KJV ORIGINAL
And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Whoever kills an animal must replace it, but whoever kills a person must be put to death.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse establishes that killing an animal requires compensation, while killing a person demands the death penalty.
📚 Historical Context
This law was part of God's legal code given to Moses for the Israelites in the wilderness around 1440 BC. It established proportional justice - different penalties for different crimes - distinguishing between property damage (killing livestock) and murder. This principle helped create order in the newly formed nation of Israel as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.
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