Exodus 21:26
““If a man strikes his servant’s eye, or his maid’s eye, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.”
What does Exodus 21:26 mean?
In ancient times, a servant's life was precarious, and owners held tremendous power. This law was radical for its moment: it said that deliberately injuring a servant's eye wasn't just a minor offense to be paid off with money. The injury was serious enough that the servant earned freedom as compensation. The principle underneath is striking, even today, it affirms that there are some violations of a person's body and dignity that money alone cannot repair, and that freedom itself becomes the appropriate response to such harm. It's one of several laws in Exodus that actually limited the absolute power masters held over those who served them.