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What the Bible Says About Assault and Battery

Overview

The Bible addresses assault and battery across 15 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Exodus, Deuteronomy and Matthew. Closely related themes include Retaliation, Court, Priests and Woman.

Key Bible verses about assault and battery

Old Testament

Exodus

Exodus 21:18

And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: another: or, his neighbour

Exodus 21:19

If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed. the loss: Heb. his ceasing

Exodus 21:22

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.

Exodus 21:23

And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,

Exodus 21:24

Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Exodus 21:25

Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Exodus 21:26

And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake.

Exodus 21:27

And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 17:8

If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose;

Deuteronomy 17:9

And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment:

Deuteronomy 17:10

And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee:

Deuteronomy 17:11

According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.

Deuteronomy 17:12

And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. and will: Heb. not to hearken

In the Bible dictionary

Studying assault and battery for yourself

  • Begin with Exodus 21:18, then read the passages below in canonical order.
  • Compare how Exodus, Deuteronomy and Matthew each treat the theme.
  • Widen the study to related themes: Retaliation, Court, Priests and Woman.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Bible say about assault and battery?

The Bible addresses assault and battery across 15 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Exodus, Deuteronomy and Matthew. Closely related themes include Retaliation, Court, Priests and Woman.

How many Bible verses are about assault and battery?

The Bible references assault and battery in 15 verses (King James Version).

Where does the Bible first mention assault and battery?

In canonical order, the first of these passages is Exodus 21:18: “And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: another: or, his neighbour”

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