Exodus 21:22

Key Reflection

In Exodus 21:22, the original audience would have recognized this law as part of a broader code regulating social and economic relationships within ancient Israelite society. This particular passage addresses the legal status of a servant who suffers non-fatal injury; if the servant recovers after two days, his master is exempt from punishment because he remains property and not free. This reflects a legal system that often prioritized economic interests over personal rights, placing servants in a position of lesser protection under the law compared to freemen.