Leviticus 24:20fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has injured someone, so shall it be done to him.
The setting
Sinai Peninsula, ~1445 BC. Moses receives detailed civil law from God for the newly formed nation. The camp of 2+ million people needed structure...
The emotion here: reverent awe while recording God's precise legal standards
The original word
mishpat (מִשְׁפָּט) — justice, judgment, legal decision based on careful examination
Why it matters
This law actually LIMITED revenge - ancient cultures often demanded a life for an injury
Read with care
What most readers miss in Leviticus 24:20
This wasn't about revenge - it was about proportional justice and stopping escalation
Common misconceptionPeople think this promotes revenge, but it actually LIMITED punishment. Ancient law often demanded death for any injury. This said 'only equal consequence.'
The thread continues
Verses that echo Leviticus 24:20
Bible Genome reading
Leviticus 24:20 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Leviticus 24:20 comes from the book of Leviticus, written during the exodus period. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the law genre of biblical literature. Key themes include lex talionis, proportional justice. Notable phrases: eye for eye; tooth for tooth; fracture for fracture. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Leviticus 24:20 mean to you, today?
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