From: john@johniac.austin.ibm.com (John Iacoletti)
Subject: Exodus 21:22 (was Re: HR 4983)
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 92 17:21:05 GMT
Distribution: tx
Reply-To: johniac@hwperform.austin.ibm.com (John Iacoletti)
Organization: IBM Advanced Workstation Division, Austin, TX

Yeah, I know I said I was going to stay out of this, but somebody sent
me this article about the different translations of Exodus 21:22, and
I thought it would be of interest to post it here.  The original
source of this article is Jim Perry (perry@apollo.hp.com), and I
suspect it came from talk.religion.misc.  I think it shows
(as usual) that what the bible means often depends on who you ask.

---
AV(KJV): 
  Exo21:22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her
  fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be
  surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him;
  and he shall pay as the judges determine.  Exo21:23 And if any
  mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Exo21:24 Eye
  for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Exo21:25
  Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
  
NASB:
  And if men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so
  that she has a miscarriage, yet there is no further injury, he shall
  surely be fined as the woman's husband may demand of him: and he
  shall pay as the judges decide.  23 But if there is any further
  injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life,

NIV:
  If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth
  prematurely [footnote: Or "she has a miscarriage"] but there is no
  serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's
  husband demands and the court allows.  23 But if there is serious
  injury you are to take life for life,

TEV:
  If some men are fighting and hurt a pregnant woman so that she loses
  her child, but she is not injured in any other way, the one who hurt
  her is to be fined whatever amount the woman's husband demands,
  subject to the approval of the judges. 23 But if the woman herself
  is injured, the punishment shall be life for life,
  
NEB: 
  When, in the course of a brawl, a man knocks against a pregnant
  woman so that she has a miscarriage but suffers no further hurt,
  then the offender must pay whatever fine the woman's husband demands
  after assessment.  
  23 Wherever hurt is done you shall give life for life,

The following was as a result of a mail exchange with a knowledgeable
Jewish friend, and refers to two more versions:

>I looked in the Hertz Pentateuch and Haftorahs (The 5 Books of Moses and
>the associated extracts from the Prophets for the weekly reading).
>Hertz is commonly used by both Conservative and Orthodox congregations.
>
>The following is the text:
>
>Exodus 21:22:
>
>       And if men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that
>       her fruit depart, and yet no harm follow, he shall surely be
>       fined, according as the woman's husband shall lay upon him; and
>       he shall pay as the judges determine.
>
>21:23:
>
>       But if any harm follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
>
>21:24
>       eye for eye, tooth for tooth, ...
>
>The only noticeable difference was that in my Rashi which includes the
>Torah at the top of the page, "fruit" was translated as "children",
>likewise in my Mechilta. Both the Rashi and the Hertz refer to the
>Mechilta, so I went and looked. I found no extravagant interpretation
>there, just straightforward explication of the text.
>
>Some definitions:
>
>Mechilta - Tannaitic Midrash (commentary) on Exodus. The tannaim are the
>Rabbi's responsible for the Mishnah, the older core of the Talmud. I do
>not know off the top of my head when the text as we have it was
>compiled.
>
>Rashi - R' Solomon ben Isaac of Troyes (1040-1105) French exegete and
>Talmudic commentator. He is, to this day, considered one of the great
>authorities on pshat, the straightforward interpretation of the Torah.

-- 
John Iacoletti    IBM AWD Austin    Internet: johniac@hwperform.austin.ibm.com
        My opinions do not reflect the views of the IBM Corporation
"Now I laugh and make a fortune off the same ones that I tortured, and the
  world screams, 'Kiss me, son of God'" -- TMBG
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