Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 21:21
Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he [is] his money.
21. If the slave survives a day or two, his master escapes even the comparatively light penalty of v. 20; for then it is clear that he did not intend to kill him, but only to correct him.
he is his money ] i.e. his master’s property, purchased by his master’s money. His master is considered to have sufficiently punished himself by the loss of his property.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 21. If the slave who had been beaten by his master died under his hand, the master was punished with death; see Ge 9:5-6. But if he survived the beating a day or two the master was not punished, because it might be presumed that the man died through some other cause. And all penal laws should be construed as favourably as possible to the accused.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. His possession bought with his money; and therefore,
1. Had a power to chastise him according to his demerit, which might be very great.
2. Is sufficiently punished with his own loss.
3. May be presumed not to have done this purposely and maliciously.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two,…. And does not die immediately, or the same day, but lives twenty four hours, as the Jewish writers interpret it; so Abendana x explains the phrase, “a day or two”;
“a day which is as two days, and they are twenty four hours from time to time,”
that is, from the time he was smitten to the time of his continuance; and so it is elsewhere explained y by a day we understand a day, which is like two days, that is, from time to time, the meaning of which is, from a certain time in one day to the same in another:
he shall not be punished; that is, with death;
for he [is] his money; is bought with his money, and is good as money, and therefore it is a loss sufficient to him to lose him; and it may be reasonably thought he did not smite his servant with an intention to kill him, since he himself is the loser by it.
x Not. in Miclol Yophi in loc. y Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Zabim, c. 2. sect. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(21) If he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished.Comp. the proviso with respect to freemen (Exo. 21:19). The notion is, that unless the death follows speedily it must be presumed not to have been intended; and this might be especially presumed in the case of a man killing his slave, since thereby he inflicted on himself a pecuniary loss.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 21:21. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, &c. As it might be presumed, that, in this case, the death of the slave was not absolutely owing to the wounds he received, the master was to be thought sufficiently punished by the loss which he sustained in this part of his property; for he is his money; and in this view it might be supposed, that the master had no design to kill him. See Lev 25:44.
Note; All these laws concerning slaves, as before intimated, were mild and merciful, if we consider the dispensation under which they were delivered, and the state of mankind in those early ages. But since life and immortality have been brought to light by the Gospel, slavery can no more be admitted or vindicated than polygamy, consistently with the perfection of that high dispensation under which we at present live.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Exo 21:21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he [is] his money.
Ver. 21. For he is his money. ] And therefore he hath power over his flesh. Col 3:22 Yet “hide not thine eyes from thine own flesh,” saith the prophet. Isa 58:7
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
money. Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, money put for the servant ho earns it.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Lev 25:45, Lev 25:46
Reciprocal: Gen 37:27 – sell him Exo 23:9 – thou shalt not Lev 19:20 – she shall be scourged Job 31:13 – the cause
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 21:21. He is his money His possession, bought with his money; and, therefore, 1st, He had a power to chastise him according to his demerit, which might be very great. 2d, He is punished by his own loss. And, 3d, May be presumed not to have done this purposely and maliciously.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
21:21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not {p} be punished: for he [is] his money.
(p) By the civil magistrate, but before God he is a murderer.