Exodus 21:35 - “If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live bull, and divide its price; and they shall also divide the dead animal.
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Exodus 21:35" mean?
Exodus 21:35 outlines a specific scenario and its resolution concerning accidental damage caused by livestock in an agrarian society. Let's break down what it means:
"If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies...": This establishes the premise. Bull A, belonging to owner A, has injured Bull B, belonging to owner B, and Bull B has died as a result. This is an accidental event, not intentional harm.
"...then they shall sell the live bull...": The surviving bull (Bull A) is to be sold.
"...and divide its price...": The proceeds from the sale of Bull A are split equally between owner A and owner B.
"...and they shall also divide the dead animal.": This is slightly ambiguous, but there are two common interpretations:
Divide the value of the dead animal: Rather than literally cutting the dead bull in half, they assess its value (based on usable meat, hide, etc.) and that value is shared equally between owner A and owner B. This is a more practical interpretation.
Divide the carcass: Less likely, but possible, they could be dividing the usable portions of the carcass (meat, hide) between them.
The Underlying Principle: Shared Loss and Shared Responsibility
The key principle behind this law is shared responsibility and a recognition of the accidental nature of the event. Neither owner intentionally caused harm, so neither should bear the entire financial burden.
Compensation for the injured party: The owner of the dead bull (owner B) receives partial compensation for the loss of their animal.
Shared burden: The owner of the offending bull (owner A) also shares the financial burden by giving up half the value of their animal. This encourages responsible animal husbandry.
Modern Applications (In a Conceptual Sense)
While we no longer rely on bull-driven economies, the principles can be applied conceptually to modern situations involving accidental property damage:
Accidental collisions: If two cars are involved in an accident, and neither driver is entirely at fault (or fault is difficult to determine), insurance policies and legal settlements often involve a sharing of costs or a compromise to avoid placing the entire burden on one party.
Business partnerships: If a business venture fails due to unforeseen circumstances (not due to negligence or intentional wrongdoing), the partners may agree to share the losses incurred.
In summary, Exodus 21:35 outlines a fair and pragmatic way to resolve disputes arising from accidental livestock damage by dividing the losses equally between the parties involved.
Exodus 21:35 - “If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live bull, and divide its price; and they shall also divide the dead animal.
What does "Exodus 21:35" mean?
Exodus 21:35 outlines a specific scenario and its resolution concerning accidental damage caused by livestock in an agrarian society. Let's break down what it means:
"If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies...": This establishes the premise. Bull A, belonging to owner A, has injured Bull B, belonging to owner B, and Bull B has died as a result. This is an accidental event, not intentional harm.
"...then they shall sell the live bull...": The surviving bull (Bull A) is to be sold.
"...and divide its price...": The proceeds from the sale of Bull A are split equally between owner A and owner B.
"...and they shall also divide the dead animal.": This is slightly ambiguous, but there are two common interpretations:
Divide the value of the dead animal: Rather than literally cutting the dead bull in half, they assess its value (based on usable meat, hide, etc.) and that value is shared equally between owner A and owner B. This is a more practical interpretation.
Divide the carcass: Less likely, but possible, they could be dividing the usable portions of the carcass (meat, hide) between them.
The Underlying Principle: Shared Loss and Shared Responsibility
The key principle behind this law is shared responsibility and a recognition of the accidental nature of the event. Neither owner intentionally caused harm, so neither should bear the entire financial burden.
Compensation for the injured party: The owner of the dead bull (owner B) receives partial compensation for the loss of their animal.
Shared burden: The owner of the offending bull (owner A) also shares the financial burden by giving up half the value of their animal. This encourages responsible animal husbandry.
Modern Applications (In a Conceptual Sense)
While we no longer rely on bull-driven economies, the principles can be applied conceptually to modern situations involving accidental property damage:
Accidental collisions: If two cars are involved in an accident, and neither driver is entirely at fault (or fault is difficult to determine), insurance policies and legal settlements often involve a sharing of costs or a compromise to avoid placing the entire burden on one party.
Business partnerships: If a business venture fails due to unforeseen circumstances (not due to negligence or intentional wrongdoing), the partners may agree to share the losses incurred.
In summary, Exodus 21:35 outlines a fair and pragmatic way to resolve disputes arising from accidental livestock damage by dividing the losses equally between the parties involved.