And if he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he shall let him go free for the sake of his tooth.
Parallel translations
- WEB If he strikes out his male servant’s tooth, or his female servant’s tooth, he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.
- KJV And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.
- BSB And if he knocks out the tooth of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth.
- ESV If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free because of his tooth.
- NASB And if he knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let the slave go free on account of the tooth.
- NLT And if a man knocks out the tooth of his male or female slave, he must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Even knocking out a servant's tooth requires granting freedom. The least bodily harm to a servant is taken seriously by God.
Overview
By extending the principle to something as small as a tooth, the law makes clear that no abuse of a servant is too minor for accountability. It elevates the servant's worth far above the surrounding cultures' norms. This care for the lowly reflects the character of God, who in Christ exalts the humble and defends the weak.
Cross-references & the web
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Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 21:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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