Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 21:31

Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.

31. The same law is to hold good, if the person who has been killed is (as we should say) a minor, of either sex.

this judgement ] The decision embodied in the preceding laws ( vv. 28 30). Cf. on v. 1.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

A son or a daughter; names signifying their tender age, in respect of the man or woman, Exo 21:29. And this is added, lest the foregoing sense should be restrained to their parents, whose lives were more precious, and therefore their loss greater.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

28-36. If an ox gore a man or awoman, that they dieFor the purpose of sanctifying humanblood, and representing all injuries affecting life in a seriouslight, an animal that occasioned death was to be killed or sufferpunishment proportioned to the degree of damage it had caused.Punishments are still inflicted on this principle in Persia and othercountries of the East; and among a rude people greater effect is thusproduced in inspiring caution, and making them keep noxious animalsunder restraint, than a penalty imposed on the owners.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter,…. A little son or daughter, and both Israelites, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra; this is observed, because only a man or woman are made mention of in

Ex 21:29 persons grown up; and lest it should be thought that only adult persons were intended, this is added, to show that the same regard is had to little ones as to grown persons, should they suffer by an ox in like manner as men and women may. The Targum of Jonathan restrains this to a son or daughter of an Israelite; but the life of everyone, of whatsoever nation, is equally provided for, and guarded against by the original law of God:

according to this judgment shall it be done unto him; to the owner of the ox that has gored a child, male or female; that is, he shall be put to death, if he has been warned of the practice of his ox for three days past, and has took no care to keep him in; or he shall pay the ransom of his life, as it has been laid by the court, with the consent of the relations of the children.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

31. Whether he have gored a son. I know not whether they are correct who refer this to age, as if any young persons of either sex were meant by the words son and daughter; but I do not reject this opinion. Still Moses seems to extend the law, as if, in case a butting ox had killed its owner’s son, the father himself should be subject to the punishment, for not having taken more care of his children. It might, however, be doubted, whether it would be just to condemn to death a father already weighed down by the loss of his child; still it affords a useful example, that parents should not escape with impunity, if their sons or daughters should die by their fault.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

Exo 21:31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.

Ver. 31. A son or a daughter. ] A little one, and in his minority, as Puerilitas est periculorum pelagus.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)