The Meaning of Exodus 21:33 Explained

Exodus 21:33

KJV: And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein;

YLT: And when a man doth open a pit, or when a man doth dig a pit, and doth not cover it, and an ox or ass hath fallen thither, --

Darby: And if a man open a pit, or if a man dig a pit, and do not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall into it,

ASV: And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And if a man  shall open  a pit,  or if a man  shall dig  a pit,  and not cover  it, and an ox  or an ass  fall  therein; 

What does Exodus 21:33 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Exodus 21

1  Laws for men servants
5  For the servant whose ear is bored
7  For women servants
12  For manslaughter
16  For kidnappers
17  For cursers of parents
18  For smiters
22  For a hurt by chance
28  For an ox that gores
33  For him who is an occasion of harm

What do the individual words in Exodus 21:33 mean?

And if opens a man a pit or if digs a pit and not does cover it and falls in it an ox a donkey
וְכִֽי־ יִפְתַּ֨ח אִ֜ישׁ בּ֗וֹר א֠וֹ כִּֽי־ יִכְרֶ֥ה בֹּ֖ר וְלֹ֣א יְכַסֶּ֑נּוּ וְנָֽפַל־ שָׁ֥מָּה שּׁ֖וֹר חֲמֽוֹר

וְכִֽי־  And  if 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יִפְתַּ֨ח  opens 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.
אִ֜ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בּ֗וֹר  a  pit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּור 
Sense: pit, well, cistern.
יִכְרֶ֥ה  digs 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כּוּר 
Sense: to dig, excavate, dig through.
בֹּ֖ר  a  pit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּור 
Sense: pit, well, cistern.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יְכַסֶּ֑נּוּ  does  cover  it 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
וְנָֽפַל־  and  falls 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
שָׁ֥מָּה  in  it 
Parse: Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁם  
Sense: there, thither.
שּׁ֖וֹר  an  ox 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁור  
Sense: ox, bull, a head of cattle.
חֲמֽוֹר  a  donkey 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲמֹור 
Sense: (he)ass.