Deuteronomy 19:21

“And your eye shall not pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
Deuteronomy 19:21 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

And your eye shall notוְלֹא עֵינֶךָpity:תָחוֹסlifeנֶפֶשׁfor life,בְּנֶפֶשׁeyeעַיִןfor eye,בְּעַיִןtoothשֵׁןfor tooth,בְּשֵׁןhandיָדfor hand,בְּיָדfootרֶגֶלfor foot.בְּרָגֶל

Allusion · Exodus 21:24

Go to Exodus 21:24

Both texts give the rule “eye for eye, tooth for tooth”; in Deuteronomy, for the false witness.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

עֵינֶeneH5869עַיִןayinH5869“eye”
שֵׁןshenH8127שֵׁןshenH8127“tooth”

Deuteronomy 19:21, word by word

And your eye shall notעֵינֶene

eye

The organ with which one sees; so "lift the eyes" means to look.

Where else “ene” appears

pityתָחוֹסtachos

pity, spare

Have pity, take compassion; spare. "Let your eye not pity" means do not worry about what you leave behind.

Where else “tachos” appears

lifeנֶפֶשׁnefesh

life

Life, when it is at stake.

Where else “nefesh” appears

toothשֵׁןshen

tooth

The hard piece in the mouth used to bite and chew.

Where else “shen” appears

handיָדyad

hand

The part of the body with which one takes, gives and works; also what one does.

Where else “yad” appears

footרֶגֶלregel

foot

The part of the body that supports and makes one walk.

Where else “regel” appears

Translation note

It is the same rule as Exodus 21:23-25 and Leviticus 24:19-20. Jesus comments on it in Matthew 5:38-39.

The context

20And those who remain shall hear and fear, and they shall not again do any such evil thing among you.

21 · This verse (above)

Read all of Deuteronomy 19

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