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Saturday, July 26th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Exodus 21:33

And when a man openeth a pit, or when a man diggeth a pit, and doth not cover it, - and there falleth thereinto an ox or an ass,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Animals;   Bullock;   Damages and Compensation;   Property;   Restitution;   Trespass;   The Topic Concordance - Livestock;   Recompense/restitution;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Wells and Springs;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Money;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Pit;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Punishments;   Well;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Capital Punishment;   Cattle;   Pit;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the Old Testament;   Cistern;   Covenant, Book of the;   Ethics;   Hexateuch;   Law;   Leviticus;   Pit;   Priests and Levites;   Sabbatical Year;   Sin;   Ten Commandments;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ox, Oxen;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Punishments;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cistern;   Covenant, the Book of the;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Accident;   Commandments, the 613;   Well;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
"If a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and doesn't cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it,
King James Version
And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein;
Lexham English Bible
"‘If a man opens a pit or if a man digs a pit and he does not cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
New Century Version
"If a man takes the cover off a pit, or digs a pit and does not cover it, and another man's ox or donkey comes and falls into it,
New English Translation
"If a man opens a pit or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
Amplified Bible
"If a man leaves a pit open, or digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
New American Standard Bible
"Now if someone opens a pit, or digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when a man shall open a well, or when he shall dig a pit and couer it not, and an oxe or an asse fall therein,
Legacy Standard Bible
"And if a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
Contemporary English Version
Suppose someone's ox or donkey is killed by falling into an open pit that you dug or left uncovered on your property.
Complete Jewish Bible
"If someone removes the cover from a cistern or digs one and fails to cover it, and an ox or donkey falls in,
Darby Translation
—And if a man open a pit, or if a man dig a pit, and do not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall into it,
Easy-to-Read Version
"A man might take a cover off a well or dig a hole and not cover it. If another man's animal comes and falls into that hole, the man who owns the hole is guilty.
English Standard Version
"When a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
George Lamsa Translation
And if a man shall open a wheat pit or a man shall dig a well, and not cover them, and an ox or an ass fall into it;
Good News Translation
"If someone takes the cover off a pit or if he digs one and does not cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it,
Christian Standard Bible®
“When a man uncovers a pit or digs a pit, and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
Literal Translation
And when a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit, and does not cover it, and an ox or an ass falls into it,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf a man open a well, or dygge a pytt, and couer it not, and there fall an oxe or Asse therin,
American Standard Version
And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein,
Bible in Basic English
If a man makes a hole in the earth without covering it up, and an ox or an ass dropping into it comes to its death;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If a man open a well, or digge a pitte, and couer it not, and an oxe or an asse fall therein:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein,
King James Version (1611)
And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall digge a pit, and not couer it, and an oxe or an asse fall therein:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And if any one open a pit or dig a cavity in stone, and cover it not, and an ox or an ass fall in there,
English Revised Version
And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein,
Berean Standard Bible
If a man opens or digs a pit and fails to cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If ony man openeth a cisterne, and diggith, and hilith it not, and an oxe ether asse fallith in to it,
Young's Literal Translation
`And when a man doth open a pit, or when a man doth dig a pit, and doth not cover it, and an ox or ass hath fallen thither, --
Update Bible Version
And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit and not cover it, and an ox or a donkey fall therein,
Webster's Bible Translation
And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass shall fall into it;
World English Bible
"If a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and doesn't cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it,
New King James Version
"And if a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls in it,
New Living Translation
"Suppose someone digs or uncovers a pit and fails to cover it, and then an ox or a donkey falls into it.
New Life Bible
"When a man leaves a deep hole open, or digs a deep hole and does not cover it, and a bull or donkey falls into it,
New Revised Standard
If someone leaves a pit open, or digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
Douay-Rheims Bible
If a man open a pit, and dig one, and cover it not, and an ox or an ass fall into it,
Revised Standard Version
"When a man leaves a pit open, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or an ass falls into it,
THE MESSAGE
"If someone uncovers a cistern or digs a pit and leaves it open and an ox or donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit must pay whatever the animal is worth to its owner but can keep the dead animal.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"If a man opens a pit, or digs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,

