rabbinic tradition. Over time, Jewish legal interpretation moved away from the literal amputation in many such lex talionis cases, opting instead for monetary compensation that represented the value of the injury or limb. This interpretation aimed to uphold the spirit of justice and proportion while mitigating physical mutilation, particularly when strict application of lex talionis might lead to a disproportionate outcome if the initial injury was accidental or if its replication was not perfectly equivalent. This particular law might have remained a literal interpretation for its extreme violation of modesty and potential harm to lineage, but even so, discussions regarding the applicability and proportionality remained vital within Jewish legal thought. The very specific nature of the crime and its associated harsh penalty served as a powerful symbolic warning against actions that deeply dishonored an individual and threatened the very foundation of family life within the covenant community.

Deuteronomy 25 12 Commentary

Deuteronomy 25:12, though seemingly brutal by modern standards, reveals profound insights into the legal and ethical framework of ancient Israel. The gravity of the punishment – the amputation of the hand – corresponds directly to the extreme nature of the offense. Grabbing a man by his "secret parts" during a fight was not merely a foul blow; it was a targeted assault on his ability to procreate, his family's future, and his dignity. In a society where male lineage was foundational to inheritance, identity, and covenantal promises, an act that threatened a man's generative capacity struck at the core of his being and the fabric of the community.

The command "your eye shall not pity her" underscores the non-negotiable principle of justice in specific, heinous cases. This is not about cruelty but about maintaining societal order and the sanctity of foundational elements like procreation. The severity was a strong deterrent against acts that could undermine family continuity and public morality. It upheld a clear boundary against actions that violated sacred bodily integrity and potentially jeopardized the future of a family, ensuring that radical transgressions received commensurate, radical retribution as ordained by divine law. It was an application of lex talionis (an eye for an eye, though here, the instrument of the specific crime, the hand, is removed for an offense far more critical than a typical assault) to maintain holiness and deter profound societal disorder.