Bible Study Seattle

“Now if someone takes any human life, he must be put to death.  But the one who takes the life of an animal shall make restitution, life for life.  If someone injures his neighbor, just as he has done, so shall it be done to him: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; just as he has injured a person, so shall it be inflicted on him.  So the one who kills an animal shall make restitution, but the one who kills a person shall be put to death.” Leviticus 24:17-21

“But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.” Exodus 21:23-25

If a person takes an eye, is justice taking their eye? That is the type of justice we tend to think of. But what if it can be read another way? What if the person that took the eye could restore the eye? Wouldn’t that be a much better justice? Yes. The penalizing justice may be what we first experience, but ultimately a restorative justice will carry the day. God will ultimately make everything right.