Lex Talionis and the Ethics of Reciprocal Justice: An Exegetical Study of Exodus 21:23-25 in Dialogue with Odù Ọ̀wọ́rínṣogbè

Publication Details

Publication Date

10/11/2026

Volume / Issue

Vol 1, Issue 6 (2026)

Article No.

074

Journal

British Journal of Contemporary Research

DOI

https://doi.org/10.67693/BJCR-S5SALW9B

Received

30 Oct 2026

Views

28

Downloads

16

Abstract

Interpreting lex talionis in Exodus 21:23-25 opens up a fascinating discussion about retribution, proportionality, and regulation of responses to wrongdoing. While the phrase “life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth” is often seen as a principle of retaliation, it is essential to investigate its legal role and ethical implications within its literary and historical contexts. This study therefore reexamined lex talionis in a dialogue with Odù Ọ̀ wọ́ rínṣogbè to explore the concept of reciprocal justice. Adopting historico-grammatical exegesis, the study analysed the biblical text alongside contextual interpretations of the ẹsẹ Ifá (Ifa verse). This dialogue highlights both the similarities and differences between the two traditions without assuming them to be identical. The analysis focused on the connection between injury and consequence, the boundaries of retaliation, moral accountability, and the maintenance of social order. The paper then argued that the talionic formula forms part of a legal framework that should not be seen as a license for personal revenge. Similarly, the Ifá narrative features themes of reciprocal recompense, but it ultimately leads to the tragic death of Ogbè’s daughter and ends with a clear warning to uphold good behaviour. Thus, its ethical message is both complex and cautionary: retaliatory equivalence can perpetuate harm rather than restore justice. This study contributed to biblical hermeneutics by demonstrating how a critically controlled dialogue with an indigenous religious narrative can demystify the ethical pitfalls of vengeance while respecting the historical and conceptual uniqueness of both traditions.

License

This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License . Free to read, share, and adapt with attribution.