21:23, 24 Cf. Leviticus 24:19, 20; Deuteronomy 19:21. The principle of retaliation, or lex taliones, applied if injury occurred to either mother or child. The punishment matched, but did not exceed, the damage done to the victim. The welfare of a pregnant woman was protected by this law so that unintentional maltreatment constituted culpable negligence. Significantly for the abortion debate, the fetus was considered a person; thus, someone was held accountable for the baby’s death or injury. 21:24