24:17-21 God’s Fairness In the Old Testament, laws like these that prescribe “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” are concerned with proportionate justice, not retribution. It is not about empowering a person to take justice into their own hands to do exactly the same as what was done to them. Rather, it is about providing justice for the wronged person without punishing the wrongdoer excessively. If someone steals from or injures someone else, depending on the situation, restitution or replacement is required. Justice matters to God, and his law reflects that concern.