An eye for an eye

(To respond to an attack by making an equal attack)

This phrase originated from the Code of Hammurabi, an ancient Babylonian text.

He punched me, so I punched him back - it's an eye for an eye!

📖 Meanings

1.
The justice system isn't about an eye for an eye; it's about rehabilitating the offender.
2.
Some believe in an eye for an eye, but I believe in forgiveness.
3.
The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind.
4.
In the world of cyber warfare, it's often an eye for an eye.

1.
The phrase is also found in the Old Testament of the Bible.
2.
It became widely known in English through the 1611 King James Version of the Bible.
3.
The phrase represents the principle of 'Lex Talionis', or law of retaliation.
4.
Gandhi famously critiqued the phrase, stating 'An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.'
5.
Originates from the Code of Hammurabi, an ancient Babylonian law code dated to around 1754 BCE, advocating retributive justice.
6.
Referenced in the Old Testament (Exodus 21:24), promoting justice based on equivalent retaliation.
7.
The phrase entered the English language through translations of the Bible and legal texts during the Middle Ages.
8.
In modern usage, often cited as an argument against retributive punishment due to its potentially escalating consequences.
9.
Used in Gandhi’s famous quote 'An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind', emphasizing the dangers of cyclical revenge.