If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
If the ox gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty pieces of silver to their master, and the ox must be killed by stoning.
This verse establishes that if an ox kills a slave, the ox's owner must pay compensation to the slave's master and the dangerous ox must be put to death.
📚 Historical Context
In the ancient Israelite society, as outlined in the Book of Exodus, God was providing laws through Moses to govern the community after their deliverance from Egypt, including regulations for personal injuries caused by animals. This verse specifically addresses the case of an ox goring a servant, requiring the owner to pay compensation to the servant's master and to have the ox stoned, reflecting the cultural emphasis on restitution and the economic value placed on servants at that time. The amount of thirty shekels of silver was a standard price for a slave, as seen in other biblical contexts, underscoring the societal norms of the era.
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