And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.
If a master strikes his male or female servant in the eye and destroys it, he must set that servant free as compensation for the eye.
This verse establishes that masters who permanently injure their servants must give them their freedom as payment for the harm done.
📚 Historical Context
In the historical context of ancient Israel, the laws in Exodus were given to the newly freed Israelites as part of the Covenant Code, providing guidelines for a just society amid a culture where slavery was common due to debt or conquest. This specific verse addresses the treatment of servants, requiring their release if a master caused permanent injury like the loss of an eye, which reflected God's concern for protecting the vulnerable in a world where human rights were often overlooked. It stood as a progressive step compared to other ancient legal codes by emphasizing limits on cruelty and the inherent value of every person.
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