# Leviticus 24.19

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [Leviticus](/codex/leviticus/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 17. And he that smiteth any man mortally shall surely be put to death. 18. And he that smiteth a beast mortally shall make it good, life for life.
>
> **19. And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbor; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him:**
>
> 20. breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be rendered unto him. 21. And he that killeth a beast shall make it good: and he that killeth a man shall be put to death. (Leviticus 24:17-21, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 17. “‘He who strikes any man mortally shall surely be put to death. 18. He who strikes an animal mortally shall make it good, life for life.
>
> **19. If anyone injures his neighbor; as he has done, so shall it be done to him:**
>
> 20. fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has injured someone, so shall it be done to him. 21. He who kills an animal shall make it good; and he who kills a man shall be put to death. (Leviticus 24:17-21, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 17. And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. <sup>killeth: Heb. smiteth the life of a man</sup> 18. And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast. <sup>beast for: Heb. life for life</sup>
>
> **19. And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;**
>
> 20. Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. 21. And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death. (Leviticus 24:17-21, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 17. 'And when a man smiteth any soul of man, he is certainly put to death. 18. 'And he who smiteth a beast repayeth it, body for body.
>
> **19. 'And when a man putteth a blemish in his fellow, as he hath done so it is done to him;**
>
> 20. breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he putteth a blemish in a man so it is done in him. 21. 'And he who smiteth a beast repayeth it, and he who smiteth [the life of] man is put to death; (Leviticus 24:17-21, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** Moses (traditional); LORD speaking to Moses (frequent direct discourse)
- **Audience:** Israelite congregation; priestly tribe of Levi
- **Location:** Sinai wilderness
- **Time period:** events c. 1445 BC; composed c. 1446-1406 BC

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [H6213 - asah](/codex/h6213-asah/), *asah* (Strong's H6213). Also appears in: [Genesis 1.14-19](/codex/genesis-1-14-19/), [Genesis 1.24-28](/codex/genesis-1-24-28/), [Genesis 1.26](/codex/genesis-1-26/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.