What is the meaning of Exodus 21:32? If the ox gores a manservant or maidservant • God’s law treats servants as genuine human lives whose safety matters. Earlier instructions include, “If the ox gores a man or a woman to death… the ox must be stoned” (Exodus 21:28). This verse extends that same protection to hired or bonded workers, reinforcing Genesis 9:5-6 where God demands an account for every human life lost. • The wording assumes a real incident, reminding owners that animals are their responsibility. Negligence toward others’ welfare violates the command to “build a parapet on your roof, so that you may not bring bloodshed on your house” (Deuteronomy 22:8). • Every member of the covenant community—free or servant—enjoys God-given dignity. The principle shows up again when servants injured by their masters were to be released (Exodus 21:26-27). the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of that servant • Restitution is required. Just as a thief must repay multiple times what he stole (Exodus 22:1-4), the ox’s owner must cover the economic loss. • Thirty shekels represented the typical market price of a slave (compare Zechariah 11:12 and Matthew 26:15, where thirty pieces of silver tragically price the Messiah). The amount underscores that the servant’s labor had measurable value, while the servant’s life had immeasurable worth acknowledged through both payment and capital penalty on the animal. • Monetary compensation goes to the servant’s master because the servant’s earnings belonged contractually to him (Leviticus 25:51-53). Yet the law’s primary thrust remains: life cannot be treated cheaply. and the ox must be stoned • The animal is executed to remove danger and symbolize that innocent blood brings guilt upon the land (Numbers 35:33). Killing the ox eliminates any future profit, ensuring the owner gains nothing from negligence. • Stoning prevents the carcass from being eaten, keeping Israel ceremonially clean (Exodus 21:28; Leviticus 11:24). • The action mirrors the principle of “life for life” (Leviticus 24:17-18). While the owner’s life is spared in this particular scenario, the deadly seriousness of the offense is still made visible. Should the ox have a known history of goring and its owner fail to restrain it, the owner himself could face death (Exodus 21:29-30). summary Exodus 21:32 teaches that every human life, including that of a servant, is precious. God holds people accountable for the harm their property causes, requiring both just restitution and decisive removal of danger. The set amount—thirty shekels of silver—highlights the servant’s tangible worth, while the stoning of the ox dramatizes the spiritual and social gravity of shedding blood. Together these measures uphold justice, deter negligence, and proclaim the sanctity of human life. |
    |