What is the meaning of Exodus 21:20?

If a man strikes

– Scripture assumes personal responsibility; the action is deliberate, not accidental (Exodus 21:12; Deuteronomy 19:4–6).

– Throughout the Law, God confronts violence head-on, affirming that every person bears His image (Genesis 9:6).

– By addressing the master directly, the text makes clear that status never excuses sin (Proverbs 22:2; Romans 2:11).

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his manservant or maidservant

– Servants in Israel enjoyed legal protection; God refuses to let economic hierarchy override human dignity (Leviticus 25:39–43; Deuteronomy 15:12–15).

– Later revelation presses this ethic even further: “Masters, grant your slaves what is just and fair” (Colossians 4:1; see also Ephesians 6:9).

– The verse therefore guards the vulnerable, showing that the covenant community must mirror God’s justice.

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with a rod

– The rod signals intentional discipline taken too far; it is an instrument, not an accident (Proverbs 10:13; 26:3).

– God permits measured correction (Proverbs 29:15) but forbids brutality; this line marks the boundary between guidance and abuse.

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and the servant dies by his hand

– The focus shifts from the act to its outcome: loss of life. Life is sacred, and murder defiles the land (Numbers 35:33).

– “Anyone who strikes a man and kills him must surely be put to death” (Exodus 21:12). The same standard applies here—rank does not lessen guilt.

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he shall surely be punished

– Literally, “vengeance shall be taken.” The implication is capital punishment, matching Exodus 21:12 and Genesis 9:6.

– The unflinching penalty underscores that God values every life equally, servant and free alike (Job 31:13–15; Galatians 3:28).

– Verse 21 will address lesser injury, but death demands full justice; there is no financial settlement able to erase murder (Numbers 35:31).

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summary

Exodus 21:20 insists that masters are not above the law. Striking a servant so severely that death follows is treated as murder, carrying the same penalty God assigned from the beginning. The verse elevates the dignity of the lowliest worker, affirms the sanctity of human life, and models a society where justice reaches every level without partiality.