Scripture is being weaponized right now to say that this verse supports abortion:
New International Version
“If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows.
King James Bible
If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23 If there is an injury, then you must give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, bruise for bruise, wound for wound.
New King James Version
“If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
New American Standard Bible
“Now if people struggle with each other and strike a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, but there is no injury, the guilty person shall certainly be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide.
They are saying that it is saying that if the baby dies, then it is a fine. But if the woman dies, it’s the death penalty. Therefore the baby’s life is less valuable and worthy of abortion and only the woman’s life truly matters. BUT, this is not what the text says and it is not supported in Hebrew.
Two Things to Consider:
- Premature (Yeled/Yasa) – The KJV (old one) probably gets this one the closest. It just says that the fruit of her womb goes out/comes forth. Those who want to twist this say that this means miscarriage meaning death but that is not what the text says. There is no indication of whether the baby lives or dies. This is why all the translations state that the birth is premature. We have absolutely no indication that the baby has died.In fact, these words Yeled (Give birth) and Yasa (Prematurely) – are never used for miscarriage in the over 1000x that yasa is used and yeled is used. If this were meant to say miscarriage, there are Hebrew words that could have been used to convey that nepel and sakal.If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
- “Yet no mischief follow” – That is agreed upon that this is injury. But injury to whom? The baby? The mother? The truth is the Hebrew isn’t clear. There is NO indication whatsoever as who the harm is referring to. But the context would seem to indicate that this is the baby. But either way, it cannot be forced to say one or the other.
There are plenty of other verses that deal with the value of life in the womb. In fact, God calls and commissions people while they are the womb, people like Jacob (Rom 9:12), Jeremiah (1:5) and John the Baptist (Lk 1:15). He says that the womb is His workspace where he knits people together (Ps 139:13).
