Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.
If someone injures another person, they should receive the same injury in return: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Whatever harm they have caused to someone else should be done to them in the same way.
This verse establishes that punishment should match the crime - if you harm someone, you should face the same consequences you caused them.
📚 Historical Context
In ancient Israel, God gave Moses a series of laws on Mount Sinai to establish justice and order among the people, as they were forming a new nation after leaving Egypt. This specific verse in Leviticus 24:20 is part of instructions for dealing with intentional injuries, promoting a system of equivalent retribution to prevent cycles of escalating violence and ensure fairness. It reflected the cultural norms of the ancient Near East, where such laws helped curb personal vendettas and maintain social stability.
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