Then the Lord said to Cain, “{I will not let that happen!} If anyone kills you, Cain, then I will punish that person much, much more.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain. This mark showed that no person should kill him.
Exodus 21:20 - Easy To Read Version “Sometimes people beat their men or women slaves. If the slave dies after he is beaten, then the killer must be punished. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition And if a man strikes his servant or his maid with a rod and he [or she] dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished. American Standard Version (1901) And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall surely be punished. Common English Bible When a slave owner hits a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner should be punished. Catholic Public Domain Version Whoever strikes his male or female servant with a staff, and if they have died by his hands, he shall be guilty of a crime. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version He that striketh his bondman or bondwoman with a rod, and they die under his hands, shall be guilty of the crime. |
Then the Lord said to Cain, “{I will not let that happen!} If anyone kills you, Cain, then I will punish that person much, much more.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain. This mark showed that no person should kill him.
The punishment for killing Cain was very great! So the punishment for killing me will be much, much greater!”
“God made people as a copy of himself. So any person who kills a person must be killed by a person.
If the man was hurt and must stay in bed for some time, then the man who hurt him must support him. The man who hurt him must pay for the loss of his time. The man must support him until he is completely healed.
But if the slave does not die and after a few days the slave becomes well, then that person will not be punished. [136] Why? Because the master paid his money for the slave, and the slave belongs to him.
A servant won’t learn a lesson if you only talk to him. That servant may understand your words but he won’t obey.
A member of the dead man’s family [386] can chase that murderer and kill him.
A ruler is God’s servant to help you. But if you do wrong, then be afraid. The ruler has the power to punish, and he will use that power. He is God’s servant to punish people that do wrong.
{“Punishment must be as severe as the crime.} Don’t feel sorry about punishing a person that does wrong. If a person takes a life, then he must pay with his own life. The rule is: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot.