Comparison Of Exodus 21: 22 Miscarriage Vs. Premature Birth
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Exodus 21:22 Miscarriage vs. Premature Birth The New Living Translation of Exodus 21:22 reads "Now suppose two men are fighting, and in the process they accidentally strike a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely. If no further injury results, the man who struck the woman must pay the amount of compensation the woman's husband demands and the judges approve.” So, what exactly does this mean? The verse is stating that if the two men cause the fetus to be born early, but the fetus nor the mother is injured otherwise, they must pay the couple what the husband requests. It is later stated in Exodus 21 that if the baby does not live or if there is serious injury, then “you will give a life for a life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for…show more content… This is where the question arises; if the baby dies from the strike, would it be considered a miscarriage or simply still a premature birth? Many abortion articles use Exodus 21:22 for their basis on their beliefs, by digging in to the text. In this research paper, I will discuss the similarities and differences between a miscarriage and a premature birth, while referring to abortion views related to the biblical context on the subject. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a miscarriage is considered a spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus before it is viable and especially between the 12th and 28th weeks of gestation. 1 in 4 women experience this horrific event and most miscarriages are caused by chromosome problems that make it impossible for the baby to develop. Usually, these problems are not related to the mother or father's genes (Storck). While many people, especially of the Christian faith, relate Merriam-Webster’s definition with a biological event,