We often hear why God would allow such teachings such as an "eye for an eye" in the OT and then have people twist it thinking that it was meant to be a literal eye for an eye. Well nothing could be further from the truth. We know it's a figure of speech. How? Because in the next verse it clearly states the punishment for an eye for an eye that is, the owner must let their slave go free.
Exodus 21:24
eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
Now see the punishment...
Exodus 21:26
“An owner who hits a male or female slave in the EYE and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye.
The heart cannot rejoice in what the mind rejects as false - Galileo
We learn from history that we do not learn from history - Georg Friedrich Wilhelm Hegel
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. -Philippians 4:8
I was just reading the answers for atheists section on "difference between old and new testament eye for an eye and wanted to add to the discussion." When exodus says eye for an eye," it refers to a punishment chosen by the old israeli court officials to match the crime commited. These eye for eye punishments were only in place for serious crimes such as severely assaulting another individual. The old testament law dictated that the court officials were to determine the punishment, NOT the victim. The victim was not to retaliate as said in leviticus. We must remember our God is a god of peace and we as his children r to immitate him. If we are hurt we are not to hurt back. Peace
12 “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. 13 But [k]if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee. 14 If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.
15 “He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
16 “He who [l]kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his [m]possession, shall surely be put to death.
17 “He who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
18 “If men have a quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but [n]remains in bed, 19 if he gets up and walks around outside on his staff, then he who struck him shall go unpunished; he shall only pay for his [o]loss of time, and [p]shall take care of him until he is completely healed.
20 “If a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies [q]at his hand, he shall [r]be punished. 21 If, however, he survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; for he is his [t]property.
22 “If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet there is no injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband [v]may demand of him, and he shall pay [w]as the judges decide. 23 But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, [x]bruise for bruise.
26 “If a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave, and destroys it, he shall let him go free on account of his eye. 27 And if he [y]knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let him go free on account of his tooth.
28 “If an ox gores a man or a woman [z]to death, the ox shall surely be stoned and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall go unpunished. 29 If, however, an ox was previously in the habit of goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. 30 If a ransom is [aa]demanded of him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is [ab]demanded of him. 31 Whether it gores a son or [ac]a daughter, it shall be done to him according to [ad]the same rule. 32 If the ox gores a male or female slave, [ae]the owner shall give his or her master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
33 “If a man opens a pit, or [af]digs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he shall [ag]give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall become his.
35 “If one man’s ox hurts another’s so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide its price equally; and also they shall divide the dead ox. 36 Or if it is known that the ox was previously in the habit of goring, yet its owner has not confined it, he shall surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal shall become his.
Well nothing could be further from the truth. We know it's a figure of speech. How? Because in the next verse it clearly states the punishment for an eye for an eye that is, the owner must let their slave go free. 
