1 Kings 20:35

A Prophet Denounces Ahab’s Actions

20:35 One of the members of the prophetic guild, speaking with divine authority, ordered his companion, “Wound me!” ¹  But the man refused to wound him.

Exodus 21:12

Personal Injuries

21:12 ² “Whoever strikes someone ³  so that he dies ⁴  must surely be put to death. ⁵ 

[20:35]  ¹ tn Heb “Now a man from the sons of the prophets said to his companion by the word of the Lord, ‘Wound me.’”

[21:12]  ² sn The underlying point of this section remains vital today: The people of God must treat all human life as sacred.

[21:12]  ³ tn The construction uses a Hiphil participle in construct with the noun for “man” (or person as is understood in a law for the nation): “the one striking [of] a man.” This is a casus pendens (independent nominative absolute); it indicates the condition or action that involves further consequence (GKC 361 §116.w).

[21:12]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew word וָמֵת (vamet) is a Qal perfect with vav consecutive; it means “and he dies” and not “and killed him” (which require another stem). Gesenius notes that this form after a participle is the equivalent of a sentence representing a contingent action (GKC 333 §112.n). The word shows the result of the action in the opening participle. It is therefore a case of murder or manslaughter.

[21:12]  ⁵ sn See A. Phillips, “Another Look at Murder,” JJS 28 (1977): 105-26.