Exodus - 21:17



17 "Anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Exodus 21:17.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
He that curseth his father, or mother, shall die the death.
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall certainly be put to death.
'And he who is reviling his father or his mother is certainly put to death.
Any man cursing his father or his mother is to be put to death.
Whoever speaks evil of his father or mother shall die a death.
Qui maledixerit patri suo vel matri suae, morte moriatur.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

And he that curseth his father, or his mother,.... Though he does not smite them with his hand, or with any instrument in it, yet if he smites them with his tongue, reviles and reproaches them, speaks evil of them, wishes dreadful imprecations upon them, curses them by the name explained, as the Targum of Jonathan calls it, by the name Jehovah, wishing the Lord would curse them, or that his curse might light upon them, see Proverbs 20:20,
shall surely be put to death; or be killed with casting stones on him, as the Targum of Jonathan, or with stoning; so Jarchi, who observes, that wherever it is said, "his blood be upon him", it is meant of stoning, as it is of the man that curses his father or his mother, Leviticus 20:9 which was after this manner, the place of stoning was two cubits high, to which the malefactor with his hands bound was brought; from whence one of the witnesses against him cast him down headlong, of which, if he did not die, then they took up stones and cast on him, and if he died not through them, then all Israel came and stoned him; that is, the multitude upon the spot: this verse in the Septuagint version follows Exodus 21:15, with which it agrees, both respecting the same persons.

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