How does Exodus 21:21 reflect God's justice in societal laws? The Setting in Exodus 21 • Exodus 21 is case law flowing from the Ten Words of Exodus 20, applying “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13) and “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15) to real-life situations. • Slavery in Israel functioned chiefly as an economic safety net (Exodus 21:2–6; Leviticus 25:39-43). It was time-limited, regulated, and always under God’s moral gaze. • Verse 20 punishes an owner if a servant dies from a beating; verse 21 handles the different outcome when the servant survives. Reading the Text Plainly Exodus 21:21: “However, if the servant gets up after a day or two, the owner shall not be punished, because he is his property.” • “Gets up” signals recovery of life and basic strength. • “After a day or two” creates space to determine whether the blow was fatal. • “Not be punished” refers to the death-penalty level of retribution just prescribed in v. 20. • “He is his property” recognizes the economic loss already sustained by the owner; the servant’s temporary incapacitation hurt the master’s livelihood and therefore served as a built-in civil penalty. Principles of God’s Justice Displayed 1. Value of life – When the servant dies, the owner faces lethal justice (Exodus 21:20; Leviticus 24:17). – Survival shifts the case from capital crime to assault, preserving proportionality. 2. Due process and intent – Time allows facts to surface; was it murderous violence or excessive discipline? – Similar reasoning appears in Numbers 35:22-24 on accidental killing. 3. Economic restitution – The owner bears the cost of lost labor and medical recovery (compare Exodus 21:19 where the injurer “must pay for his lost time”). 4. Restraint on cruelty – Permanent injury automatically freed the servant (Exodus 21:26-27). Fear of losing the worker deterred harsh treatment. 5. Universal accountability – “There is no favoritism with Him” (Ephesians 6:9). Even masters answer to God. Safeguards Surrounding This Verse • Release in the seventh year (Exodus 21:2). • Voluntary lifetime service only by sworn choice (Exodus 21:5-6). • Mandatory generosity at release (Deuteronomy 15:13-14). • Prohibition of forced return for an escaped slave (Deuteronomy 23:15-16). Together these statutes elevated Israel’s servants far above the norms of surrounding nations (cf. the Code of Hammurabi, §196-215). Why God Allows a Lesser Penalty Here • Justice distinguishes murder from non-fatal assault; both are sin, but punishment fits the harm (Proverbs 17:26; Romans 13:3-4). • The owner’s financial loss disciplines him without the state’s sword. • Permanent injury still secured the servant’s freedom, a penalty greater than any fine. Echoes in the New Testament • The standard ultimately rises to “masters, treat your bond-servants justly and fairly” (Colossians 4:1). • The gospel levels social distinctions in Christ (Galatians 3:28) and plants the seed for eventual abolition (Philemon 15-16; 1 Timothy 1:10). Takeaways for Today • God’s justice balances mercy and accountability; intent, outcome, and proportionality all matter. • Civil laws may differ across eras, yet the moral core—protecting life, curbing oppression, and ensuring fair restitution—remains constant. • Scripture’s unfolding trajectory points to complete freedom and dignity for every image-bearer, fulfilled in the kingdom of Christ (Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-19). |
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