Exodus 21:17 kjv

And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

Exodus 21:17 nkjv

"And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

Exodus 21:17 niv

"Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.

Exodus 21:17 esv

"Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.

Exodus 21:17 nlt

"Anyone who dishonors father or mother must be put to death.

Exodus 21 verses

Exodus 21 17 Meaning

Exodus 21:17 prescribes the severe penalty of capital punishment for anyone who curses their father or mother within the community of Israel. This law highlights the supreme importance of parental authority and honor, seeing a curse against them as a profound assault on the very foundation of societal order and God's divinely established structure. It's an ultimate act of defiance and rejection, carrying the same gravity as direct offenses against the covenant itself.

Exodus 21 17 Context

Exodus 21:17 is part of the "Book of the Covenant" (Exodus 21-23), which immediately follows the Ten Commandments and elaborates on them with specific case laws for the Israelite community. These laws regulate various aspects of daily life, criminal offenses, social responsibilities, and civil order within the emerging nation. Verses 12-17 deal with capital offenses, specifically those involving physical harm or profound dishonor. This verse, along with Exodus 21:15 (striking a parent), underscores the supreme sanctity of parental authority in ancient Israel. The original historical context placed enormous value on the family as the foundational unit of society and a primary means through which God's covenant was transmitted and lived out. Undermining parental authority was seen as striking at the heart of both divine order and social stability.

Exodus 21 17 Word Analysis

• And he that curseth (וּמְקַלֵּל - u-m'qal'lel): The Hebrew verb root is qalal (קלל), which means to be light, despise, or treat with contempt. In this context, it signifies more than merely speaking harsh words. It implies a deep, intentional reviling, a deliberate imprecation, or even invoking evil upon someone. It is a profound act of dishonor that wishes harm, expressing total disdain and rebellion against the natural and divine order of family authority. It's an active act of spiritual rebellion against God's delegated authority.

• his father (אָבִיו - aviv): Refers to the male parent, the head of the household and primary authority figure in ancient Israelite society. He was responsible for providing, protecting, and instructing his family in the ways of the covenant. To curse the father was to directly challenge and repudiate God's established structure of authority and leadership within the home.

• or his mother (וְאִמּוֹ - v'immo): This inclusion is significant. While patriarchal societies often emphasize the father's role, the equal weight given to the mother here elevates her status and authority. She played a crucial role in raising children, passing on faith, and managing the household. Cursing the mother was equally grave, demonstrating complete rejection of both primary sources of nurturing, guidance, and life within the family, thus undermining the foundation of society itself.

• shall be surely put to death (מוֹת יוּמָת - mot yumat): This is a Hebrew grammatical construction known as the "infinitive absolute" (verb followed by its infinitive). It functions to add emphasis, certainty, and irreversibility to the stated action. It doesn't just mean "he will die" but "dying he shall die," or "he shall most certainly be put to death." It denotes a legal pronouncement of capital punishment without reprieve or possibility of lesser penalty. The severity highlights the profound spiritual and social threat posed by such an offense within God's covenant community.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And he that curseth his father, or his mother": This phrase describes an ultimate act of defiance, not merely disobedience, but an aggressive act of publicly rejecting or wishing harm upon the very people who gave life and nurtured. Such an act shattered the bedrock of family and society, showing complete contempt for authority and tradition. It went beyond breaking the fifth commandment; it was an active renunciation of it, a deeply personal and familial act of rebellion that held cosmic implications for the community.
• "shall be surely put to death": This specific penalty underscores that the act of cursing one's parents was viewed not as a mere private transgression but as an offense against the entire community and, ultimately, against God, who established parental authority. It signaled a profound breakdown of the moral order that warranted the gravest legal consequence to maintain social purity and the integrity of the covenant.

Exodus 21 17 Bonus Section

• The inclusion of both "father" and "mother" with equal penalty for cursing emphasizes the complementary authority of both parents and elevates the status of the mother within Israelite law, differing from some neighboring cultures that might have given less legal weight to offenses against mothers.
• While the specific capital punishment is part of ancient Israel's civil code, the underlying moral principle that such profound dishonor is abhorrent remains timeless. Jesus Himself, in Matthew 15 and Mark 7, reinforces the abiding moral weight of this commandment against those who would nullify it by human traditions.
• The act of cursing parents can be understood as an indirect curse upon the covenant itself, as parents were the primary teachers and transmitters of God's law and heritage to the next generation. It effectively cut off one's connection to that heritage.

Exodus 21 17 Commentary

Exodus 21:17 sets forth a fundamental principle for the covenant community: the profound sacredness of parental authority. It legislates the ultimate consequence for the ultimate act of defiance – not just striking, but cursing parents, a deeper affront to their person, dignity, and divinely delegated role. This wasn't merely a private family matter; it was a public act of revilement, undermining the very foundation of societal order and faith. The severity of the capital penalty "surely put to death" (an emphatic Hebrew construction) reveals that such an act was tantamount to rejecting the very source of one's life and instruction in God's ways, placing it on par with severe offenses like striking a parent (Exo 21:15), kidnapping (Exo 21:16), or deliberate murder. It demonstrates that respect for one's parents is intricately linked to reverence for God, serving as a vital societal safeguard against anarchy and moral decay.