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Sunday, December 21st, 2025
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Read the Bible

Bible in Basic English

Exodus 21:12

He who gives a man a death-blow is himself to be put to death.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Homicide;   Thompson Chain Reference - Murder;   The Topic Concordance - Execution;   Violence;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Murder;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Murder;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - City of refuge;   Sanctuary;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kill, Killing;   Law;   Motives;   Murder;   Punishment;   Easton Bible Dictionary - City;   Murder;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Law;   Murder;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Avenger;   Capital Punishment;   Cities of Refuge;   Concubine;   Crimes and Punishments;   Exodus, Book of;   Hammurabi;   Pentateuch;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the Old Testament;   Covenant, Book of the;   Ethics;   Family;   Hexateuch;   Law;   Leviticus;   Numbers, Book of;   Priests and Levites;   Sabbatical Year;   Sin;   Slave, Slavery;   Ten Commandments;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Trial-At-Law;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Law of Moses;   Murder;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Peculiarities of the Law of Moses;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Assassination;   Die;   Goel;   Homicide;   Law in the Old Testament;   Murder;   Punishments;   Refuge, Cities of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Avenger of Blood;   Capital Punishment;   Homicide;   Mekilta De-Rabbi Shim'on;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
"One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death,
King James Version
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
Lexham English Bible
"‘Whoever strikes someone and he dies will surely be put to death.
New Century Version
"Anyone who hits a person and kills him must be put to death.
New English Translation
"Whoever strikes someone so that he dies must surely be put to death.
Amplified Bible
"Whoever strikes a man so that he dies must be put to death.
New American Standard Bible
"He who strikes someone so that he dies shall certainly be put to death.
Geneva Bible (1587)
He that smiteth a man, and he die, shal dye the death.
Legacy Standard Bible
"He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.
Contemporary English Version
The Lord said: Death is the punishment for murder.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Whoever attacks a person and causes his death must be put to death.
Darby Translation
He that striketh a man, so that he die, shall certainly be put to death.
Easy-to-Read Version
"Whoever hits and kills someone must be killed too.
English Standard Version
"Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.
George Lamsa Translation
He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.
Good News Translation
"Whoever hits someone and kills him is to be put to death.
Christian Standard Bible®
“Whoever strikes a person so that he dies must be put to death.
Literal Translation
He that strikes a man so that he dies, dying he shall die.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He that smyteth a man that he dye, shall dye the death.
American Standard Version
He that smiteth a man, so that he dieth, shall surely be put to death.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He that smyteth a man, that he dye, shalbe slayne for it.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He that smiteth a man, so that he dieth, shall surely be put to death.
King James Version (1611)
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shalbe surely put to death.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And if any man smite another and he die, let him be certainly put to death.
English Revised Version
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall surely be put to death.
Berean Standard Bible
Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He that smytith a man, and wole sle, die bi deeth;
Young's Literal Translation
`He who smiteth a man so that he hath died, is certainly put to death;
Update Bible Version
He that smites a man, so that he dies, shall surely be put to death.
Webster's Bible Translation
He that smiteth a man, so that he dieth, shall be surely put to death.
World English Bible
"One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death,
New King James Version
"He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.
New Living Translation
"Anyone who assaults and kills another person must be put to death.
New Life Bible
"Whoever hits a man so that he dies will be put to death.
New Revised Standard
Whoever strikes a person mortally shall be put to death.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall surely be put to death.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He that striketh a man with a will to kill him, shall be put to death.
Revised Standard Version
"Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.
THE MESSAGE
"If someone hits another and death results, the penalty is death. But if there was no intent to kill—if it was an accident, an ‘act of God'—I'll set aside a place to which the killer can flee for refuge. But if the murder was premeditated, cunningly plotted, then drag the killer away, even if it's from my Altar, to be put to death.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.

Contextual Overview

12 He who gives a man a death-blow is himself to be put to death. 13 But if he had no evil purpose against him, and God gave him into his hand, I will give you a place to which he may go in flight. 14 But if a man makes an attack on his neighbour on purpose, to put him to death by deceit, you are to take him from my altar and put him to death. 15 Any man who gives a blow to his father or his mother is certainly to be put to death. 16 Any man who gets another into his power in order to get a price for him is to be put to death, if you take him in the act. 17 Any man cursing his father or his mother is to be put to death. 18 If, in a fight, one man gives another a blow with a stone, or with the shut hand, not causing his death, but making him keep in bed; 19 If he is able to get up again and go about with a stick, the other will be let off; only he will have to give him payment for the loss of his time, and see that he is cared for till he is well. 20 If a man gives his man-servant or his woman-servant blows with a rod, causing death, he is certainly to undergo punishment. 21 But, at the same time, if the servant goes on living for a day or two, the master is not to get punishment, for the servant is his property.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Exodus 20:13, Genesis 9:6, Leviticus 24:17, Numbers 35:16-24, Numbers 35:30, Numbers 35:31, Deuteronomy 19:11-13, 2 Samuel 12:13, Matthew 26:52

Reciprocal: Genesis 9:5 - every Deuteronomy 17:8 - between blood Deuteronomy 27:24 - General 2 Samuel 3:28 - guiltless 2 Samuel 3:39 - I am 2 Samuel 4:11 - require 1 Kings 20:37 - Smite me 2 Kings 14:5 - that he slew Ezekiel 16:38 - shed Ezekiel 18:10 - a shedder Matthew 5:21 - and

Cross-References

Genesis 17:19
And God said, Not so; but Sarah, your wife, will have a son, and you will give him the name Isaac, and I will make my agreement with him for ever and with his seed after him.
Genesis 17:21
But my agreement will be with Isaac, to whom Sarah will give birth a year from this time.
Genesis 21:7
And she said, Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would have a child at her breast? for see, I have given him a son now when he is old.
Genesis 21:8
And when the child was old enough to be taken from the breast, Abraham made a great feast.
1 Samuel 8:7
And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to the voice of the people and what they say to you: they have not been turned away from you, but they have been turned away from me, not desiring me to be king over them.
1 Samuel 8:9
Give ear now to their voice: but make a serious protest to them, and give them a picture of the sort of king who will be their ruler.
Isaiah 46:10
Making clear from the first what is to come, and from past times the things which have not so far come about; saying, My purpose is fixed, and I will do all my pleasure;
Hebrews 11:18
Of whom it had been said, From Isaac will your seed take their name:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He that smiteth a man, so that he die,.... The Targum of Jonathan is, that smites a man or daughter of Israel with the sword; but there is no need to restrain the words either to persons of any certain nation, nor to any instrument with which a person may be smitten as to die: but any human person, man, woman, or child, of whatsoever nation, and they smitten with anything whatever, that issues in their death:

shall surely be put to death; by the order of the civil magistrate, and by the hand of such as shall be appointed by him; for this is the original law of God, Genesis 9:6.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The case of murder of a free man and of a bondman. See Exodus 21:20 note. The law was afterward expressly declared to relate also to foreigners, Leviticus 24:17, Leviticus 24:21-22; compare the marginal references.


 
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