Deuteronomy 19:21
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And your eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
American King James Version (AKJV)
And your eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
American Standard Version (ASV)
And thine eyes shall not pity; life'shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Have no pity; let life be given for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Webster's Revision
And thy eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
World English Bible
Your eyes shall not pity; life [shall go] for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
English Revised Version (ERV)
And thine eye shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Clarke's Deuteronomy 19:21 Bible Commentary
Life - for life, eye for eye, etc. - The operation of such a law as this must have been very salutary: if a man prized his own members, he would naturally avoid injuring those of others. It is a pity that this law were not still in force: it would certainly prevent many of those savage acts which now both disgrace and injure society. I speak this in reference to law generally, and the provision that should be made to prevent and punish ferocious and malevolent offenses. A Christian may always act on the plan of forgiving injuries; and where the public peace and safety may not be affected, he should do so; but if law did not make a provision for the safety of the community by enactment against the profligate, civil society would soon be destroyed.
Wesley's Deuteronomy 19:21 Bible Commentary
19:21 Eye for eye - What punishment the law allotted to the accused, if he had been convicted, the same shall the false accuser bear.
