21:28 4 “If an ox 5 gores a man or a woman so that either dies, 6 then the ox must surely 7 be stoned and its flesh must not be eaten, but the owner of the ox will be acquitted.
1 tn Or perhaps “growl”; Heb “not a dog will sharpen his tongue.” The expression is unusual, but it must indicate that not only would no harm come to the Israelites, but that no unfriendly threat would come against them either – not even so much as a dog barking. It is possible this is to be related to the watchdog (see F. C. Fensham, “Remarks on Keret 114b – 136a,” JNSL 11 [1983]: 75).
2 tn Heb “against man or beast.”
3 tn The verb פָּלָה (palah) in Hiphil means “to set apart, make separate, make distinct.” See also Exod 8:22 (18 HT); 9:4; 33:16.
4 sn The point that this section of the laws makes is that one must ensure the safety of others by controlling the circumstances.
5 tn Traditionally “ox,” but “bull” would also be suitable. The term may refer to one of any variety of large cattle.
6 tn Heb “and he dies”; KJV “that they die”; NAB, NASB “to death.”
7 tn The text uses סָקוֹל יִסָּקֵל (saqol yissaqel), a Qal infinitive absolute with a Niphal imperfect. The infinitive intensifies the imperfect, which here has an obligatory nuance or is a future of instruction.