Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 21:19
If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote [him] be quit: only he shall pay [for] the loss of his time, and shall cause [him] to be thoroughly healed.
19. walk abroad upon his staff ] a proof of convalescence. The ‘staff’ (lit. something to lean upon) was used for help in walking (2Ki 4:29, by Elisha): in Zec 8:4 a characteristic of old age.
be quit (lit. innocent)] If he died in his bed, the person who injured him might reasonably be held responsible for his death: if he died after the had taken his first walk, he might himself have met with some farther accident, or imprudently ventured out too soon.
only, &c.] Though he is no longer in danger of suffering the capital penalty, he must still compensate his victim for his loss of time, and pay his doctor’s bill. Cf. amm. 206; and Manu, viii. 287 (Cook, p. 254).
the loss of his time ] a necessary paraphrase of the Heb. shibt, which may be derived from either yshab, to ‘sit down,’ or shbath, to ‘desist,’ ‘cease’ (viz. from toil): hence the two margins.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Quit – i. e. if one man injured another in a quarrel so as to oblige him to keep his bed, he was free from the liability to a criminal charge (such as might be based upon Exo 21:12): but he was required to compensate the latter for the loss of his time, and for the cost of his healing.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. Shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.] This was a wise and excellent institution, and most courts of justice still regulate their decisions on such cases by this Mosaic precept.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The loss of his time, i.e. of the profit which he could or commonly did make of his time in the way of his calling.
Cause him to be thoroughly healed, i.e. pay the charges of the cure.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
If he rise again,…. From his bed, or from his disease, as the last mentioned Targum, recovers again, at least so far as to be able to do what follows:
and walk abroad upon his staff; if he is able to get out of his bed, and especially out of his house, and can be seen walking about in the street or in the field, though he is obliged to make use of a staff, and lean upon it, being yet weak and sickly;
then shall he that smote him be quit; from the judgment of slaying, as the Targum, he shall not be charged with manslaughter, or be found guilty of a capital crime, but discharged from that:
only shall he pay for the loss of his time; as much as he could have got in that time by his labour, from which he was obliged to cease: the Jewish writers add other things also he was to pay for, as the Targum of Jonathan, particularly; as for his pain, and for his loss of any member, and for his shame and disgrace, as well as the physician’s fee, which is supposed to be included in the next clause:
and cause [him] to be thoroughly healed; take care that he has a physician or surgeon, and that the proper medicines be applied, and those continued until he is quite well; all which must be at the expense of the smiter.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(19) If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff.The charge of murder was not to be kept hanging over a man indefinitely. If the injured person recovered sufficiently to leave his bed, and get about by the help of a stick, the injurer was to pay his fine and be quit of his offence, whatever might happen afterwards.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 21:19 If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote [him] be quit: only he shall pay [for] the loss of his time, and shall cause [him] to be thoroughly healed.
Ver. 19. Upon his staff. ] See 2Sa 3:29 Zec 8:4 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
upon his staff: 2Sa 3:29, Zec 8:4
only he shall pay: This was a wise and excellent institution. The same provision is made in the civil law; and most courts of justice still regulate their decisions in such cases by this Mosaic precept.
the loss: Heb. his ceasing
Reciprocal: Exo 21:27 – smite
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
21:19 If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote [him] be {o} quit: only he shall pay [for] the loss of his time, and shall cause [him] to be thoroughly healed.
(o) By the civil justice.