4/9/2023 0 Comments Eye for an eye in the bible![]() ![]() Being a male dominant society, if a man did not take vengeance, then he was not considered a ‘real man’. In those days, vendetta and blood feud were characteristic of tribal society. Are you surprised? To look at it in its historic context, let us time travel 3500 years ago. Its original aim was to limit vengeance, not to promote it. ![]() Seen against its historical setting, the law of ‘eye for an eye’ is not a savage law, but a law of mercy. The law of eye for an eye is also called the law of ‘tit for tat’. Your eye shall not pity it shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot: (Deuteronomy 19:21) Eye for an eye in its historical context When a man causes a disfigurement in his neighbor, as he has done it shall be to him, fracture for fracture, eye for an eye, tooth for tooth as he had disfigured a man, he shall be disfigured” (Leviticus 24: 19, 20) If any harm follow, then you shall give life for life, eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe” (Exodus 21: 23-25). The law of ‘eye for an eye’ is mentioned in three places in the Old Testament. ![]() What is the truth in its historic context? Let us start out discussion by referring to the Bible verses. How can a God who promotes retribution be considered a loving God?Įye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind’ said Gandhi, although I am not sure if he was criticizing the Bible. Skeptics argue that the law of ‘eye for an eye’ portrays a blood-thirsty and violent God, not a loving and compassionate God as portrayed by those desperate Christians. Eye for an eye is considered one of the savage and merciless laws of the Bible, especially the Old Testament. ![]()
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