Contextual Overview

22 And when men strive together and push against a woman with child, and she miscarry, hut there is no other mischief, he shall, surely be fined, according as the woman's husband shall lay upon him, but he shall give it through judges. 23 But, if mischief follow, then shalt thou give life for life; 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, - hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 brand for brand, wound for wound, - stripe for stripe. 26 And, when a man smiteth the eye of his servant, or the eye of his handmaid, and destroyeth it, he shall send him forth, free, for his eye; 27 or, if, the tooth of his servant or the tooth of his handmaid, he knock out, he shall send him forth, free, for his tooth. 28 And when an ox goreth a man or a woman, and death ensueth, the ox shall, surely be stoned and his flesh shall not be eaten, and the owner of the ox, shall be quit. 29 But, if, the ox, was wont to gore before that time and it hath been attested to his owner, and he hath not proceeded to put him under guard, and he causeth the death of man or woman, the ox, shall be stoned, and, his owner also, shall be put to death. 30 If, a sin-covering, be laid on him, then shall he give a ransom for his life, according to whatsoever may be laid on him: 31 if, a son, he gore or, a daughter, he gore, according to this regulation, shall it be done to him;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Psalms 9:15, Psalms 119:85, Proverbs 28:10, Ecclesiastes 10:8, Jeremiah 18:20, Jeremiah 18:22

Reciprocal: Exodus 22:6 - he that kindled the fire Leviticus 24:21 - a beast

Cross-References

Genesis 4:26
And to Seth - to him also, was born a son, and he called his name Enosh, - then, was a beginning made, to call on the name of Yahweh.
Genesis 12:8
And he moved on from thence towards the hill country, on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, - with Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east, and bulk there an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.
Genesis 26:23
And be went up from thence, to Beer-sheba.
Genesis 26:25
So he builded there all altar and called on the name of Yahweh, and spread out there, his rent, - and the servants of Isaac cut out there a well.
Genesis 26:33
So he called it, Shibah. For this cause, hath the name of the city, been Beer-sheba, unto this day.
Deuteronomy 16:21
Thou shalt not plant thee, as a sacred stem, any tree, - near unto the altar of Yahweh thy God which thou shalt make for thyself;
Deuteronomy 33:27
Above, is the God of aforetime, And, beneath, are the Arms of the ages, - So he driveth before thee the foe, And doth say - Destroy!
Judges 3:7
Thus did the sons of Israel the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, and forgat Yahweh their God, - and served the Baals and the Asherahs.
Psalms 90:2
Before, the mountains, were born, Or thou hadst brought forth the earth and the world, Even, from age to age, thou, wast GOD.
Isaiah 40:28
Hast thou not known, Hast thou not heard, That The God of age-past time - Yahweh The Creator of the ends of the earth Fainteth not neither groweth weary - There is no searching of his understanding:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If a man shall open a pit,.... That has been dug in time past, and filled up again, or take the covering from it, and leave it uncovered: "or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it": a new one, in the street, as the Targum of Jonathan; or in a public place, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra; otherwise a man might dig one for water, in his own fields, in enclosed places, where there was no danger of cattle coming thither, and falling therein:

and an ox or an ass fall therein; or any other beast, as Jarchi observes; for these are mentioned only as instances, and are put for all others. Maimonides s says,

"if a man digs a pit in a public place, and an ox or ass fall into it and die, though the pit is full of shorn wool, and the like, the owner of the pit is bound to pay the whole damage; and this pit (he says) must be ten hands deep; if it is less than that, and an ox, or any other beast or fowl fall into it and die, he is free,''

s Hilchot Niske Maimon. c. 12. sect, 1, 10. so Bartenora in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 1. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The usual mode of protecting a well in the East was probably then, as now, by building round it a low circular wall.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 21:33. And if a man shall open a pit, or - dig a pit — That is, if a man shall open a well or cistern that had been before closed up, or dig a new one; for these two cases are plainly intimated: and if he did this in some public place where there was danger that men or cattle might fall into it; for a man might do as he pleased in his own grounds, as those were his private right. In the above case, if he had neglected to cover the pit, and his neighbour's ox or ass was killed by falling into it, he was to pay its value in money. Exodus 21:33 and Exodus 21:34 seem to be out of their places. They probably should conclude the chapters, as, where they are, they interrupt the statutes concerning the goring ox, which begin at Exodus 21:28.

THESE different regulations are as remarkable for their justice and prudence as for their humanity. Their great tendency is to show the valuableness of human life, and the necessity of having peace and good understanding in every neighbourhood; and they possess that quality which should be the object of all good and wholesome laws - the prevention of crimes. Most criminal codes of jurisprudence seem more intent on the punishment of crimes than on preventing the commission of them. The law of God always teaches and warns, that his creatures may not fall into condemnation; for judgment is his strange work, i.e., one reluctantly and seldom executed, as this text is frequently understood.


 
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