What is the meaning of Leviticus 24:20? Fracture for fracture “Fracture for fracture” (Leviticus 24:20) expresses God’s insistence on proportional justice. • A broken bone was to be answered with a broken bone—no more, no less. • This protected the victim’s dignity while restraining excessive retaliation (Exodus 21:23-24). • By matching the injury precisely, the law upheld the value of every human body, echoing the seriousness already declared in Genesis 9:6. Eye for eye “Eye for eye” extends the same principle to the loss of sight. • Vision was—and is—priceless; equal penalty showed how seriously God regarded personal harm (Deuteronomy 19:21). • The rule stopped vendettas from spiraling. One damaged eye could not justify killing a man. • Jesus later cited this standard to teach His followers about personal forbearance (Matthew 5:38-39), yet He never questioned the law’s original justice within civil courts. Tooth for tooth “Tooth for tooth” covers lesser—but still painful—injuries. • Everyday altercations could cost someone a tooth; equitable retribution kept neighbors from escalating small harms into larger feuds (Exodus 21:27). • The phrase reminds us that God cares for both major and minor wounds; no offense is trivial to Him. • It also hints at monetary compensation when literal repayment was impractical, still preserving proportion. Just as he injured the other person, the same must be inflicted on him This closing line gathers the whole teaching into a single standard. • The offender faced what he had done, reinforcing accountability before the community (Leviticus 19:18). • Punishment came through lawful authority, not private revenge—anticipating the state’s role as “an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13:4). • Equal justice deterred violence, promoted order, and displayed God’s righteous character. summary Leviticus 24:20 establishes measured, mirror-image justice—no cruelty, no leniency, perfect balance. “Fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth” safeguarded victims and restrained aggressors, demonstrating the Lord’s unwavering commitment to human worth and societal peace. |
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