1 `When a man doth steal an ox or sheep, and hath slaughtered it or sold it, five of the herd he doth repay for the ox, and four of the flock for the sheep.
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.
5 `When a man depastureth a field or vineyard, and hath sent out his beast, and it hath pastured in the field of another, `of' the best of his field, and the best of his vineyard, he doth repay.
6 `When fire goeth forth, and hath found thorns, and a stack, or the standing corn, or the field, hath been consumed, he who causeth the burning doth certainly repay.
7 `When a man doth give unto his neighbour silver, or vessels to keep, and it hath been stolen out of the man's house; if the thief is found, he repayeth double.
8 `If the thief is not found, then the master of the house hath been brought near unto God, whether he hath not put forth his hand against the work of his neighbour;
9 for every matter of transgression, for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, for any lost thing of which it is said that it is his; unto God cometh the matter of them both; he whom God doth condemn, he repayeth double to his neighbour.
10 `When a man doth give unto his neighbour an ass, or ox, or sheep, or any beast to keep, and it hath died, or hath been hurt, or taken captive, none seeing --
11 an oath of Jehovah is between them both, that he hath not put forth his hand against the work of his neighbour, and its owner hath accepted, and he doth not repay;
12 but if it is certainly stolen from him, he doth repay to its owner;
13 if it is certainly torn, he bringeth it in -- a witness; the torn thing he doth not repay.
14 `And when a man doth ask `anything' from his neighbour, and it hath been hurt or hath died -- its owner not being with it -- he doth certainly repay;
15 if its owner `is' with it, he doth not repay, -- if it `is' a hired thing, it hath come for its hire.
16 `And when a man doth entice a virgin who `is' not betrothed, and hath lain with her, he doth certainly endow her to himself for a wife;
17 if her father utterly refuse to give her to him, money he doth weigh out according to the dowry of virgins.
18 `A witch thou dost not keep alive.
19 `Whoever lieth with a beast is certainly put to death.
20 `He who is sacrificing to a god, save to Jehovah alone, is devoted.
21 `And a sojourner thou dost not oppress, nor crush him, for sojourners ye have been in the land of Egypt.
22 `Any widow or orphan ye do not afflict;
23 if thou dost really afflict him, surely if he at all cry unto Me, I certainly hear his cry;
24 and Mine anger hath burned, and I have slain you by the sword, and your wives have been widows, and your sons orphans.
25 `If thou dost lend My poor people with thee money, thou art not to him as a usurer; thou dost not lay on him usury;
26 if thou dost at all take in pledge the garment of thy neighbour, during the going in of the sun thou dost return it to him:
27 for it alone is his covering, it `is' his garment for his skin; wherein doth he lie down? and it hath come to pass, when he doth cry unto Me, that I have heard, for I `am' gracious.
28 `God thou dost not revile, and a prince among thy people thou dost not curse.
29 `Thy fulness and thy liquids thou dost not delay; the first-born of thy sons thou dost give to Me;
30 so thou dost to thine ox, to thy sheep; seven days it is with its dam, on the eighth day thou dost give it to Me.
31 `And ye are holy men to Me, and flesh torn in the field ye do not eat, to a dog ye do cast it.
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).