2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.
2 If a thief H1590 be found H4672 breaking up, H4290 and be smitten H5221 that he die, H4191 there shall no blood H1818 be shed for him.
3 If the sun H8121 be risen H2224 upon him, there shall be blood H1818 shed for him; for he should make full H7999 restitution; H7999 if he have nothing, then he shall be sold H4376 for his theft. H1591
4 If the theft H1591 be certainly H4672 found H4672 in his hand H3027 alive, H2416 whether it be ox, H7794 or ass, H2543 or sheep; H7716 he shall restore H7999 double. H8147
2 If the thief be found breaking in, and be smitten so that he dieth, there shall be no bloodguiltiness for him.
3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be bloodguiltiness for him; he shall make restitution: if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
4 If the theft be found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep, he shall pay double.
2 `If in the breaking through, the thief is found, and he hath been smitten, and hath died, there is no blood for him;
3 if the sun hath risen upon him, blood `is' for him, he doth certainly repay; if he have nothing, then he hath been sold for his theft;
4 if the theft is certainly found in his hand alive, whether ox, or ass, or sheep -- double he repayeth.
2 If the thief be encountered breaking in, and be smitten so that he die, there shall be no blood-guiltiness for him.
3 If the sun be risen on him, there shall be blood-guiltiness for him; he should have made full restitution: if he had nothing, he would have been sold for his theft.
4 If the stolen thing be actually found alive in his hand, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep, he shall restore double.
2 If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt of bloodshed for him.
3 If the sun has risen on him, there shall be guilt of bloodshed for him; he shall make restitution. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
4 If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall pay double.
2 If a thief is taken in the act of forcing his way into a house, and his death is caused by a blow, the owner of the house is not responsible for his blood.
3 But if it is after dawn, he will be responsible.
4 If he still has what he had taken, whatever it is, ox or ass or sheep, he is to give twice its value.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 22
Commentary on Exodus 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 22
Ex 22:1-31. Laws concerning Theft.
1-4. If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep—The law respects the theft of cattle which constituted the chief part of their property. The penalty for the theft of a sheep which was slain or sold, was fourfold; for an ox fivefold, because of its greater utility in labor; but, should the stolen animal have been recovered alive, a double compensation was all that was required, because it was presumable he (the thief) was not a practised adept in dishonesty. A robber breaking into a house at midnight might, in self-defense, be slain with impunity; but if he was slain after sunrise, it would be considered murder, for it was not thought likely an assault would then be made upon the lives of the occupants. In every case where a thief could not make restitution, he was sold as a slave for the usual term.
6. If fire break out, and catch in thorns—This refers to the common practice in the East of setting fire to the dry grass before the fall of the autumnal rains, which prevents the ravages of vermin, and is considered a good preparation of the ground for the next crop. The very parched state of the herbage and the long droughts of summer, make the kindling of a fire an operation often dangerous, and always requiring caution from its liability to spread rapidly.
stacks—or as it is rendered "shocks" (Jud 15:5; Job 5:26), means simply a bundle of loose sheaves.
26, 27. If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, &c.—From the nature of the case, this is the description of a poor man. No Orientals undress, but, merely throwing off their turbans and some of their heavy outer garments, they sleep in the clothes which they wear during the day. The bed of the poor is usually nothing else than a mat; and, in winter, they cover themselves with a cloak—a practice which forms the ground or reason of the humane and merciful law respecting the pawned coat.
28. gods—a word which is several times in this chapter rendered "judges" or magistrates.
the ruler of thy people—and the chief magistrate who was also the high priest, at least in the time of Paul (Ac 23:1-5).