How can Exodus 21:32 guide us in valuing human life today? Setting the Verse in Front of Us “If the ox gores a male or female servant, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of that servant, and the ox must be stoned.” – Exodus 21:32 What the Text Literally Says • A servant’s life has measurable worth—thirty shekels of silver. • The negligent owner must pay restitution. • The ox is killed, removing the ongoing threat. Observations That Shape Our Thinking • The law addresses those society might overlook: “male or female servant.” God does not overlook anyone. • Thirty shekels was not a token amount; it equaled four years’ wages for a shepherd (cf. Zechariah 11:12). • The animal’s execution shows God’s intolerance of preventable harm (cf. Genesis 9:5). Lessons on How God Values Human Life • Accountability: Human life is so precious that even accidental loss demands restitution (Exodus 21:28–30). • Universal worth: Social status does not erase personhood (Job 31:13–15). • Prevention: Owners are required to foresee danger and act; passivity is sin (James 4:17). Practical Ways to Live This Out Today • Guard the vulnerable—children, elderly, workers under your authority—by eliminating known hazards. • Accept responsibility rather than shifting blame when neglect harms another. • Support laws and policies that protect human life, especially for those with least social power. • Treat every person—employee, refugee, unborn child—as bearing God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Echoes in the New Testament • Jesus was betrayed for the same amount—“thirty pieces of silver” (Matthew 26:15)—linking His atoning death with the price paid for a servant’s life. Christ identifies with the lowliest and pays the ultimate restitution for all (1 Peter 1:18–19). Summing It Up Exodus 21:32 calls believers to recognize measurable, actionable value in every human life, to take proactive steps to protect that life, and to embrace full accountability when we fail. |
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