Exodus 21:24 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot,

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

This verse establishes that punishment should match the crime - not more, not less.

📚 Historical Context

In the ancient Israelite society, this verse was part of the Mosaic Law given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, as outlined in the Book of Exodus, to establish a code of justice for the newly freed nation. It aimed to curb excessive retaliation in a culture where personal vendettas could spiral out of control, ensuring that punishments were proportionate to the crimes committed. This principle helped maintain social order among the Israelites, differing from the often harsher customs of neighboring ancient Near Eastern societies.

Explore Similar Verses

Proverbs 30:14

There is a group of people whose teeth are like swords and whose back teeth are like knives, ready to completely destroy the poor and wipe out the needy from society.

Song Of Solomon 6:6

Your teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from being washed, where every one has given birth to twins, and not one of them is without offspring.

Psalms 58:6

Break their teeth, O God, right in their mouths; shatter the fangs of these young lions, O LORD.

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📚 Historical Context

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