Exodus 21:12-322. With Regard to Personal Injury (Exodus 21:12-32) Compare with this the fifth commandment, “ Thou shalt not kill.” Capital offenses are dealt with in Exodus 21:12-17. In cases of willful murder no redress or mercy is expected or shown. There must be no commutation of sentence. The culprit may be taken even from the altar (cf. Luke 11:50-51). For unpremeditated murder or manslaughter cities of refuge were provided. The severe punishment for this crime is doubtless to be accounted for by the fact that man was created in the image of God (cf. Genesis 9:5-6). Kidnapping is also a capital offense, as is the cursing or striking of a parent which is equivalent to blaspheming God. Assault and battery is dealt with in Exodus 21:18-27, for which retribution, compensation, and damages must be paid. The expression, “ Eye for eye, tooth for tooth,” is not to be taken literally. If it were, what a lot of one-eyed and toothless people we would have going around! Compensation is to be paid for injuries done to cattle (Exodus 21:28-32). These verses are important, for they deal with man’ s responsibility for negligence and with sins of omission. They show that every man is his brother’ s keeper and that no man liveth unto himself. Again the sanctity of human life, even of slaves (Exodus 21:32), is emphasized.