Exo 21:12 | NETfull | STEP | “Whoever strikes someone so that he dies must surely be put to death.

Exodus 21:12

Personal Injuries

12 ^{▼▼ The underlying point of this section remains vital today: The people of God must treat all human life as sacred.} “Whoever strikes someone ^{▼▼ The construction uses a Hiphil participle in construct with the noun for “man” (or person as is understood in a law for the nation): “the one striking [of] a man.” This is a casus pendens (independent nominative absolute); it indicates the condition or action that involves further consequence (GKC 361 #116.w).} so that he dies ^{▼▼ The Hebrew word וָמֵת (vamet) is a Qal perfect with vav consecutive; it means “and he dies” and not “and killed him” (which require another stem). Gesenius notes that this form after a participle is the equivalent of a sentence representing a contingent action (GKC 333 #112.n). The word shows the result of the action in the opening participle. It is therefore a case of murder or manslaughter.} must surely be put to death. ^{▼▼ See A. Phillips, “Another Look at Murder,” JJS 28 (1977): 105-26.}