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Exodus 21:27

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Exodus 21:27 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And if he smite out his man-servant`s tooth, or his maid-servant`s tooth, he shall let him go free for his tooth`s sake.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And if he smite out his man-servant`s tooth, or his maid-servant`s tooth, he shall let him go free for his tooth`s sake.
Exodus 21:27 — American Standard Version

Context — Exodus 21

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
26And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, and destroy it; he shall let him go free for his eye`s sake.
27And if he smite out his man-servant`s tooth, or his maid-servant`s tooth, he shall let him go free for his tooth`s sake.
28And if an ox gore a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be surely stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.
29But if the ox was wont to gore in time past, and it hath been testified to its owner, and he hath not kept it in, but it hath killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.
30If there be laid on him a ransom, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.
← Exodus 21:26Exodus 21:28 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth, etc.] Give them such a slap on the face, or a blow on the mouth, as to strike out one of their teeth; this also the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi restrain to a Canaanitish servant or maid; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake; both him and her, the servant and the maid; this, though of lesser consequence than the loss of an eye, was punished in the same manner with the loss of the servant man or maid, to make masters careful how they abused their servants in any degree. And though only these parts are expressed, yet Jarchi and Aben Ezra observe, that all other principal members of the body, which they reckon to…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Freedom was the proper equivalent for permanent injury. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“smite: Exo 21:19 Exodus 21:28”
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Related study paths

Read Exodus 21 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification