Exodus 21:32 (KJV)

What does Exodus 21:32 mean?

Exodus 21:32 says that if an ox gores a male or female servant, the owner of the ox must pay the servant’s master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox is to be killed by stoning. This law sets out the compensation and penalty when a servant is killed by someone else’s animal.

In context, God is giving laws to Moses for the Israelites about responsibility and justice. This verse addresses what happens when a working animal causes the death of a servant, making clear that the owner is financially liable and the dangerous animal must be destroyed. The specific payment of thirty shekels of silver and the method of killing the ox show the seriousness of both the loss and the offense.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 21:32

• "manservant" (עֶבֶד, ʿeved) and "maidservant" (אָמָה, ’amah): These words refer specifically to male and female servants, showing the law applies to both genders equally.
• "thirty" (שְׁלֹשִׁים, sheloshim) "shekels" (שֶׁקֶל, sheqel) "of silver" (כֶּסֶף, keseph): The set amount of thirty shekels of silver is a fixed compensation, not left to negotiation, which highlights the value placed on a servant’s life in this legal context.
• "stoned" (סָקַל, saqal): The ox is to be killed by stoning, a public and communal act, emphasizing that the animal’s danger to society is not to be tolerated.

Why Exodus 21:32 matters

• This verse clarifies that the life of a servant had legal value and required compensation, countering any idea that servants were considered disposable.
• The fixed payment of thirty shekels of silver later echoes in the Bible, such as in the price paid to betray Jesus, connecting legal traditions across the scriptures.
• By requiring the ox to be stoned, the law emphasizes community responsibility for public safety and the seriousness of negligence involving animals.