complete verse (Exodus 21:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 21:23:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But if a person has been hit badly, then that person who beat him should be punished life being lost/paid for life, (tit for tat)” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If the woman is injured and she dies, you are to take life for life.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But if what happened to the woman is serious the-one-who (is) responsible will-be-punished according-to what happened to the woman. If the woman has-died, he will- also -be-killed.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “And if that woman receives bad pain and remains, you (pl.) must do similarly like that to the man who struck her. And if that woman dies, you must strike that man so that he dies also.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “But if child will fall down be bad some part, one who hit mother, let them bind him with binding which be the same with part bad: life with life,” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “But if the woman is injured in some additional way, the one who injured her must be caused to suffer in exactly the same way that he caused her to suffer. If she dies, he must be executed.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 21:23 - 21:25

If (ʾim) introduces the alternative situation, or case, to which the law of verse 22 applies. (See the discussion at verse 2.) If any harm follows, literally “And if there is harm,” uses the same word as in verse 22. This refers to additional harm to the pregnant woman other than the loss of her child. Good News Translation makes this clear: “But if the woman herself is injured.” Contemporary English Version has “But if she is seriously injured,” indicating more serious injuries than merely lacerations or bruises in the stomach area.

Then (Hebrew we-) introduces the main clause, which continues to the end of verse 25. You shall give life for life means that if the woman dies another life must be taken. In this case it implies that the man who inflicted the injury would have to be killed. The you is singular, addressed either to Moses or to Israel as an individual. The word for give also means to offer or surrender. Good News Translation has “the punishment shall be life for life,” and Contemporary English Version has “the payment will be life for life.” Both renderings are similar in meaning. In some languages one must say “If she dies, the man must pay [or, exchange] his life for her life” or “must give up [or, surrender] his own life in exchange for her life.”

Eye for eye means that if either of the woman’s eyes were injured or destroyed, the same injury shall be inflicted on the person who caused the injury. Tooth for tooth means that for every tooth that may have been knocked out, a tooth shall be removed from the one who caused the injury. Hand for hand evidently means that any injury to the woman’s hand shall be inflicted on the hand of the one who caused the injury. Foot for foot means the same thing.

Burn for burn uses a word that may also mean “scar,” or perhaps “burnt-scar” (Fox). It is not clear how a woman could have been burned in the situation stated in verse 22, but the list is simply describing various kinds of injuries. Wound for wound uses a word that may also mean “bruise.” Stripe for stripe describes a wound or bruise made by a rod or a whip, so Durham has “wale for wale,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “stroke for stroke.” Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version have “bruise for bruise.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .