Exodus 21:36 kjv
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.
Exodus 21:36 nkjv
Or if it was known that the ox tended to thrust in time past, and its owner has not kept it confined, he shall surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal shall be his own.
Exodus 21:36 niv
However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up, the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange.
Exodus 21:36 esv
Or if it is known that the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall repay ox for ox, and the dead beast shall be his.
Exodus 21:36 nlt
But if the ox had a reputation for goring, yet its owner failed to keep it under control, he must pay full compensation ? a live ox for the dead one ? but he may keep the dead ox.
Exodus 21 36 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 21:28 | "When an ox gores a man or a woman... ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner shall be clear." | Establishes the initial law for an unknown goring ox. |
| Exo 21:29 | "But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in... ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death." | Directly echoes the principle of this verse, showing a known danger. |
| Gen 9:5 | "For your lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From man too, from each man for his brother, I will require the life of man." | God's valuing of human life and accountability, even from animals. |
| Lev 24:17 | "Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death." | Principle of capital punishment for taking a human life. |
| Num 35:30-31 | "If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death... You shall not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer..." | Emphasizes strict enforcement of capital punishment, no ransom allowed. |
| Deut 19:4 | "This is the provision for the manslayer, who by fleeing there may save his life: if anyone kills his neighbor unintentionally..." | Distinguishes unintentional killing from deliberate/negligent. |
| Deut 22:8 | "When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring bloodguilt upon your house, if anyone should fall from it." | Principle of preventing foreseeable harm and bloodguilt. |
| Pro 27:12 | "The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it." | Wisdom concerning foresight and avoiding danger. |
| Isa 1:17 | "Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression..." | Divine command to uphold justice. |
| Jer 22:3 | "Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place." | Divine expectation for justice and protection of the vulnerable. |
| Eze 3:18 | "If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning... that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand." | Principle of responsibility for failing to warn or act on known danger. |
| Eze 33:8 | "When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked one, you shall surely die,’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand." | Reinforces the watchman's responsibility for known dangers. |
| Mt 7:12 | "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." | Golden Rule, implying care for others and preventing harm. |
| Mt 12:12 | "Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." | Highlights the supreme value of human life. |
| Lk 12:48 | "But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more." | Principle of greater accountability for greater knowledge or responsibility. |
| Rom 13:4 | "For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is God’s servant, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer." | Role of governing authority in executing justice. |
| Jas 2:13 | "For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." | Principle of justice and accountability. |
| Jas 4:17 | "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." | Spiritual principle echoing the legal principle of accountability for foreknowledge. |
| 1 Ti 5:8 | "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." | Broad principle of responsibility for one's own dependents/property. |
| He 2:2 | "For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution..." | General principle of divine justice for disobedience. |
| Acts 28:4 | "When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, 'No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.'" | Shows an inherent sense of justice and retribution for murder. |
Exodus 21 verses
Exodus 21 36 Meaning
Exodus 21:36 establishes a severe legal principle concerning responsibility and negligence when a domestic animal causes death. If an ox is known to have a history of goring and its owner fails to keep it confined, leading to the death of a man or a woman, both the ox and its owner are to face capital punishment. This highlights the sanctity of human life and the extreme culpability associated with gross negligence and disregard for known danger.
Exodus 21 36 Context
Exodus 21:36 is part of the "Book of the Covenant" (Exo 21:1-24:11), which details laws given immediately after the Ten Commandments. This section primarily addresses civil and criminal statutes that regulate daily life and uphold justice within the Israelite community. Specifically, Exo 21:28-36 deals with the legal consequences when an ox gores a person. Verse 36 directly follows and intensifies the stipulations from verses 28-29. While Exo 21:28 addresses an initial incident with an ox not previously known to gore, and 21:29 sets forth the rule that if an ox was accustomed to goring and the owner was warned but did not restrain it, the owner dies, 21:36 elaborates on this culpability principle by reiterating and emphasizing the critical element of the owner's knowledge and subsequent negligence, connecting it firmly to the death penalty. These laws reveal God's profound regard for human life and His establishment of a just society where individuals are held accountable for their actions and omissions, especially when foreseeable harm results. This legal framework was superior to many contemporary ancient Near Eastern codes, often demonstrating a higher value for all human life and stricter accountability for negligence.
Exodus 21 36 Word analysis
- But if: Connects this specific situation to the preceding general case, signaling a crucial intensification of culpability due to additional factors.
- it is known (yada - Hebrew: יָדַע): Implies explicit, demonstrable awareness or knowledge, not mere suspicion. This foreknowledge of the ox's aggressive tendencies is the critical factor that escalates the owner's guilt from financial penalty to capital punishment. It underscores foresight and personal responsibility.
- that the ox (ha-shor - Hebrew: הַשּׁוֹר): Refers to the male bovine, a valuable working animal in an agrarian society.
- was formerly given to goring (nogeach hu - Hebrew: נַגָּח הוּא): Indicates a past pattern, habit, or known propensity for goring. This is a crucial element: the animal's dangerous history is established. It's not a one-off incident.
- and its owner (u'va'alayv - Hebrew: וּבְעָלָיו): The legal possessor or master of the animal. This highlights that responsibility for property includes preventing it from harming others.
- has not kept it in (lo shamarahu - Hebrew: לֹא שְׁמָרוֹ): Did not guard, restrain, watch over, or secure it. This denotes active negligence and dereliction of duty on the part of the owner. Despite knowing the danger, they failed to take appropriate preventative measures. This inaction makes the owner complicit.
- but it has killed (va-hemiyt - Hebrew: וְהֵמִית): Led to death, caused to die. The fatal outcome is the trigger for the severe penalty.
- a man or a woman (ish o ishah - Hebrew: אִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה): Explicitly states that human life, irrespective of gender, is valued equally and protected, reinforcing the sanctity of life.
- the ox shall be stoned (ha-shor yisakel - Hebrew: הַשּׁוֹר יִסָּקֵל): The animal itself is executed, often by stoning. This serves to eliminate the source of danger and signifies the gravity of taking a human life, even if by an animal. The act also symbolically removes defilement from the land.
- and its owner also shall be put to death (ve-gam ba'alav yumat - Hebrew: וְגַם בְּעָלָיו יוּמָת): This is the highest penalty for the owner, equating his negligence with the act of murder due to his deliberate disregard for human life in the face of known danger.
Words-group analysis
- "if it is known that the ox was formerly given to goring": This phrase establishes the critical precondition for the extreme penalty – foreknowledge of the danger. It implies a record, a warning, or clear evidence of the ox's habitual aggressive nature. The owner cannot claim ignorance.
- "and its owner has not kept it in": This identifies the core culpability. The owner's failure to restrain or control the animal, despite knowing its dangerous tendencies, demonstrates gross negligence and indifference to human safety. This passive omission becomes a grave offense when life is lost.
- "but it has killed a man or a woman": This states the fatal consequence, underscoring that the law's most severe penalties are reserved for cases resulting in the loss of human life, treating all lives equally regardless of social standing or gender.
- "the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death": This describes the dual punishment. The animal is eliminated to prevent further harm and symbolize judgment for spilling blood. The owner's death signifies God's absolute demand for accountability in matters of life and death, even when the immediate action was by an animal. It marks an intentional refusal to mitigate a known deadly risk as deserving of the same consequence as murder.
Exodus 21 36 Bonus section
The laws concerning the goring ox illustrate the moral and legal superiority of Israelite jurisprudence over contemporary ancient Near Eastern law codes like the Code of Hammurabi (CH). While CH did address goring oxen, its stipulations for repeat offenses generally involved fines or only allowed the owner to be killed if the victim was a commoner and the ox was a repeat offender. Crucially, CH did not always mandate the death of the owner for a known dangerous animal causing death. The Israelite law in Exodus 21:36 (and 21:29) demands capital punishment for the owner of a known dangerous ox that causes a death, regardless of the victim's social status (since "man or woman" includes everyone). This demonstrates Israel's higher value placed on all human life equally and a more stringent standard of accountability for gross negligence, reflecting a society grounded in divine justice rather than social stratification. This law established principles of foreseeability and culpable negligence that are foundational in modern legal systems.
Exodus 21 36 Commentary
Exodus 21:36 highlights the profound sanctity of human life in God's eyes and establishes a strict legal precedent regarding negligence and accountability. The law is not about punishing an ox for malice, but rather ensuring human safety and justice. The key distinction from earlier verses (21:28) lies in the owner's foreknowledge ("it is known") of the ox's violent nature and their subsequent failure to act ("has not kept it in"). This is not merely an accident but a result of deliberate inaction in the face of a recognized, fatal threat. The owner's gross negligence elevates their culpability to a level demanding capital punishment, reflecting that conscious disregard for human life is a severe offense in God's economy, as serious as direct homicide in certain circumstances. This teaches that true justice involves consequences for foreseen and preventable harm, fostering a societal ethic where human safety is paramount and personal responsibility for property is enforced.