Exodus 21:22 describes penalties when a fight injures a pregnant woman and causes premature birth. What is the offender required to do?

• A. Pay a fine as demanded by the woman's husband, according to judicial assessment
• B. Be imprisoned
• C. Pay no penalty
• D. Perform community service

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is how penalties are structured in this Biblical law: restitution to the injured party’s family takes precedence, with the amount determined by the husband and the judges when a pregnant woman is harmed and a premature birth occurs but no additional harm follows. In this scenario, the offender must pay a fine, and the exact sum isn’t fixed—it is laid out by the woman's husband and set by the judges. This reflects an approach of compensating the family rather than imposing imprisonment.

That’s why this option is the best. Imprisonment isn’t described for this case, paying no penalty contradicts the text, and community service isn’t the form of punishment specified. If the harm had led to more serious consequences, like the death of the mother or child, the penalties would be different (life for life), but for a premature birth with no further harm, the fine determined by the husband and judges is required.