וְאִישׁ כִּי יַכֶּה כָּל נֶפֶשׁ אָדָם מוֹת יוּמָת: וּמַכֵּה נֶפֶשׁ בְּהֵמָה יְשַׁלְּמֶנָּה נֶפֶשׁ תַּחַת נָפֶשׁ: וְאִישׁ כִּי יִתֵּן מוּם בַּעֲמִיתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה כֵּן יֵעָשֶׂה לּוֹ: שֶׁבֶר תַּחַת שֶׁבֶר עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן שֵׁן תַּחַת שֵׁן כַּאֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן מוּם בָּאָדָם כֵּן יִנָּתֶן בּוֹ: וּמַכֵּה בְהֵמָה יְשַׁלְּמֶנָּה וּמַכֵּה אָדָם יוּמָת: מִשְׁפַּט אֶחָד יִהְיֶה לָכֶם כַּגֵּר כָּאֶזְרָח יִהְיֶה כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:
If a man kills any human being, he shall be put to death. One who kills a beast will make restitution for it: life for life. If anyone maims her fellow, as she has done so shall it be done to her: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The injury she inflicted on another shall be inflicted on her. He who kills a beast shall make restitution for it; but he who kills a human being shall be put to death. You shall have one law for stranger and citizen alike: for I am your God.
[JPS translation. Edited for gender neutrality]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. What are the punishments for inflicting damage on an animal? What about another human? Why?
2. What is the punishment for killing another person? What does this teach us about murder?
3. Wealthy countries have a history of inflicting harm on poor countries in order to take their natural resources, their cheap labor, and often their lives. How can we hold our own governments accountable for their actions across the globe?
Time Period: Biblical (early ancestors to 165 BCE)